VA-811

VA-811 and VA-813
(FAS-812, VA5E2, VA-811 and VA-813 SNOWBIRDS)

Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu.


NAVAIRESCEN Minneapolis
Patch from G. Verver

VA-811
Patch from Dick Dellwo

VA-813
Patch from Dick Dellwo

Patch

No info yet.

Sources

David Weber

Dick Dellwo

Gary Verver

John Gabbard

Handle

VA-813 - Snowbirds

Radio Call Sign - "Employ"

Heritage

Known units at Naval Air Station Twin Cities:

FAS-812

VA-5E2

VA-811

VA-813 (probably established in that order)

Home Ports

1963 - - - - - Naval Air Station Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Air Wings

No info yet.

Aircraft

Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:

Aircraft at the NAS.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Stearman PT-17.

194? - - - - - - - - - - North American SNJ Standard Navy Jet.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Beech SNB Secret Navy Bomber.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Grumman F4F Wildcat.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Grumman F6F Hellcat - Whistling Outhouse.

1953 - - - - - - - - - - Grumman TBM-3 Avenger - Turkey.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Grumman F8F Bearcat - Blue Scooter.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Douglas AD Skyraider SPAD.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Douglas AD-5 Skyraider - Lumber Wagon.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Vought F4U Corsair.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Lockheed P2V Neptune.

1963 - - - - - - - - - - Lockheed P-2F Neptune.

194? - - - - - - - - - - Douglas R4D Goonie Bird.

195? - - - - - - - - - - Grumman S2F Tracker - STOOF.

195? - - - - - - - - - - Grumman F9F-4 Panther.

195? - - - - - - - - - - Lockheed T2V-1 (T-1A) Seastar.

1954 - - - - - - - - - - Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star.

1963 - - - - - - - - - - Douglas A-4B Skyhawk.

For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page:

Deployments

No info yet

Commanding Officers

195? - - - - - - CDR Lyle Lundeen - VA-811

1963 - - - - - - LCDR Lyle Lundean - VA-811

1963 - - - - - - LCDR George Kline - VA-813

Awards

No info yet

Awards continued

No additional info

Events

194?: Following World War II, Naval Air Station Twin Cities hosted Naval Reserve units. Some of the reserve units assigned to Naval Air Station Twin Cities were VA5E2, FAS-812, VA-811 and VA-813.

1963: VA-811 and VA-813 were dual reserve squadrons based at Naval Air Station Twin Cities. The two squadrons transitioned from A-1E to A-4B's in 1963. There were also three T-1A Seastars to get everyone jet qualified. Most pilots went on two weeks active duty for training to Naval Air Station Kingsville or Naval Air Station Beeville Texas for that.
There were 15 A-4B Skyhawks assigned to the Naval Air Station and each reserve squadron used the Skyhawks on their weekend or when anyone would come out to fly during the week. One Squadron drilled on the 1st weekend, and the other squadron drilled on the 3rd weekend. The reserve squadrons were VA-811 and VA-813. When a squadron went on two weeks active duty training they took all the aircraft that could get into the air. Usually that would be 10 to 12 Skyhawks.
Presently reserve squadrons are commissioned organizations with Commanding Officers assigned by ComNavAirResFor. In the 1950's the base Commanding Officer, Executive Officer and Training Officer would decide who would be the next Commanding Officer and Executive Officer. Lyle Lundeen was Commanding Officer of VA-811 during much of the 1950's.
Naval Air Station Twin Cities call sign was "Employ." Skyhawks had only one or two digit nose numbers, so "Employ six" was a Skyhawk. The Lockheed T-1A (T-33B) Shooting Stars were "Employ 183", "209" or "214." A Lockheed P-2F Neptune (Two Turning and Two Burning) would be "Employ 309".

August 30, 1963: Lieutenant Dick Dellwo flew the first Skyhawk Naval Air Station Twin Cities acceptance test flight that afternoon in A-4B Skyhawk BuNo. 142762. Not much was said about the first Navy jet flight in seven years as the base PAO was too gun-shy to go out and talk about it.

August 31, 1963: Lieutenant Dick Dellwo flew A-4B Skyhawk BuNo. 142762 twice this day.

September 8, 1963: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo. 144922 flew it's acceptance test flight. This was the second operational Twin Cities Skyhawk. A Commander from Naval Air Station Detroit checked out the Twin City pilots in the Lockheed T-1A Seastar. The base Aviation Safety Officer, a helo pilot, was also checked out in the T-1A.

