McDonnell Douglas A-4 SkyhalVk

McDonnell Douglas
A-4SKYHAWK
Brad EI"\Vard
4275
I ~ ~ c l
The Crowood Press
Acknowledgements
Pr face
Contents
Bibliography
Glossary
Index
7
176
177
181
1 6
188
188
189
189
9
28
84
104
156
and USMC A-4 Squadrons, US
Significant Skyhawk Milestones
Variant Specifications and Detail
A-4 Production Hi tory III
IV
I
II
otes
1 'Heinemann's Hot Rod' - The D v lopm nt of the A-4
2 The Scooter Com s to Life
3 Tw o ~ S e a t Skyhawk
4 Skyhawks at War
5 Skyhawks in Foreign Service
App ndice
Ensign Mike Blankenship, HI FO;
Dave Donald and ick troud, Aero pace
Publishing; jim Winchester; john Binford;
Frank Mirande; dr Doug iegfried
Retd of the Tailhook Association; Col
john Caldas USMC Retd; Capt Otto E.
Krueger Ret; Tony Holme; apt
Walter Ohlrich US Ret; Anthony
Thornborough; Mike Weeks; Barb Joyner;
Faith Blanchard; and Amy Clark.
Special thanks go to my wife Marie,
for tolerating all of my time away from
the family and for her help with this
project; to my children, Logan, Ryan, and
Zane, for their patience and under-
standing; and to my colleagues at my law
firm, Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, for
their support.
Brad Elward
East Peoria, Illinois
September 1999
As with all writing projects, the author is
just one of many who contribute to the
completed book. Behind the pages are
dozen of people whose contributions are
great, but recognition little. I want to
thank my editor, Melvin Hiscock, for his
guidance and for giving me the opportu-
nity to write this addition to his Aviation
eries.
My greatest thanks goes to all of those
people who helped make this project a
reality: Robert F. Dorr, who has provided
endless advice on aviation writi ng and who
is responsible for opening up countless
doors to the aviation writing community;
Harry Gann, the former Douglas Aircraft
Historian and respected Skyhawk author-
ity; Lt Cdr Richard Burgess US Ret;
Lt Cdr Tom Twomey S ; Ted Carlson
of Fotodynamic; Lt dr Rick Morgan
U Ret; Hill Goodspeed, Historian,
ational Museum of ava! Aviation;
ISBN 1 86126 340 6
First puhlished in 20 hI'
The Crowood Pres, Ltd
Ramshury, Marlhorough
Wiltshire N 2HR
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A G1talogue record for this hook is availahle from
[he British Library.
Brad Elward 2000
All right reserved. 0 parr of this puhlication may
he reproduced or transmitted in any form or hI' any
mean>, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording, or any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher.
Typefacc, u,cd: Goudy (text),
Chcltenham (headings)
Type,er hI' Florence Production Ltd, Stoodlcigh,
Devon
Printcd and hound hI' Bookcraft, Bath
When production of the Douglas Aircraft
Company's A-4 Skyhawk began in late
1954, few people, including its brilliant
designer, Ed Heinemann, could have fore-
seen its impact on naval aviation and that
it would have the longest production life
of any type of combat jet aircraft in the
western world. Spanning from 1954 until
1979, a total of 2,960 Skyhawks were built
in seventeen different configurations at
the Douglas factories at EI egundo,
Palmdale, and Long Beach, California.
Conceptualized in 1952 by Ed Heine-
mann, the chief engineer at EI egundo,
the kyhawk, or' cooter', as it was called,
was truly a remarkable design, stres ing
simplicity and affordability at every turn.
Indeed, the kyhawk halted, at least tem-
porarily, the trend towards heavier and
more complex aircraft designs that began
during World War II and continued
unchecked in the years following the war.
When it finally emerged from the El
egundo factory in 1954, the 4D-I ( -
4A) cam in below cost, while at the same
time surpassing all of the Navy's require-
ments for a jet-powered AD kyraider
replacement. Backed by Douglas's 'can-do'
attitude, engineers had produced what
many believed could not be done - a first-
rate, lightweight, jet-powered attack
bomber.
Despite the A-4A's outstanding capabil-
ities when it emerged on the scen , the
Skyhawk model would go on to see a
total of five single-seat variants built for
the Navy and Marine orps; one spe-
cially built for the Marines; and four ver-
sions of a two-seat Skyhawk - the T -4F
and T A-4J used for training, the EA-4F
electronic aggre or, and the OA-4M used
by Marines in the Fast Forward Air on-
trol (Fast FA ) and observation roles.
Another variant, the A-4L wa a conver-
sion (making A-4Cs into A-4Fs, but with-
out the J52 engine) that served with avy
and Marine Reserves.
Each variant typically ushered in newer
and better capabilities. For xampl, the
A-4B introduced an in-Aight refuelling
Preface
probe and buddy-store refuelling capabil-
ity; the A-4C brought with it an expanded
ordnance capability and, perhaps most
important, terrain cI arance radar that
gave the Scooter its first, albeit limited,
all-weather attack capability. With the
A-4E came the addition of two more
weapons pylons, making a total of five; the
aft avionics package of the A-4F, called by
many the 'hump', brought much-needed
electronic countermeasures systems with
which to meet the develo[1ing threat in
south-east Asia. The A-4M, when it came
about in 1970, wa hai led as the most
capable of all kyhawk variants made for
U ervices and was even named the
kyhawk II by McDonnell Douglas,
signifying its uniqueness. Eventually the
A-4M, or 'Mike', as ome would call it,
would see a modern Heads- p Display
(H D), laser and optical guided muni-
tions capabilities, and incorporation of the
powerful J52-P-408 turbojet engine rated
at II ,2001b (5,070kg) thrust.
With -4s forming the backbone of
the naval aviation attack community,
Skyhawks would certainly see their share
of the air war in Vietnam, making 112
combat squadron cruises, more than any
other squadron type in the conAict - so
it is not surprising that more A-4s were
lost to combat operation than any other
naval aircraft type during the war. How-
ever, this figure is somewhat misleading,
as Skyhawks suffered only a .002 loss per
combat sortie, the lowest of all combat
types and a true indication of its heavy
usage. Although it would never Ay the
mission for which it wa intended, that of
a carrier-based nuclear attack bomber,
the Skyhawk would prove highly capable
in the conventional attack role, becoming
most known for its interdiction and close
air support attributes. In total, thirty-six
A-4 squadrons participated in the Viet-
nam War from August 1964 until January
1973, with 266 kyhawk lost in action.
These Skyhawks Aew in some of the most
Significant strikes of the war, including
the Gulf of Tonkin, Thanh Hoa bridge,
7
the Kep MiG fields, and the defence of
Khe anh.
Even though single-seat -4s were
removed from frontline service with the
Navy in 197 and from Marine frontline
units in 1990, kyhawks continued to Ay
with many Reserve units throughout the
late 1980s and early 1990s, with the
VMA-131 'Diamondbacks' retiring the
last Skyhawk from reserve status in August
1994. The two-seat variant, the T A-4J,
had been operated as an advanced trainer
by the Navy Training Command ince
1969 and continued to serve with VT
units, in particular VT-7, until eptember
1999. As this is written, the T A-4J erves
in one squadron, VC- .
kyhawks were used not only by the
U avy and Marine Corps, but also by
nine other coumries, beginning with
the Argentine Air Force in 1966. in e
that time, A-4 have Aown with countries
such as New Zealand, Australia, Israel,
Indonesia, Kuwait, and mo t recently
Brazil, as the mainstay of their light
attack for es. The Skyhawk's low ost and
low maintenance needs made it a prime
candidate for smaller, less well-funded air
forces. Three of these countries, Israel,
Argemina, and Kuwait, have used their
Skyhawks in war, with Argentine A-4s
sinking three British ships and damaging
four others during the 1982 Falkland
War
In all, kyhawks have Aown with at
least thirteen types of active-duty squad-
rons, in luding VA, VMA, VF, V ,
VMAT, VMT, VT, VSF, V Q, VX,
RV H, WT, and H&M unit and
others such as the 'Blue Angels' and 'Air
Barons' Aight demon tration teams, and
Navy and Marine Corps Reserve units.
They have likewise served in countless
roles, from the initially conceived nuclear
strike mission to that of conventional
attack, and other roles not originally
envisaged, such as fighter, trainer, and
electronic adversary. Certainly, this is
a testament to the outstanding v rsatility
and adaptability of the Skyhawk's design.
- -
- ----
PREFACE
CHAPTER ONE
'HeineDlann's Hot Rod' - The
DevelopDlent of the A-4
more hke a ha,ehall. Our gyro II<I> ahoul Ihe
'01:(' of .1 :-.d\'Cf dollar. Lllcr Illodd... wcre ,I hit
heller, hUI nOI mUlh,
A, I'm gellmg ready to launch, Ihe I,dlll
''iuadron CO report' Ihat hi, plane" do\\'n,
Ihe 'Fm,I\' 'Iandhy gllo "n'r \\'orkmg, And,
BOO1\I, here I go off Inlo Ihl' night IIlIh m\
:\-4, IIhleh lIa,n'l really de"gne,1 1m 'ali
\\'l'<llhcr' U"',lgC, ilnd I'm thmkll1g, we dlln't l'\CI1
haYl' <I '>{,Indh,"
'upp<"ed to do, It \\'a, rhe la'l of Ihe realpilnr,'
'lII'plane" ,md h) thaI I mean Ihere lI'a' no hell'
from <l lut of gadget". We used Iron <tilL!
DR (dead-reckoning) n'l\'lgallon, There \\'ere
fcw rcdllnd,lnl "ystcm:"l. This \\'il'o llri\'l'll home
to ml' one 1I<1'ot)' lbrk night ,1'1 I ... at on the port
cal ahoard Sllllllj.,O',-LlI m Ihe 1\ lcd, Next to me
\\'a, an F-4D Skyray, 'ali lI'l"lIher tighter', Thl'\
hild t\\"o g\TllS; ,I primaI" 1 \\"hll.:h \\',1'" ahlHlt the
:-.1:C of C1 h;hkl'lhall, ilnd a ... eulIldary, ",hid) \\(1 ...
A-4A to TA-4F, this late 1960s VA-125 photo depicts all A-4 Skyhawk models made by Douglas to date, The
VA-125 'Rough Raiders' were responsible for training all west coast A-4 pilots following their graduation
from the training wings, Harry Gann
The alrcr"tr lI'a, "mph' ",onderful 10 Ill, We
I"'Tel Ihe We "hl"\' knell IIh"r 11
\\,1'> tn lin and Ir ah\"ay:-, lhll \\"har 11 wet:-,
No words can say more about an aero-
plane than those by people who hm'e
flown it, both in peace and in batrle, One
such person is Capt Otto E. Krueger who
flcw thc A-4 on two cruiscs over the
hostile skies of orth Vietnam:
The TA-4J served with the Navy's
training command from the late 1960s
until 1999 and trained thousands of naval
and Marine Corps pilots, This Skyhawk
from CTW-l'sVT-7 at NAF EI Centro
presents an inspiring head-on view,
Ted Carlson
aft avionic package of the A-4F, called by
many the 'hump', brought much-needed
electronic countermeasures systems with
which to meet the developing threat in
gave the Scooter its fir t, albeit limited,
all-weather attack capability, With the
-4E came the addition of two more
weapon pylons, making a total of five; the
probe and buddy-store refuelling capabil-
it ; the A-4C brought with it an expanded
ordnance capability and, perhaps most
important, terrain clearance radar that
8 9
HOT ROD' - THE DE ELOPMENT OF THE A-4 'HEINEM N "S HOT ROD' - THE OEVELOPME T OF THE A-4
The Douglas Aircraft Company
Two historic planes, the XA4D-l and its big brother, the Douglas A3D-l, sit side-by-side at Mines Field (LAX),
California, in June 1954, just prior to the Skyhawk's first flight. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
The Douglas Aircrah Company was founded in 1920 by Donald Wills
Douglas, following his brief tenure with aircrah mogul Glenn L. Martin
(responsible for the Martin PBM and B-26) from 1916-20. With the financial
backing of sportsman David R. Davis, Douglas began his company in 1920
as the Davis-Douglas Aircrah Company. Douglas's first venture, a sturdy
biplane dubbed the 'Cloudster', was ordered by Davis for his use. Ironically,
the Cloudster bore a remarkable semblance to the requirements issued by
the US Navy for a new torpedo bomber.
