The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat
subsonic carrier-capable light
attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pre ...
developed for the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
in the early 1950s. The
delta-wing
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitabl ...
ed, single
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...
, and later by
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it produ ...
. It was originally designated A4D under the U.S. Navy's
pre-1962 designation system.
The Skyhawk is a relatively light aircraft, with a
maximum takeoff weight
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
of , and has a top speed of . The aircraft's five
hardpoint
A hardpoint is an attachment location on a structural frame designed to transfer force and carry an external or internal load. The term is usually used to refer to the mounting points (more formally known as a weapon station or station) on the ...
s support a variety of missiles, bombs, and other munitions. It is capable of carrying a bomb load equivalent to that of a World War II–era
Boeing B-17
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
bomber, and can deliver nuclear weapons using a low-altitude bombing system and a
"loft" delivery technique. The A-4 was originally powered by the
Wright J65
The Wright J65 was an axial-flow turbojet engine produced by Curtiss-Wright under license from Armstrong Siddeley. A development of the Sapphire, the J65 powered a number of US designs.
Design and development
Curtiss-Wright purchased a license f ...
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine; from the A-4E onwards, the
Pratt & Whitney J52
The Pratt & Whitney J52 (company designation JT8A) is an axial-flow dual-spool turbojet engine originally designed for the United States Navy, in the 40 kN (9,000 lbf) class. It powered the A-6 Intruder and the AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise miss ...
engine was used.
Skyhawks played key roles in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
, and the
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
. In 2022, nearly seven decades after the aircraft's first flight in 1954, some of the 2,960 produced (through February 1979)
remain in service with the
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falklan ...
and the
Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
.
Design and development
The Skyhawk was designed by Douglas Aircraft's
Ed Heinemann
Edward Henry Heinemann (March 14, 1908 – November 26, 1991) was a military aircraft designer for the Douglas Aircraft Company.
Biography
Heinemann was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He moved to California as a boy and was raised in Los Angeles. A ...
in response to a
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
call for a jet-powered attack aircraft to replace the older
Douglas AD Skyraider
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly known as the AD Skyraider) is an American single-seat attack aircraft in service from 1946 to the early 1980s. The Skyraider had an unusually long career, remaining in front-line service well into the Jet Age ...
(later redesignated A-1 Skyraider). Heinemann opted for a design that would minimize its size, weight, and complexity. The result was an aircraft that weighed only half of the Navy's weight specification. It had a wing so compact that it did not need to be folded for carrier stowage. The first 500 production examples cost an average of $860,000 each, less than the Navy's one million dollar maximum.
The diminutive Skyhawk soon received the
nickname
A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
s "Scooter", "Kiddiecar", "Bantam Bomber", "Tinker Toy Bomber", and, on account of its speed and nimble performance, "Heinemann's Hot-Rod".
[O'Rourke, G.G. "Of Hosenoses, Stoofs, and Lefthanded Spads." '']United States Naval Institute Proceedings
''Proceedings'' is a 96-page monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute. Launched in 1874, it is one of the oldest continuously published magazines in the United States. ''Proceedings'' covers topics concerning global securi ...
'', July 1968. The XA4D-1 prototype set a world speed record of 695.163 mph on 15 October 1955.
The aircraft is of conventional post-World War II design, with a low-mounted
delta wing
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitabl ...
,
tricycle undercarriage
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle ge ...
, and a single
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine in the rear fuselage, with two air intakes on the fuselage sides. The tail is of
cruciform design, with the horizontal stabilizer mounted above the fuselage. Armament consisted of two 20 mm (.79 in caliber)
Colt Mk 12 cannon
{{Infobox weapon
, name= Colt Mk 12
, image= 20 mm Mk 12 cannon of RNZAF A-4K Skyhawk 1984.jpg
, image_size =
, caption= Mk 12 cannon of a RNZAF Douglas A-4K Skyhawk.
, origin= United States
, type= Autocannon
, is_ranged= yes
, service= 1950 ...
s, one in each wing root, with 100 rounds per gun (the A-4M Skyhawk II and types based on the A-4M have 200 rounds per gun), plus a large variety of bombs, rockets, and missiles carried on a hardpoint under the fuselage centerline and hardpoints under each wing (originally one per wing, later two).
The short-span delta wing did not require the complexity of wingtip folding, saving an estimated . Its spars were machined from a single forging that spanned across both wingtips.
The
leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, ...
were designed to drop automatically at the appropriate speed by gravity and air pressure, saving weight and space by omitting actuation motors and switches. Similarly the main undercarriage did not penetrate the main wing spar, designed so that when retracted only the wheel itself was inside the wing and the undercarriage struts were housed in a fairing below the wing. Thus the wing structure was lighter with the same overall strength. The rudder was constructed of a single panel reinforced with external ribs.
The
turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine was accessed for service or replacement by removing the aft section of the fuselage and sliding out the engine. This obviated the need for access doors with their hinges and latches further reducing weight and complexity. This is the opposite of what can often happen in aircraft design where a small weight increase in one area leads to a compounding increase in weight in other areas to compensate, creating a demand for more powerful, heavier engines, larger wing and
empennage
The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...
area, and so on in a vicious circle.
["Skyhawk."]
''Air Victory Museum''. Retrieved: 1 October 2012.["Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II."]
''Museum of Flight''. Retrieved: 1 October 2012.["Collections - Aircraft - Skyhawk (A4D/A-4/TA-4)."]
''National Museum of Naval Aviation''. Retrieved: 31 October 2007.
The A-4 pioneered the concept of "buddy" air-to-air refueling. This allows the aircraft to supply others of the same type, reducing the need for dedicated tanker aircraft—a particular advantage for small air arms or when operating in remote locations. This allows for greatly improved operational flexibility and reassurance against the loss or malfunction of tanker aircraft, though this procedure reduces the effective combat force on board the carrier.
A designated supply A-4 would mount a center-mounted "buddy store", a large external fuel tank with a hose reel in the aft section and an extensible drogue refueling bucket. This aircraft was fueled up without armament and launched first. Attack aircraft were armed to the maximum and were given as much fuel as was allowable by maximum takeoff weight limits, which was far less than a full tank.
Once airborne, they topped off their fuel tanks from the tanker using the A-4's fixed refueling probe on the starboard side of the aircraft nose. They could then sortie with both full armament and fuel loads. The A-4 was rarely used for refueling in U.S. service after the
KA-3 Skywarrior tanker became available aboard the larger carriers.
The A-4 was also designed to be able to make an emergency landing, in the event of a hydraulic failure, on the two drop tanks nearly always carried by these aircraft. Such landings resulted in only minor damage to the nose of the aircraft which could be repaired in less than an hour.
