McDonnell Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
Though the US Navy reconsidered its decision to retire the AD Skyraider after the Korean War, it was still a piston-engined attack aircraft designed during World War II, while the Navy preferred going to a modern, all-jet attack/fighter fleet. To supplement and then replace the AD, the Navy issued a requirement for a jet attack fighter weighing no more than 48,000 pounds, capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, and with a speed of at least 550 miles an hour. The Navy was not surprised when Douglas’ chief designer, Edward Heinemann, submitted a proposal for a delta-winged, light attack jet—but they were surprised to find that it met all of the requirements, yet weighed in at only 23,000 pounds, less than half the required weight.
Heinemann’s design was quickly ordered by the Navy as the A4D Skyhawk. The first A4D-1 flew in June 1952, with deliveries to the fleet beginning in 1956. Pilots used to the increasingly larger and more powerful aircraft the US Navy fielded in the late 1950s, such as the F3H Demon and F4H Phantom II, were surprised at the diminutive A4D, which looked toylike on the decks of Forrestal-class supercarriers. It quickly earned the nicknames “Tinkertoy Bomber,” “Scooter,” and “Heinemann’s Hot Rod.”
The Skyhawk—redesignated A-4 in 1962—also quickly gained a reputation for reliability and nimbleness. Despite its small size, it could carry its own weight in bombs and still turn inside anything in the inventory, even the purpose-built F-8 Crusader fighter. Besides their internal 20mm cannon, A-4s could also carry up to four Sidewinder missiles.
It would be in the Vietnam War that the A-4 would prove its worth. Besides its large bombload and superb maneuverability, the Skyhawk was also found to be able to take considerable punishment. Several A-4s returned to their carriers missing pieces of rudder or with holes shot through the wings. At the beginning of American involvement, the Navy began replacing the older A-4C “short-nose” models with the improved A-4E, which added a fifth hardpoint and a longer nose with more advanced avionics; this was quickly supplemented by the A-4F, which added a dorsal hump with still more avionics and ECM equipment. Until the A-7 Corsair II began arriving in the fleet in the late 1960s, the A-4 represented the backbone of naval light attack units, operating alongside the A-6 Intruder in striking targets throughout Southeast Asia. On land, A-4s served with Marine Corps units, and proved so reliable and well-liked that the Marines decided not to use the A-7 at all.
The A-4’s story did not end with Vietnam. Recognizing its superb maneuverability, the US Navy began building adversary units with Skyhawks simulating the MiG-17 as part of the Top Gun program, beginning in 1969. These stripped down “Mongoose” A-4s proved to be a match even against far more advanced F-14 Tomcats and F-18 Hornets, and A-4s remained in the adversary role until 1998. Alongside these aircraft, the Navy used two-seat TA-4J Skyhawks as advanced trainers until 2003, while Marine units continued to use the penultimate A-4M Skyhawk in the light attack role until after the First Gulf War in 1991; Marine OA-4M “fast FAC” forward air control aircraft flew as late as 1998.
Overall, 2960 A-4s were produced and flew with the air arms of eleven nations. Still others survive as government contract aggressor aircraft, or in private hands, while many are preserved in museums.
Built as a TA-4F in 1966, Bureau Number 153671 spent most of her time as an A-4 pilot trainer and as an adversary trainer with Top Gun. It was converted to a TA-4J in 1971, but it was not until 1987 that it joined the Navy's training community with VT-7 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. It remained with that squadron until it was retired in favor of the British Aerospace T-45A Goshawk in 2000. 153671 was for a time displayed at an air museum in Elkhart, Indiana, but when that museum closed, it was moved to Grissom AFB's airpark.
153671 still wears the "A" of VT-7, and is painted in the Navy's standard trainer scheme of overall white with international orange recognition bands.
McDonnell Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
Though the US Navy reconsidered its decision to retire the AD Skyraider after the Korean War, it was still a piston-engined attack aircraft designed during World War II, while the Navy preferred going to a modern, all-jet attack/fighter fleet. To supplement and then replace the AD, the Navy issued a requirement for a jet attack fighter weighing no more than 48,000 pounds, capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, and with a speed of at least 550 miles an hour. The Navy was not surprised when Douglas’ chief designer, Edward Heinemann, submitted a proposal for a delta-winged, light attack jet—but they were surprised to find that it met all of the requirements, yet weighed in at only 23,000 pounds, less than half the required weight.
Heinemann’s design was quickly ordered by the Navy as the A4D Skyhawk. The first A4D-1 flew in June 1952, with deliveries to the fleet beginning in 1956. Pilots used to the increasingly larger and more powerful aircraft the US Navy fielded in the late 1950s, such as the F3H Demon and F4H Phantom II, were surprised at the diminutive A4D, which looked toylike on the decks of Forrestal-class supercarriers. It quickly earned the nicknames “Tinkertoy Bomber,” “Scooter,” and “Heinemann’s Hot Rod.”
The Skyhawk—redesignated A-4 in 1962—also quickly gained a reputation for reliability and nimbleness. Despite its small size, it could carry its own weight in bombs and still turn inside anything in the inventory, even the purpose-built F-8 Crusader fighter. Besides their internal 20mm cannon, A-4s could also carry up to four Sidewinder missiles.
It would be in the Vietnam War that the A-4 would prove its worth. Besides its large bombload and superb maneuverability, the Skyhawk was also found to be able to take considerable punishment. Several A-4s returned to their carriers missing pieces of rudder or with holes shot through the wings. At the beginning of American involvement, the Navy began replacing the older A-4C “short-nose” models with the improved A-4E, which added a fifth hardpoint and a longer nose with more advanced avionics; this was quickly supplemented by the A-4F, which added a dorsal hump with still more avionics and ECM equipment. Until the A-7 Corsair II began arriving in the fleet in the late 1960s, the A-4 represented the backbone of naval light attack units, operating alongside the A-6 Intruder in striking targets throughout Southeast Asia. On land, A-4s served with Marine Corps units, and proved so reliable and well-liked that the Marines decided not to use the A-7 at all.
The A-4’s story did not end with Vietnam. Recognizing its superb maneuverability, the US Navy began building adversary units with Skyhawks simulating the MiG-17 as part of the Top Gun program, beginning in 1969. These stripped down “Mongoose” A-4s proved to be a match even against far more advanced F-14 Tomcats and F-18 Hornets, and A-4s remained in the adversary role until 1998. Alongside these aircraft, the Navy used two-seat TA-4J Skyhawks as advanced trainers until 2003, while Marine units continued to use the penultimate A-4M Skyhawk in the light attack role until after the First Gulf War in 1991; Marine OA-4M “fast FAC” forward air control aircraft flew as late as 1998.
Overall, 2960 A-4s were produced and flew with the air arms of eleven nations. Still others survive as government contract aggressor aircraft, or in private hands, while many are preserved in museums.
Built as a TA-4F in 1966, Bureau Number 153671 spent most of her time as an A-4 pilot trainer and as an adversary trainer with Top Gun. It was converted to a TA-4J in 1971, but it was not until 1987 that it joined the Navy's training community with VT-7 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. It remained with that squadron until it was retired in favor of the British Aerospace T-45A Goshawk in 2000. 153671 was for a time displayed at an air museum in Elkhart, Indiana, but when that museum closed, it was moved to Grissom AFB's airpark.
153671 still wears the "A" of VT-7, and is painted in the Navy's standard trainer scheme of overall white with international orange recognition bands.