With new financing, the Davis name was dropped, thereby becoming the
Douglas Aircrah Company, and was issued with a contract to produce the
Cloudster as the DT-1 - signifying that it was the first type of Douglas-built
Torpedo aircrah. While only one DT-1 was built, subsequent production of a
variant known as the DT-2 began, with forty examples built for the US Navy
and another forty-six built under licensing agreements.
compared to its jet-powered brethren, the
Grumman F9F Panthers/Cougars and
McDonnell F2H Banshees) propeller-
driven, Skyraiders on long-range missions,
which could la t from eight to twelve
hours and lead to problems associated with
aircrew fatigue. AD pilots also voiced
concern over the kyraider's effectiveness
when pitted against the sleeker and more
nimble jet-powered Soviet-built fighters of
the day, such as th Soviet-built MiG-IS
'Fagot'.
Also at the forefront of the avy's
collective mind was the need to be closely
involved with the growing trategic arm
of th military. With the US Air
Force's B-47 Stratojet and the introduc-
tion of the B-52 Stratofortress, the avy
was ke n to protect its role of delivering
nuclear weapons deep into the heart of
enemy territory. Both the orth Ameri-
can AJ-I and the Douglas A3D erved
this purpose, but were recognized as large
airframes unsuitable for close air support
and conventional, non-nuclear attack
carrier operations. What was needed was
a smaller aircraft, with nuclear strike
capability, incorporating recent advances
in weapon's miniaturization, that could
equally fill the conventional role. With
these concerns in mind, the avy began
looking for an alternative to the AD series
that would feature a more manoeuvrable
and smaller jet-powered aircraft, with the
load-carrying capabilities of the AD and
the added capability for delivering nuclear
weapons.
At the same time as the avy was
looking for a jet-powered AD series
replacement, Ed Heinemann, chief engi-
neer, and his team at Douglas, EI Segundo
were pursuing a high-performance, Iight-
weight fighter design with thrust/weight
Perhaps Heinemann's biggest success, aside from the A4D, was the
propeller-driven AD series Skyraider, of which over 3,000 were produced in
all-weather attack, airborne early warning, and electronic warfare variants.
Serving in Korea and Vietnam, Skyraiders were seldom outmatched in their
ability to deliver mass destruction.
Heinemann's success was not limited to propeller aircrah. Following the
end of World War II, two jet designs emerged from Heinemann's Douglas
design team to fill the growing need for carrier-based jet-powered fighter
aircrah. The first was the all-weather F3D Skynight, serving as a two-seat
night fighter/interdiction aircraft. This capable aircrah was later adapted by
the US Marines as an electronic warfare platform, where it performed well
until the entry of the Grumman EA-6 Electric Intruder and later the EA-6B
Prowler. Also designed by Heinemann was the supersonic delta-winged
shaped fighter, the Douglas F4D Skyray, which served with frontline Navy
Origins of the A-4
Development of the A-4 Skyhawk stem-
med from the convergence of several
factors. The avy needed a jet-powered
replacement for the propeller-driven
Douglas AD Skyraider serie attack
aircraft, and internal events within the
Douglas Aircraft Company had focused
attention on reducing overall aircraft
weight and complexity - something that
had become a growing trend in the avia-
tion industry since the 1940s.
ince 1946, the carrier-based AD Sky-
raider had been operating with fleet units
as the air wing's light attack and close-
support aircraft. However, the avy was
beginning to hear complaints from AD
pilots about flying the relatively slow (a
Ed Heinemann - Father of the Skyhawk
power dominated the scene, with close air
support and interdiction bing the primary
missions. Particularly in the early days of
the war, and during MacArthur's famed
Inchon landings, much of this air power
was upplied by carrier aviation. Indeed,
41 per cent of all sorties were flown by
avy and Marine Corps aircraft, including
over half of the total interdiction sortie.
While carrier aviation made its mark
in the Korean War, it became clear that
the days of the propeller plane as a main-
stay of naval aviation were over. Attack
planes were far too vulnerable to jet inter-
ceptors and needed the added boost of jet
power to aid ingress and egress. Even the
American jet planes of the day, namely,
the Grumman F9F Panther, would have
been no match for the MiGs had the
orth Korean pilots been better trained.
It was against thi backdrop that the
kyhawk emerged.
Born Gustave Henry Heinemann on 14 March 1908, Ed Heinemann began his
association with the Douglas Aircrah Company in 1926 as a drahsman
where he prepared tracings and drawings for early model Douglas aircrah
and later, at the age of twenty-five, worked on Douglas's successor to the
TD-1, the T2D-1. During this time, Heinemann worked in close association
with John K. Northrop who would later leave Douglas to form Northrop.
Although he lacked formal training as an engineer, Heinemann learned
quickly and gained valuable experience taking night courses in aircrah
design from Don Berlin, a Douglas engineer.
Heinemann's hard work and expertise were rewarded when he was
promoted to chief engineer of the Northrop Division in 1937, which was
renamed EI Segundo in 1938. There, Heinemann designed such famous
planes as the US Navy's Devastator and Dauntless, the DB-7/A-20
Boston/Havoc and A-26 Invader used by the Army Air Corps.
from the 29,125 of a year earlier. Events
such as the Biki n i Atoll te t in 1946, which
destroyed numerous surface ships, includ-
ing aircraft carriers, left many que tioning
the vulnerability of any surface ship to
nuclear weapons. Carrier forces were also
troubled by th ir inability to carry th large
atomic weapons of the day, some of which
weighed up to 10,0001b (4,530kg), and
measured nearly 11ft (3Am) in length.
Without an atomic delivery capability,
some wished to relegate the avy to trans-
port and anti- submarine roles.
To make matters worse, the avy it elf
was experiencing growing pains as it
attempted to accommodate the newer jet
aircraft into carri r servic . Landing in bad
weather was difficult enough for slower,
conventionally powered propeller aircraft,
let alone the newer jets, with their higher
approach peeds. aval aviation was in a
state of flux, a force in tran ition, caught
between two eras. Even as late a 1950,
much of the carrier deck was occupied by
propeller-driven aircraft, namely the F4U
Corsair and the AD Skyraider. Most of
the carriers were too small for jets, and
the proposed 58,000 ton supercarrier,
United States (CVB 5 ) had been can-
celled, as it was considered unnecessary in
light of the carrier's overall mission and
the Air Force's developing Strategic Air
Command.
aval aviation's role was soon clarified,
however, when the orth Koreans crossed
the 3 th Parallel on 25 June 1950, mark-
ing the start of the Korean War in which
carrier forces would playa vital part in
containing Communist advances. Con-
trary to the predictions of military plan-
ners of the day, the atomic weapons, and,
therefore, the entire fleet of strategic
bombers, played no role. Tactical air
In 1945, the avy had ninety-eight car-
riers, twenty-three of which were of the
newer 27,00 ton 'Essex' class. Three other
large carriers of the 45,000 ton 'Midway'
cia s were also nearing completion, and
would soon join the fleet. In less than a
year, however, carrier forces would be
slashed to twenty-three carriers, with naval
combat aircraft down to just 14,125 aircraft
The Douglas affiliation with the Navy continued throughout the 1930s,
with production of the TBD Devastator and later, the SBD Dauntless dive-
bomber/scout made famous in the 1942 Battle of Midway. Douglas sought a
follow-on to the Dauntless, developing the Destroyer. However, real fame
came through the AD Skyraider series. Designed too late for World War II
operations, the Skyraider saw action in Korea and Vietnam, operating from
both carriers and shore-based Marine installations. Skyraiders flew
hundreds of sorties in Vietnam until they were withdrawn from carrier
service in late 1968. Other Douglas designs, including the A3D Skywarrior
and the F4D Skyray, carried on the company's tradition of excellence in the
attack and fighter roles respectively. The Skyray is regarded as one of the
best fighters of its time. Moreover, the A3D served with Navy units until the
mid-1980s, as an electronic surveillance aircrah, tanker, and electronic
aggressor.
both naval strategy and assets, as the Navy
moved from a vast blue-water fleet domi-
nated by propeller-driven aircraft to the
atomic age and jet-power. Indeed, fol-
lowing the end of World War ll, many
were questioning whether carriers had any
role [0 play given the development of the
new long-range, atomic-armed strategic
bombers.
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the
avy saw a remarkable transition in
The Setting
These short comments say it all when
talking about the kyhawk, from its rug-
gednes [0 the simplicity of it de ign.
70 77
'HEINEMA N'S HOT ROD' - THE OEVELOPME T OF THE A-4
WITH
BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR
CAPAC! Y I '5 PI TS
SPEC \4IL-O-5606
COLOR' REO
UTILITY HYORAULIC
RESERVOIR
:::APACilY 25 ::'ALLON$
SPEC MIL -0 -5606
COLOR. QED
CANOPY AIR BU GEE CYLINDER
2500 PSI DRY COMPRESSED AIR
OR AS PER INSHIUCTION PLATE
ON BUNGEE
FUSELAGE FUEL TANK
240 GALLONS
r--ALTERNATOR ORIVE
I FLUIO RESERVOIR
CAPACITY 0 '5 ALLONS
SPEC. MIL- '- - 7BOB
Designed in the mid-1940s, the AD Skyraider series
served with Navy squadrons through two wars and
for nearly thirty-five years. The Skyraider's sturdy
airframe and solid design withstood a tremendous
amount of punishment and allowed it to carry heavy
loads as a bomber and electronic/anti-submarine
platform. It was this plane that the Navy wanted to
replace. Navy pilots had complained that the
propeller-driven 'Spad' took too long to go to and
from targets, leaving them tired and ill-prepared for
any sort of unusual occurrences upon returning to
the carrier. US Navy
EXTERNAL FUEL TANKS
C,.3,PACITlE5
WINGS 50 OR 300 GALLON 5
CENTER 50 OR 300 GALLONS
FLiGHT CONTROL
HYDRAULIC RESERVOIR
CAPACITY 0.3 GALLONS
SPEC \4IL-O- S606
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EMERGENCY FUEL
FUEL SPECIFICATIONS
OIL TANK
:t.PACITY 3 ZS (4}t1) GALLONS
SPEC: MIL-L- 7808
PRESSURE FUELING
RECEPTACLE
CAPACITY 810 GALLONS
ARRESTING HOOK
HOLD- DOWN CYLINDER
FILL TO 900 PSI NlTH
COMPRESSED AIR ----_
ASHORE
RECOMENDED JP-4
(t)AIRPL AN E5 9UN O. 4'5071 .1N 0 suBSf uE T
OTH RS .1F"TER .:.sc liB
Servicing Diagram Notice the compactness of the various liquid reservoirs and
Stowage on the diminutive Scooter was limited indeed, and all space had to be put to good use.
their proximity to critical systems so as to reduce the need for long connection pipes.
Designer Ed Heinemann stands next to the last Skyhawk,
an A-4M. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
units throughout the 1950s until replaced by the F8 Crusader and later the
F-4 Phantom II.
Heinemann also made inroads into the jet-powered attack arena. His first
attempt, the ill-fated XA2D-1 Skyshark, was more of a compromise, as it
attempted to combine a turbo-jet with two contra-rotating, four-blade
propellers. Indeed, one prototype shredded its propellers in flight, killing the
pilot in the resulting crash. The XA2D did not to prove to be the answer to
the AD replacement problem but it did provide valuable funding assets for
the development of the XMD when it was finally abandoned. Heinemann's
second attack jet, however, the A3D Skywarrior, was hugely successful and
would go on to see its career span into the late 1980s as a highly capable
ESM platform with Navy va squadrons until replaced by the Lockheed ES-
3A Shadow. The A3D, however, while fulfilling the carrier air wing's heavy
attack and nuclear role in the 1950s, was too large and cumbersome for the
AD-type missions, not to mention lacking in the agility needed for close-in
support.
In addition to his military aircraft, Heinemann led two excursions into
experimental designs, first with the 0-558-1 Skystreak, and later with the 0-
558-2 Skyrocket. The jet-powered Skystreak first flew in 1947 and set a
world speed record of 650mph (1053km/h) Ironically, this record would later
be broken by a jet-powered attack aircraft, the MD Skyhawk. The 0-558-2,
as its name implied, was a rocket-powered aircraft that achieved similar
glory as the first aircraft to reach Mach 2.
Heinemann later became Vice-President for Military Aircraft at Douglas in
1958 and, in 1960, joined Guidance Technology as its Executive Vice-
President. One year later he became Corporate Vice-President of
Engineering for General Dynamics where he served until his retirement in
1971. In commemoration of his achievements in the aviation community,
Heinemann received the Collier Trophy in 1953 for his work on the F4D
Skyray and the Guggenheim Medal in 1978 in recognition of his contribu-
tions to national defence. In 1981, he was commemorated in the Aviation
Hall of Fame and he received the National Medal of Science from President
Ronald Reagan in 1983.
Heinemann died on 26 November 1991 at the age of eighty-three. He is
said to have flown in his beloved Skyhawk only once.
Skyhawk designer Ed Heinemann talks with test pilot Bob Rahn in front of XMD-l.