The Navy issued a contract for the type on 12 June 1952,
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 4, p. 99.] and the first prototype first flew from
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
on 22 June 1954.
[Elward 2000, p. 25.] Deliveries to Navy and Marine Corps squadrons (to
VA-72 and
VMA-224 respectively) commenced in late 1956.
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 4, p. 103.]
The Skyhawk remained in production until 1979, with 2,960 aircraft built, including 555 two-seat
trainers
Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used f ...
.
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 4, p. 100.] The last production A-4, an A-4M of Marine squadron
VMA-331
Marine Attack Squadron 331 (VMA-331) was an Ground attack aircraft, attack squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Doodlebugs” and “Bumblebees,” was part of Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraf ...
had the flags of all nations that operated the A-4 painted on its fuselage sides.
Operational history
United States
The Skyhawk proved to be a relatively common United States Navy aircraft export of the postwar era. Due to its small size, it could be operated from the older, smaller World War II-era aircraft carriers still used by many smaller navies during the 1960s. These older ships were often unable to accommodate newer Navy fighters such as the
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
and
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps (replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass), and for the Frenc ...
, which were faster and more capable than the A-4, but significantly larger and heavier than older naval fighters.
The Navy operated the A-4 in both Regular Navy and
Naval Reserve light attack squadrons (VA). Although the A-4's use as a training and adversary aircraft would continue well into the 1990s, the Navy began removing the aircraft from its frontline attack squadrons in 1967, with the last ones (Super Foxes of VA-55/212/164) being retired in 1976.
The Marine Corps would not take the U.S. Navy's replacement warplane, the
LTV A-7 Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
, instead keeping Skyhawks in service with both Regular Marine Corps and
Marine Corps Reserve attack squadrons (VMA), and ordering the new A-4M model. The last USMC Skyhawk was delivered in 1979, and they were used until the mid-1980s before they were replaced by the equally small, but more versatile
STOVL AV-8 Harrier II.
VMA-131
Marine Attack Squadron 131 (VMA-131) was an A-4 Skyhawk attack squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Diamondbacks”, were part of the Marine Forces Reserve and were based at Floyd Bennett Field, Naval Air ...
, Marine Aircraft Group 49 (the Diamondbacks) retired its last four OA-4Ms on 22 June 1994. Trainer versions of the Skyhawk remained in Navy service, however, finding a new lease on life with the advent of "adversary training", where the nimble A-4 was used as a stand-in for the
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 w ...
in
dissimilar air combat training (DACT). It served in that role at ''
TOPGUN'' until 1999.
The A-4's nimble performance also made it suitable to replace the
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II when the Navy downsized its aircraft for the
Blue Angels demonstration team, until
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets were available in the 1980s. The last U.S. Navy Skyhawks, TA-4J models belonging to the composite squadron VC-8, remained in military use for target towing, and as adversary aircraft, for combat training at
Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. These aircraft were officially retired on 3 May 2003.
Skyhawks were well loved by their crews for being tough and agile. These attributes, along with their low purchase and operating cost as well as easy maintenance, have contributed to the popularity of the A-4 with American and international armed forces. Besides the U.S., at least three other nations have used A-4 Skyhawks in combat (Argentina, Israel, and Kuwait).
Vietnam War era
Skyhawks were the U.S. Navy's primary light attack aircraft used over North Vietnam during the early years of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
; they were later supplanted by the A-7 Corsair II in the U.S. Navy light attack role. Skyhawks carried out some of the
first air strikes by the US during the conflict, and a Marine Skyhawk is believed to have dropped the last American bombs on the country. Notable naval aviators who flew the Skyhawk included
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
s
Everett Alvarez, Jr.
Everett Alvarez Jr. (born December 23, 1937) is a former United States Navy officer who endured one of the longest periods as a prisoner of war (POW) in Military history of the United States, U.S. military history. Alvarez was the first U.S. pilot ...
and
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
, and
Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
James Stockdale
James Bond "Jim" Stockdale (December 23, 1923 – July 5, 2005) was a United States Navy vice admiral and aviator, awarded the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War, during which he was a prisoner of war for over seven years.
Stockdale was the mos ...
. On 1 May 1967, an A-4C Skyhawk piloted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore R. Swartz of
VA-76 aboard the carrier , shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17 with an unguided
Zuni rocket
The Zuni 5-inch Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket (FFAR), or simply Zuni, is a unguided rocket developed by the Hunter-Douglas Division of Bridgeport Brass Company and deployed by the United States armed forces, and the French Air Force. The rocket was ...
as the Skyhawk's only air-to-air victory of the Vietnam War.
[Grossnick and Armstrong 1997]
From 1956 on, Navy Skyhawks were the first aircraft to be deployed outside of the U.S. armed with the AIM-9 Sidewinder. On strike missions, which was the Skyhawk's normal role, the air-to-air armament was for self-defense purposes.
In the early to mid-1960s, standard U.S. Navy A-4B Skyhawk squadrons were assigned to provide fighter protection for
anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...
aircraft operating from some
''Essex''-class U.S. anti-submarine warfare carriers; these aircraft retained their ground- and sea-attack capabilities. The A-4B model did not have an air-to-air radar, and it required visual identification of targets and guidance from either ships in the fleet or an airborne
Grumman E-1 Tracer AEW aircraft.
Lightweight and safer to land on smaller decks, Skyhawks would later also play a similar role flying from Australian, Argentinean, and Brazilian upgraded World War II surplus light ASW carriers, which were unable to operate most large modern fighters. Primary air-to-air armament consisted of the internal 20 mm (.79 in) Colt cannons and ability to carry an
AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on both underwing hardpoints, later additions of two more underwing hardpoints on some aircraft made for a total capacity of four AAMs.
The first combat loss of an A-4 occurred on 5 August 1964, when
Lieutenant junior grade Everett Alvarez, of
VA-144 aboard , was shot down while attacking enemy torpedo boats in
North Vietnam. Alvarez safely ejected after being hit by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire, and became the first US Naval POW of the war.
[Dorr and Bishop 1996, pp. 34, 36.] He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973. The last A-4 loss in the Vietnam War occurred on 26 September 1972, when USMC pilot
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
James P. Walsh, USMC of
VMA-211, flying close air support from
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northern ward of Tân Phon ...
,
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
, was hit by ground fire during the
Battle of An Lộc
The Battle of An Lộc was a major battle of the Vietnam War that lasted for 66 days and culminated in a tactical victory for South Vietnam. The struggle for An Lộc in 1972 was an important battle of the war, as South Vietnamese forces halted ...
