Ling-Temco-Vought created the A-7 to meet a US Navy requirement for an attack aircraft to replace the A-4 Skyhawk. The A-7 inherited much of its design from Vought’s supersonic F-8 Crusader fighter.
LTV proposed its A-7 to the Air Force as an attack aircraft to replace the A-1 Skyraider and F-100 Super Sabre. The D-model of the A-7 was built to the Air Force’s requirements, incorporating many advanced systems, including a more powerful engine, a heads-up display (HUD) that projected flight information onto the windscreen, a computerized navigation and bombing system, and a 20 mm rotary cannon.
After extensive service during the Vietnam War, the Air Force turned over most of its A-7Ds to Air National Guard units.
The A-7D Corsair II on display at Wings Over the Rockies went directly from the factory to the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Colorado Air National Guard’s 140th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1974. During its 18 year career with the Guard, it participated in many exercises and deployments. During a deployment to the Netherlands in 1976, the airplane was named Speedwell to celebrate the friendship between the Colorado Air National Guard and the town hosting them. Speedwell was the name of the ship that took Dutch Pilgrims to Plymouth, England, for their trip to America in 1620. In 1981, the squadron won the Air Force Worldwide Gunnery Competition (nicknamed Gunsmoke).
The aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the US Air Force.
Aircraft specifications:
Wingspan: 38 ft 8 in (11.8 m)
Length: 46 ft 1 in (14 m)
Maximum speed: 663 mph (1,067 km/h)
Maximum weight: 39,325 lb (17,838 kg)
Crew: One
Engine: Allison TF-41A turbofan
Thrust: 14,250 lbf (63.4 kN)
Air & Space Museum
