Strictly speaking the altitude record was made in 1960 with a A3J-1 by Pilot Leroy (Roy) Heath and B/N Larry Monroe, the A3J's were later designated A-5A in 1962 under a new Tri Service designation system, and later still the A-5A were converted to RA-5C. Accelerated to 2.1 Mach before pulling up into a ballistic flight path, as it went over the top aircraft inverted (gyroscopic effect of still rotating flamed out engines?), pilot did not intervene and allowed aircraft to establish itself in the descent.