. Captain Walsh ejected safely and was the last U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner during the war. He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973.
Although the first A-4Es were flown in Vietnam in early 1965, the A-4Cs continued to be used until late 1970. On 1 June 1965, the
Chu Lai Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) was officially opened with the arrival of eight A-4 Skyhawks from
Cubi Point, Philippine Islands. The group landed with the aid of arresting cables, refueled and took off with the aid of
JATO
JATO (acronym for jet-assisted take-off) is a type of assisted take-off for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets. The term ''JATO'' is used interchangeably with the (more specific ...
, with fuel and bombs to support Marine combat units. The Skyhawks were from Marine Attack Squadron
VMA-225 and
VMA-311.
Lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
Michael J. Estocin
Michael John Estocin (April 27, 1931 – April 26, 1967 (presumed)) was a United States Navy officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
Biography
Estoci ...
of
Attack Squadron 192 was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his actions while flying
surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...
(SAM) suppression during coordinated strikes against targets in
Haiphong,
North Vietnam, on April 20 and April 26, 1967.
On 29 July 1967, the aircraft carrier was conducting combat operations in the
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern ...
during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. A
Zuni rocket
The Zuni 5-inch Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket (FFAR), or simply Zuni, is a unguided rocket developed by the Hunter-Douglas Division of Bridgeport Brass Company and deployed by the United States armed forces, and the French Air Force. The rocket was ...
misfired, striking an external tank on an A-4. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a massive
conflagration that
burned for hours, killing 134 sailors, and injuring 161.
During the war, 362 A-4/TA-4F Skyhawks were lost due to all causes. The U.S. Navy lost 271 A-4s, the U.S. Marine Corps lost 81 A-4s and 10 TA-4Fs. A total of 32 A-4s were lost to surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and one A-4 was lost in aerial combat to a MiG-17 on 25 April 1967.
Training and adversary role
The A-4 Skyhawk, in the two-seat TA-4J configuration, was introduced to a training role replacing the
TF-9J Cougar. The TA-4J served as the advanced jet trainer in white and orange markings for decades until being replaced by the
T-45 Goshawk
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) T-45 Goshawk is a highly modified version of the British BAE Systems Hawk land-based training jet aircraft. Manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and British Aerospace (now BAE Systems), the T-45 i ...
. Additional TA-4Js were assigned to Instrument Training
RAG
Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to:
Common uses
* Rag, a piece of old cloth
* Rags, tattered clothes
* Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism
* Rag paper, or cotton paper
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Rags'' (1915 ...
s at all the Navy master jet bases under RCVW-12 and RCVW-4. The Instrument RAGs initially provided jet transition training for Naval Aviators during the time period when Naval Aviation still had a great number of propeller-driven aircraft and also provided annual instrument training and check rides for
Naval Aviator
Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases.
Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...
s. The assigned TA-4J models were installed with collapsible hoods so the aviator under training had to demonstrate instrument flying skills without any outside reference. These units were
VF-126 at
NAS Miramar, California;
VA-127 (later VFA-127; NAS FALLON, NV) at NAS Lemoore, California;
VF-43 at
NAS Oceana, Virginia; and
VA-45 (later VF-45) at
NAS Cecil Field, Florida until its later move to
NAS Key West, Florida.
Additional single-seat A-4 Skyhawks were also assigned to composite squadrons (VC) worldwide to provide training and other services to deployed units. These included VC-1 at
NAS Barbers Point
Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, also called John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air station ...
, Hawaii; VC-7 at
NAS Miramar, California; VC-5 at
NAS Cubi Point
U.S. Naval Air Station Cubi Point was a United States Navy aerial facility located at the edge of Naval Base Subic Bay and abutting the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
When the base closed, the air station became the Subic Bay Internationa ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
; VC-8 at
NS Roosevelt Roads
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States Navy base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site operates today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.
History
In 1919, future US President Franklin D. Rooseve ...
, Puerto Rico; VC-10 at
NAVBASE Guantánamo Bay,
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, and Naval Reserve squadrons VC-12 (later VFC-12) at
NAS Oceana, Virginia and VC-13 (later VFC-13) at NAS Miramar, California until its later move to
NAS Fallon, Nevada.
With renewed emphasis on Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) training brought on with the establishment of the
Navy Fighter Weapons School (''
TOPGUN'') in 1969, the availability of A-4 Skyhawks in both the Instrument RAGs and Composite Squadrons at the master jet bases presented a ready resource of the nimble Skyhawks that had become the TOPGUN preferred surrogate for the MiG-17. At the time, the F-4 Phantom was just beginning to be exploited to its full potential as a fighter and had not performed as well as expected against the smaller North Vietnamese MiG-17 and
MiG-21 opponents. TOPGUN introduced the notion of
dissimilar air combat training (DACT) using modified A-4E/Fs. Modified aircraft, called "Mongoose", lost the dorsal hump, the 20 mm cannon with their ammo systems, and the external stores, although sometimes the centerline station was kept. The slats were fixed.
The small size of the Skyhawk and superb low speed handling in the hands of a well trained aviator made it ideal to teach fleet aviators the finer points of DACT. The squadrons eventually began to display vivid threat type paint schemes signifying their transition into the primary role of Adversary training. To better perform the Adversary role, single-seat A-4E and F models were introduced into the role, but the ultimate adversary Skyhawk was the Super Fox, which was equipped with the uprated J52-P-408 engine. This variant had entered service in 1974 with VA-55/VA-164/VA-212 on the final USS ''Hancock'' cruise and had been the variant that the Blue Angels had selected in 1973.
The surplus of former USMC Skyhawks resulted in A-4M versions being used by both VF-126 and TOPGUN. Even though the A-4 was augmented by the
F-5E
The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and the ...
,
F-21 (Kfir),
F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
, and F/A-18 in the adversary role, the A-4 remained a viable threat surrogate until it was retired by VF-43 in 1993 and shortly thereafter by VFC-12. The last A-4 fleet operators were VC-8, which retired its Skyhawks in 2003.
The A-4M was also operated by the Operations Maintenance Detachment (OMD) in an adversary role based at
NAS Dallas
The Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex or Grand Prairie AFRC (formerly Naval Air Station Dallas or Hensley Field) is a former United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was e ...
, Texas for the Naval Air Reserve. Many of the aviators that flew the four jets were attached to NAS Dallas, including the Commanding Officer of the air station. The aircraft were instrumental in training and development of ACM for Naval Air Reserve fighter squadrons VF-201 and VF-202 flying the F-4 Phantom II and later the
Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The unit also completed several missions involving target towing to NAS Key West, Florida;
NAS Kingsville, Texas, and deployments to NAS Miramar, California and NAS Fallon, Nevada for adversary support. The detachment was under the operational command of the Commander Fleet Logistics Support Wing (CFLSW), also based at NAS Dallas.