October 1963: Naval Air Station Twin Cities received a third A-4B Skyhawk, BuNo. 144916. Others A-4B Skyhawks followed. One Skyhawk was assigned to maintenance and did not count against operational availability. The Twin Cities A-4B Skyhawk complement was:

BuNo. 142084

BuNo. 142693

BuNo. 142694

BuNo. 142762 the 1st A-4B to arrive August 30, 1963

BuNo. 142748

BuNo. 142799

BuNo. 142910

BuNo. 142931

BuNo. 144812

BuNo. 144882

BuNo. 144913

BuNo. 144916 the 3rd A-4B to arrive in October 1963

BuNo. 144922 the 2nd A-4B to arrive September 8, 1963

BuNo. 144939

BuNo. 144956

BuNo. 144959

Douglas A-4B Skyhawk BuNo. 144882 was later shipped to Argentina and used in the Malvinas War.

November 1963: The A-4B Skyhawk had only TACAN for navigation and instrument approaches to landing. The Minneapolis VORTAC was at Anoka airport 20 miles northwest of Naval Air Station Twin Cities. The Skyhawks only approved instrument approach was a TACAN /BACK COURSE ILS approach to runway 9. GCA (radar Ground Controlled Approach) was the ONLY way in for the Skyhawks in bad weather.

1965: After trying for two years Naval Air Station Twin Cities received a TACAN trailer from Chu Lai, Vietnam Marine Corps Air Station. It took another year to get the TACAN operational. The instrument approach had a 7 mile arc to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. The instrument approach worked for all four runways. The whole TACAN acqisition was called DELLWO's Folly.

Unit Photos

Webmaster note: Prior to 1970, reserve aircraft belonged to the local NARTU or Reserve Naval Air Station. Except for those squadrons on active duty, as in Korea, no reserve squadron "owned" their aircraft, as they were assigned to the NARTU/Station. In 1970, during that reorganization of the reserves into the "Reserve Force" concept, each new squadron was made independent of NARTU (later called NAR), and assigned either to CVWR-20 or CVWR-30. All squadrons were then made in the image of active duty units, with the reserve unit Commanding Officer owning the aircraft and reporting to the CAG.

NAS Twin Cities Navy/Marine Reserve Skyhawk BuNo 142828, 7E-5, parked on the ramp next to a VMT-1 Cougar. Lionel Paul.

1965: NOV65 NAN photo of CDR Lyle A. Lundeen (r) presenting LCDR B.K. Fletcher a "trophy" for his "bullseye" at the range. NOV65 NAN photo.

Mid-sixties: VA-811 takes to the deserts of Yuma AZ to practive dropping the big ones. Richard E. Dellwo

 

Circa 1965: VA-811 A-4B BuNo 142846, 7E-15. CDR Lyle A. Lundeen (at right), VA-811, presents LCDR B.R. Fletcher miniature practice bomb with which Fletcher scored Bullseye. NAN photo.

MAR 1965: LCDR Larry Potter took this photo of BuNo 142866 while serving in VA-811 as X.O. 7E-14 is over Mt. Shasta, CA in March, 1965.


Off-Duty Photos

A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to NAS Twin Cities:

  • Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk
    • 139947 C/N 11312
      • 14 Jun 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 24 Jul 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4A
      • 20 Sep 1968 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 142168 c/n 11422
      • 23 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 24 Jul 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4A
      • 03 Sep 1968 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 142194 c/n 11448
      • 22 Jun 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 24 Jul 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4A
      • 02 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 142222 c/n 11476
      • 03 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 24 Jul 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4A
      • 13 Sep 1968 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
    • 142084 c/n 11338
      • 01 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 27 Sep 1967 - NAS 7L54 - NAS Los Alamitos, CA
    • 142125 c/n 11379
      • 10 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 11 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 20 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 142679 c/n 11741
      • 18 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 23 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 22 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI
    • 142697 c/n 11759
      • 13 Jan 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 24 Jan 1969 - NAS - NAS Los Alamitos, CA
    • 142725 c/n 11787
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Olathe - Convert to TA-4B
      • 09 Jan 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 25 Jan 1969 - NAS - NAS Olathe, KS
    • 142746 c/n 11808
      • 01 Dec 1968 - NAS New York - Convert to TA-4B
      • 04 Feb 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 22 Feb 1969 - NAS - NAS New York, NY
    • 142748 c/n 11810
      • 25 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Oct 1968 - Stricken - 3S0
    • 142778 c/n 11840
      • 18 Jun 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 21 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson AZ
    • 142798 c/n 11860
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS New Orleans - Convert to TA-4B
      • 13 Jan 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 14 Feb 1969 - NARTU - NAS Memphis, TN
      • 02 Mar 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 20 Mar 1969 - NAS - NAS New Orleans, LA
    • 142828 c/n 11890
      • 26 Mar 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 02 Aug 1967 - NAS - NAS Los Alamitos, CA
    • 142829 c/n 11891
      • 03 Sep 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 20 Nov 1969 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 142833 c/n 11895
      • 08 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 09 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI
    • 142846 c/n 11908
      • 06 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 15 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Glenview, IL
      • 18 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 02 Feb 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson AZ
  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk (Cont.)
    • 142866 c/n 11928
      • 19 Apr 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Oct 1968 - Stricken - 3SO
    • 142868 c/n 11930
      • 03 Sep 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 20 Dec 1969 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 142897 c/n 11959
      • 29 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 30 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 22 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI
    • 142905 c/n 11967
      • 15 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 23 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 15 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Glenview, IL
      • 18 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 03 Jul 1969 - NARTU - NAS Memphis, TN
      • 18 Jul 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 22 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI
    • 142910 c/n 11972
      • 02 Dec 1965 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 17 Aug 1966 - NAS - NAS Glenview, IL
      • 22 Sep 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 22 Apr 1968 - NARTU - NAS Jacksonville, FL
      • 01 May 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Oct 1968 - Stricken - 3SO
    • 144885 C/N 12131
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS South Weymouth - Convert to TA-4B
      • 03 Feb 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 22 Mar 1969 - NAS - NAS South Weymouth, MA
    • 144903 C/N 12149
      • 01 Oct 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 02 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 26 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 144904 C/N 12150
      • 17 Apr 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 20 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 144939 C/N 12185
      • 26 Jan 1967 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 13 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 144956 C/N 12202
      • 16 Oct 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 23 Oct 1964 - Storage - NAF Litchfield Park, AZ
    • 144999 C/N 12245
      • 31 Jul 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 22 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 145004 C/N 12250
      • 09 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 10 May 1969 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 27 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI
    • 145031 C/N 12277
      • 18 Sep 1968 - NATC FLT TST - Convert to TA-4B
      • 19 Sep 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 29 Oct 1969 - NAS - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 145043 C/N 12289
      • 17 Jan 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 13 Jan 1970 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 145050 C/N 12296
      • 14 May 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 14 May 1969 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 22 Jan 1970 - NAF - NAF Detroit, MI

