These U.S. Marine Corps VMAQ-2 EA-6B Jets Have Just Completed The Prowler’s Final Deployment...

The Aviationist ^ | Nov 15 2018 | David Cenciotti

[WASCWatch]

I finished up my last year of High School at Oak Harbor High School in 1971. The Prowlers were loud; the EA-18G Growlers are significantly louder.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I remember that.What a waste.

[OftheOhio]

I was at Whidbey Island NAS toward the end of ‘71 taking some classes for the A-6. That was a very dangerous plane to work on. It often didn’t have hydraulics and it was very dangerous to slide the enormous canopy back and the cockpit was huge. The screech of the fan blades was what made it so noisy. After training on the A-6 (VMAT(AW)-202), I was promptly put on f-4s. More training, lol. I truly loved working on them. I’m sure I woke up guys in the tower (Cherry Point) many times at night singing out requesting a radio check.

[Revolutionary]

Amazing aircraft. The crews took a lot of heat at the bar that they were flying the aircraft backwards.

[WASCWatch]

What squadron were you assigned to?

[OftheOhio]

I listed it for the A-6 in my comment. My F-4 squadron was VMFAT-201.

[Vermont Lt]

But they have the “quiet” ones now!

I grew up with the B 52’s coming out of there day and night. I would say you get used to the noise, but you don’t. When a C5 comes over the office, I still stop a look. How they get those things in the air is beyond me.

[hattend]

Had I still been at Lajes, I would have briefed the crews on their flight to Cherry Point.

I remember briefing some Hornets who were going from Lajes to MCAS Miramar, nonstop. That was some fun times back in the ‘90s

[real saxophonist]

VMAQ-2 used to be called the Playboys, with a Playboy bunny as their logo. Guess that wasn’t PC enough.

[major_gaff]

Ooh-Rah! I was a SATC-tech in HAMS-14 Avionics shop 64B (detached
from VMAQ-02) from 85-88. Did a tour in Iwakuni (Lacka-nookie as we
used to call it) 86-87 Det Zulu with Q2...we may have know each other?

Great Bird...so ugly it was beautiful!

[major_gaff]

The way that I heard that this went down was that VMAQ-02 had three
detachments (XYZ)...the Corps decided to break Q2 up into three
separate squadrons: Q2, Q3, and Q4. They retired the Playboys name
because they were to be thought of as new squadrons...I still have my Q2
Playboy flight suit patch. The moto was 'Can do Easy' and the new Q2
kept that.

[real saxophonist]

Cool, thanks! PI ‘89. not Air Wing. 8~)

[major_gaff]

You’re welcome Brother. Semper Fi and happy belated birthday!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Each Navy squadron, like mine, VAQ-140 Patriots, had 4 EA-6Bs. Because of it's size, it was difficult to fly. But the model was long in the tooth, a design over 40 years old.

[stylin19a]

Thank you all. the education I get from these types of threads is amazing.
Can’t get this type of info out of a book.
FR seems to have a lot of Marines and Navy as members.

Thanks again.

[Tallguy]

True, but then the USAF would still call on jammer assets to accompany stealth strike packages. I suppose that would just be an extra layer of insurance for the F-117’s going down-town. After the retirement of the ‘Spark-Vark’ the Prowler was the only game in town. They became a joint operational asset to be used by the USAF/Navy/Marines.

[Tallguy]

... Meant to say “Growler” not “Prowler”.

[Rebelbase]

[SaveFerris]

Oh my. Thanks.

[spetznaz]

Amazing plane with amazing capabilities. The Prowler, and it’s successor the Growler, may not be as famous as some other jets - but they are true legends.