There were many highlights but one of the best had to be the monthly enthusiasts tour at the MASDC facility at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. These have long since ceased but just imagine being let loose with a camera in the "Boneyard" - wow! Anyway, this is an EKA-3B, Bu.No 142251 coded "NK" of VAQ139 who were based at Whidbey Island NAS in Washington. She has been stored here since 1982 and is still current today (November 2000).

138965 is a KA-3B, converted from a standard A-3B bomber in June 1967. Unlike the EKA-3B version she does not carry any form of electronic "lumps and bumps" and her role would have been pure tanking duties. She would almost certainly have served in the hostile sky over Vietnam and on her retirement to MASDC in July 1975 was serving with VAK-20 who were based at Alameda NAS, California. I took this photo during my 1989 visit and she was on "Celebrity Row" in very good condition indeed.

Originally designated as an A3D-2Q (later changed to EA-3B in 1962) 142671 would have been referred to as a "Queer Whale" and would have belonged to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (FAIRCON) Two. The VQ-1 tail code has always been "Peter Rabbit" but the markings carried have changed somewhat to reflect increasing political correctness. In the mid-70's they carried a Playboy bunny motif on the tail but this was changed to a more acceptable bat symbol containing a figure "1". 142671 has some history: "At NATC in Nov.-Dec. '59 for combined Stability and Control, and Aircraft and Engine Performance Trials. Assigned to VQ-1. Ran off runway at NAS Barbers Pt. Jan. 85. Repaired by Alameda field team." She still sleeps in AMARC today.