Notes: With the Intruder being absent from the U.S. Naval roster for several years now, occasionally you come across a sheet that allows a modeler to choose a paint scheme that they never knew existed...  In this case, all three are light gull gray upper surfaces and white undersides as was normal in the 1970s- early 80s.

The first Intruder on this sheet is for an A-6E of VA-145.  The Swordsmen transitioned to the Intruder in 1968, with their first cruise following in 1969.  As depicted here, the squadron sailed aboard the USS Ranger as part of Air Wing Two.  The squadron ceased operations in 1993, flying upgraded A-6Es by then.  The A-6E shown here had not received the later, and very noticeable chin-pod TRAM upgrade at the time that these markings are shown.

A tanker variant, the KA-6D, was developed and is represented here with Attack Squadron 196 aboard the Enterprise. The squadron called "The Main Battery" operated the A-6 from March 1966 until February of 1997.  According to the Intruder Association website the squadron's Vietnam service record saw it log more sorties and suffer worse losses than any other sea-going squadron in the Vietnam conflict.

The third and final example is an early A-6A attached to VA-128, which served as the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) that trained aircrew for Intruder service.  The squadron kept the assignment until it disestablished in 1995, and then was later reformed as an EA-6B squadron as VAQ-128 in 1997.  The markings for this plane are unusual in that it carries a gold fin cap and drop tanks with gold tips.

Any one of these would prove to be an interesting example when built, and reflects upon a truly great piece of naval aviation history. A great reference is intruderassociation.org

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