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
72
73
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE DEV LOPMENT OF THE A-4
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE DEVELOPME T OF THE A4
Indicative of the originally planned Skyhawk mission, this group of Marines at
MCAS Cherry Point load a special 'shape' on an A4D-2N/A-4C for what was
undoubtedly a trial nuclear weapons delivery hop. US Navy via Harry Gann
The XAlD Skyshark represented the initial attempt by Douglas at an AD Skyraider
successor. This design was powered by a 5,332shp Allison XT40-A-6 turboprop
engine driving two four-bladed contra-rotating propellers and armed with four
20mm cannons. Problems with the engines simply could not be worked out and
the project was cancelled, with approximately $41 million in funding diverted to
what became the A-4D programme. Harry Gann
The Basic Skyhawk
Takes Shape
Wirh this in hand, Heinemann and his
ream returned ro EI Segundo and began
converring their paper ideas inro reality.
The design pursued by Douglas concen-
trated on a cropped delra-wing configu-
rarion, ro which Heinemann wa first
introduced while working with John
Northrop during the 1930s. This design
was also to some extent derived from
the Douglas F4D-I kyray's delta wing,
although modified with a low aspect ratio
and a quarrer-chord sweep of 33 degrees.
With this design, the wings could be shorr-
ened to 27fr 6in ( 3m), saving some 200lb
(90kg) in metal. Moreover, the reduced
wing size permirred de igners to forego tra-
ditional and bulky wing-folding mecha-
nisms, since the A4D could now fit nearly
former Commander of Task Force 77
during the Korean War, was sirring in for
Rear-Admiral Thomas . Combs, hief of
the Bureau of Aeronautics, who was
unavailable.)
At this meering Heinemann presented
Soucek with an unsolicired ourline of
hi lightweight fighter design, which he
believed would reverse the trend roward
heavier and more expensive aircraft.
Soucek quickly informed Heinemann that,
although the design was intriguing, rhe
Navy was not currenrly interested in new
jet-based fighter designs. t that time,
development was underway of the Chance
Voughr F8U-1 Crusader, which was
authorized in 1953 and later saw action in
Vietnam. Neverrheless, Soucek asked
Heinemann to see if the design concepts
could be applied ro procure a new jet-
powered arrack design in the 30,0001b
weight class, which would be capable of
delivering a nuclear bomb,
Within a marrer of weeks, Heinemann'
team was back in Washingron with a
proposal urpa ing all of the Navy's
essential criteria. Measuring approxi-
mately 3 ft 4in (l1.7m) in length with a
wing span of 27ft 6in ( Am), Heine-
mann's design would provide a rop speed
of over 600mph (970km/h) a combat
radius of nearly 460 mile (740km), and
still come in at less than half of the spec-
ified weight load. Although doubts were
ex pres ed by BuAer staff, Soucek was suffi-
cienrly impressed to aurhorize Douglas ro
conduct additional design work.
rhe probable requir menrs for furure mili-
rary aircraft. At rhe hearr of rhis study were
concerns over rhe growing complexity,
weight, and cost of new aircrafr and how
rhose facrors would ulrimarely impacr upon
the shape and strengrh of the U milirary.
This rrend dared back to World War II and
was labelled by Douglas engineers as rhe
'growrh-factor', a rerm referring ro rhe addi-
rional weighr likely to be added to a new
aircrafr de ign afrer ir becomes operarional.
The study noted rhar, once rhe growrh-
factor exceeds the aircrafr's original d sign
weighr by more rhan 12 to 15 per cenr, rhe
aircrafr suffers a ignificanr degradarion in
speed and performance. The report furrher
poinred our rhar for every pound of weighr
added ro a de ign, overall weighr was
increased by a facror of ren due to rhe addi-
rion of supporr equipmenr.
Heinemann himself had rried to guard
againsr rhis trend when he designed rhe
succ ssful AD Skyraider series in 1944.
Mandaring rhar engineers jusrify every
nut and boll', the firsr AD was produced
for rhe avya full 1,0001b (455kg) below
rhe design specifications. Even rhis ad-
vanrage, however, fell by rhe wayside as
new upgrades and varianrs (radar, elec-
tronic radomes, and refuelling srore ) were
conrinually fielded. Indeed, over rhe
course of irs career, rhe Skyraider would
be produced in seven varianrs ending wirh
rhe AD-7 (A-lJ) in 1957. When rhe AD
series was phased our from rhe fleer during
rhe Viernam War, rhe empry weighr
had grown from 18,3001b (8,300kg) ro
25,0001b (l1,350kg). Orher airet'afr of
rhe day were weighry roo; rhe Panrher
weighed I8,7001b (8,490kg) and rhe Ban-
shee 23,3001b (l0,580kg). However none
approached rhe awesome weighr of rhe
A3D Skywarrior, coming in ar 82,0001b
(37,250kg). leinemann concluded rhar
mosr combar aircrafr were vasrly over-
weighr for rhe rask assigned and rhat
addirional weight was never marched by
a concurrenr growth in power.
Heinemann Introduces the
Lightweight Design
In January 1952, Heinemann and Roberr
Canady of Douglas' Washingron office
mer wirh Rear-Admiral Apollo Soucek
in Washingron DC ro discuss how ro
conrain borh rhe weighr and co r of
rhe nexr-generation jet-powered fighters
then entering fleet service. (Soucek, a

L' -"-
capable of combaring conremporary devel-
opmenrs of rhe MiG-IS. The F9F had
inadequare performance for fully effecrive
defense against MiG-IS rype jer fighrers'2
Thi , roo, was rhe general feeling of rhe
carrier commander, as rhe Valley Forge
acrion reports commen red: '.. it is
bel ieved rhar if they [ orrh Korea] had
l een manned by pilor as aggressive and
well rrained as ours rhar own pilot and
plane losses would have been grear'.l
During rhe early 1950s, Douglas engineers
had embarked on a comprehensive srudy of
The Rule of Ten
These drawings depict the first rough sketches of the A4D aerodynamic shapes.
Notable are the tailless arrangement and the high tailplane configuration. Sketch
via Harry Gann Collection



. " . '...'. _
;'--'-,L.._
. ,.-
rario exceeding one-ro-one. Remarkably,
orher fighrers of rhe day, rhe F- 6 Sabre
and F9F-2 Panrher, while noted for rheir
agiliry and superior handling characreris-
rics, roured rarios of a mere 0.36: 1 and
0.39: I respecrively. Heinemann oughr ro
bear rhar rario, in parr, rhrough a impler,
more srreamlined de ign.
Ir is inreresring ro nore rhar while
Heinemann was pursuing a lighrweighr
fighrer design, naval commanders in
Korea were already calling for a new
generarion of jer fighters capable of oper-
aring on a par wirh MiG-IS rype jers. Thi
was highlighred in rhe avy's firsr Korean
War evaluarion reporr, which srared: ' ...
ar high prioriry provide a carrier fighrer
14
15
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE OEVELOPME T OF THE A-4
This A-4C from VA-76 'Spirits' aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) in 1965-6 illustrates what Heinemann had
in mind when he designed the small delta wing. Most carrier-based aircraft of the day had large
wingspans and required heavy wing-fold mechanisms to fit on carrier elevators. As this photo shows, the
Skyhawk fits neatly aboard and did not require folding wings, thereby saving considerable weight.
US Navy via author
The Initial Contract
On 21 June 1952 Douglas was awarded a
contract for the design and construction
of one XA4D-1 and one static test air-
frame. pecifications for this plane were
harsh, with the Navy calling for a 'light-
weight, single-engined, ingle-pia e, high-
performance, carrier-based, day-attack
capable plane, capable of performing dive-
12in (30cm) to allow greater leverage in
controlling the plane manually. Further
weight reduction was achieved by elimin-
ating the heavy torage battery and re-
placing it with a small, variable pitch, con-
stant-speed, wind-driven AC gen rator. In
the event of an emergency, the small unit
could be popped out of the main fuselage
into the slipstream at speeds below
519mph ( 40km/h).
... delta-wing configuration with a normal tail, a conventional control system, carries a crew of one,
powered by a single J65-W-2 axial flow jet engine. A large variety of weapons can be carried
externally on three bomb racks, the centreline station capable of carrying stores up to 3,5751b. and the
wing racks being stressed for 1.000lb each. Design gross weight with one Mk 12 weapon is 14.2501b,
and the combat radius with this weapon and internal fuel only (900 gals) is 400 miles. The maximum
design catapult weight is 19.760Ib. Maximum speed in the clean position at sea level is 596kts. (M-
0.90) and the combat ceiling at combat weight is 50.000ft.
Following this Review Board mock-up. the Navy ordered nineteen aircraft. Harry Gann
Douglas presented a mock-up of the A-4to the Navy in October 1952. Most notable is the aft tail section,
which looks more like a Grumman F9F Panther. The mock-up inspection report (notice the reference to the
nuclear role) described the A4D as follows:
raft weight by eliminating one of the
redundant hydraulic systems. First, the
main landing gear was designed to retract
forward through 90 degrees into fairings
located below the wing's surfaces. Thus,
if the hydraulics failed, the gear could
simply be released and forced into position
by the airRow passing under the plane.
The second innovation was a ontrol col-
umn or 'stick' that could be extended by
From an armaments standpoint, the
A-4 would carry two Colt Mk 12 20mm
cannons, one in each wing-root; a design
similar to that revealed one year earlier in
the Soviet-built MiG-19 'Farmer'. Three
external hardpoints would be provided for
carrying a variety of air-to-air, air-to-
groun 1, and drop tanks with an overall
load capacity of 8,0551b (3,660kg) of fuel
and weapons. Heinemann had deliberately
omitted an internal weapons bay, hoping
to save as much as 5,0001b (2,270kg).
, pecial' weapons (the Pentagon's euphe-
mism for nuclear weapons) could also be
carried by the A4D.
Heinemann's team introduced two
unique designs that further reduced air-
would be powered by a 7,2001b (3,265kg)
thrust Wright J65-W-2 turbojet engine
built under a licen ing agreement with
Armstrong iddeley apphire of England.
Contrary to the ideals of the day, Heine-
mann decided not to pursue supersonic
Right in recognition of the fact that to do
so would have dramatically increased the
4D's weight and degraded its payload.
Intere tingly, in its preliminary design
stage, the kyhawk included a conven-
tional undercut aft-fuselage similar to that
featured on all Grumman F9F Panther /
Cougars. This design, however, was later
replaced with a long exhaust or 'tailpipe'
designed to eliminate engine smoke and
heat stains under the fuselage.
onto carrier elevators. Leading-edge lats
were added to make up for the smaller
overall wing area.
The A4D's delta-wing planform also
permitted single-unit wing construction.
For this Douglas milized a three-spar box
construction, continuous from wing-tip
to wing-tip, thereby allowing the wing
to serve also as a large fuel tank. Known
::lS ::l 'wet-wing', the tanks could hold up
to 560 gallons(2,12Iitre),inaddi-
tion to the 240 U gallons (91 litres)
contained in the fuselage tank. By using
the wet-wing design, fewer valves and
pipes were needed, thereby reducing
overall weight even further.
According to Heinemann, the A4D
16 17
-
This production line photo of Kuwaiti A-4KUs being built during the 1970s the to Korea in
1952 incorporated what they saw into the final Skyhawk design. The two fuselages break In the mIddle affording maintenance
personnel easy access to the engine. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Ejection Seats
When Ed Heinemann set out to design the Skyhawk, he left no system
untouched, including the ejection seat. To save weight, Douglas designed
its own ejection seat, called the NAMe Type II ballistic seat, which saved
some 40lb (18kg) over the standard Navy design. Modifications soon
followed, as well as a redesignation to Escapac 1. By the 1970s, the
Escapac lG-3 offered a zero/zero configuration for safe ejection even at a
stand-still on the ground and inverted above certain altitudes. This seat was
installed in all TA-4J, A-4M and 'Blue Angel' A-4F models.
This Navy It (jg) demonstrates the Skyhawk's lightweight seat design. Boeing Historical
Archives via Harry Gann
18
An assortment of planes from the early to mid-1950s flying in formation at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. From the top down are the Douglas A3D Skywarrior,
McDonnell F3H Demon, Douglas F4D Skyray, North American FJ-4 Fury, Grumman F-11 F-1 Tiger and the Douglas A4D Skyhawk. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess, USN Retd
19
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE -4
'HEINH"IANN'S HOT ROD' - THE 0 VELOPMENT OFTHE A-4
~ -
137812 lifts off! Test pilot Rahn commented after the flight that the Skyhawk 'handled excellent'. Rahn
would go on to conduct spin tests in this same aircraft fined with a special parachute pod. Rahn had this to
say about the first such test on 4 January 1955:
... entry into spin made at 32,OOOft - to left in glide configuration recovery started promptly after
one-quarter turn ... no tendency for plane to go off into right spin nature of spin consisted of
definite yaw and oscillation - recovery quite effective using right rudder ... termination of spinning
(autorotation) found in vertical dive - somewhat inverted.
