McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk is a variant of the
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
attack aircraft developed 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 ...
(RAN). The model was based on the A-4F variant of the Skyhawk, and was fitted with slightly different
avionics Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fit ...
as well as the capacity to operate
AIM-9 Sidewinder The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prove ...
air-to-air missiles. The RAN received ten A-4Gs in 1967 and another ten in 1971, and operated the type from 1967 to 1984. In Australian service the A-4Gs formed part of the air group of the aircraft carrier , and were primarily used to provide air defence for the fleet. They took part in
exercises Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...
throughout the Pacific region and also supported the training of RAN warships as well as other elements of the Australian military. The Skyhawks did not see combat, and a planned deployment of some of their pilots to fight in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by 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 Vietnam a ...
was cancelled. Ten A-4Gs were destroyed as a result of equipment failures and non-combat crashes during the type's service with the Navy, causing the deaths of two pilots. The RAN had no need for most of its fixed-wing aircraft after ''Melbourne'' was decommissioned in 1982, and two years later the ten remaining A-4Gs were sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) for training purposes. Between 1986 and 1991 these aircraft were upgraded and re-designated A-4Ks. Two of the former A-4Gs crashed during 2001, resulting in the death of a pilot. The RNZAF's Skyhawks were retired in 2001. Eight A-4Ks, including six former A-4Gs, were sold to Draken International in 2012 and are in service supporting United States military training exercises.


