Upgraded models had improved engines and a drogue parachute, new avionics displays. Deliveries began too late for the a 4 to fight in the sixday war, but it soon formed the backbone of the iafs groundattack force. It is still in service with various us units and remains the backbone of many of the air forces of those countries to which it has been exported. This is the israeli a4 skyhawk units in combat military history book by osprey publishing. Us navy and marine corps a 4 skyhawk units of the vietnam war 19631973 book. Of 530 total naval losses in vietnam, 195 of them compared to only 75 for the f4 were a4 skyhawks.
Navy and marine corps a 4s quickly established a presence in southeast asia participating in thousands of sorties against the entrenched communist forces in the south and the. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Its a tiny thing, with the sortofugly, pugnacious look that says its built for business, not looks. Tail of douglas a4d 2na 4c skyhawk, displayed in seaair operations exhibition.
Us navy and marine corps a4 skyhawk units of the vietnam war. Navy in squadrons like training squadron va127 at nas lemoore in lemoore california. This is a video taken 1990 during the gulf war and they are flown by kuwaiti pilot. I wrote a book titled 9 lives of a fighter pilot detailing my career as a marine. The douglas a 4 skyhawk was a marvelous combat plane. Shlomo aloni israel relied on france as its principal supplier of arms for more than a decade, but by the mid1960s its desire to purchase more advanced and capable us weapons saw it buy the combatproven. Postage and packaging will be added at the checkout.
Friends of the ran rnzaf a4 skyhawk public group facebook. Here is a roster of the douglas a4 skyhawk usnusmc bureau numbers. An a4 skyhawk pilot in vietnam and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Scooter the douglas a4 skyhawk story by tommy thomason. The skyhawk was involved in vietnam from the very beginning, including the first offensive operations in 1963 into laos, and the pierce arrow operations immediately following the tonkin gulf incident of august 1964. Skyhawks were also used by the armed forces of argentina, australia, israel, kuwait, singapore, indonesia, malaysia and new zealand, and they remained active with several air services into the 2000s. Israeli a4 skyhawk units in combat osprey publishing. Search the history of over 406 billion web pages on the internet. The douglas a 4 skyhawk is an american singleengine carriercapable lightweight attack aircraft designed for the united states navy. Navy call for a jetpowered attack aircraft to replace the a1 skyraider.
The skyhawk first entered service with the us navy almost 50 years ago. The marine reserve has two squadrons of a4s with 12 aircraft each. A4 skyhawk page on rnzaf museum skyhawk page serial number history of australian a4 skyhawks, prefix n a4 at combat air museum a4 skyhawk from reference book american combat planes of the 20th century by r. A4f a4e skyhawk usmc vma attack squadron aviation history. Just i was getting ready to give a program on the a 4 skyhawk yesterday, one of our visitors boldly asked me how much i wanted to know about the a 4. Just when you thought there was little else to be revealed about this famous attack aircraft, a book like this comes. Tail of douglas a4d2na4c skyhawk, displayed in seaair operations exhibition.
Please contact michael mackown or gary cate via face book thank you for your service and your dedication. This book covers the squadron histories of the 23marine units that flew the a4cl skyhawk in the 1960s and 1970s. The vf signaled the fleet defense role of the skyhawk. A list of a4 skyhawks on display and their locations is posted on the skyhawk. The a4 skyhawk was the workhorse of the vietnam war.
The quantity and quality of photos is especially impressive. The carriercapable douglas a4 skyhawk is one of the most successful modern combat aircraft. Over the life of the aircraft there were a number of different squadron aircraft paint schemes. A 4 skyhawk from reference book american combat planes of the 20th century by r. A4 skyhawk book the carriercapable douglas a4 skyhawk is one of the most successful modern combat aircraft. Would you like an original painting autographed by one of the most famous americans in recent history. A4 skyhawk illustrated lou drendel book instock buy now at. Current operators of the a 4 in blue, former operators in red.
Douglas a4 skyhawk project gutenberg selfpublishing. A member of light attack squadron 212 s rampant raiders, a 4 pilot stephen r. The aircraft was designed and produced by the douglas aircraft corporation which later became mcdonnell douglas and was originally designated the a4d under the us navys pre1962 designation system. John mccain autographed two canvases for me when i met him at a books amillion in jacksonville, florida. Us navy and marine corps a4 skyhawk units of the vietnam. Navy adversary aircraft for development of airtoair combat tactics appears to have been in late autumn 1968 at vf126, a west coast fleet readiness squadron assigned to instrument training and operating a 4s. Scooter the douglas a4 skyhawk story 9781910809266. Few modern military aircraft can claim the longevity and success of the legendary douglas a 4 skyhawk. Ospreypublishing israeli a4 skyhawk units in combat. This book includes interviews with pilots and engineers which yield new insights into the us naval aviation and aerospace industry and contains numerous previously unpublished photographs. I will paint john mccains name and a smaller image of the a 4 in flight under the tail. Skyhawks are still flying in military service in 2019, over 60 years. The a 4 and its later variants saw widespread service elsewhere around the world, including in operation desert storm in 1991. It was used exclusively by the republic of singapore air force rsaf, serving in the fighterbomber role from 1989 until retirement from front line service in 2005.