Israel
Israel was the largest export customer for Skyhawks. The Skyhawk was the first U.S. warplane to be offered to the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
, marking the point where the U.S. took over from France as Israel's chief military supplier. Deliveries began after the Six-Day War, and A-4s soon formed the backbone of the IAF's ground-attack force. In IAF Service, the A-4 Skyhawk was named as the ''Ayit'' ( he, עיט, for
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
).
They cost only a quarter of what a Phantom II cost and carried half of its payload. Starting in 1966, Israel purchased 217 A-4s, plus another 46 that were transferred from U.S. units in
Operation Nickel Grass
Operation Nickel Grass was a strategic airlift operation conducted by the United States to deliver weapons and supplies to Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Over 32 days, the United States Air Force (USAF) Military Airlift Command (MAC) sh ...
to compensate for large losses during the Yom Kippur War.
["Israel Defense Forces (IDF)."](_blank)
''a4skyhawk.org''. Retrieved: 30 September 2012.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, Israeli Air Force Skyhawks were the primary ground attack aircraft in the
War of Attrition
The War of Attrition ( ar, حرب الاستنزاف, Ḥarb al-Istinzāf; he, מלחמת ההתשה, Milhemet haHatashah) involved fighting between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and their allies from ...
and the
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
. Skyhawks carried out bombing missions in the Yom Kippur War, and a considerable proportion of the tactical sorties. ACIG.org claims that at least nine A-4 Skyhawks were downed by
MiG-21s and
MiG-17s during Yom Kippur war.
[Peeters, Sander]
"Egyptian Air-to-Air Victories since 1948."
''acig.org''. Retrieved: 21 November 2015. Formal Israeli sources claim only five
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
aircraft, of any type, were shot down in air-to-air duels.
In May 1970, an Israeli Skyhawk piloted by Col. Ezra Dotan shot down two MiG-17s over south Lebanon (one with unguided rockets, the other with 30 mm cannon fire) even though the Skyhawk's head-up display has no "air-to-air mode". However, up to three Skyhawks were downed by Egyptian MiG-21 fighters, plus two were downed by Soviet-piloted MiG-21s during the War of Attrition.
A special version of the A-4 was developed for the IAF, the A-4H. This was an A-4E which featured improved avionics and the improved thrust
J52-P-8A engine. Armament consisted of twin DEFA 30 mm cannon in place of the Colt Mk.12 20 mm cannons. Later modifications included the avionics hump and an extended tailpipe, implemented in Israel by IAI. The extended tailpipe gave greater protection against heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles. A total of 90 A-4Hs were delivered, and were Heyl Ha'avir's (Israels Air Force) primary attack plane in the War of Attrition.
In early 1973, the improved A-4N Skyhawk for Israel entered service, based on the A-4M models used by the U.S. Marine Corps. The different model Skyhawks carried out bombing missions in the Yom Kippur War, and a considerable proportion of the tactical sorties. They also attacked in Operation Peace for the Galilee, and one of them shot down a Syrian MiG-17.
The IAF also operated two-seat models, for operations as well as advanced training and retraining. The first training models arrived in 1967, with the first batch of Skyhawks. During the Yom Kippur war, the Skyhawk order of battle was reinforced with TA-4F and TA-4J models.
The IAF selected in 2003
RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. to upgrade its A-4 trainer fleet with weapon delivery, navigation and training systems. Integration of a multifunction and Head-up Display produced an advanced Lead in fighter trainer for the IAF's future fighter pilots.
According to acig.org, Syria claimed that two Israeli A-4 Skyhawks were downed by Syrian
MiG-23s over northern Lebanon on 26 April 1981. However, official Israeli Air Force statistics do not list any downing of Israeli warplanes since the Yom Kippur War, and no loss of aircraft was reported on that date.
During the
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War, dubbed Operation Peace for Galilee ( he, מבצע שלום הגליל, or מבצע של"ג ''Mivtsa Shlom HaGalil'' or ''Mivtsa Sheleg'') by the Israeli government, later known in Israel as the Lebanon War or the First L ...
an Israeli A-4 piloted by Aharon Achiaz was shot down over Lebanon by a SA-7 on 6 June 1982.
[Tetro, Nicholas B]
"Press reports of the capture of Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz, and Zvi Feldman."
''skywar.ru''. Retrieved: 31 August 2010. Israel reported this was one of its only two fixed-wing aircraft shot down over the
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley ( ar, links=no, وادي البقاع, ', Lebanese ), also transliterated as Bekaa, Biqâ, and Becaa and known in classical antiquity as Coele-Syria, is a fertile valley in eastern Lebanon. It is Lebanon's most important ...
during air battles spanning from 6 June 1982 to 11 June 1982 where 150 aircraft took part, including the battle on 9 June 1982 known as
Operation Mole Cricket 19.
In October 2008, it was decided due to maintenance issues that the A-4 Skyhawk fleet would be withdrawn and replaced by more modern aircraft, able to perform equally well in the training role and, if required, close support and interdiction missions on the battlefield. Some of Israel's A-4s were later exported to
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. The Skyhawks have been replaced by F-16s in combat roles but are still used for pilot training. All the remaining A-4s aircraft were to be fully phased out beginning by 2014 as the IAF accepts delivery of
Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi ...
jets.
[Katz, Yaakov]
"Italy wins IAF with combat trainer jet bid."
''Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved: 16 February 2012. Skyhawks were last used in combat operations in the Israel airforce in 2012, when they dropped
leaflets over Gaza in 2012.
In July 2013, Israel began a program called ''Teuza'' (boldness) for the purpose of turning some military bases into sales lots for obsolete IDF equipment. Older models that are not suited for Israel's modern high-tech forces will be sold off, or sold for scrap if there are no buyers. A-4 Skyhawk jets are among those being offered.
On 13 December 2015, all remaining Israeli A-4 Skyhawks were retired from service. The retirement ceremony took place at
Hatzerim IDF base.
