McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk

I feel that any article on this plane cant be considered complete without a mention to its impressive tie against royal navy during falklands war in 1982.
Flying some of them that largely exceeded expected service life,argentine pilots sunk a considerale number of warships facing and sometimes sucsefully evading evading most modern AA systems of the day. Some of the planes were flown just no ore than 15 feet of altitude! many sustained awesome amount of battle damage , many returned literally "towed" by brave KC 130 refuelling crews.

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I don't know why this is listed as a "McDonnell-Douglas" aircraft since McDonnell had nothing whatever to do with it. This aircraft was strictly a Douglas design. The two companies merged long after the Skyhawk was already in production.

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IN MALVINAS WAR 20 SKYHAWK GO BOOM TO GLORIUS NEW ENGLANDS BANG BANG CRISTIAN. ARGENTINA GO HANDS UP HOLDING WHITE FLAG. :-)

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iN MALVINAS WAR SINK NEW ENGLANDS BOATS IN HAND A GLORIU"S AIR FORCE ARGENTINA STIRPS VIRILIS !!!!!!

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I WAS IN THE UNITED STATES NAY FROM 20 JULY UNTIL 19 JULY 1991.AFTER I WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE ACTIVE U.S. NAVY I WAS STATIONED AT NAS DALLAS NAVAL AIR STATION WHICH WAS IN GRAND PRAIRE,TEXAS.I SAW THE FEW REMAINING A-4s WHICH WERE HANDED DOWN TO THE RESERVE SIDE OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.THE A-4 "SKYHAWK" WAS ONE QUICK LITTLE JET AT 680mph.THE A-4 FLEW FOR YEARS WITH OTHER NATIONS MAINLY IN SOUTH AMERICA.

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I spent 5 years flying A-4J and A-4F as a fighter training instructor pilot with most time at 6-7 G's. I logged around 2,000 hours in the A-4 and absolutely loved every minute of my flying in this aircraft. Retired as a Lt. Commander after 22 years in 1991 having served in numerous other reserve squadrons and other aircraft -- but my time in the A-4 was the best of all.

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I was in VA-81 from 65-67 on USS Forrestal and USS Shangri-La. Surprised to see entries from VSF-1. I was stationed at Alameda from 74 - 78 with VR-55 and C-9B's and again in 81- 82 with VAK-308 and VA-303. No one at Alameda acknowledged VSF-1 existed. Was there again in 1995 as they were closing down the base and VSF-1 was not listed as a squadron assigned there. I worked with AT2 Dave O'Neil from VSF-1 at IMA fron 66-67.

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I went to almost every school on the A-4 after joining USMC in 1968. My entire 15 year career was on the A-4, in Beaufort, Memphis MARTD, Iwakuni, Nam Phong, Thailand, Philippines, (Cubi Pt. jet shop) and taught ADJ-A school in Memphis NAS. Was a 6022 (J-52) jet mech and test cell operator.

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Liked the ta4f all though had a bad experience with one
when I was in the backseat going for a ride and had a
electrical problem which caused smoke in the cocpit and
we just bearly stopped before take off, that was it for
me for flying in jets. I was a plane captain with va 45
from 1967 nov to 1968 nov.. cecil field florida

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No comment, just a request of help to get in touch with mister Dave Marshall.He posted a comment here in 2010, and I want to ask him about an event at Chu Lai in 1966 that he wrote about in another forum. How can I reach him? stefan.lofgren@ownit.nu

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hi everyone, my only exposure to this great aircraft was during my A-school days in Millington Tennessee. 1976 That being said, I'm a 3-D modeler now (JazAero designs) developing this aircraft for both the DCS flight simulator, A4-C, A4-M and X-plane 10 flight simulator A4-E . I have an extensive research library, but I'm always interested in gathering more research material especially in the area of technical drawings or blueprints. our goal is to create the highest fidelity model possible in a computer, and within DCS version we are striving for "mi spec". We are already three years into the project. The DCS release is due sometime next year. I would also like to contact any pilots who would like to validate our flight model when that time arises. if you would like to, contact me JaZaero1@Gmail.com I would like to hear from you.

Jim Zane
JazAero designs

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Hi guys, I'm the author of "Clashes" and "The Eleven Days of Christmas: America's Last Viethan Battle" and former Air Attache to Israel. I'm trying to reach any of the IPs who trained (or anyone else who had contact with) the Isralis who came to the US in 1967 to check out in their first A-4s. Looking for good stories, etc. Cheers, Marshall Michel

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anyone know anything about a A-4 that was used by a company called fightertown in Ca in the early 2000's

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Looking for any Attack Squadron patches, from the pre-1970 USNR and USMCR. I -(have)- patches from VA-741 JAX, VA-773 Los Alamitos, VA-831 Floyd Bennett, and VA-873, VA-876 and VA-879 Alameda and VA-912 South Weymouth. I have only one USMCR patch - VMA-131.

If you have a spare old patch, I would be happy to send you (up front), a new book that chronicles all of the pre-1970 USNR and USMCR A4D-1 and A4D-2 squadrons with a brief history of the unit and photos of the different early model Scooters in the pre-1970 USNR assigned to the individual NARTU.

If you have only one patch, I can reproduce the patch + send the new book. An embroidery shop with a loom, can spin an exact reproduction of the patch - same size, design and colors.

Thanks for your interest. Ralph

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I was stationed at El Toro and loaded ordnance on the A-4s for VMA-214 Blacksheep. Great times and great bunch of guys. I miss those days. Lt. Col. Underwood was our CO. Gunny Gaines was the shop HMFIC.

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Ref. Wally"s question' The hole in the nose is for equipment

cooling of the electronics package.

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i worked to install electrical harness in A-4 trainers from 1966 to 1969 for Israel & cost one million dollars each.

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The A4A at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo has a 2" hole in the nos. any one know what the hole is for? Cannon? Guns? Please let me know.
Thanks

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I was in VSF-1 as an ADJ-4. Did the '68-'69 cruise, on the Independence, to the med plus the carrier quals. Cross decked to the USS Wasp in November of '68 with a detatchment of four birds. The squadron fulfilled it's mission by flying cover support for the the Wasp. Intercepted a couple of Russian Bombers. The A4's looked like fleas on a dog next to those bombers.

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My first Scooter as Plane Captain was A4G N13-154906 [885] in Jan68 on VF805 [RAN Fleet Air Arm, 03Apr64-08Apr88]. Since a thrust surge [FCU failure] induced Holdback Breakout in Oct80, she has sat 4000 Metres below the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka. I last walked away from an A4 Sqn. after RIMPAC78. Remember you well Charlie Rex, and so many others . 'Bravo Zulu' Ed Heinemann and your brilliant A4 Scooter. Many great flight deck memories.

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