The a4 skyhawk is one of the classic warplanes that evolved at the right time to fulfil the needs of both its main user, the us navy, whilst being flexible enough to provide a range of air combat capabilities for a long list of export users. The douglas a 4 skyhawk is a carriercapable groundattack aircraft designed for the united states navy and united states marine corps. From the perspective of a junior naval aviator, gray reveals the lessons he learned first at the naval aviation training command and then in actual. During the 25 years in which the a4 was on the production line, 2,960 were built. After 1956, it had provisions for inflight refueling. I quickly took him up on his offer after i learned he was a vietnam marine corps pilot who. Serial number history of australian a 4 skyhawks, prefix n. Among the fraternity of artists who have recorded the history of flight on canvas.
The a4 skyhawk remains one the iconic designs of the cold war era, and its history and operations are celebrated in these pages of this new datafile from sam publications. Short history the douglas a 4 skyhawk is a ground attack aircraft designed for the united states navy and marine corps. The douglas a 4 skyhawk thankfully we were not subjected to cringe inducing descriptions like mcdonnelldouglas a 4 skyhawk or shudder boeing a 4 skyhawk has a legendary reputation not only as a very effective combat aircraft but as an. In 1959, the a4c went into production, with improvements in cockpit layout, safety features, radar equipment, and allweather flying capability. A4 at combat air museum a4 skyhawk from reference book american. First flown in the mid 1950s the a 4 skyhawk achieved combat fame in the falkland and vietnam wars and saw service with the air arms of seven foreign countries including israel and new zealand. A new and completely revised edition of the definitive history of this longlived and successful aircraft. Gray writes about his experiences flying combat sorties from the deck of an aircraft carrier during one of the most intense periods of aerial combat in u.
Here is a roster of the douglas a 4 skyhawk usnusmc bureau numbers. History the skyhawk was designed by douglas ed heinemann in response to a u. The a 4 was designed from experience gained in the korean war that made clear the need for an aircraft with greater range and payload, suitable for use on aircraft carriers, and able to provide closein support for. Dec 31, 2014 if you were in squadron 155 from 66 70 were looking for you. The douglas a 4 skyhawk story, the first time a skyhawk was used as u. After looking at various aircraft that were held in storage at amarc buno 153524 was selected because the overall condition of the aircraft and its low airframe hours. How the a4 skyhawk ruled the skies the national interest. The ta4j served as the advanced jet trainer in white and orange markings for decades until being replaced by the t45 goshawk. Jun 01, 2011 this latest book from crecy publishing covers the history of the douglas a4 skyhawk, from its development through to its operational history, which actually continues today as the a4 remains in active service with several air forces around the world in fact, brazil plans to keep their a4s in service until 2025. This book offers an exhaustive history of the skyhawk, from the beginnings of the design program through the final stages of its career in us and foreign service. During the a4g skyhawk era the squadron was designated vf805 conforming with usn squadron designations. Originally published in the june 2008 issue of vietnam magazine. The douglas a 4 skyhawk is a singleseat subsonic carriercapable attack aircraft developed for the united states navy and united states marine corps in the early 1950s.
The a 4 skyhawk is one of the classic warplanes that evolved at the right time to fulfil the needs of both its main user, the us navy, whilst being flexible enough to provide a range of air combat capabilities for a long list of export users. The book contains a big sadness in it as well as lots of tension so it would be a good idea to have a box of tissues ready when you start reading. Navy a 4 skyhawk light attack jet fighter made by mcdonnell douglas. Examines in detail both the aircraft and the weapons systems it carried. The most popular authentic scale model airplane books brands include osprey publishing, squadronsignal publications, valiant wings publishing, schiffer books, and kalmbach. The blowtorch that turned my head inside out was the angels ta41 skyhawk ii, a spiderylegged arrowhead of aluminum and fire that today, 20 years after its first flight, is still the most widely used tactical aircraft in the world. First flown in the mid 1950s, the a4 skyhawk achieved combat fame in. Navy adversary aircraft for development of airtoair combat tactics appears to have been in late autumn 1968 at vf126, a west coast fleet readiness squadron assigned to instrument training and operating a4s. The delta winged, singleengine a 4 was designed and produced by douglas aircraft companys chief designer ed heinemann. Navy and marine corps a4s quickly established a presence in southeast asia participating in thousands of sorties against the entrenched communist forces in the south and the.
