North American A/RA-5 Vigilante - MINI in action No. 3 [Paperback]

Terry Love (Author), Joe Sewell (Illustrator), Don Greer (Colorist), Tom Tullis (Colorist)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1995

Originally built for the US Navy as a nuclear attack bomber, it was later modified & saw extensive service as the RA-5C reconnaissance aircraft. Saw widespread use during the Vietnam War. Over 50 photos 25 detail drawings, 2 pages of scale drawings 10 full-color paintings. 50 pages.

Product Details

• Paperback: 50 pages
• Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications (1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897473345
• ISBN-13: 978-0897473347
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,588,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Booklet on the Vigilante, February 20, 2011

By 

cpt matt (tanktown, DE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: North American A/RA-5 Vigilante - MINI in action No. 3 (Paperback)

This is a booklet - a shrunken version of the In Action Series, the Mini shares many of the characteristics of its bigger brother - line drawings, 2 pages of color drawings, good photos. It's just very small. Only 156 Vigilantes were ever built. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, what made this plane unique was the bomb bay - which was between the two jet engines and the bombs fell out the back end.

The planes real success came as a reconnaissance plane. The cost, complexity of this bird led to a short service life. Aside from this booklet and a 48 page work by Osprey, I'm not aware of much more out there on this interesting North American venture. I'd recommend this if you can find it on discount, second hand. It would be handy to have in building a model, but not as good as the In Action Series.

4.0 out of 5 stars Short 'n Sweet Guide to the Vigi!, May 18, 2009

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: North American A/RA-5 Vigilante - MINI in action No. 3 (Paperback)

Back in the early/mid-1990s, Squadron/Signal tested the waters with a series of 'Mini in Action' titles. These 5 x 8, 50-page booklets dealt with aircraft S/S apparently felt didn't merit the full-size 'In Action' treatment. After about 4/5 titles, S/S pulled the plug. Terry Love's 1995 book dealt with the super-sleek, goes-like-hell North American Vigilante.

Developed as a nuke bomber, the A-5 evolved into the RA-5 photo recce bird and saw heavy combat in the Vietnam War. Love provides a perfectly fine overview of the Vigi's career with short, punchy chapters on the background that spawned the A-5, the A-5A model, the Bravo, the RA-5C, combat and Post-Vietnam service.

The book includes over 80 photographs, three-views and scrap-views along with two pages of color profiles by Don Greer and Tom Tullis.

The A/RA-5 VIGILANTE book - and the other 'Mini in Action titles' - really were quite nice pieces of work when initially released. It's too bad the concept didn't fly. Recommended.