A-7A 153228 had just been returned to VA-93 after having undergone maintenance at Atsugi which included stripping the aircraft and repainting it in the basic A-7 markings when this photo was taken. The squadron then will repaint all other markings and numbers, including the shark mouth on the intake. The "3228" on the vertical fin will also be painted over.

This A-7A is loaded out with two live 2000 lb. Mk.84 bombs (one under each wing). VA-93 and VA-56, both aboard USS Midway, were the last two fleet A-7A squadrons (the Navy Reserve still had A-7As for a little while longer). On April 24th, three days after I took this slide, both squadrons flew off all the A-7As to NAS Cubi Point for return to the U.S. by ship. 153228 arrived at MASDC on 27 May 1977. It was later converted to an A-7P for the Portuguese AF with s/n 5517 (later 15517). Its flying days finally ended in 1994 and it was scrapped.

Good view of the Douglas/Sargent Fletcher D-704 inflight refueling buddy store. The nose propeller powers the internal hydraulic pump used for extending and retracting the hose as well as powering the fuel transfer pump. The buddy store also has a 300 U.S. gallon fuel tank in the center between the prop/hydraulic pump area in the front and the hose reel area at the rear.