VA-176 Thunderbolts A-6 (USS America) Intruder Model, 1/36th Scale, Mahogany For Sale

Proudly display this 18 inch wooden model of the VA-176 Thunderbolts A-6 Intruder. Each model is carefully carved and painted by master craftsman. This is perfect for the goat locker or office and will provide a perfect aid for aviator told stories!

• Length - 18 inches
• Made from Mahogany
• US Veteran Owned Business
• The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger.

• 1975: Delivered to the US Navy.
• 1976-78: VA-176 as AE-501.
• 1980-81: VMA(AW)-242 as DT-08.
• 1982-83: VA-75 as AC-506.
• 1985: VA-196 as NK-500.
• 1986: VA-196 as NK-511.
• 1994: VA-35.
• 10/1994: Put into storage at the AMARC bone yard.

159576 to AMARC Oct 4, 1994

VA-176 was established on 4 June 1955 and equipped with the Douglas AD-6 Skyraider and assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. A year later the first deployment followed on board the aircraft carrier USS Randolph (CVA-15) to the Mediterranean Sea as part of Air Task Group 2 (ATG-2). In 1958, the squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group 17 (CVG-17), but was not deployed as CVG-17 was disbanded. The next cruise in 1959/60 was aboard the USS Essex (CVA-9) as part of CVG-10. In November and December 1960 VA-176 was assigned to Carrier Anti-submarine Air Group 52 (CVSG-52) aboard the USS Wasp (CVS-18). After this short deployment VA-176 returned to CVW-10 and made three deployments to the Mediterranean Sea with the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) between 1961 and 1965.
CVW-10 was shifted in 1966 to the USS Intrepid (CVS-11), which was used as an attack carrier for three deployments to Vietnam. During the 1966 deployment two members of the squadron became known by successfully engaging a North Vietnamese MiG-17, an unusual instance of propeller-driven aircraft defeating a jet-powered adversary.
In 1967 VA-176 was back in the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS Saratoga (CVA-60) as part of CVW-3.

This was the last cruise with the Douglas A-1H Skyraider, as the squadron converted to the Grumman A-6A Intruder all-weather attack plane. From its first deployment with the Intruder in 1970 to the last in 1991, VA-176 was assigned to CVW-6. From 1970 to 1975, CVW-6 was assigned to the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42). The next three years were spent aboard the USS America (CV-66). In 1979 the wing moved to the USS Independence (CV-62), followed by the USS Forrestal (CV-59) from 1986 to 1991. Flying the Intruder, VA-176 made eighteen deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, three of which also led to the Indian Ocean. The squadron earned three consecutive Battle \"E\" awards, for the years 1988-1991. The squadron was decommissioned from active service on 30 October 1992.