Following a total of twelve spins that day, Rahn concluded that the aircraft exhibited 'excellent recovery
characteristics ... in all cases'. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Test pilot Bob Rahn pauses for a photo just before
the historic first flight of BuNo. 137812 on 22 June
1954. The Skyhawk's maiden voyage took place at
the Muroc Dry Lake. Rahn described the flight,
which lasted only forty minutes, as 'uneventfur.
During the test flight the XA4D reached an altitude
of 15,OOOft (4,572m). Douglas Aircraft Co. via author
This now-famous front-on publicity photograph shows the A4D as it looked upon roll-out of the Douglas
plant. The long probe on the nose is for flight test equipment. Douglas Aircraft Co. via author
20
27
~ - ----- ------
'HEI EMA N'S HOT ROD' - THE OEVELOPME T OFTHE A-4
A-4M
158429
The Skyhawk's rudder had to be redesigned as a result of the night tests.
Originally a conventional, smooth-skinned one piece unit with internal ribs, the
new design featured a single aluminium skin cut to shape with a one-piece
metal frame on the outside of the rudder. While not incorporated into the A-4A
production, it became a part of all future variants, such as this A-4M from VMAT-
102, and is commonly referred to as the 'tab-pole' rudder. Rick Morgan
22
bombing, interdiction and close air support
missions'. The contract further mandated
that the plane be capable of both deliver-
ing 'conventional or special weapon' and
'attacking ea and land targets with or
without fighter escort where control of the
air has not b en established'.
Tran lating that into workable num-
bers, the contract called for a maximum
speed of 500mph (800km(h), a 460 mile
(740km) operating radius, and a 1,000Ib,
later increasing to 2,000Ib, bomb carriage
capacity. The aircraft would also have to
use JP type jet fuel, a complicating factor
since it weighed approximately a half a
pound per gallon more than conv ntional
aviation fuel. In addition, this all had to
be accomplished at an absolute maximum
cost of 1,000,000 per aircraft.
Concurrent with the design paperwork,
engineer began to construct a quarter-
scale precision model. Constructed from
wood, the model was waxed and polish d
before undergoing critical low-spe d wind
tunnel te ting at the California lnstitut of
Technology in Pasadena. A machined one-
tenth cale steel model was also con truc-
ted and tested in Cal-Tech's high-speed
tunnel, with imilar tests performed at
Cornell niversity, ew York. A full-size
mock-up was later produced by Dougla ,
complete with a wooden Wright J65 jet
engine, and made available for tolerance
testing and inspection by naval mainte-
nance per onnel.
One of the keys to the Skyhawk's suc-
cess was Douglas's willingness to listen to
pilots in the field. During the summer and
autumn of 1952, a group of Douglas engi-
neers (Leo Devlin, Russ Cocks, Harry
ichols, and Len Quick) led by dr John
Brown, the avy's attack requirements
officer, travelled to Korea to observe
operational and maintenance problems
encountered by fleet carrier air units and
Marine orps unit ashore. Douglas engi-
neers hoped to incorporate these observa-
tions into the A4D' design to reduce or
eliminate the more common problems
associated with maintenance, overhaul,
repair, refuelling, and arming aircraft dur-
ing combat operations.
Heinemann was not alone in his
insi tence on weight reduction and
compartmentalization. In an effort then
unmatched in the aviation industry,
many component suppliers also endeav-
oured to produce Iightweight systems - the
A4D's air conditioning unit, manufactured
by the AirResearch Company of Los
A 'wing drop' p r o b l e ~ - a phenomenon where the wing slowly moves down as if pushed - was discovered during flight testing.
Engineers resolved thIS by adding a row of small metal tabs. called vortex generators, to the upper wing surfaces. Clearly visible on
thiS .'ater model A-4M,these would become standard in all production models although the vortex generators would cover only a
portion of the upper wing and slat. John W. Binford
The Skyhawk's three-spar wing design can be
easily seen here in this January 1954 assembly
photo. The entire upper and lower wings are
formed from a single sheet of aluminium measuring
0.064in (1.62mml thick. Apparent also are the fifty-
eight access holes. which allow for assembly,
maintenance, and repair. Just ten bolts connect the
wing unit to the main fuselage. US Navy via
Aerospace Publishing
23
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE A-4 'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE A-4
The XA4D Flies
fuel could be carried, including a nuclear
weapon of up to 3,5001b (1,590kg) on its
centreline station. Moreover, all of this
was achieved at a cost of $860,000 per
copy for the fi rst 500 aircraft.
On 22 June 1954, two years and one day
after the contract was signed, Douglas test
pilot Bob O. Rahn, a former pilot with
the US Army A ir Corps (changed to the
US Air Force in (947), piloted the XA4D-
1 on its first Right at Edwards AFB in
California. Lasting approximately 40
minutes, Rahn's Right reached 15,000ft
(4,500m) before settling into the pattern
and coming to rest on the lake bed after
a rather uneventful landing. Rahn
described the Right as 'excellent'. Despite
the production delays, Rahn's Right was
only four weeks behind schedule.
These delays, however, were soon over-
come. The initial production A4D, Bu o.
134813 made its first Right on schedule;
the second, Bu o. 134814, Rew on 23
September J954, a full two weeks ahead
of schedule. In early January 1955, spin
testing began at Edwards, with test pilot
Rahn noting 'excellent recovery charac-
teristics in all cases'4
Soon after the test Rights began, pilots
began to notice a vibration in the tail at
speeds in excess of 345mph (560km/h).
In an attempt to identify the cause, short
tufts of wool were attached to various
areas of the Skyhawk's aft fuselage and
tail. Films were then taken to isolate the
fifteen weeks. Other delays arose as a result
of difficulties in drilling small, high-toler-
ance holes in strengthened aluminium,
and with Wright's deliveries of the J65
engines.
A second mock-up inspection took
place in February 1953. Several hundred
naval aviators were brought in to com-
ment on the cockpit design. Most were
pleased and little was added, although a
subsequent rearrangement of gauges and
dials to improve instrument scan resulted
from their suggestions. Later in 1953, one
of the A4D airframes was removed from
the production line and used for static
tests to confirm the prOjected strength and
structural integrity of the airframe and
landing gear.
Finally, in February 1954, the first A4D,
Bu o. 137812, was rolled out of the El
Segundo factory and was gi ven the official
name of 'Skyhawk,' following company
practice of naming all aircraft some varia-
tion on 'sky'. As produced, the XA4D-1
carried no armament and was fitted with a
large test probe on its nose. It also lacked
the two wing pylons and a taill'lOok assem-
bly. What resulted from Heinemann's
efforts was nothing less than astonishing.
The A4D had a radar signature equal to
I/lOOth of the Navy specifications, con-
tained one-third fewer parts than were typ-
ically required for a 30,000lb class aircraft,
and had a combat cei Iing of nearly 50,OOOft
(15,OOOm). Maintenance was reduced by
nearly 40 per cent and overhaul time was
cut by nearl y half.
Also, with its three hardpoints, a total
of 5,5001b (2,500kg) of external bombs or
This April 1956 photo shows the pen-nib fairings
(referred to as the 'sugar scoop') that were added
during the flight testing segment to resolve a
buffeting problem caused by flow separation at the
base of the vertical tail. The dark smear trailing
from the hole mid-fuselage is an oil stain, a
trademark of all early Skyhawks. Boeing Historical
Archives via Harry Gann
Angeles, reduced weight by nearly one-
third. The standard ejection seat, itself
weighing nearly 981b (45kg), was com-
pletely redesigned by Douglas to shed
another 401b (l8kg). Electronic 'black
boxes' containing navigational and com-
munications equipment, formerly scat-
tered about the fuselage, were condensed
into a single, cylindrical package, and
bolted to the forward end of the fuselage,
saving another 501b (23kg) and signifi-
cantly reducing manufacturing costs. A
new gun-sight, made by Douglas, also
matched AirResearch's one-third weight
savings, without compromising on quality
or performance.
In October 1952, and after further eval-
uations by the avy's mock-up board, two
contracts were issued authorizing the
manufacture of nineteen pre-production
aircraft. Contrary to other contracts of the
day, and probably due to Douglas's track
record with carrier-based aircraft, the
avy waived its usual requirement calling
for the construction of two experimental
and one static test aircraft, thereby leaving
only the single XA4D-l Skyhawk, (Bu o.
1378(2) prototype. Douglas immediately
moved forward wi th a fixed production
rate using regular tooling, something that
would ultimately allow the company to
turn out the first ten planes in the time
it would have normally taken to produce
just one experimental aircraft.
Of course, no production goes as
planned. Douglas did encounter delays,
first from teething problems in the special
machines developed to build the one-piece
wing-spars. That alone created a delay of
The clean lines of the early A-4 models are shown to good effect in this picture of an A-4B flown by Chuck
Scott. R. S. DeGroat
Skyhawk BuNo. 137814. the second production model. first flew on 23 September 1956, a full two weeks ahead of schedule. This aircraft was later flown by test
pilot Cal Shoemaker of the Douglas Test Division for stability testing. Douglas Aircraft Co via author
24 25
'HEINEMA N'S HOT ROD' - THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE A-4
'HEINEMANN'S HOT ROD' - TH DEVELOPMENT OF THE A-4
Bob Rahn, the man who first took the Skyhawk to the skies, at the ceremony
commemorating the withdrawal of the last Skyhawk (BuNo. 1600241 from US
Marine reserve duty in August 1994. Behind Rahn is the last Skyhawk, an A-4M
from VMA-131. John W. Binford
The last Reserve Skyhawk, an A-4M from VMA-131, is shown here at the squadron's August 1994 disestablishment ceremony. The A-4M, once flown by frontline
Marine Corps squadrons, was passed on to the Reserve, once the AV-8B Harrier and F/A-18 Hornet began entering service in the 1980s. John W. Binford
production A4D-l (BuNo. 139935) was
made during October 1956 to VA-n and
the aircraft was declared operational on
26 October, only seven weeks after initial
delivery. According to reports, the A4D
achieved the best availability raring of any
new design ever tested to that date.
At the same time as VA-n took
deliveries on the East Coast, VF (AW)-
3 at NAS Moffit Field, California, served
as a transitional training and FIP squad-
ron and a precursor to the modern
Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS).
NAS Lemoore's VA-l2S 'Rough Raiders',
the West Coast Replacement Air Group
(RAG), became the first operational
West Coast A-4 squadron, while VA-93
'Mighty Shrikes', became the first Pacific
Fleet squadron. VMA-224 'Bengals' was
the first Marine Corps squadron to tran-
sition to the A-4.
~ - - - - * . : / . . . . - - - -
(CVA 14) from 12-19 September 1955.
US Navy night evaluations continued
through the autumn, with weapons testing
beginning on 31 October 1955. Bureau of
Inspections and Survey (BIS) trials were
then completed in March 1956 to ensure
that the Skyhawk satisfied all contract
obligations.
Final qualifying trials, designated as the
Flight Indoctrination Program (FlP-
Trials), were conducted at NAS Quonset
Point, Rhode Island, by Navy Attack
Squadron VA-n 'Blue Hawks'. Under the
command of Cdr M. E. Stewart, VA-n
logged over 600 night hours in its six
A4Ds in an effort to become familiarized
with the A4D and to ready it for opera-
tional neet duty. The pilots flew the
Skyhawk virtually day and night, looking
for any weaknesses in the aircraft's design.
The first factory-to-neet delivery of a
--------
grenades and smoke-producing fire fuelled
wi th old car tyres.
Four preliminary nights were made,
beginning on 13 October, in order to iden-
tify any problems associated with the
low-level, high-speed night. During one
night, Rahn's A4D hit an unofJicial
703mph (l, 131 kmfh), but then suffered a
rudder failure. The 820 was immediately
fitted with the modified 'tad-pole' design
and, on 15 October, Lt Gordon Gray set
the ofJicial speed record by flying at
69S.163mph (l,118.7kmfh) at an altitude
of 100 metres.
These night tests were followed by a
series of tests at the Navy's Air Test
enter (NATC) at NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland, including launch and recovery
tests on the facility's simulated night
deck. Initial carrier qualifications were
conducted aboard U S Ticonderoga
the A4D-2 (later designated the A-4B).
While this was supposed to be temporary,
designers never did modify it.