Acquisition

During the late 1950s the Australian Government and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) considered options to replace the aircraft carrier HMAS ''Melbourne'', and her air group. Though ''Melbourne'' had only been commissioned in 1955, the
de Havilland Sea Venom The de Havilland Sea Venom is a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom. It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy. The French Navy operated the Aquilon, develo ...
fighters and
Fairey Gannet The Fairey Gannet is a carrier-borne aircraft that was designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer the Fairey Aviation Company. It was developed for the Royal Navy, being the first fixed-wing aircraft to combine both the search an ...
maritime patrol aircraft operated by the
Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
(FAA) were becoming obsolete. It was believed that ''Melbourne'' was too small to operate more modern aircraft types, and the RAN investigated options to buy a larger carrier. The Government judged that the cost of a new aircraft carrier was too high, especially given the expense of the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
and Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) procurement programs at that time, and in November 1959 it was announced that the FAA would cease to operate fixed-wing aircraft in 1963. As a result of intervention by the Minister for the Navy, Senator
John Gorton Sir John Grey Gorton (9 September 1911 – 19 May 2002) was an Australian politician who served as the nineteenth Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1968 to 1971. He led the Liberal Party during that time, having previously been a l ...
, the Government eventually agreed to purchase new fixed-wing aircraft. Gorton had served as a fighter pilot in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and had a strong interest in his portfolio. In 1961 Gorton convinced the Cabinet to fund a program to reinvigorate the FAA, starting with the purchase of 27
Westland Wessex The Westland Wessex is a British-built turbine-powered development of the Sikorsky H-34 (in US service known as Choctaw). It was developed and produced under licence by Westland Aircraft (later Westland Helicopters). One of the main chang ...
anti-submarine helicopters. At this time it was planned to retain ''Melbourne'' as a
helicopter carrier A helicopter carrier is a type of aircraft carrier whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters, and has a large flight deck that occupies a substantial part of the deck, which can extend the full length of the ship like of the Royal Navy ...
, but in mid-1963 the Government gave the Navy permission to retain the Sea Venoms and Gannets in service until at least 1967. In June 1964,
Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
Senator Shane Paltridge rejected a proposal from the Navy to purchase an ''Essex''-class aircraft carrier from 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 ...
, During July 1964, ''Melbourne'' hosted flight trials of A-4 Skyhawks and Grumman S-2 Trackers, during a visit to US Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines. The Skyhawk was a particularly light and compact attack plane, with a wing small enough to not require a folding mechanism. American Trackers had previously flown off the carrier during exercises in 1957, and the
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
had also successfully trialled Skyhawks from ''Melbourne'' sister ship . The trials conducted at Subic Bay went well, and confirmed that ''Melbourne'' would need only minor modifications to safely operate both types of aircraft. In late 1964 the RAN sought the Government's approval to upgrade ''Melbourne'' and purchase a force of 18 Skyhawks and 16 Trackers. The Skyhawks were intended to be used to provide air defence for the fleet as well as to attack warships and targets on land. The Naval Board saw maritime strike as being a logical task for the FAA; the RAAF argued that the 24 General Dynamics F-111C aircraft it had ordered would be more effective in this role. Cabinet agreed to the proposal to modernise the carrier and acquire Trackers in November 1964, but delayed a decision on the Skyhawks at that time. Following further lobbying and staff work by the Navy, the Government eventually agreed to purchase ten Skyhawks in early 1965 for a cost of £9.2 million. This order comprised eight single-seat fighter aircraft and a pair of two-seat TA-4 Skyhawk trainers. These aircraft were the first newly built Skyhawks to be sold to a country other than the United States. The Australian Skyhawks, which were designated the A-4G, were a variant of the A-4F Skyhawk. The A-4F was the final single-seat version of the Skyhawk to be designed specifically for the US Navy, and first flew in 1966; 164 were eventually delivered. It had a more powerful engine than that fitted to earlier Skyhawks, as well as better protection against ground fire. Conversely, the A-4G did not have the distinctive "hump" containing avionics behind the cockpit of the A-4F (which earned the nickname "Camel"). The A-4G was also better suited to air combat and could carry AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, though it lacked the A-4F's ability to launch guided air-to-ground weapons. Two-seat TA-4G trainers were fitted with the same avionics and weapons as the single-seat aircraft, but were unable to be operated from ''Melbourne'', as their flight characteristics meant that they could not safely take off from the ship in the event of a " bolter" landing. The 10 Skyhawks were delivered to the RAN during 1967. The first A-4G test flight took place on 19 July that year, and the initial TA-4G first flew two days later. On 26 July, an A-4G and a TA-4G were handed over to the RAN at a ceremony conducted at McDonnell Douglas' factory at
Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
. In October that year, ''Melbourne'' sailed to the United States to pick up the Skyhawks and Trackers, the A-4s being embarked at
Naval Air Station North Island Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...
in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
. The carrier transported these aircraft back to
Jervis Bay Jervis Bay () is a oceanic bay and village on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, said to possess the whitest sand in the world. A area of land around the southern headland of the bay is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia ...
, New South Wales, from where they were unloaded and moved by road to the Navy's air station at HMAS ''Albatross'' near
Nowra Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south-southwest of the state capital of Sydney (about as the crow flies). As of the 2021 census, Nowra has an estimated population of 22,584. Situated in t ...
. After completing this task ''Melbourne'' proceeded to Sydney to begin a
refit Refitting or refit of boats and marine vessels includes repairing, fixing, restoring, renewing, mending, and renovating an old vessel. Refitting has become one of the most important activities inside a shipyard. It offers a variety of services f ...
that would prepare her to operate the new air group. A further ten A-4Gs were purchased in 1969. The aircraft were funded by cancelling plans to expand the Navy's force of ''Oberon'' class submarines from six to eight boats; this change was justified on the grounds that it would improve the effectiveness of the carrier and expand the FAA's strike capabilities. As with the first order, this purchase comprised eight A-4Gs and two TA-4Gs. The Skyhawks were former US Navy A-4Fs, and were modified to A-4G standard before being delivered to Australia. These aircraft were collected from San Diego by in July 1971, which delivered them to Jervis Bay the next month. The Australian Skyhawks retained their US Navy serial numbers, but were also allocated shorter "buzz" numbers painted near their nose. The first batch of A-4Gs were allocated buzz numbers 882 to 889, and the second batch were assigned 870 to 877. The first two TA-4Gs were 880 and 881, and the second pair 878 and 879.


