You won't find one on Craigslist.
If you are looking for an A-6 Intruder for sale, you've basically entered the most exclusive, frustrating, and legally complex corner of the warbird community. It is a world where "sticker price" doesn't exist and where the FAA is often your biggest hurdle. Most people assume that if you have enough cash, you can buy any decommissioned military jet. That’s just not how the Grumman A-6 works.
The A-6 Intruder was the backbone of Navy and Marine Corps carrier aviation for decades. It was a bruiser. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't supersonic, but it could carry a staggering amount of ordnance through a literal thunderstorm in the middle of the night and hit a target with surgical precision. Because of that specialized history, the government didn't exactly want these falling into private hands.
Why the A-6 Intruder is a Ghost on the Private Market
The reality is that most A-6s met a grim end. Unlike the P-51 Mustangs of WWII that were sold off as surplus for a few thousand bucks, modern jets are subject to strict demilitarization protocols.
When the Navy retired the Intruder in 1997, the vast majority were sent to "The Boneyard"—the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Once they get there, they are usually chopped up or used for parts. Some were lucky enough to find homes in museums like the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum or the Pima Air & Space Museum.
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But for a private citizen? Finding an A-6 Intruder for sale in flyable condition is nearly impossible because of the "Type Certificate" issue.
The FAA generally doesn't allow civilian operation of former military "heavy" jets unless they are maintained under very specific experimental categories. Even then, the A-6 has a wing fatigue problem. Late in its life, the Navy had to replace many of the original metal wings with Boeing-made composite wings just to keep the fleet safe. If you find a hull, it likely has "timed out" wings that are legally and physically grounded.
What Actually Happens When One Hits the Market
On the rare occasion an Intruder-related airframe appears, it's usually via a government auction site like GSA Auctions or through a specialized broker like Platinum Fighter Sales or Courtesy Aircraft.
But there’s a catch.
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Most of these are "static display only." This means the contract you sign explicitly forbids you from ever trying to make it fly again. They pull the engines, they clip the spars, and they hand you a very heavy, very cool piece of lawn furniture.
I've seen cockpit sections go for $15,000 to $30,000. A full, non-flying airframe? You might be looking at $100,000 plus the logistical nightmare of moving a 54-foot-wide bird across state lines on a flatbed.
The Cost of Ownership (If You Find One)
Let's say you defy the odds. You find a "grey market" A-6 or a foreign-operated version (though the A-6 wasn't widely exported like the F-4 Phantom). What are you actually paying for?
- Fuel Consumption: The twin Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8B engines aren't thirsty; they're dehydrated. You are looking at burning hundreds of gallons of Jet-A per hour. At current prices, a "weekend flight" could easily cost you $10,000 in fuel alone.
- Maintenance: You need a crew. Not a guy with a wrench, but a team of specialized technicians who understand vintage vacuum-tube avionics and high-pressure hydraulic systems.
- Insurance: Good luck. Most carriers won't touch a carrier-capable attack jet owned by a private individual.
Honestly, the "Intruder life" is less about flying and more about managing a museum-grade engineering project. It’s a labor of love, or perhaps a labor of madness.
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Where to Look Right Now
If you're serious about finding an A-6 Intruder for sale, you have to stop looking at standard aviation sites and start networking.
- The Warbirds Resource Group: This is where the real experts hang out. They track tail numbers. They know which airframes are rotting in backlots and which ones might be up for "trade" between museums.
- Government Surplus Sales: Occasionally, parts—not whole planes—pop up here. If you're building a simulator or a cockpit restoration, this is your gold mine.
- Estate Sales of High-Net-Worth Collectors: This is where the "unicorns" live. When a major collector passes away, their hangars are liquidated. This is often the only time a flyable or near-flyable military jet changes hands outside of the public eye.
Better Alternatives for the Tactical Jet Fix
Because the A-6 is so hard to get, many collectors pivot. The L-39 Albatros is the "entry-level" jet for a reason. Parts are everywhere, and it’s relatively easy to fly. If you want that heavy, American iron feel, the A-4 Skyhawk is a much more realistic goal. Several A-4s are in private hands and actually flying on the airshow circuit because they are smaller, simpler, and slightly more "affordable."
But the Intruder? It’s the "Iron Tadpole." It’s unique.
The side-by-side seating makes it one of the few warbirds where you can actually talk to your co-pilot without staring at the back of their helmet. That’s the dream, right?
Actionable Steps for Potential Buyers
- Verify the Demil Status: Before dropping a deposit, check the "Demilitarization" code. If it's a Code Q or similar, you might never be able to legally own it as a private citizen.
- Audit the Logbooks: For an A-6, the wing hours are everything. If the logs are missing, the plane is worth its weight in scrap aluminum and nothing more.
- Secure a Hangar First: You cannot park an A-6 outside. The corrosion will eat it alive, and the sun will destroy the canopy seals. You need a massive climate-controlled space ready before the truck arrives.
- Join the Intruder Association: Talk to the guys who flew them. They know the quirks, the "death turns," and the maintenance nightmares that the seller won't mention.
Finding an A-6 Intruder for sale is a marathon, not a sprint. You are chasing a piece of history that the world has largely tried to recycle. If you find one, you aren't just buying a plane; you're becoming a steward of a very loud, very thirsty, and very beautiful piece of naval history.