Other problems developed during the
night testing. At high altitudes and at
certain speeds, the aircraft would experi-
ence a phenomenon known as 'wing-
drop,' where the wing slowly moves down-
ward as if pushed. Wing-drop is caused by
air twisting and turning over and off the
wing surfaces. Ithough mild and defi-
nitely controllable, a solution was needed
and quickly found by adding a small
network of eleven metal tabs, known as
'vortex generators', over the upper surfaces
of each outboard wing-tip ncar the tip of
the leading edge nap and ahead of the
ailerons. These tabs then became a stan-
dard part of the A4D design.
A related buffeting problem caused by
now separation at the base of the vertical
tail was cured by the addition of pen-nib
fairi ngs, referred to as a 'sugar scoop'
fairing, above and behind the engine
exhaust to smooth the airnow. This, too,
became part of the standard A4D package.
01' specifically linked to any problem, a
new three-piece windshield was installed
in August 1955, replacing the original
one-piece design. The nat centre piece not
only improved visibility in bad weather,
but was also bullet-proof.
Twelve Skyhawks were selected for the
night test programme, including BuNo.
137820, referred to as the '820', which set
the world's speed record on 15 October
1955. In total, over 1,544 flights were
conducted by Douglas test pilots. The
second aircraft, Skyhawk BuNo. 137813,
bore the work-horse load of these flights,
flying 3 19 hours testing primarily aerody-
namic characteristics and aircraft systems.
Followi ng the night test phase, 137813
was sent to the Naval Parachute Facility
at NAAS El Centro, California where it
served until withdrawn from service in
1969.
One of the most significant early events
for the A-4, at least from a public rela-
tions perspective, was the Skyhawk's
capture of the 500 ki lometre closed-course
record, previously held by the Air Force's
F-86H Sabre fighter. For this record
attempt, a twelve-pylon course was set up
at the Rosamond Dry Lake, north of
Lancaster, California. Test members were
located at each pylon and carried a mirror
to renect light at the test pilot to assist
him in spotting the pylons. The main
pylon was also marked with smoke
strong enough to withstand the loads asso-
ciated with the higher speeds.
To cure this problem, the rudder wa
redesigned 'inside-out' in a similar fashion
to the North American FJ -4 Fury's rudder.
Instead of the conventional internal ribs
and doubler covered by outer skins and
sealed with rivets, a single aluminium skin
was cut to the desired shape and a one-
piece metal frame placed on each side.
These were then bonded together with an
adhesive - no rivets were used. The 'tad-
pole rudder', as it was called, was later
incorporated into and became standard for
problem but the solution was not readily
apparent. A series of vibration tests were
also performed at the EI Segundo plant
where an A4D was taken from the produc-
tion line and suspended gear-up from a
height of 5ft (15m). Engineers used
electro-magnetic vibrators, oscilloscopes,
and recording devices to search for weak-
nesses, but to no avail. A nightline report
from Edwards AFB eventually led to the
discovery of the cause. II' noted skin cracks
under the rivets at the trailing edge of the
rudder and structural engineers soon
discovered that the rudder was simply not
26
27
CHAPTER TWO
The Scooter CODles to Life
Following the success of the XA40,
contracts were immediately issued for
the 40-1 Skyhawk, with production
beginning in late 1954. Officially, the
Skyhawk was described as 'a jet-propelled,
singl -place monoplane with a modified
delta-planform wing' designed as a
'h igh-performance, Iightweight day-attack
plane' capable of operating either from a
carrier or a shore base. Pilots who flew the
cooter ay it was one of the most remark-
able planes ever to fly ' ... the last true
pilot's air raft. Its simplistic design and
lack of redundant systems forced you to
be alert and to make the aircraft fly'.5
A4D-l/A-4A
Basic Fuselage Design
The kyhawk's design was based entirely
on the concept of simplification. Overall,
the basic airframe was conventional and
was divided into three main a semblies -
forward fuselage, wing, and rear fuselage.
In a somewhat innovative mann r, all
mission equipment, including flight con-
trols and wiring, were installed in each
section before final a sembly.
The Skyhawk's forward fu c1age con-
tained the cockpit, avionics pack, and
engine. self- ealing fuel tank was posi-
tioned just behind the cockpit between
the air inlet ducts. The forward fu elage
was an all-metal semi-monocque construc-
tion, with heavy skin O.lOin(2.5mm u ed
in the cockpit area. tiffners were not used
to conserve space. All other surfaces were
continuous skinned with O.64in (1.62mm)
steel.
Power for the A40-1 was provided by
using the slightly more powerful J65-W-4B
engin , with its 7, 0 Ib (3,540kg) 'MIL'
thrust rating at sea-level static conditions.
The W -2, used in the XA40, proved to be
omewhat underpowered, and wa replaced
The MD-1 production line at
EI Segundo in 1956 shows
Skyhawks in various stages of
construction. At the far right,
tail units await assembly with
forward fuselage sections.
while at centre right. a wing
section and forward fuselage
await assembly. The
Skyhawks on the centre and
left rows have been spliced
and are receiving final
touches. Boeing Historical
Archives via Harry Gann
THE SCOOTER OM - TO LIFE
\. 7
A lone MD-1 from VA-113 wearing the marking of Air Group 11 'NH' sits on the tarmac at NAS lemoore.
The 'Stingers' received their first MDs on 29 April 1957. During their first Skyhawk cruise aboard USS
Shangri-la (CVA 38) they provided support to the Republic of China during the Communist Chinese shelling
of the Quenoy Islands in late summer of 1958. US Navy via author
28
A gentle bank by this MD-1 allows a good look at its underside and the three external hardpoints. When
designing the Skyhawk. Heinemann rejected the idea of an internal bomb-bay in order to save weight. It is
estimated that this decision saved nearly 5,OOOlb (2,270kg). Boeing Co. via author
29
TI-I E SCOOTER COMES TO LI FE
THE SCOOTER OMES TO LIFE
The MD-1 cockpit continues the simplicity sought by its designer, Ed Heinemann.
Some, including the Navy, criticized the design as being too small, but Douglas'
offer to remedy the situation met with no response. US Navy via author
A section of Alphas from VA-34 fly
in this 1957 photo. The 'Blue
Blasters', based at NAS Cecil Field,
transitioned to the A4D-1 in
January 1957 from the Vought F7U-3
Cutlass. The squadron did cross-
deck operations with the HMS Ark
Royal in 1958 before flying missions
in support of Operation Bluebat off
Lebanon. VA-34 operated from USS
Essex (CVA 91 during the Bay of
Pigs invasion and from USS
Enterprise (CVAN 65) during the
Cuban Missile Crisis and Cuban
quarantine. US Navy via author
For its nuclear role, the Skyhawk included a canopy thermal shield designed to protect
pilots from the effects of a nuclear blast while they left the target area. When using the
shield, pilots flew their A-4s on instruments only. The shields were eventually phased
out in the mid-1960s as the Skyhawk abandoned the nuclear mission for its conventional
one. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
The nuclear mission was viewed as the Skyhawk's primary mission in the
late 1950s and early 1960s. Skyhawk pilots trained on this both in the RAGs and
in their respective squadrons. RAG students practiced flying simulated nuclear
strike profiles. For pilots of VA-44 on the east coast, a typical flight might see
them launch from NAS Cecil Field in Florida then fly north-east to a point off of
the coast. Once there, the Skyhawks would turn around and cross the beach,
perhaps in the Carolinas or Georgia, flying the rest of the mission at low altitude,
which for the A-4 was around 50ft. Pilots would then head to the Pine Castle
Range and drop their practice load. For graduation, student pilots would fly
similar, but longer, missions with a 'shape' representing the nuclear weapon.
Typical low-level nav hops for west coast RAG pilots would fly from NAS
Lemoore out to sea, crossing the beach inbound around Ukia in northern
California, over the Sierra Nevadas and a lot of desert country in Nevada or Utah
before hitting their target at NAS Fallon. Because of the low altitudes flown for
these missions, pilots considered them to be 'Iegalized flat-handing', and great
fun!'
The Nuclear Mission
On these missions, pilots relied on dead-reckoning navigation using strip
maps. Missions were flown at precise airspeeds and heading from one
checkpoint to the next, using a stopwatch to determine the time to turn to
the next leg. 'You would basically fly at X speed for X minutes, then turn X
degrees'. Interestingly, at the appropriate speed, which was between
489-517mph (792-837km/hl pilots could trace around the edge of a nickel on
their maps and match the Skyhawk's turning radius precisely. When the
Charlies arrived, limited radar usage allowed pilots to locate significant
landmarks. Krueger noted that determining where you were was hard at
The Skyhawk's first mission was to be a long-range, low-level nuclear
delivery platform operating from a carrier base. For this mission, A-4 pilots
trained constantly, both as new pilots going through the Replacement Air
Group (RAGI. and in Fleet squadrons. Capt Otto Krueger, Commander of VA-
125, the Pacific Fleet RAG 1969-1970, discussed the nuclear role and how it
was taught:
units would later prove indispensable for
Marine Corps kyhawks operating out of
Chu Lai in outh Vietnam during 1965,
where a full-length landing field was not
operational until 1966.
The rear fuselage was constructed on
three major frames: one connected to
the rear wing spar; a second supported the
arresting gear loads; and the third con-
nected to the fin spar and housed the vari-
able incident tailplane connections. Only
six bolts were used to connect the two
fuselage sections at the wing spar. All rear
fuselage skin urfaces used a stiffened skin
consisting of light channels with two
Z-section vertical stiffners spaced between
them.
Coc1<.pit
Reflecting its 1950s design, the Skyhawk's
cockpit consisted mainly of conventional
gauge instrumentation for air peed, alti-
tude, attitude, and rate-of-c1imb. The left
console contained the navigation, gear
controls, and throttle controls and the
right console contained the communica-
tions, and lighting controls. The arresting
gear wa released from a small handle on
the right ide. Located immediately below
the main instrumentation panel wa the
armament panel, which provided a seven-
position selector switch, and station and
gunsight controls. This arrangement
proved awkward as it forced the pilot to
look down into the cockpit to change
switches and was subsequently modified in
the -M model, where the panel was moved
dir ctly under the HUD. 'Special weapons'
were controlled from the left console.
Th 'throttle and stick' design wa very
straightforward. Located on the pilot's 1ft,
the throttle contained a radio microphone
and peed brake switch on the inboard
side and master exterior lights on th
outboard. Four fuel flow position were
marked, designating 'off', 'idle', 'normal',
and 'military'. Tension on the throttle
could be manipulated by a mall knob.
The 'stick' contained only three control
- trim control, bomb release, and a
gun/rocket trigger. A 'select' witch was
provided to prevent rockets from firing
while operating the guns.
The co kpit enclosure was a fixed, thr e-
piece windshield with a hinged 'clamshell'
canopy. The two side windshield panels
were constru ted of moulded plastic, while
the flat portion was made of alternate lay-
ers of glass and vinyl, thereby providing the
fully opened at stall speed. Apart from
adversary aircraft or those used by the
'Blue ngels' flight demon tration team
which had the slats locked in the 'up' posi-
tion to ensure they would not improperly
deploy when in low-level or formation
flight, the slats were always plainly visible
on static A-4s. Split wing flaps, located on
the trailing edges, were hydraulically con-
trolled and could extend through 50
degrees.
A tricycle undercarriage was used, with
the main gear retracting forward and
through 90 degrees into a recess ju I' below
the cockpit, The brak y tem was of a
single-disc, spot type, and was operated by
applying pressure to the upper part of the
rudder pedals.
The tailor rear fuselage contained the
engine tailpipe and a triangular rudder,
with a fully adjustable, electronically oper-
ated horizontal tabilizer. A standard
rudder was used and was the only flight
control surface not to feature a constant
chord. A pair of flush-mounted speed
brakes were affixed to the aft fuselage for
deceleration, to which Rocket/Jet Assisted
Take-Off (R/JATO) bottle would later
be attached for short-field take-offs. These
for production models. Interestingly, the
replacement con isted of the re-manufac-
tured engine from the Republic F-84F
Thunderstreak. Given the Skyhawk's
modular construction, changing an engine
was a fairly easy procedure. Maintenance
crews could simply 'break' the fu elage in
two, permitting unobstructed access to the
engine for repair and easy removal. This,
apparently, was a result of the lessons
learned by the Douglas engineers who trav-
elled to Korea during mid-1952 to observe
maintenance problems.
The wing section was fixed to the
forward fuselage with only ten bolts, yet
more vidence of Heinemann's simplistic
design. The flight control surfaces were of
conventional d sign, with both leading
and trailing edge flap, the latter evenly
divided between split flaps and ailerons.
trim tab was provided on only the left
aileron. The leading edge slats comprised
about 70 per cent of the wing and were
design d to improve airflow characteristics
over the wings at high angles of attack,
specifically during take-off and approa h.