Argentina
Argentina was the first foreign user of the Skyhawk and had nearly 130 A-4s delivered since 1965. The
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falklan ...
received 25 A-4Bs in 1966 and another 25 in 1970, all refurbished in the United States by Lockheed Service Co. prior to their delivery as ''A-4P'', although they were still locally known as ''A-4B''. They had three weapon pylons and served in the 5th Air Brigade ( es, V Brigada Aérea, links=no). In 1976, 25 A-4Cs were ordered to replace the
F-86 Sabres still in service in the 4th Air Brigade ( es, IV Brigada Aérea, links=no). They were received ''as is'' and refurbished to flight status by Air Force technicians at
Río Cuarto, Córdoba. The C model had five weapon pylons and could use AIM-9B Sidewinder
air-to-air missile
The newest and the oldest member of Rafael's Python family of AAM for comparisons, Python-5 (displayed lower-front) and Shafrir-1 (upper-back)
An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying a ...
s.
The
Argentine Naval Aviation also bought the Skyhawk known as ''A-4Q'' in the form of 16 A-4Bs in 1972, which unlike the Air Force's A-4Ps, were powered by J-65-W-20 engines and fitted to use Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. They were received in 1972 to be used mainly from the aircraft carrier
ARA ''Veinticinco de Mayo'' by the 3rd Fighter/Attack Squadron ( es, 3ra Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, links=no).
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 5, p1. 134.][Elward 2000, p. 157.]
The U.S. placed an embargo of spare parts in 1977 due to the
Dirty War
The Dirty War ( es, Guerra sucia) is the name used by the military junta or civic-military dictatorship of Argentina ( es, dictadura cívico-militar de Argentina, links=no) for the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1974 to 1983 a ...
backing the Humphrey-Kennedy amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1976, the Carter administration placed an embargo on the sale of arms and spare parts to Argentina and on the training of its military personnel (which was lifted in the 1990s under
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem (2 July 1930 – 14 February 2021) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. Ideologically, he identified as a Peronist and supported economically liberal policies. H ...
's presidency when Argentina became a
major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to close allies that have strategic working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While the s ...
). Ejection seats did not work and there were many other mechanical faults. In spite of this, A-4s still served well in the 1982
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
.
Falklands War
During the 1982
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
, Argentina deployed 48 Skyhawk warplanes (26 A-4B, 12 A-4C and 10 A-4Q aircraft).
[Chant 2001, p.76.] Armed with
unguided bombs
An unguided bomb, also known as a free-fall bomb, gravity bomb, dumb bomb, or iron bomb, is a conventional or nuclear aircraft-delivered bomb that does not contain a guidance system and hence simply follows a ballistic trajectory. This describe ...
and lacking any electronic or missile self-defense,
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falklan ...
Skyhawks sank the
Type 42 destroyer
The Type 42 or ''Sheffield'' class, was a class of fourteen guided-missile destroyers that served in the Royal Navy.Marriott, Leo: ''Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945'', , Ian Allan Ltd, 1989 A further two ships of this class were built for and s ...
and inflicted a variety of damage on several others:
Type 21 frigate (subsequently sunk during attempted disposal of unexploded bombs),
RFA ''Sir Galahad'' (subsequently scuttled as a war grave), Type 42 , ,
Type 22 frigate , and
RFA ''Sir Tristram''.
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
A-4Qs, flying from
Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego naval air station, also played a role in the bombing attacks against British ships, destroying the Type 21 .
In all, 22 Skyhawks (10 A-4Bs, nine A-4Cs, and three A-4Qs) were lost to all causes in the six-week-long war.
[Elward 2000, p. 158.] These losses included eight to British
Sea Harriers
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval short take-off and vertical landing/vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft. It is the second member of the Harrier family developed. It first entered service ...
, seven to ship-launched surface-to-air missiles, four to ground-launched surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire (including one to "
friendly fire"), and three to crashes.
Postwar
After the war, Argentine Air Force A-4Ps and A-4Cs survivors were upgraded under the ''Halcón'' (Spanish for "falcon") program with
DEFA cannon
The DEFA cannon (''Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armement'') is a family of widely-used French-made aircraft revolver cannon firing 30 mm caliber NATO standard rounds.
Design history
The initial DEFA 551 was developed in the late 1940s ...
s, air-to-air missiles, and other minor details, and merged into the 5th Air Brigade. All of these were withdrawn from service in 1999, and they were replaced with 36 of the much-improved
Lockheed Martin OA/A-4AR Fightinghawk (rebuilt and modernised ex USMC A-4M). Several TA-4J and A-4E airframes were also delivered under the A-4AR program, mainly for spare parts use. The A-4AR was in service between the late 1990s and 2016 when the majority of the fleet was grounded for serviceability and age. A small number of airframes remained in service for limited roles. Three aircraft were lost to accidents.
In 1983, the United States vetoed the delivery by
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
of 24 A-4Hs for the Argentine Navy as the A-4Q replacement. The A-4Qs were finally retired in 1988.
Kuwait
Kuwaiti Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
Skyhawks fought in 1991 during
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, the available Skyhawks flew attack missions against the advancing Iraqi forces from deserted roads after their bases were overrun. Twenty-four of the 29 A-4KUs that remained in service with Kuwait (36 had been delivered in the 1970s) escaped to
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
. The escaped Skyhawks (along with escaped
Dassault Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family.
During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would ...
s) operated as the Free Kuwait Air Force, flying 1,361 sorties during the
liberation of Kuwait
The Liberation of Kuwait was a U.S.-led military operation to retake Kuwait from Iraq after the massive air campaign, between 24–28 February 1991. U.S. troops and the Coalition entered to find the Iraqis surrendering en masse; however, pocket ...
.
[Elward 2000, p. 164.]
Twenty-three A-4s survived the conflict and the Iraqi invasion,
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 5, p. 142.] with only one A-4KU (KAF-828, BuNo. 160207) shot down by Iraqi radar-guided SAM on 17 January 1991.
The pilot, Mohammed Mubarak, ejected and was taken prisoner. The remaining Kuwaiti Skyhawks were later sold to Brazil, where they served aboard the aircraft carrier
NAe ''São Paulo'' prior to its decommissioning in February 2017.
Australia
Twenty A-4G Skyhawks were purchased by the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
for operation from . The aircraft were acquired in two batches of 10, in 1967 and 1971, and were primarily used to provide air defence for the fleet. Ten of the A-4Gs were destroyed in accidents, and all the survivors were sold to the
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
in 1984.
New Zealand
In 1970, 10 A-4K single-seat aircraft and 4 TA-4K were delivered to the
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
, joining
75 Squadron. These were joined by 8 A-4G Skyhawk and 2 TA-4Gs from the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
in 1984, which allowed a second Skyhawk-equipped squadron,
2 Squadron, to form.
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 5, pp. 139–140.] In 1986,
Project Kahu was launched to upgrade New Zealand's Skyhawks with new avionics, including an
AN/APG-66NZ radar based on that used by the
F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
, and weapons, as a lower-cost alternative to buying new replacements. All 10 ex-RAN and the 12 surviving original RNZAF aircraft were converted to the A-4K Kahu standard.