A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to NARTU - NAS Twin Cities;

  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
    • 142084 c/n 11338
      • 18 Oct 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 01 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142694 c/n 11756
      • 16 Oct 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 13 Nov 1964 - Storage - NAF Litchfield Park, AZ
    • 142748 c/n 11810
      • 30 Sep 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 25 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 23 Oct 1968 - Stricken - 3S0
    • 142762 c/n 11824
      • 22 Aug 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 28 Feb 1965 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN (Last)
      • Assume Stricken - No further records found
    • 142798 c/n 11860
      • 07 Aug 1968 - NAS New Orleans - Convert to TA-4B
      • 14 Feb 1969 - NARTU - NAS Memphis, TN
      • 02 Mar 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142799 c/n 11861
      • 01 Oct 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 04 Dec 1964 - Storage - NAF Litchfield Park, AZ
    • 142828 c/n 11890
      • 09 Jun 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 26 Mar 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142846 c/n 11908
      • 08 Jul 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 06 May 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142866 c/n 11928
      • 01 Jun 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 19 Apr 1966 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142905 c/n 11967
      • 23 Oct 1968 - NAS Twin Cities - Convert to TA-4B
      • 03 Jul 1969 - NARTU - NAS Memphis, TN
      • 18 Jul 1969 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 142910 c/n 11972
      • 24 Sep 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 02 Dec 1965 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
  • Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
    • 142931 c/n 11993
      • 07 Nov 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 21 Feb 1964 - Stricken - 11J1
    • 144881 C/N 12127
      • 20 Oct 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 08 Dec 1965 - VA-15 - NAS Cecil Field, FL
    • 144882 C/N 12128
      • 07 Nov 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 23 Sep 1965 - NAS - NAS New Orleans, LA
    • 144904 C/N 12150
      • 09 Oct 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 17 Apr 1968 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 144913 C/N 12159
      • 28 Nov 1965 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 29 Nov 1965 - VA-125 - NAS Lemoore, CA
    • 144915 C/N 12161
      • 17 Nov 1965 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 01 Apr 1966 - NARTU - NAS Alameda, CA
    • 144916 C/N 12162
      • 28 Sep 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 18 Nov 1965 - NARTU - NAS Norfolk, VA
    • 144922 C/N 12168
      • 27 May 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 28 Sep 1967 - NAS - NAS Los Alamitos, CA
    • 144927 C/N 12173
      • 25 Mar 1966 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 25 Feb 1968 - NAS - NAS Glenview, IL
    • 144939 C/N 12185
      • 23 Nov 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 26 Jan 1967 - NAS - NAS Twin Cities, MN
    • 144956 C/N 12202
      • 16 Oct 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 23 Oct 1964 - Storage - NAF Litchfield Park, AZ
    • 144957 C/N 12203
      • 20 Oct 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 12 May 1965 - NARTU - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 144959 C/N 12205
      • 01 Oct 1963 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 01 May 1964 - Stricken - 1AA1
    • 144975 C/N 12221
      • 04 Nov 1964 - NART - NAS Twin Cities, MN
      • 12 Mar 1967 - Stricken - 1S

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