These slats opened and closed automati-
cally, depending on aerodynamic forces, at
speed below 230mph 075km/h) and were
30
37
---- - - ---------
- ---
THE SCOOT R COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
A-4M Antennae
A few have been spotted around the country, but no
need for alarm. The Navy modified three A-4As for
display and recruiting purposes and gave them
folding wings and a folding tail to accommodate
highway travel. This one was assigned to NAS
Lemoore. The folding mechanism is just inboard at
the edge of the wing slat. Boemg Histoncal Archives
via Harry Gann
A close-up shot of the A-4 Mk 12 20mm cannon
mounted in the Skyhawk wing-root. The cannon,
which has a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute
in short bursts, was not installed until BuNos
137817, 137823 and beyond. Firing is simultaneous
from both guns. Ted Carlson
Most of the remaining antennas are for electronics and countermeasures,
including the ALR-45(V) and ALR-50(VI L-band RHAW, the ARW-67, and the
ALQ-126 low/medium/high-band radar warning antennas. Antenna is for the
APX-72 IFF.
The vast array of antennas found on the A-4M typified the advancements in
design from the A-4A in 1956. Navigation-oriented antennas include the ARA-
631LS, APN-154(V) radar beacon, ARN-118(V) TACAN, APN-153!V) Doppler
antenna, ARA-50 UHF-AoF directional homing beacon, and the APN-194 radar
altimeter antenna. Communications groupings are the ARC-159(V) UHV radio
and the ARC-114/114A VHF radio).
(6,080m) and flying away from the target for bomb blast separation. Another
method was referred to as the 'idiot loop', and relied on a high speed, low-
level assault, with the pilot pulling up into a 4g Immelmann directly over the
target. This bombing technique was also called the 'timed, high-angle
release', and was basically identical to the loft with the exception that the
pitch angle was greater than 90 degrees. The target itself was used as the
IP (Initial Point). with the pull-up occurring only a short distance beyond the
target. This delivery release pitches the bomb back towards the target
above the airplane's turning path.
Loft or 'toss' bombing used an initial landmark point to mark the
beginning of the bombing run, pressing the bomb release button (pickle) and
holding it. The pilot would then travel a predetermined distance or time
interval (set before take-off). begin his pull-up, and the computer would
handle the preset angle release. The loft method, especially when using a
medium-angle loft, allowed for the greatest aircraft-to-weapon separation at
the moment of burst. The final method was known as 'lay-down' and
featured a low-level (usually 50-100ft/15-30m) dash at about 575mph
(930km/hl to the target, with the bomb dropped directly overhead. The
charge was fitted with a special head, referred to as a 'cookie cutter' that
dug the bomb in and prevented it from tumbling. To allow an escape, a
timer was used for detonation.
The AJB-3 LABS allowed for loft bombing and was designed to
automatically release the nuclear 'shape', tossing it high enough to permit
the A-4 to escape the bomb's blast. Pilots could choose one of two
predetermined release angles for the LABS prior to flight for use in any of
three delivery modes. For loft bombing, or 'timed low-angle release', the
bomb is automatically released at a pitch angle less than 90 degrees. Using
the 'over-the-shoulder', or 'timed high-angle release', the bomb would be
released at an angle greater than 90 degrees. Instantaneous 'over-the-
shoulder' bombing used no timed period and the release angle was the
same as for the timed 'over-the-shoulder' release. Pilots using the loft
manoeuvre would often perform a Cuban Eight or Wing-Over manoeuvre
following delivery of the charge.
that speed and altitude. 'When you looked out ahead of you at that
speed, you really couldn't make out a landmark or turn point unless it had
some verticality. You had to look out your side window to find your
landmarks.'?
Given today's ballistic missile submarine force and intercontinental land-
based missiles, it is easy to forget that in the 1950s, the sole delivery
systems were large bombers and the attack planes aboard the Navy's
aircraft carriers. Indeed, the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SlOP)
called for both to be major players in any nuclear war; and when situations
developed that called for the US to deploy its nuclear forces. In either
event, the carriers would be required to take up positions in the
Mediterranean Sea and the western Pacific ready to launch strikes into the
heart of the Soviet Union.
Most pilots who flew Skyhawks during those years recognized that such
a mission might well have been a one way trip. Capt Walter E. Ohlrich, Jr.
recalls the psyche of this mission:
To accommodate this, several techniques were developed for the delivery
of nuclear weapons by A-4s.
In order to assure the accuracy necessary to hit critical Soviet targets,
Skyhawks were required to get as close to their targets as possible One
such method was known as the 'high altitude delivery', which involved
diving from 35,OOOft (10,668m) or more, then releasing at about 20,OOOft
To those of us who flew the A-4 in the 1950s during the height of the Cold War,
how could we ever forget the nuclear mission in which the A-4 played a maior
role. We would each draw a target folder, then plan the mission and be ready to
fly it. In VA-46 on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, we also stood alert, in flight gear, in
the ready room at sea and in port. This included sitting around in Poopy suits in
winter. You would help pre-flight your plane and bomb on the hangar deck and
then wait to go on the longest flight of your life. We were told that if you
survived the trip to the target, survived the nuclear blast and managed to leave
the target area, you were to bailout over mountains in the Balkans if no tanker
was available. Wow - sounded like a one way trip to me!'
A-4 Integrated Electronics Package
The forward fuselage/cockpit area featured the
AN/ASQ-17 Integrated Electronics Package (IEP).
which housed the major components of the
AN/ARC-27A UHF, the AN/ARA-25 direction
finder, and the AN/APX-6B IFF equipment. The
ASQ-17 package connects to the aircraft's
systems via a single connector cable and can
be quickly removed.
The accompanying photo shows the ASQ-17
package and the 'black boxes' used by other
aircraft of the day for the same tasks.
Heinemann's quest for design efficiency led to
the development of this package weighing some
48Ib(21.8kglless than existing components. The
IEP was sealed with a charge of dry nitrogen
gas to prevent contamination.
32 33
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
para-raft kit and seat pan, and used an
integral harness. The eat was jettisoned
by pulling the seat face curtain
Communications and NaVigation
The major units of the communications
and navigation. ystem were contained in
a cylindrical-shaped integrated electronics
package located in the kyhawk's nose
section just forward of the cockpit. Unlike
standard aircraft of the day, this pa kage
isolated all major pieces of equipment and
could be quickly removed - some contend
in as little as a few minutes - for repair
or replacement. All electronics were
connected to the main fuselage through a
single cable connector
For radio communications, the A4D-1
carried the AN/ARC-27A UHF two-way
Oxygen for the pilot was provided via a
new positive pressure, demand-type, oxy-
gen sy tem. For A4Ds with Bu os prior to
139919, a gaseous suppl y system was used.
Aircraft after Bu o. 139919 utilized a liq-
uid upply sy tem fed from an in ulated
tank mounted to the aft fuselage. Both
systems were used in conjunction with the
Type A-l3A facemask, which itself used a
novel harness-mounted oxygen regulator
instead of the standard cockpit-mounted
control. According to maintenance per-
sonnel, problems with the masks were
experienced in the initial A4D-1 models
while operating at high altitudes, which
necessitated sending the mask units back
to the factory for reworking.
The ejection seat was a creation of
Douglas's and Imer became known as the
'Escapac'. A lightweight design, it accom-
modated a back-type parachute, a PK- 3
pilot with a bullet-resistant surface. ock-
pit ide-panels were defrosted with hot air
from the aircraft's air-conditioning system,
while the bullet-re istant centre panel was
warmed through electrical means.
For the kyhawk' nuclear mission, an
extendable thermal shield was provided to
protect pilot against the nuclear flash fol-
lowing the delivery of a nuclear weapon.
With the thermal shield extended, the
pilot was left to navigate to the final
release point and away from the target
solely on his instruments. Krueger com-
mented, 'We didn't train a lot with the
shields, but figured we'd use them if the
time came,9 These shields were prevalent
among early model Skyhawks, but disap-
peared sometime around 1965. This
reflects the shift in the Skyhawk's mission
from one of a nuclear strike aircraft to a
conventionally oriented attack aircraft.
This A40-1 from VA-44 appears with some of its ordnance. From left to right are: 150 US gallon (568 litreI
drop tank, Mk 84 bomb, Mk 82 bomb, Mk 83 bomb, Mk 12 nuclear bomb. Mk 8 nuclear bomb. 300 US gallon
(1,1351itrel drop tank. Mk 91 nuclear bomb. RCPP-105 external power unit, Aero 60 rocket pod, 150 US
gallon drop tank. US Navy via author
An unusual combination of three US Marine Corps Skyhawks on the line. The left is a VMA-211 A40-1.
followed by a VMA-311 A40-2 and a VMA-211 A40-2N. Clay Janson via author
A line of A40-1s run the port edge of the carrier deck during what must be one of the earliest Alpha deployments.
US Navy via author
34 35
THE SCOOTER COME TO LIFE
A-4 Possible Weapons Carriage
Guns
Mk 12 20mm (2) internal
Mk 4 gun pod Mk-40
Mk 11 gun pod Mk-41
Practice
Mk 76
Mk 106
ATM-45
ATM-65
AIM-9/MDU-26/A
nearing the enel of its operational career.
While the A3D was large and sufficient
room remained for the hose and reel, the
kyhawk's diminutive size made internal
incorporation of such a system impossible
without ruining its most precious attrib-
ute. Heinemann's solution was to add the
capability externally; hence, the D-704.
Rumour holds that this elesign was
sketched by Heinemann on a napkin.
sing a hose and drogue assembly and
itself carrying 300 US gallons (1,135
litl'es) of fuel, the Skyhawk could now
serve in the tanker role for other aircraft.
The D-704 permitted the -4 to transfer
all external fuel and half of its internal
fuel load for a total off-load capability of
1,300 US gallons (4,920 litres). By u ing
a small impeller, the D-704 provided it
own power source independent of the
aircraft for the pump anel hose reel line.
According to reports, an A-4 with this
design. At first, the engineer experi-
men ted by add ing the refuell ing probe
beneath the starboard wing just outboard
of the undercarriage fairing. That location
was subsequently changed to the starboard
fuselage nose for production models, with
the probe adeling less than a foot to the
aircraft's overall length.
At about the same time as the refuelling
probe experiments, Ed Heinemann devel-
oped the D-704 buddy-store which, when
mounted to the Skyhawk's centreline sta-
tion, allowed for the refuelling of other air-
craft at the off-load transfer rate of 200
S gallons (755 litres) per minute. This
system was developed in response to the
avy's suggestion that Douglas explore
modifying both the kywarrior and
kyhawk to add in-flight refuelling capa-
bilities. The 1avy fully appreciated the
fact that a replacement was neeeleel as the
fleet's primary tanker, the A J avage, was
----
MARINES
VMA-224
MCAS EI Toro's VMA-224 'Bengals' were the first US Marine Corps squadron to transition to the MD-l. The
'Bengals' flew the Skyhawk for nearly ten years before transitioning to the all-weather Grumman A-6A
Intruder. US Navy via author
A4D-2jA-4B
Even before deliveries of the 4D-I were
completed, plans were being elrawn for the
follow-on A4D-2 that woulel improve the
kyhawk's range and upgrade its naviga-
tional systems. In fact, production of the
D4-2 began parallel with that of the
4D-1. The two principal modifications
affecting range were the aeldition of an in-
flight refuelling apability, and increasing
the external fuel carriage by the addition
of 300 US gallon (1,135 litre) Aero-I drop
tanks. This factor was significant, because
with all three pylons sporting 300 US
gallon tanks, a total of 1,695 U gallons
(6,410 litres) of usable fuel could be
carried.
Externally, the A4D-2 differed from it
predecessor by the in tallation of the refu-
elling probe anel the incorporation of the
so-called 'inside-out' or 'tad-pole' rudder
anel subsequent aircraft that guns were
installed. Installation of the guns also
reduced the overall maximum external
load by 450lb (204kg). The guns were not
reliable and the ammunition store too
small. 'The A-4's 20mm guns were basi-
cally an afterthought added early on anel
they simply didn't carry enough ammuni-
tion. This was due, of course, to the guns'
location in the no e and the limiteel space
for the ammo boxes.' 10 pace requirements
for subsequent ECM gear install I during
the Vietnam War reeluced the 10 round
loael even further.
A to their accuracy, Krueger explained,
'while the 20mms were good for strafing,
they were not very accurate, especially with
the iron sight. We had no lead computing
sights; those were aelded by the foreign pur-
chaser. That doesn't mean we elidn't get
proficient with the sight, but it was elefi-
nitelya learneel technique'll Krueger fur-
ther commenteel, 'I think the problem with
the gun is be t highlighted by the fact that
most of the foreign users, especially the
Israelis and others, immediately put in their
own gun and lead-computing sight'.12
The three hardpoints alloweel carriage
of a variety of weapons, including Mk 80
series iron bombs, mines, rockets, anel spe-
cial weapons of the Mk 7, -8, and -12 class.
ome sources also lit the Mk 91 nuclear
weapon. The centreline pylon, rated at
3,S751b (I,625kg), contained a four-hook
type bomb rack capable of using either
14in (35cm) or 30in (75cm) suspension.