[Elward 2000, pp. 169–170.]
In 2001 the three Air Combat Force squadrons (Nos 2, 14, and 75) were disbanded and the Skyhawks put into storage awaiting sale. They were maintained, with occasional servicing flights, and then moved to
RNZAF Base Woodbourne, where they were preserved in protective latex.
Draken International
Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also ...
signed an agreement with the New Zealand government in 2012 to purchase eight A-4Ks and associated equipment for its adversary training services. Six were former RAN A-4G airframes which as carrier aircraft had logged significantly fewer flying hours. These were subsequently relocated to the U.S. at Draken's
Lakeland Linder International Airport
Lakeland Linder International Airport is a public airport five miles southwest of Lakeland, in Polk County, Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a na ...
facility in
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
. The other A-4K aircraft were given to museums in New Zealand and Australia.
["New life for RNZAF jet."]
''The Dominion Post''. Retrieved: 19 March 2014.
Indonesia
Due to the declining relationship between Indonesia and the Soviet Union, there was a lack of spare parts for military hardware supplied by the Communist Bloc. Soon, most of them were scrapped. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) acquired A-4 Skyhawks to replace its Il-28 Beagles and Tu-16 Badgers in a covert operation with Israel, since both countries did not maintain diplomatic relationships. These A-4s were chosen because the IDF planned to retire its A-4 squadrons. The A-4 served the Indonesian Air Force from 1982 until 2003.
Malaysia
In 1982, Malaysia purchased 80 refurbished A-4C and A-4L under a modernization program called PERISTA. Forty of the airframes were upgraded with the Hughes AN/ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing System, air refueling capability, and increased payload, while the rest were kept in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
as a reserve and for spare parts. This modified version was redesignated as A-4PTM (peculiar to
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
).
The aircraft were delivered to the
Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) in December 1984 where they served in the No.6 and No.9 RMAF Squadrons at
Kuantan air base. While in service, they suffered from frequent maintenance issues and a high accident rate. In 1995, they were finally retired and replaced with
BAE Systems Hawk
The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft. It was first flown at Dunsfold, Surrey, in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk, and subsequently produced by its successor companies, British Aerospace and B ...
s.
Brazil
As of 2014, Brazil is the latest Skyhawk customer. In 1997 Brazil negotiated a $70 million contract for purchase of 20 A-4KU and three TA-4KU Skyhawks from Kuwait. Kuwait's Skyhawks, modified A-4Ms and TA-4Js delivered in 1977, were among the last of those models built by Douglas. The aircraft were selected by Brazil because of low flight time, excellent physical condition, and a favorable price. The
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
re-designated AF-1 and AF-1A Falcões (Hawks), the Kuwaiti Skyhawks arrived in
Arraial do Cabo
Arraial do Cabo () is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 30,593 as of 2020 census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of ...
on 5 September 1998.
On 18 January 2001, an AF-1 trapped aboard the Brazilian aircraft carrier was later successfully catapulted, making Brazil's fixed-wing carrier force operational again after nearly two decades. To replace the aging ''Minas Gerais'', Brazil purchased the surplus French aircraft carrier on 15 November 2001. Renamed , the "new" carrier received extensive refitting before becoming operational in 2003. ''Minas Gerais'' was decommissioned and retired that year.
On 14 April 2009,
Embraer
Embraer S.A. () is a Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer that produces commercial, military, executive and agricultural aircraft, and provides aeronautical services. It was founded in 1969 in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, where i ...
signed a contract to modernize 12 Brazilian Navy aircraft, nine AF-1s (single-seat) and three AF-1As (two-seat). This upgrade will restore the operating capacity of the Navy 1st Intercept and Attack Plane Squadron. The program includes restoring the aircraft and their current systems, as well as implementing new avionics, radar, power production, and autonomous oxygen generating systems. The first of the 12 modified Skyhawks was delivered on 27 May 2015. Embraer stated the modifications will allow the aircraft to remain operational until 2025.
In 2017, the Brazilian Navy indicated that it was reconsidering the total number of aircraft to be modernized to AF-1B/C standard due to budget constraints and the decommissioning of the ''São Paulo''. Two AF-1Bs were delivered in 2015 and a further two of undisclosed type are to be delivered in 2017. It is believed that despite the loss of its only carrier, the Navy wants to retain the experience of carrier-based operations, and thus will not rescind the contract outright. As of 2022, there are 3 A-4s in service, with 3 used for training and the other aircraft on display.
Others
Top Aces
Top Aces Inc. is a Montreal, Quebec-based defence contractor that offers contracted airborne training services to the Canadian Armed Forces through the Contracted Airborne Training Services (CATS) program. Top Aces operates a fleet of modernized ...
, formerly Discovery Air Defense Services, a private Canadian company contracted by the
Canadian Armed Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
,
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...
, and
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
to provide air combat and fighter training, imported and registered ten A-4N and TA-4J aircraft. Discovery upgraded and modified the jets to be capable of
Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
training. Top Aces also operates A-4Ns under contract for training of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).
Another major civil user of A-4s for training support to military forces is US-based
Draken International
Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also ...
, which operates ex-New Zealand A-4Ks as part of a diverse fleet of jets. A-4s have previously been operated in the target support role in Germany by
Tracor Flight Systems.
Variants
Original production variants
;XA4D-1: Initial prototype, one built.
;YA4D-1: Flight test prototypes and pre-production aircraft; redesignated YA-4A in 1962, then A-4A, 19 built.
;A4D-1
-4A Initial production version; redesignated A-4A in 1962, 166 built.
;A4D-2
-4B Strengthened aircraft and added air-to-air refueling capabilities, improved navigation and flight control systems, provision for
AGM-12 Bullpup missile; redesignated A-4B in 1962, 542 built.
;A4D-2N
-4C Night/adverse weather version of A4D-2, with AN/APG-53A
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
,
autopilot, LABS low-altitude bombing system.
Wright J65
The Wright J65 was an axial-flow turbojet engine produced by Curtiss-Wright under license from Armstrong Siddeley. A development of the Sapphire, the J65 powered a number of US designs.
Design and development
Curtiss-Wright purchased a license f ...
-W-20 engine with of takeoff thrust; redesignated A-4C in 1962, 638 built.
;A4D-3: Proposed advanced avionics version, none built.
;A4D-4: Proposed long-range version with new wings; none built.
