What kind of aircraft was the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk?
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable 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 and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas.
Who was shot down in the A-4 Skyhawk?
The Blue Angels flew the A-4 Skyhawk during the period 1974-1986. Called the “Tinker Toy” because of its diminutive size, the A-4 bore the brunt of Naval Aviation’s strike effort during the Vietnam War. Vietnam prisoners of war CDR Everett Alvarez, VADM James Stockdale and CAPT (later Senator) John McCain were shot down flying A-4s.
Who was the designer of the Douglas Skyhawk?
The Skyhawk was designed by Douglas Aircraft’s Ed Heinemann in response to a U.S. Navy call for a jet-powered attack aircraft to replace the older Douglas AD Skyraider (later redesignated A-1 Skyraider). Heinemann opted for a design that would minimize its size, weight, and complexity.
What was the fastest speed of an A-4 Skyhawk?
In 1959, an A-4 set a world speed record of over 695 M.P.H. for class C aircraft over a 500 kilometer course, and on another flight two Skyhawks, each fitted with two 150-gallon under wing drop tanks, flew 2,082 miles non-stop without in-flight refueling in a demonstration of the aircraft’s long-range capability.
When did the Israeli Air Force start using the A-4 Skyhawk?
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.
What was the fuel tank on an A-4 Skyhawk?
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 fuelled up without armament and launched first.
When did the A-4 Skyhawk shoot down a MiG 17?
– An A-4C shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-17 with Zuni rockets in May 1967, a weapon never designed for air-to-air combat. In 1967, the Vought A-7 Corsair II – essentially a squashed down F-8 Crusader offering superior range and payload capacity – began to supplant the A-4 in the light attack mission.
What’s the difference between A-4E and F Skyhawk?
New marks of the Skyhawk also showed up: the A-4E and F boasted two additional hardpoints for carrying weapons, more powerful J52 engines, a doppler navigation radar and a targeting computer. The F model in particular also introduced a pronounced “hump” behind the cockpit, packed full of avionics.