The wing pylons, numbers one and three,
were rated at 1,2001b (545kg) each, and
featured two-hook ejection racks limited
to 14in (35cm) suspension.
A total of 165 A4D-ls were built with
the model eeing service in eighteen US
avy and Marine Corps squadrons. The
V -72 'Blue Hawks', an East oast squad-
ron that previously operated F9F Panthers,
were the fir t avy squadron to receive
the A4D-I was V -72 'Blue Hawk '; and
VMA-2l1 'Wake Island Avengers'
became the first U Marine Corps unit.
The first West oast squadron to receive
the aircraft was VA-93 'Blue Blazers' who
also made the A4D-l's first cruise aboard
U S Ticonderoga in eptember 1957.
When the AD-l were phased out of fleet
operations, some used for replacement
training were redesignated as T A-4As, a
move which some have proposed occurred
to reduce the apparent attack inventory so
that more aircraft could be procured for the
war in Vietnam.
5.00in Zuni
19 x 2.75in FFAR
7 x 2.75in FFAR
19 x 2.75in FFAR
Ejection racks/launches
Aero 7A (wing station)
Aero 10D
Aero 20
TER (Triple Ejection Rack)
MER (Multiple Ejection Racks)
LAU-7/A (AIM-9 launch rail)
LUU-I2B/B (rocket launcher)
nally mounted avPac. A five-position
IFF ('off, 'stdby', 'low', 'norm', 'emer-
gency') was provieled by the APX-6B IFF
transponder and APA-89 identification
coeler and operated on a simple 'challenge
anel reply' basis. All navigation and
communications equipment were limited
to line-of-sight range.
Armament was simple. Two forward-
firing Colt Mk \2 Moel 0 2 mm cannons
were nestled in each wing-root complete
with 10 rounds of ammunition for each
gun housed in rotating drums to ease
fe ding and minimize potential for gun
jams. The Mk 12 guns, although limited
in their ammunition capacity, could fire
simultaneously at the rate of 1,000 rounds
per minute in short bursts. Of all the
kyhawk's sy tems, few have recei ved as
much criticizm a the cannons. orne have
commented that the guns were an after-
thought and this seems to be borne out
by company documents which show that
it was not until Bu os 137817, 137 32
Special Weapons
B-43
B-57
B-61
Mines - Destructor Series
Mk-36
Non-combat stores
Aero 1D 150, 300, 400 US gallon tanks
D-704 refuelling store
SUU-40/44 flare dispenser
Mk 24/25 paraflare
LB-18A camera pod
Mk-12 spray tank
Rockets
LAU-l0/A
LAU-61/A
LAU-68/A
LAU-69/A
Aero 6D
LDGP
Snakeye I
LDGP/LGB
Snakeye II
LDGP/LGB
LDGP/LGB
250lb
250lb
500lb
500lb
1000lb
1000lb
Bombs
Mk 81
Mk 81
Mk 82
Mk 82
Mk 83
Mk 84
Other Munitions
Mk 77 napalm
Mk 79
Mk 20 Rockeye II
CBU-72/B FAE
CBU-59/A APAM
Guided bombs/missiles
AGM-12 Bullpup (a/g)
AGM-62 Walleye (a/g)
AGM-65 Maverick (a/g)
AGM-45 Shrike (ARM
AGM-78 Standard (ARM)
AIM-9 Sidewinder (a/g)
Aero 14/B smoke
radio. Operating in the 225 to 399 mega-
cycle frequency range, the ARC-27A
could transmit or receive using the same
antenna on any of l,750 channels. A total
of twenty channels could be preset.
A 'guard' pre et was adeled beginning
with Bu o. 137 32. Manual frequency
selection was accomplished by three dial,
with the outer dial controlling the first
two digits, the middle dial controlling
the third digit, and the innermost dial
selecting the eligits to the right of the
decimal point. VHF radio communica-
tions using the RN-14E omni-range
radio could be attained by adding an
external navigation package (NavPac)
mounted on the centre pylon.
avigation equipment included the
A IARA-2S automatic direction finder
anel the -2 gyro yn compass system. The
AR -12 marker beacon, which allowed a
pilot to check the aircraft's relative posi-
tion by referencing a specifieel beacon
station, coulel also be carried in the exter-
36
37
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
An early production MD-1 modified for in-flight refuelling takes on fuel from an AD Skyraider. Notice the
location of the Skyhawk's refuelling probe stemming from the right wing-root. This location was initially
tried, but the fuselage mount proved more practical. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
810
957
1105
1105
1104
1251
1399
1399
1400
1547
1695
1695
A-4 Fuel Quantity Data (US gallonsl
Fuel Tanks Usable Unusable Expansion Total
Fuel Fuel - level Space Volume
flight
Integral wing tank 570 6 9 585
Fuselage tank 240 0 0 240
LH/RH wing (external tank)
150 US gallon 147 2 150
300 US gallon 147 2 150
Centreline tank (external)
150 US gallon 147 2 150
300 US gallon 147 2 150
& refuelling store
Tanks Total Fuel
This MD-1 has a Douglas-designed 0-704 refuelling store on its centreline. The
feature was later added to the A4D-2 . Douglas Aircraft Co. via Aerospace Publications
Usable Fuel Total Combination (US gallons)
Fuselage, wing
Fuselage, wing, (150) centre drop
Fuselage, wing, (300) centre drop
Fuselage, wing, (300) air refuelling store
Fuselage, wing, two (150) wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (150) centre, two (1501 wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (3001 centre, two (1501 wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (300) air refuelling store
Fuselage, wing, two (300) wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (150) centre, two (3001 wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (300) centre, two (3001 wing rack drop
Fuselage, wing, (300) air refuelling store, two (3001 wing rack drop
TA AN became compatible in frequency
and the problem disappeared.
Armaments were enhanced by the
installation of an improved bomb sight
and the incorporation of the Martin
Company's AGM- J2 Bullpup rocket-
powered, radio-guided missile. The AGM-
12, which could ~ e carried by all three
stations, now allowed kyhawk pilots to
have a limited stand-off capability against
surface targets on land and at sea.
Introduced to the fleet on 2S April 1959
as the AGM-12A, the Bullpup was
originally made with a 250lb warhead. Its
stand-off range was approximately 7 miles
(I I kin). The Bullpup-B, which became
available in 1965, had a larger, 1,0001b
warhead and a slightly longer range. Both
missiles suffered one drawback - the pilot
had to maintain a teady dive trajectory
from altitudes up to 1O,000ft (3,OOOm)
after release in order to guide the missile,
thus making himself a target. This became
even more of a concern with the di 'covery
of orth Vietnamese A-2 AM sites in
1965.
An air-to-air capability was also added
for carrying the AIM-9 Sidewinder. This
would later prove valuable as A-4Bs,
and later A-4Cs, would provide a limi-
ted air defence capability for the avy's
A n t i - S u ~ marine Carriers (CVS) during
the middle 1960s. These Skyhawks
served primarily with VSF-I and VSF-3
and with some VA and VMA squadrons
as four-plane Oet .
U Essex (CV 9) would become the
first V to deploy with kyhawks in the
air defence role. In J961, twelve A40-2 s
from VA-34 squadron joined Essex's
CVSG-60 for a nineteen-day deployment
that saw A-4s, in a tribute to their versa-
tility, amas a total of 76 flight hour
and SI2 traps. V F squadrons generally
consisted of four A-4s and were to serve in
a limited strike and air defence role.
Although V F-J and -3 deployed with
several carrier units, only V F-3 saw com-
bat during the Vietnam War with Air
Wing 10 aboard U S Intrepid (CVS II)
during 1967. VA-I13 Oet. Q saw combat
during its stint aboard S Bennington
(CV 20) during 1965 as did VA-IS3 Oet.
R aboard U Kearsage ( VS 33), and
VMA-223 Oet. T aboard USS Yorktown
(CV 10). H&M -IS Oet. N served
aboard USS Hornet (CVS 12). These
unit, and the need to provide air defence
for the A W carriers soon passed, when,
in 1972, the carrier air wing (CV) concept
simplistic 'go/no go' indicators for oil
temperature and oil pressure, which were
replaced by dials.
Communications were enhanced
through the installation of an angled
HF aerial slightly behind the cockpit
canopy, an AN/A -19A dead reckon-
ing computer system, and an /AR -21
TACAN. A single point pressurized
fuelling system was also added, as was a
dual hydraulic system, in part to correct
perceived deficiencies with the A40-I's
original design. The addition of the
T ACAN was welcomed for marine opera-
tions but sometimes led to difficulties
when Skyhawks operated over land. Land-
based facilities had y t to adopt T ACA
stations and relied instead on Omni,
o any ero s-country flight had to use
visual navigation. Eventually, Omni and
flight control ystems were added and the
rear undercarriage strengthened to allow
the kyhawk to increase its maximum
manoeuvre limit to 7g at maximum speed.
To give the flight control systems proper
'feel', bungee springs were used in parallel
with the pilot's controls. The cockpit wa
likewise modified to improve pilot scan
and to the readability of certain instru-
ments and gauges which were too small
and, therefore, hard to see. Some of these
deficiencies were discovered during night
flights by units operating the A40-1.
Other changes were prompted to cure
deficiencies in the Alpha. For example,
on the original model the tailpipe temper-
ature gauge on Iy registered temperatures
of 450-SS0c. This led to a false impres-
sion of a flame-out when the engine was
in 'idle'. Also problematic were the overly
buddy-store system "aved' its first fellOlv
aircraft during the 0-704's maiden deploy-
ment with VA-12. This capability would
later prove significant during the Vietnam
War when A-4s frequently provided emer-
gency tanking.
From a performance standpoint, the
A40-2 received the slightly improved -16
version of the Wright J65, providing
7,7001b (3,500kg) of thrust. This version
was later up-rated to the W -18 standard of
8,5001b (3,860kg) thrust in some A-4s.
These benefits were somewhat lost, how-
ever, as the additional equipment added to
the variant increased empty weight from
8,4001b (3,810kg) to 9,1401b (4,14Skg)
Surprisingly, this resulted in a loss in max-
imum peed of only 3mph (Skm/h).
Most of the other major modifications
were internal. For example, fully powered
38 39
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The A-4 as a Tanker
An early A-4B without squadron marking or the
refuelling probe. Notice the 'tad-pole' rudder,
which became standard in all future models.
Boeing Co. via author
When the A-4B was in its early production, Douglas was approached by the
Navy about the possibility of adding an in-flight refuelling capability to the
Skyhawk so that it could serve an auxiliary role as a fleet tanker. The Navy
had realized that its fleet tanker, the A J Savage, was quickly ageing and
that a replacement was needed. Douglas, particularly Ed Heinemann,
initially scoffed at the idea because it meant possibly altering the aircraft's
weight or performance envelope. Unlike the A3D Skywarrior, which was
large enough to house an internal reel and drogue system, the Skyhawk
was short on space and if an internal design was sought, something would
have to be sacrificed.
Douglas eventually came up with an external refuelling mount, called the
Aero 1D, or D-704, that could be suspended from the centreline pylon. Using
an aerodynamic shape and a self-powered impeller, the D-704 store
contained a 300 US gallon (1,136 litre) fuel cell, a constant speed ram air-
driven hydraulic pump, and a hydraulically operated nose reel. 50ft (15.2m)
of hose was also provided, with a collapsible drogue. The D-704 off-loaded
fuel at a rate of 200 US gallons (756 litres) per minute. With the Skyhawk
carrying two 300 US gallon tanks, plus the store, a total of 1,300 US gallons
(4,920 litresl could be transferred, basically one half of the A-4's total fuel.
The D-704-equipped A-4 gave air wing commanders more flexibility in
composing strike packages as the tanking element could now fly a similar
profile to the rest of the strike force. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, it
was common for D-704-totting Skyhawks to fly along with strike groups,
refuel the Skyhawks, then return to the carrier, with another tanker A-4
meeting the strike group on the in-bound leg. During the Vietnam War,
tanker operations for A-4s were more limited, with much of the mission
tanking performed by AD Skyraiders, A-3 Skywarriors, and KA-6D Intruders.