;A4D-5
-4E Major upgrade, including new
Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A engine with of thrust, strengthened airframe with two more weapon pylons (for a total of five), improved avionics, with
TACAN
A tactical air navigation system, commonly referred to by the acronym TACAN, is a navigation system used by military aircraft. It provides the user with bearing and distance (slant-range or hypotenuse) to a ground or ship-borne station. It is a mor ...
,
Doppler navigation radar, radar altimeter, toss-bombing computer, and AJB-3A low-altitude bombing system. Many later upgraded with J52‑P‑8 engine with thrust; redesignated A-4E in 1962,
[The designation A-4D was not used to avoid confusion with the pre-1962 A4D designation.] 499 built.
;A4D-6: Proposed enlarged version of the A4D-5, none built.
;A-4F: Refinement of A-4E with extra avionics housed in a hump on the fuselage spine (this feature later retrofitted to A-4Es and some A-4Cs), wing-top spoilers to reduce landing roll out, nose wheel steering, and more powerful J52-P-8A engine with of thrust, later upgraded in service to J52-P-408 with , 147 built. Some served with
Blue Angels acrobatic team from 1973 to 1986.
;
A-4G: Eight aircraft built new for the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
with minor variations from the A-4F; in particular, they were not fitted with the avionics "hump". Subsequently, eight more A-4Fs were modified to this standard for the RAN. Significantly the A-4G were modified to carry four underwing Sidewinder AIM-9B missiles increasing their Fleet Defense capability.
[Elward 2000, p. 163.] Sold in 1984 to the
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
and later rebuilt in
Project KAHU as A-4Ks.
;A-4H: 90 aircraft for the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
based on the A-4F. Used 30 mm (1.18 in)
DEFA cannon
The DEFA cannon (''Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armement'') is a family of widely-used French-made aircraft revolver cannon firing 30 mm caliber NATO standard rounds.
Design history
The initial DEFA 551 was developed in the late 1940s ...
with 150 rpg in place of U.S. 20 mm (.79 in) guns. Later, some A-4Es later locally modified to this standard. Subsequently, modified with extended jetpipes as protection against heat-seeking missiles.
;A-4K: 10 aircraft for
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
. In the 1990s, these were upgraded under
Project KAHU with new radar and avionics, provision for
AGM-65 Maverick,
AIM-9 Sidewinder, and
GBU-16 Paveway II
The GBU-16 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 83 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeker and wings for guidance. The GBU-16 was introduced into service around 1976 and is used by the U.S. Air Force, ...
laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...
. The RNZAF also rebuilt an A-4C and 10 A-4Gs to A-4K standard.
;A-4M Skyhawk II: Dedicated Marine version with improved avionics and more powerful J52-P-408 engine with thrust, enlarged cockpit,
IFF
In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (shortened as "iff") is a biconditional logical connective between statements, where either both statements are true or both are false.
The connective is bicon ...
system. Later fitted with Hughes AN/ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) with TV and laser spot tracker, 158 built.
;A-4N: 117 modified A-4Ms for the Israeli Air Force.
;TA-4F: Conversion trainer – standard A-4F with extra seat for an instructor, 241 built.
;
TA-4G: two trainer versions of the A-4G built new, and two more modified from TA-4Fs.
;TA-4H: 25 trainer versions of the A-4H. Upgraded with more modern avionics.
;TA-4J: Dedicated trainer version based on A-4F, but lacking weapons systems, and with down-rated engine, 277 built new, and most TA-4Fs were later converted to this configuration.
;TA-4K: Four trainer versions of the TA-4J. A fifth, non-flying display example was later assembled in NZ from spare parts.
Upgraded, modified and export variants
;TA-4E: Two A-4Es modified as prototypes of a trainer version.
;EA-4F: Four TA-4Fs converted for
ECM
ECM may refer to:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Elliptic curve method
* European Congress of Mathematics
...
training.
;A-4L: 100 A-4Cs remanufactured for Marine Corps Reserves and Navy Reserve squadrons. Fitted with A-4F avionics (including the fuselage "hump") but retaining J-65 engine and three-pylon wing.
[Elward 2000, pp. 71–72.]
;OA-4M: 23 TA-4Fs modified for
Forward Air Control
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC).
...
duties.
;A-4P: Remanufactured A-4Bs sold to
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falklan ...
, known as A-4B by the Argentines.
;A-4Q: Remanufactured A-4Bs sold to
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
.
;A-4Y: Provisional designation for A-4Ms modified with the ARBS. Designation never adopted by the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.
[Gann ''Wings of Fame'' No. 4 1996, p. 114.]
;
A-4AR Fightinghawk: 36 A-4Ms refurbished for Argentina.
;
OA-4AR Fightinghawk: Refurbished two-seat training version for Argentina.
["ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153270."]
''aviation-safety.net''. Retrieved: 5 May 2013.
;CA-4F: A proposed two seat variant for the Royal Canadian Navy based on the A-4E with a dorsal conformal fuel tank instead of an avionics hump, it was to have replaced the F2H-3 Banshee on HMCS Bonaventure. Canada expressed little interest and so it was never placed in production.
;A-4KU: 30 modified A-4Ms for the Kuwaiti Air Force. Brazil purchased 20 of these second-hand and redesignated them AF-1. Now used by the
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
on carrier duty.
;TA-4KU: Three trainer versions of the above. Brazil purchased some of these second-hand and redesignated them AF-1A.
;A-4PTM: 40 A-4Cs and A-4Ls refurbished for
Royal Malaysian Air Force, incorporating many A-4M features (''PTM'' stands for ''Peculiar to Malaysia'').
["Royal Malaysian Air Force."](_blank)
''a4skyhawk.org''. Retrieved: 1 October 2012.
;TA-4PTM: Unique trainer version for Royal Malaysian Air Force. Converted from A-4C/L airframes with 28" fuselage plug and second cockpit, similar to TA-4F/J (PTM stands for Peculiar to Malaysia).
;
A-4S: 50 A-4Bs remanufactured for
Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establish ...
.
;
TA-4S: Seven
trainer versions of the above. Different from most TA-4 trainers with a common cockpit for the student and instructor pilot, these were essentially rebuilt with a fuselage plug inserted into the front fuselage and a separate bulged cockpit (giving better all round visibility) for the instructor seated behind the student pilot.
;
A-4S-1: 50 A-4Cs remanufactured for the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
;
TA-4S-1: Eight trainer versions of the above. These were designated as TA-4S-1 to set it apart from the earlier batch of seven airframes.
;
A-4SU Super Skyhawk
The ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk is a major upgrade project of the Douglas A-4S Skyhawk attack aircraft undertaken by Singapore Aircraft Industries (SAI, now ST Aerospace) in the 1980s. It was used exclusively by the Republic of Singapor ...
