MCARA Aircraft > F3D-2Q/EF-10B Skyknight
The Douglas F3D-2Q, later EF-10B, was the first Navy or Marine Corps tactical jet aircraft dedicated to the Electronic Warfare mission, replacing the propeller driven AD-5Ns flown by the three VMCJ squadrons beginning in 1956.
When the two-place F3D-2 aircraft made famous as a night fighter in Korea became available, far sighted Marines at MCAS El Toro completed conversions of two prototypes to the EW or “Q” variant in 1955 using EW equipment from the AD-5Ns.
A follow-on production modification program detailed as Airframe Change 173 was completed by the Naval Air Rework Facility at North Island resulting in 35 EW variants delivered to the three VMCJ squadrons. They were first deployed from El Toro to Iwakuni Japan in August of 1958 by VMCJ-3, remaining there to be employed by VMCJ-1 in peacetime reconnaissance missions until April 1965 when they were deployed to Danang South Vietnam.
The EF-10Bs provided critical threat warning and radar jamming support for Navy and Air Force strike and reconnaissance operations over North Vietnam until their departure in October 1969. The last EF-10B was flown to MCAS Quantico in June of 1970 from VMCJ-3 where it remains today.
