Description
VAH-3 Sea Dragons Blue Patch
Enjoy this VAH-3 Sea Dragons Blue Patch that is beautifully embroidered. You’ll be able to display or wear with pride.
- 4.5 inch
- Embroidered/ Sew On
- US Naval Aviator Owned Business
- Reproduction
VAH-3
VAH-3 was initially established at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida and was originally equipped with the A3D-1 Skywarrior. It made its only operational cruise from 12 July 1957 to 12 Mar 1958 aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) in the Mediterranean.[2] In mid-1958, the squadron began accepting the upgraded A3D-2 version of the Skywarrior, relocated to Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida, and was merged with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet’s Heavy Attack Training Unit Atlantic (HATULANT). VAH-3 was then designated as a Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the A3D for the Atlantic Fleet, inheriting a mix of aircraft from HATULANT including R4D-7s, P2V-3Bs, F9F-8Ts and A3D-2Ts[3][4] (redesignated as TC-47K, P-2C, TF-9J and TA-3B in 1962).
VAH-3 received its first A3J-1 Vigilantes in June 1961 (redesignated as A-5A in September 1962), and began a “sole site” Fleet Replacement Squadron role for the Vigilante for both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets concurrent with its existing Atlantic Fleet FRS role for the A3D-2 (redesignated as A-3Bs in September 1962) for the Atlantic Fleet VAH squadrons.
VAH-3 also provided concurrent FRS training support for the A3D-2P (redesignated as RA-3B in 1962) for Heavy Photographic Squadron 61 (VAP-61) based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida and the A3D-2Q (redesignated as EA-3B in 1962) training for Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) based at Naval Station Rota, Spain.
In December 1963, VAH-3 received its first RA-5C Vigilante aircraft and commenced training support for this conversion of the A-5A from a nuclear strike bomber to that of a high-speed carrier-based tactical reconnaissance aircraft.[5]
With the graduation of the last A-3B Skywarrior class in January 1964, VAH-3 divested itself from A-3B, RA-3B, and EA-3B FRS responsibilities, transferring all Skywarrior training for both the Atlantic Fleet and Pacific Fleet to VAH-123 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington until VAH-123’s disestablishment in 1971. With FRS functions subsequently focused on RA-5C training for both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, VAH-3 was redesignated as RVAH-3 in 1964. However, the squadron would continue to operate the TA-3B in support of RA-5C Vigilante training for Naval Flight Officers until RVAH-3’s disestablishment in 1979.[3]
