VAH-21
NAME: Road Runners
TAIL CODES: SL
Established: 31. August 1968
Disestablished: 16. June 1969
First published: 24. March 1999
Last Updated: March 5, 2010.
Changed format: April 3, 2002
Seven photographs added: 30. March 1999.
Photograph of 148337 (Napalm Nellie) added 9. December 1999
Photo of 135582 added 11. December 1999.
Two photos of 135620 added 11 January 2000.
All 135xx series histories updated 19. April 2000.
Photo of 145902 added 16. March 2001.
Two photos of 148353 added 3. April 2002.
Link to VAH-21 website updated.
Three photos of 135620, three of 145902, one of 148337 and five of 148353 added October 22, 2002.
Ten new photographs added November 12, 2002 and the page reorganized.
New photos of 135620, 145902, 148337 and 148353. added March 15, 2006
Photo of 135582 added March 5, 2010
Click on the Photo for a larger photo
Click on BuNo to get a separate window
with the history of that BuNo as known to me.

The homepage of VAH-21. An article on the development of the AP-2H
P-2H, 135578, SL-.5 Taken at NAS Atsuki by Nicholas M. Williams.
P-2H, 135582, Taken at Davis Monthan in early 1971 by Terry Waddington.  Never belonged to VAH-21 but was testbed for the AP-2H program.	NP-2H, 135582, 1000 pixels Taken in Japan on July 27, 1967. Belonging to Project Muddy Hill. See a photo of an article by LCdr Robert Zafran here.
AP-2H, 135620, SL-1 In service
Project TRIM aircraft #1 BuNo. 135620. First aircraft to be built at Burbank CA. at the Lockheed Plant during modification- photo submitted by AMH 1 J.J. Twomey. from the : VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	VAH-21 aircraft #1 BuNo. 135620, damaged by falling into a pit at Culver City. Read the story. - photo submitted by Vic Calise.from the : VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	Courtesy Lockheed. Probably Lockheed photo:Source unknown. New October 22, 2002
AP-2H, 135620, SL-1 At Davis Monthan after service and at the Pima County Museum
Taken in 1971 at Davis Monthan AFB, by Terry Waddington New November 12, 2002 1000 pixels Taken on March 21, 1976 at The Pima Countu Air Museum by Ray Leader. Courtesy Stephen Miller. New March 15, 2006	Taken in 1969 at Davis Monthan AFB, Courtesy MAP Taken in August 1972 at Davis Monthan AFB. Photographer unknown	Taken at Pima County Museum in September 1989 by Baldur Sveinsson
AP-2H, 145902, SL-4 "Iron Butterfly", in service with VAH-21
Courtesy Naval Aviation News, via Mahlon K Miller:. Official Squadron photo of Heavy Attack Squadron 21, VAH-21, Aircraft #4 BuNo 145902 "Iron Butterfly", issued upon disestablishment, June 1969. Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	Cam Ranh Bay in 1969. Courtesy Edwin R. Jones. Loading and maintaince on the 20's, VAH-21, Aircraft #4 BuNo 145902 "Iron Butterfly" CRB, Vietnam - photo by Eric Shyer : Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	VAH-21 Aircraft #4 BuNo 145902 "Iron Butterfly" - photo submitted by Rich Gadomski. Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002 Cam Ranh Bay by Eric Shyer.  Courtesy VAH-21 website Cam Ranh Bay. Courtesy Capt. Ron Whittaker  & VAH-21 website
AP-2H, 145902, SL-4 "Iron Butterfly", in service with the NATC after VAH-21
1000 pixels Photographed in June, 1969 by Nicholas M. Williams. Courtesy Stephen MIller. New March 15, 2006 Photographed in April 1970. Courtesy Picciani Aircraft Slides. 1000 pixels Photographed at Patuxent River on June 11, 1970 by Stephen Miller. NATC weapons test marking on fin. New March 15, 2006	1000 pixels 1000 pixels 1000 pixels 1000 pixels Photographed at the Patuxent River open house on July 26, 1969 by Stephen MIller. New March 15, 2006	1000 pixels 1000 pixels 1000 pixels Photographed at the Patuxent River open house on July 26, 1969 by Stephen MIller. New March 15, 2006
