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Description
The Lockheed S-3 Viking was developed in the late sixties as a replacement for the piston-engined S-2 Tracker in the anti-submarine warfare role. As Lockheed had little experience of developing carrier-based aircraft, Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) was invited to join the project in order to help develop parts of the airframe such as the wing fold mechanism. The resulting aircraft flew for the first time on 1972 and entered service just two years later. In total, 188 examples were completed.
Unusually for a front-line combat aircraft, the S-3 Vikings design deployed high-bypass turbofan engines of the type commonly used for commercial airliners. These were selected in order to give the Viking sufficient endurance to allow it to loiter for long periods of time an essential requirement for anti-submarine work. The aircraft carried a crew of four a pilot, co-pilot/tactical coordinator, an additional tactical coordinator and a sensor operator. The Viking was a true child of the Cold War, developed at a time when tensions between East and West were at their height. When it found its intended role disappearing from under its feet at the end of the Cold War, it had to be adapted to other roles such as strike, ELINT and air-to-air refuelling. Having seen action in the Gulf War, it was finally retired from US Navy use in 2009.
Decal options are provided for two aircraft:
- 9741 of VS-28 Hukkers, USS Forrestal, US Navy; and
- 8871 of VS-38 Griffins, USS Ranger, US Navy 2009.