Operational history


Royal Australian Navy

RAN Skyhawk operations began in 1968. On 10 January that year 805 Squadron was recommissioned at HMAS ''Albatross'' to operate the type from ''Melbourne''. Skyhawk flight training started later that month with six experienced pilots being instructed by a US Navy officer and two other Australian pilots who had previously been posted to the United States to qualify as instructors. Shortages of spare parts disrupted flying activities for much of the year, and the first course graduated in mid-December 1968 rather than May as had been originally planned; the shortages were largely the result of the US Navy prioritising deliveries to its forces fighting in Vietnam over the needs of the RAN. The A-4Gs first operated at sea in November 1968, when they landed on board the British carrier while she was visiting Australia. The Australian Government considered deploying pilots from 805 Squadron to fight in Vietnam during 1967 and 1968. On 12 May 1967, the Naval Board recommended to the Government that six Skyhawk pilots and their ground crew be offered to the US Navy during May the next year after these personnel had completed their training on the new aircraft. This decision was motivated by a desire to keep the pilots gainfully occupied while ''Melbourne'' completed her refit, and would not involve deploying the A-4Gs as they lacked the weapons systems and avionics needed to counter
North Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
ese air defences. As part of the initial consideration of this option, the Minister for Air suggested that the Australian Skyhawks could be sent to Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand to relieve the
CAC Sabre The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, is an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. The F-86F was redesigned and built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Equipping five ...
-equipped
No. 79 Squadron RAAF No. 79 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flight training unit that has been formed on four occasions since 1943. The squadron (aviation), squadron was established in May 1943 as a fighter aircraft, fighter unit equipped with S ...
stationed there, but such a deployment was found to be impractical. The Government's Defence Committee subsequently recommended that FAA fighter pilots be attached to a
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 ...
(USMC) unit stationed at
Chu Lai Air Base Chu Lai Air Base was a military airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam, operated by the United States Marine Corps between 1965 and 1970. It was located near Tam Kỳ city, the largest city in Quảng Nam Province. Abandoned after the end of the Vietnam Wa ...
and conduct combat missions over South Vietnam. The USMC Skyhawk units frequently attacked targets in North Vietnam, but the FAA aircrew were to be prohibited from joining these operations as the Government had previously decided to restrict Australia's war effort to South Vietnam. This plan was announced by Prime Minister Harold Holt in October 1967 as part of a package of Australian reinforcements to the war effort in Vietnam. In the event, the deployment did not proceed as the delays to 805 Squadron's initial Skyhawk conversion course meant that the pilots were not ready until after ''Melbourne'' re-entered service. The Navy assessed that it would not be possible to both man a fighter squadron on the carrier and post pilots to Vietnam, and delaying the reactivation of ''Melbourne''s air group could lead to criticism of the Skyhawk acquisition. In February 1969 the Minister for Defence directed that no further consideration was to be given to sending naval fighter pilots to Vietnam. The RAN's jet aircraft operational conversion unit, 724 Squadron, was also equipped with Skyhawks during 1968. By December of that year the squadron was operating a mixed fleet of TA-4G Skyhawks, de Havilland Sea Vampires and Sea Venoms from ''Albatross''. The Skyhawk conversion courses conducted by this unit lasted for six months, and involved a total of about 110 hours of flying in TA-4Gs and A-4Gs. During this period pilots became familiar with flying the type and practised combat missions as well as air-to-air refuelling from other Skyhawks using buddy fuel tanks. They were also required to complete about 100 simulated carrier landings at ''Albatross'' before landing a Skyhawk on board ''Melbourne''. After ''Melbourne''s refit was completed, the ship put to sea with Skyhawks in 1969. At this time her air group typically comprised four Skyhawks from 805 Squadron, six S-2 Trackers operated by 816 Squadron and eight of 817 Squadron's Wessex anti-submarine helicopters. The mix of aircraft carried varied. During the late 1960s and 1970s ''Melbourne'' made regular deployments throughout the Pacific region to exercise with the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