AP-2H, 145902, SL-4 "Iron Butterfly", at Davis Monthan after service
Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB. Photographer unknown Davis Monthan in October 1973 by Robert Archer.	Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB early in 1971 by Terry Waddington All trhee new November 12, 2002	Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB early in 1971 by Terry Waddington New November 12, 2002
AP-2H, 148337, SL-3 "Napalm Nellie", in service
Taken over Sangley Point by George Catalano. Courtesy VAH-21 website Taken at Cam Ranh Bay. Courtesy Ron Whittaker and VAH-21 website.	Taken at Cam Rahn Bay, by Jim Clark in April 1969 (note minigun under wing) Preparing #3, CRB, Vietnam - photo submitted by John Vermillion Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	Taken at Cam Rahn Bay in 1968 by Larry Doyle. New November 12, 2002
AP-2H, 148337, SL-3 "Napalm Nellie", After service at Davis Monthan
1000 pixels Photographed at Davis Monthan on July 1, 1970 by Duane Kasulka. Courtesy Stephen Miller. : Photo replaced March 15, 2006	Photographed at Davis Monthan by Robert J Archer in October 1973.	Photographed at Davis Monthan in 1971 by Terry Waddington. New November 12, 2002
AP-2H, 148353, SL-2, "Deuces Wild" in service
Top: Photograhed by Eric Shyer. Near Sangley Point in June 1969. Courtesy VAH-21 website Cam Ranh Bay. Courtesy Ron Whittaker and VAH-21 website. Cam Ranh Bay. Photographed by George Catalano. Courtey VAH-21 website. Date, location and photographer unknown. Courtesy Mahlon K. Miller.	Photographed at Cam Ranh Bay by Larry Doyle in 1968. Photographed in 1968. Contributed by McLAUGHLIN, LT Bob New October 22, 2002 An AP-2H on take off from Cam Rahn Bay. AP-2H's were part of TRIM (Trails and Roads Interdiction, Multisensor), and flew gunship-type missions in the Mekong Delta and over the Trail in Cambodia and Laos. - Photo by Nielsen Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002 Note the elongated side looking radar fairing on the lower fuselage as the AP-2H launches from Cam Rahn Bay in October 1967. - Photo by Nielsen Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002	"Being Towed to parking slot" Nakhon Phanom Thailand.Your aircraft #2 BuNo 148353 "Deuces Wild" came to our base for a meeting with Task Force Alpha. In upholding the Navy tradition of marking an aircraft that landed on the wrong carrier, the VO-67 crew stenciled the following on the side of the intruding P-2 while its crew was gone: REUSABLE CONTAINER DO NOT DESTROY AFTER USE. COMPLEMENTS OF OBERSERVATION SQUDRON SIXTY SEVEN. Perhaps some of your people remember that.I have pictures of your #2 parked next to our Muddy River #6. Photo submitted by Bob Reynolds - VO-67 Nakhon Phanom Thailand. VO-67 aircraft can be seen "under" the port & starboard wings of VAH-21 aircraft #2 Courtesy VAH-21 website New October 22, 2002
AP-2H, 148353, SL-2, "Deuces Wild" After service at Davis Monthan
Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB. Photographer unknown. 1000 pixels Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB. on June 4, 1970 by Frank Macsorley. Courtesy Stephen Miller. New March 15, 2006	Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB. in 1971 by Terry Waddington. New November 12, 2002	Photographed at Davis Monthan AFB. in 1971 by Terry Waddington. New November 12, 2002
Send any comments to: Baldur@verslo.is	Back to the index

The five Neptunes of VAH 21