More than 29 variants of the skyhawk were used by the united states navy and marines, and it received further modifications while serving with foreign countries. Few modern military aircraft can claim the longevity and success of the legendary douglas a4 skyhawk. But this small, nimble, rugged and dependable bomber was the perfect surgical weapon for the day war over vietnam. According to the book, june was one of the very few days that the a4s attacked ground targets something that was. But some of the most influential aircraft in history succeeded instead because they could do their job pretty well at a very reasonable cost. It was originally conceived as a carrierborne fighter bomber, but as the aircraft has evolved it has taken on other roles. New unused book covering the douglas a 4ef skyhawk in us marine corps service. Walk around by lou drendel 2012, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. The st aerospace a4su super skyhawk is a major upgrade project of the douglas a4s skyhawk attack aircraft undertaken by singapore aircraft industries sai, now st aerospace in the 1980s. The a 4 was produced over 25 years and 3000 copies. Such was the case of the agile a4 skyhawk, a small but. Peter mersky wrote an outstanding book that will be on the musthave list of all a4 fans. The deltawinged, single turbojet engined skyhawk was designed and produced by douglas aircraft company, and later by mcdonnell douglas. The douglas a4 skyhawk thankfully we were not subjected to cringe inducing descriptions like mcdonnelldouglas a4 skyhawk or shudder boeing a4 skyhawk has a legendary reputation not only as a very effective combat aircraft but as an almost supernatural design.
Still in active service in a few countries, it has been retired by most operators. Here is the douglas a 4 skyhawk modelers online reference onestop resource for photos, kits, details, and references. The douglas a 4 skyhawk was an attack aircraft originally designed to operate from united states navy aircraft carriers. There are definitely some things to be aware of on this one, but.
Squadron a4 skyhawk walk around authentic scale model. Douglas a4m skyhawk ii, usmc singleengine singleseat. Not only did the resulting a 4 fully meet all performance requirements, but the aircraft also set a world speed record in 1954. Vc724 squadron six a4g plus 4 ta4g, withdrawn from use 1982. Heinemann opted for a design that would minimize size, weight, and. According to the book, june was one of the very few. First flown in the mid1950s, the a 4 skyhawk achieved combat fame in the falklands and vietnam wars and saw service with the air arms of seven foreign countries including israel and new zealand. The squadronsignal aircraft in action book series by multiple authors includes books a 4 skyhawk in action aircraft no. Search the history of over 422 billion web pages on the internet.
The aircraft was later produced by mcdonnell douglas. Douglas a4d2na4c skyhawk national air and space museum. A4f a4e skyhawk usmc vma attack squadron aviation history book ginter 52 sale ebay. First flown in the mid1950s, the a 4 skyhawk achieved combat fame in the falklands and vietnam wars and saw service with the air arms of seven foreign countries including israel and new. First flown in the mid1950s, the a4 skyhawk achieved combat fame in the falklands and vietnam wars and saw service with the air arms of seven foreign countries including israel and new zealand. Six hundred and thirtyeight a4cs were built, making it the most numerous a4 model produced. The douglas a4 skyhawk is a singleseat subsonic carriercapable attack aircraft developed.
The a4 skyhawk remains one the iconic designs of the cold war era, and its history and. A 4 skyhawk books a 4 skyhawk videos a 4 skyhawk aviation art books about the u. May 10, 2007 us navy and marine corps a4 skyhawk units of the vietnam war 19631973 book. The navys blue angels flight demonstration squadron flew the a 4 skyhawk ii from 1974 to 1986. My source is a book entitled a4bc skyhaw isbn 9872037507 which basically tells a resumed history of the development of the a4 skyhawk in the united states, and its use by the argentine air force and navy from their purchase to the year 2002 year in which the book was released. A member of light attack squadron 212 s rampant raiders, a4 pilot stephen r. The list of douglas a 4 skyhawk operators lists the countries and their military units that operate or have operated the skyhawk. There are many examples of the skyhawk preserved around the world, some airworthy and others on display, often in aviation museums and at facilities that once operated this aircraft. Flying leatherneck historical foundation and aviation museum, marine corps air.
A 4 skyhawk history serving with the royal australian navy. If you were in squadron 155 from 66 70 were looking for you. Speciality press aviation books war books military books. The collings foundation was allocated a douglas ta 4 skyhawk through congressional action in october 2000.
Friends of the ran rnzaf a 4 skyhawk has 1,762 members. It was especially effective for israel during the 1973 yom kippur war. The skyhawk a4d was roughly half the empty weight of its contemporaries and could fly at 677 mph 1090 kph at sea level. Read download israeli a 4 skyhawk units in combat pdf pdf. The a 4 skyhawk was a very popular light attack jet fighter used in the u. Read download douglas a 4 skyhawk pdf pdf download. Scooter the douglas a4 skyhawk story by tommy h thomason. This squadron was the skyhawk operational flying school where pilots were converted to the a4g and learned the necessary operational skills.