and US Navy. In May 1972, 805 Squadron's strength was increased to eight Skyhawks, and it temporarily operated with ten of the type during Exercise Kangaroo in May 1974. A-4Gs were embarked on board the carrier when she visited the United Kingdom in 1977 to participate in the Jubilee Fleet Review, and one of the Skyhawks also took part in that year's
Royal International Air Tattoo The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world's largest military air show, held annually in July, usually at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The show typically attracts a t ...
. ''Melbourne'' underwent major refits between December 1970 and August 1971, mid-1975 to June 1976 and from July 1978 to February 1979. During the periods the carrier was under refit her air group operated from ''Albatross''. ''Melbourne'' was the smallest carrier to regularly operate Skyhawks. The A-4Gs operated in several roles while embarked on board ''Melbourne'', and also took part in training exercises from air bases around Australia. Although their main role was to provide air defence for the carrier and other warships using Sidewinder missiles and cannon, the Skyhawks lacked the manoeuvrability needed to be effective fighters, and had relatively poor performance at high altitude. The A-4Gs carried "dumb" bombs and rockets in the ground attack and maritime strike roles as they were unable to operate guided weapons. The aircraft could also be fitted with a D-704 buddy pod aerial refuelling system, which allowed them to refuel from one another in flight, as well as capacity
drop tank In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
s to extend their range. At this time the A-4Gs were the only Australian military aircraft capable of in-flight refuelling. The Skyhawks' long range and ability to carry a large weapons load meant that they proved more successful in air-to-ground roles than as air defence fighters. Though not deployed on board the carrier, 724 Squadron took part in training exercises with other RAN units as well as elements of the Australian Army. A particularly important task for the squadron was supporting the work-up of RAN warships by acting as targets; in this role Skyhawks were often deployed to
RAAF Base Laverton "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
in Victoria and
RAAF Base Pearce RAAF Base Pearce is the main Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the RAAF and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Pearce is ...
in Western Australia. 724 Squadron also formed a Skyhawk-equipped
aerobatics Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glide ...
team called the Checkmates. From the mid-1970s the RAN investigated options to replace ''Melbourne'' and her air group. During 1977 the Navy sought tenders for an aircraft carrier capable of operating
Harrier jump jet The Harrier, informally referred to as the Harrier jump jet, is a family of jet-powered attack aircraft capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing operations (V/STOL). Named after a bird of prey, it was originally developed by British ma ...
s and helicopters. In February 1982 the Australian Government reached an agreement to purchase from Britain the following year. As a result of this deal, ''Melbourne'' was decommissioned on 30 June 1982, followed by 805 and 816 Squadrons on 2 July. All of the remaining ten Skyhawks were assigned to 724 Squadron, which continued to operate from ''Albatross''. The sale of ''Invincible'' to Australia was cancelled in mid-1982 as a result of the Falklands War, and in March 1983 the new Hawke Government decided to not replace ''Melbourne''. In May that year the Government also announced that the disbandment of the FAA's fixed-wing force would be brought forward as the RAN no longer needed such aircraft. Six of the A-4Gs were taken out of service on 30 June 1983, and the other four were retained for target towing, radar and weapon calibration duties, and other fleet support tasks. Though some consideration was given to using the Skyhawks in the close air support role, it was decided to retire the type. The last Australian A-4G flights took place on 30 June 1984.