: Extensively modified and updated version of the A-4S-1, exclusively for the Republic of Singapore Air Force, fitted with a
General Electric F404
The General Electric F404 and F412 are a family of afterburning turbofan engines in the class (static thrust). The series is produced by GE Aviation. Partners include Volvo Aero, which builds the RM12 variant. The F404 was developed into the la ...
non-afterburning
turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...
engine, and modernized electronics.
;
TA-4SU Super Skyhawk
The ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawk is a major upgrade project of the Douglas A-4S Skyhawk attack aircraft undertaken by Singapore Aircraft Industries (SAI, now ST Aerospace) in the 1980s. It was used exclusively by the Republic of Singapor ...
: Extensively modified and updated version of the TA-4S & TA-4S-1 to TA-4SU standard.
;AF-1/1A:
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
designation applied to 23 A-4KU and TA-4KU aircraft acquired from the
Kuwaiti Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
.
;AF-1B/C:
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
upgraded version of AF-1/1A by
Embraer
Embraer S.A. () is a Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer that produces commercial, military, executive and agricultural aircraft, and provides aeronautical services. It was founded in 1969 in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, where i ...
and
AEL Sistemas
AEL Sistemas S.A. is a Brazilian-based defence electronics company. The company is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems with 25 percent acquired by the Embraer
Embraer S.A. () is a Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer that produces commerc ...
. Changes from analog to digital avionics, new radar systems, improved communications equipment and weapons.
Operators
;
*
Argentine Air Force
"Argentine Wings"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 August (anniversary) 1 May (Baptism of fire during the Falklands War)
, equipment = 139 aircraft
, equipment_label =
, battles =
* Operation Independence
* Operation Soberanía
* Falklan ...
[ – use the modernized version ]A-4AR
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named ''Fightinghawk'' in recognition of the ...
as fighter and fighter trainer.
;
* Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
– 4 modernized A-4KUs in operation and 3 A-4KUs for training
;
* Top Aces Inc. - Owns and operates seven A-4N and one TA-4J for use as trainer and aggressor aircraft.
;
* Draken International
Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also ...
– owns and operates 7 former New Zealand A/TA-4Ks and 6 former Israeli A-4Ns.
* AeroGroup
AeroGroup is an American private commercial company that offers military aircraft training. It was the first private commercial company to operate F-16 aircraft and train F-16 pilots and maintenance crew. AeroGroup performed F-16 training servic ...
, a private American commercial company operating previously owned A-4 aircraft.
* A-4L, LLC - Owns seven and currently operates three A-4L (A4D-2N) Skyhawks based at KGYI North Texas Regional Airport/Perrin Field in Denison Texas.
Former operators
;
* Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
;
* Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
– sold to RNZAF
;
* Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) – retired in 2003
;
* Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
– retired from frontline duty in 2008, retired from training flights in December 2015.[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4738755,00.html "IAF retires Skyhawk after 48 years in service.]
;
* Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
– sold to Brazilian Navy
;
* Royal Malaysian Air Force – retired from service
;
* Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
– retired in 2001
;
* Republic of Singapore Air Force
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establish ...
retired from frontline service in 2005, and were transferred to France (Cazaux Air Base) as advanced jet trainers. The Skyhawks were retired from training flights from 2013 and replaced by the Alenia Aermacchi M-346. 1 RSAF A-4SU was donated to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE College Central) for vocational and training purposes.
;
* United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
* United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
Aircraft on display
Given the number of air forces that operated the Skyhawk, a significant number have been preserved, either airworthy or on display. Preserved A-4s can be found in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, United States, and others.
Specifications (A4D-5 / A-4E Skyhawk)
Notable appearances in media
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Aloni, Shlomo. ''Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Units in Combat (Osprey Combat Aircraft #81)''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2009. .
"ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153270."
''aviation-safety.net''. Retrieved: 5 May 2013.
* Chant, Chris. ''Air War in the Falklands 1982 (Osprey Combat Aircraft #28)''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2001. .
* Dorr, Robert F. and Chris Bishop. ''Vietnam Air War Debrief''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1996. .
* Drendel, Lou. ''A-4 Skyhawk in Action''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1973. .
* Elward, Brad. ''McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk''. Ramsbury, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2000. .
* Gann, Harry S. "Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Variant Briefing: Part 1". ''Wings of Fame'', Volume 4. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1996, pp. 98–117. .
* Gann, Harry S. "Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Variant Briefing: Part 2: Export Versions". ''Wings of Fame'', Volume 5. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1996, pp. 130–145. .
* Grossnick, Roy A. and William J. Armstrong. ''United States Naval Aviation, 1910–1995''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Historical Center, 1997. .
* Hobson, Chris. ''Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961–1973''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. .
* Kilduff, Peter. ''Douglas A-4 Skyhawk''. London: Osprey Publishing, 1983. .
* McCarthy, Donald J. Jr. ''MiG Killers: A Chronology of US Air Victories in Vietnam 1965–1973.'' North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Pr Pub & Wholesalers, 2009. .
* Mersky, Peter. ''US Navy and Marine Corps A-4 Skyhawk Units of the Vietnam War (Osprey Combat Aircraft #69)''. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2007. .
* Parsons, Dave and Derek Nelson. ''Bandits!: Pictorial History of American Adversarial Aircraft''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1993. .
* Peacock, Lindsey. ''A-4 Skyhawk'' (Osprey Combat Aircraft series). London: Osprey Publications, 1987. .
* Wilson, Stewart. ''Phantom, Hornet and Skyhawk in Australian Service''. Weston Creek, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 1993. .
Further reading
* Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix. ''McDonnell Douglas A-4C Skyhawk'', Volume 21 (Serie Fuerza Aérea). Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fuerzas Aeronavales, 2011 .
* Núñez Padin, and Jorge Felix. ''McDonnell Douglas A-4Q & A-4E Skyhawk'', Volume 31 (Serie Aeronaval) Bahía Blanca, Argentina Fuerzas Aeronavales, 2013. .
External links
Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum Skyhawk information
A-4 Skyhawk page on Boeing.com
RNZAF Museum Skyhawk page
Serial number history of Australian A-4 Skyhawks, prefix N13
from reference book ''American Combat Planes of the 20th Century'' by R. Wagner
restoration to flight of a TA-4J
(1962) NAVWEPS 01-40AVA-1 Flight Handbook Navy Model A4D-1 and A4D-2 Aircraft
a 1958 ''Flight'' article
{{Authority control
A-004 Skyhawk
1950s United States attack aircraft
Single-engined jet aircraft
Carrier-based aircraft
Cruciform tail aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1954