Royal New Zealand Air Force

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) had purchased a fleet of 14 A-4K Skyhawks in 1970. These aircraft were a variant of the A-4E, and were used mainly in the close air support role. By the early 1980s they were becoming outdated, and lacked the air-to-air and advanced air-to-ground capabilities identified as requirements for the RNZAF in the 1983 ''Defence Review''. Two of the A-4Ks had been destroyed in flying accidents and the remaining twelve aircraft fleet was not considered a viable force. During the early 1980s the RNZAF considered options to replace or upgrade its A-4Ks. A team of senior RNZAF personnel visited France, the United Kingdom and the United States to assess new aircraft, and the New Zealand Government released a tender in May 1982 seeking proposals to upgrade the Skyhawks. After the decision was made to disband the RAN's fighter force, the Australian Government offered the ten surviving A-4Gs and spare parts for these aircraft to New Zealand for $NZ40 million. The
Cabinet of New Zealand The Cabinet of New Zealand ( mi, Te Rūnanga o te Kāwanatanga o AotearoaTranslated as: "The Rūnanga (literally 'Council') of the Government of New Zealand") is the New Zealand Government's body of senior ministers, accountable to the New Z ...
gave the RNZAF authority to begin formal discussions of this deal on 5 September 1983. A team of Air Force personnel inspected the A-4Gs at ''Albatross'' in November that year and judged that they were in generally good condition. The commander of the RNZAF, Air Vice-Marshal David Crooks, favoured purchasing the A-4Gs and then upgrading the entire A-4 fleet over the alternative of buying new aircraft, as this option was the cheapest way to improve the Air Force's capabilities. He recommended to Prime Minister
Rob Muldoon Sir Robert David Muldoon (; 25 September 19215 August 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand, from 1975 to 1984, while leader of the National Party. Serving as a corporal and sergeant in t ...
that the deal be taken up, and a decision to acquire the aircraft was made in May 1984. As part of the purchase agreement, the New Zealand Government committed to return one of the Skyhawks to Australia for display after the type was retired from service. The eight A-4Gs and two TA-4Gs were ferried from Nowra to
RNZAF Base Ohakea RNZAF Base Ohakea is an operational base of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Opened in 1939, it is located near Bulls, 25 km north-west of Palmerston North in the Manawatu. It is also a diversion landing point for civilian aircraft. The bas ...
in three groups from July 1984. They received minor modifications (at a total cost of $NZ2.7 million) and new serial numbers before entering service with the RNZAF, but retained the A-4G designation at this time. All of the A-4Gs were initially assigned to No. 2 Squadron RNZAF, which was reformed on 11 December 1984 as an operational conversion and training unit. The spare parts sold with the A-4Gs greatly increased the RNZAF's stocks, and were calculated to be worth about $NZ30 million at commercial rates. To address the shortcomings of the RNZAF's Skyhawk fleet, the New Zealand Government approved the Project Kahu program in May 1985. This project had a total cost of NZ$140 million, and primarily involved upgrading the A-4G and A-4Ks' avionics to almost the standard of those fitted to the modern
General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
. The Skyhawks also received new wings drawn from the stock of spare parts purchased from the RAN in 1984. Work began on the first aircraft in 1986, and the program was completed in 1991. After receiving the Kahu upgrade package the A-4Gs were re-designated A-4Ks. From 1990 until 2001, No. 2 Squadron was stationed at HMAS ''Albatross'', where it operated four A-4Ks and two TA-4Ks and trained alongside the Australian Defence Force; several former Australian aircraft were among those serving with No. 2 Squadron during this period. The RNZAF continued to operate Skyhawks until 13 December 2001, when both of its fighter squadrons were disbanded. In 2012 eight of the A-4Ks were sold to Draken International to provide training support for the US military; six of these aircraft were former A-4Gs. The remaining nine A-4Ks were donated to museums.


Aircraft on display

In April 2011, the New Zealand Government returned TA-4K N13-154911 (880 in RAN service and NZ6255 in RNZAF service) to Australia. The Skyhawk had served with 724 Squadron from 1967 until 1984, and was flown back to Australia in April 2012 within one of the RAAF's Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transports. This aircraft is currently displayed at the RAN's
Fleet Air Arm Museum The Fleet Air Arm Museum is devoted to the history of British naval aviation. It has an extensive collection of military and civilian aircraft, aero engines, models of aircraft and Royal Navy ships (especially aircraft carriers), and paintin ...
. Since November 1999 a former American A-4B (142871) was first displayed as A-4G 885 (154906) and from 2007 as A-4G 882 (154903) at this museum.


Accidents and incidents

Ten of the twenty A-4Gs were lost during the type's service with the RAN. This gave the Skyhawk a poor safety record, but the high loss rate was at least partially attributable to the intrinsic dangers involved in operating from an aircraft carrier. Two pilots were killed in these accidents. Four Skyhawks were destroyed in accidents during the mid-1970s. The first A-4G to be lost was ''873'', which crashed into the sea off
Williamtown, New South Wales Williamtown is a rural suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the main road between Newcastle and Nelson Bay. Geography The eastern section of Williamtown is do ...
, on 5 June 1973 due to an engine failure; its pilot ejected and was rescued by a RAAF helicopter. On 8 November that year ''Melbourne'' suffered a catapult failure while launching ''889'' near
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, and the aircraft landed in the sea in front of the carrier. ''Melbourne'' sailed directly over the downed Skyhawk, but its pilot managed to free himself and was picked up by a helicopter. The next loss took place on 16 May 1974 when TA-4G ''879'' crashed into the sea while conducting a practice attack on ''Melbourne'' off the south coast of New South Wales, killing the pilot. On 16 May the next year ''870'' and ''872'' collided while flying near Jervis Bay; 872 crashed, resulting in the death of its pilot, but ''870'' managed to return to ''Albatross''. The other six A-4G losses occurred during 1979 and 1980. On 23 January 1979, ''870'' suffered an in-flight turbine failure and crashed near
Braidwood, New South Wales Braidwood is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council. It is located on the Kings Highway linking Canberra with Batemans Bay. It is approximately 200 kilometres south west of ...
; its pilot was rescued by a RAAF helicopter. On 23 May that year ''888'' ran off the flight deck of ''Melbourne'' after an
arrester wire Arrester may refer to: * Lightning arrester * Arrestor bed (disambiguation) * Surge arrester {{disambig ...
snapped during a landing near Jervis Bay. Its pilot, a US Navy exchange officer, survived. On 24 September 1979, ''886'' rolled over the side of the carrier while being moved along the flight deck in heavy seas; an FAA ground crewman who was sitting in the cockpit at the time managed to escape after the aircraft hit the water and was rescued by the destroyer . The next loss occurred on 28 April 1980 when the engine of TA-4G ''878'' failed while it was preparing to land at HMAS ''Albatross''. The pilot of this aircraft ejected safely and was rescued by a RAN helicopter. On 2 October that year ''875'' crashed into the sea near Sumatra, when its engine failed while being launched from ''Melbourne''; its pilot ejected and was rescued. The final loss occurred on 21 October 1980, when ''885'' crashed into the sea as a result of a catapult failure; the pilot was picked up by a Wessex. Two of the former A-4Gs were also lost during their service with the RNZAF. On 16 February 2001, ''NZ6211'' (''882'' in Australian service) crashed near Nowra while practising an aerobatic manoeuvre with another Skyhawk; its pilot, who was also the commanding officer of No. 2 Squadron, was killed instantly. The last former A-4G to be lost was TA-4K ''NZ6256'' (the former ''881''), which crashed into the Indian Ocean off
Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
, on 20 March 2001. Its pilot ejected and survived.


Operators

;Australia * Royal Australian Navy ** 724 Squadron ** 805 Squadron ;New Zealand * Royal New Zealand Air Force ** No. 2 Squadron


Specifications (A-4G Skyhawk)


Notes


References


Citations


Works consulted

* * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* {{McDonnell Douglas military aircraft A-04G Skyhawk Single-engined jet aircraft Low-wing aircraft Carrier-based aircraft A-004G Australian naval aviation Aircraft first flown in 1967