The A-4 was a good, but limited tanker. We used it around the boat a lot for
emergency tanking or for launch/recovery operations or when the Whales (A-3s1
were either busy or down. On Ranger and Enterprise, we typically kept a
Skyhawk with a store ready in case we needed something. In the early 1960s, for
nuclear strike profiles, we routinely used an A-4 tanker which would accompany
the strike aircraft. As far out on the profile as possible, maximum fuel would be
transferred to the strike aircraft, leaving the tanker just enough gas to get back
to the boat, and the strike bird would proceed on its mission. Sometimes another
tanker would catch us on the egress and top us off for our home stretch. But
that couldn't be counted on and wasn't built into the mission profile.
But the Skyhawk had its limitations as a tanker. It simply couldn't give
enough fuel for the gas-guzzling F-4 and F-B aircraft that operated with
afterburners and also burned a lot of fuel at lower altitudes. An A-4 could only
give these birds enough for one or two extra passes at the boat before they'd
need another drink.
Sometimes we'd launch an A-4 if the A-3 tanker needed to come aboard.
The A-4 would launch and take up position overhead until the A-3 was ready.
Then after the Whale was airborne, the Skyhawk would transfer the balance of
its fuel before landing so that the Whale was topped off and ready to go'3
Overall, having the ability to use the A-4 as a tanker was a convenient
option for air wing commanders.
40
This TA-4 aboard USS
Lexington (CV 16)
demonstrates how the
refuelling probe permits
crews to 'hot refuel' a
Skyhawk. Harry Gann
Here, an A-4C from VA-216 refuels a VF-31 F-4B overhead USS Saratoga lev 60) while she steams in the
Mediterranean Sea. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
47
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
THE SCOOT R COMES TO LIFE
Only two squadrons flew the A-4B in Vietnam; VA-15 and VA-95 aboard USS Intrepid ICV 11). These two Bravos, piloted by lt Cdr G. l. Sagehorn USN, and lt Bill
lams USNR, are en route to the Thanh Hoa Bridge in September 1966. Capt Walter Ohlrich USN Ret
A ground view of MD-2 BuNo. 175538 displaying its straight refuelling probe. Two 150 US gallon (568 litre) fuel tanks hang from stations one and three and a
navigation package (NAVPAC) hangs from the centreline station. The NAVPAC contained an AN/ARN-14E omni-range receiver for directional homing and an
AN/ARN-12 marker beacon receiver. Both were helpful for cross-country flights where TACAN navigation was unavailable. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
~ ~ : : : : ' : ; ~ : : - ~ ~ ~ = - - - ~ ~ : : : : : : : : J
- ~ -
---- --
-- -
7Z
This A-4B, seen at lakehurst in 1972, has a '7Z' tail code, which means it belongs to a Reserve Air Wing.
Stephen H. Miller via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
An A-4B from VA-12 aboard USS Essex (CV 9) sits with a 'shape' on the tarmac at a gunnery meeting at NAF EI Centro. Its fighter counterpart, the Douglas F40
Skyray sits off behind the Skyhawk's nose. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
42
43
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
A-4Bs flew with many of the anti-submarine carriers. such as the Skyhawk pictured here belonging to USS Kearsage (CVS 331. Armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-
to-air missiles. these Skyhawks provided combat air patrol for the air group's Trackers and Tracers. Featured here is a VA-23 A-4B from CVSG-53.
US Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
THE SOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The Mk 11 pod-mounted gun became operational in 1959 and offered Skyhawk pilots a step-up from their
internal Mk 12 cannons. Developed by industrialist/flier Howard Hughes, the Mk 11 fired 4,000 rounds per
minute and was used primarily for ground-attack missions. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
Navy and Marine Corps
Skyhawks are parked on the
ramp at MCAS Yuma. Arizona
during the Fourth Annual Naval
Air Weapons Meet in December
1959. In addition to the
Skyhawks, a squadron of
Chance Vought F-B Crusaders
appear in the back row. Boeing
Historical Archives via Harry Gann
44
was introduced and rhe ASW mission was
consolidared wirh rhe large deck carrier.
Firsr flown by Douglas test pilot Drury
Wood on 26 March 1956, service deliv-
eries of the A4D-2 to the Marine Corps
(VMA-21I) began in September J957,
ami to the avy (VA-12) at A Cecil
Ficld, Florida in February 1958. VA- J2
flew the initial squadron test flight with
the new 300 U gallon (1,135 lirre)
external fuel tanks and also pioneered
night-rime air-to-air refuelling using the
D-704.
Over its producrion run, a total of 542
were built. As wirh rhe A4D-Is, many of
rhe A4D-2s were relegated to training
roles with the Reserve quadrons and
redesignated T A-4Bs, alrhough no phy -
ical changes were made to rhe aircrafr.
Irhough ome T A-4As did serve with
the Reserves, the programme did not
really garher steam until the T A-4B was
introduced into the reserve ranks.
A4D-3
The A4D-3 represented a Douglas design
intended to satisfy a 1957 Navy require-
men t for a new 'srare-of-rhe-art' Iigh t
attack aircrafr capable of travelling greater
disrances rhrough adverse weather and
rerrain. Douglas proposed rhe addirion of
new avionics to meet the all-weather
requirement and sub tirurion of the more
efficient Pratt & Whirney J52 engine in
place of rhe Wrighr J65 (being developed
for the Grumman -6A Inrruder).
nfortunately for rhe avy, rhe design
never made ir pa t the mock-up stage.
While orders were let for development of
four of the e varianrs and BuNos reserved
for ix more, rising co t as ociated wirh
rhe new avionics and rhe new engine
ultimately led ro its cancellation. What
resulred from this, however, was a compro-
mise, the A4D-2 (A-4C), which, while
adding a sophisri ated autopilot, a Low-
45
Altitude Bombing System (LABS), a
terrain clearance radar, and an angle-of-
atta k indicating system, still retained the
less powerful J65 engine.
A4D-2N/A-4C
The introduction of the A4D-2 , later
redesignated the A-4C in 1962, saw some
of rhe mosr ignificant upgrades to the
ba cline kyhawk, complere wirh the
revamping of approximarely J 5 per cent
of rhe aircrafr's srructure. A primary
impetus for the A-4C was rhe avy' late
195 requirement for greater range and
an all-wearher, adverse terrain capabiliry,
which had led Douglas to pursue rhe A4D-
3 variant in rhe firsr insrance.
Many of the technologic supporting rhe
4D-3 were adopred by rhe A4D-2 IA-
4 design, and, rogeth I' with improved
avionics, gave the Skyhawk its first, albeit
THE SCOOTER OMES TO LIFE
THE SOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The A-4D designation was skipped to avoid possible confusion with the
earlier MD designation.
Mode Short Long
SRCH 20 miles/32.2km 40 miles/64.4km
TIC 10 miles/16km 20 miles/32.2km
NG 15,OOOyd/13,716m 15,OOOyd/13,716m
The NG mode required a 10 degree or better dive before surface lock-on
could be achieved.
In search mode, vertical beam width measured approximately 5 degrees
with a 60 degree azimuth and could be scanned up or down. Targets
appeared on the scope as bright yellow-green spots; surfaces such as
water appeared darker. The result was a map-like display that was linear in
range but distorted in azimuth by a factor inversely proportional to range.
Terrain-clearance plan mode provided information for avoiding an
obstacle laterally, by going around it, profile mode permitted pilots to avoid
it horizontally, by going over the top. By using the plan and profile modes in
comparison, pilots could evaluate whether they wished to change either
their heading or their altitude to avoid the upcoming obstacle. When in the
NG mode, the scope depicted the distance to the ground directly ahead of
the aircraft. As the bar line moved from the top of the display down to the
aircraft's relative position marker, the ground became closer. A-4 aircraft
reworked per AFC 318 (incorporating the Walleye capabilityl, contained an
APG-53B, which offered a television mode for Walleye guidance. Other
aircraft, reworked per A-4 AFC 395, used an IP-906A (Sonyl television scope
in place of the APG-53A radar scope.
47
The APG-53 Radar
A-4C Cutaway Drawing
The Westinghouse APG-53A radar was added to the A-4 to provide a limited
all-weather, terrain-clearance radar system to help pilots navigate through
bad weather and mountainous terrain. Incorporated with the A-4C model,
the APG-53A required a small modification of the nose cone in order to
accommodate the system, and, thus, provides an easy way of distinguishing
the Charlie from the earlier A-4A and -B.
Search and mapping capabilities were provided for navigational purposes
and two modes of terrain-clearance for obstacle avoidance in the azimuth or
elevation plane. Although an air-to-ground slant range mode for weapons
delivery was provided, there was no automatic fire control system. Dperating
on a 115-vac, 3-phase, 400-cps power, the APG-53A had four operations
modes: standby, search, terrain-clearance, and slant range. B-scope presen-
tation was utilized for the search mode, while slant range mode presented as
a vertical sweep range bar. In the terrain-clearance mode, the B-scope pre-
sentation was used for 'plan' (looking level along the flight pathlo and the
E-scope presentation used for 'profile' (looking at the obstacle's profilel.
Located on the right-hand console (except for aircraft reworked per A-4
AFC 387, which was on the left), the control panel contained an elevation
switch, mode selector, angle-of-attack compensation toggle, and an aural-
tone warning volume control. Manual elevation was possible from +10 to
-15 degrees with respect to the zero elevation position.
A two-position range selector switch provided long and short range,
which depended on the mode being used.
This cutaway drawing of the A-4C reveals several interesting features. Most notable is the three
spar wing design with 560 US gallon (2,120 litrel integral fuel tank, or 'wet wing' design. Fuel was
also stored in a 240 US gallon (908 litrel fuselage tank located between the cockpit and engine.
Also interesting are the innovative inlet ducts, one on each side of the fuselage, through which air
flowed to the J65-W-16A engine. A long cylindrical tailpipe can be seen stemming aft from the
engine. The nose cone section reveals the compact APG-53A radar immediately in front of the
AN/ASO-17 integrated electronics package. The nose cone is hinged to open upward. Visible just
aft of the canopy is the AN/ARC-27A UHF radio antenna, with the cylinder behind it being the
fuselage tank fill cap. via Harry Gann
I wm, leauing a uivision of A-4Cs to join with a
night of Spaus (A-Is) in hitting a narrow roau
choke-point in the mounmins on the 110 Chi
Minh trail. We had to ny south of the DMZ
then north in Th"i1and and L"os, since we
weren't allowed to ny across North Vietnam,
although we hau already been bombmg them.
After tanking, we were ",pposed to proceed anu
rende:vous at the target with the Spads - who
had launcheu a couple hours earlier. The A-I s
were to crarer the road, while the A-4s were to
split into sections and drop CBUs on both "des.
The weather was lerrible ... rain ... low ceil-
ing... low viz; there no way for to know
where we were at visually. I turned on my APC-
S3 and started lIsing terrain clearance mode,
trying to smy ahove the lOpS of the mountains.
We new for what seemed like forever and I was
we were in China, but we prc>.,scd Oil, try'
A-4A
A-4B
(not producedl
(not producedI
A-4C
A-4E
Using this new system, the AD Skyraider became the A-1, the A J
Savage became the A-2, the A3D became the A-3 Skywarrior, and the MD
Skyhawk became the A-4, with the following sub-designations or models:
MD-1
MD-2
MD-3
MD-4
MD-2N
MD-5
46
1962 Aircraft Redesignation
an interesting piece of gear. The radar was
suppa ed to help pilots to find targets while
performing nuclear strikes in bad weather
or with the thermal hood up. Few Vietnam-
era pilots remember ever using it and some
units got rid of the radar for weight and
maintenance reasons. As for the terrain-
clearance radar - pilot commented that it
was 'really too simple to fly that way'l
kyhawk pilots flying night recce missions
in Vietnam rarely relied on the APG-53A.
However, use of radar was typically a
squadron-by-squadron decision. 'I n VA-
94' Capt Krueger explained, 'we tried to
use it where possible and we had mainte-
nance people trained on fixing it'.14
Indeed, Krueger recalls one mission over
Laos in 1965 where the APG-53A became
a life-saver:
On 18 September 1962, the US military adopted a new system of designating
aircraft, based to some extent on that used by the US Air Force. The
change, said to have occurred because Defense Secretary Robert S.
McNamara had become confused when discussing the F4D Skyray and the
F4H Phantom, brought all services under a uniform designation standard.
Prior to that time the Navy used a system whereby the first letter
designated the class, the number represented the plane's number in the
series, and the last number designated the numerical sequence with that
mission. 'A' stood for 'attack: 'F' stood for 'fighter: and so forth. Thus, the
designation MD-1 meant that the Skyhawk aircraft was the fourth 'attack'
aircraft manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, first numerical
sequence in the mission.
This artist's rendition depicts the A4D-3, which
Douglas proposed to meet the Navy's requirement
for a long-range, all-weather attack capability. Due
to the high cost of developing this proposal, none
were built, although the engine and some of the
avionics later appeared in the A-4C. Four such
Skyhawks were ordered (BuNos 145157 to 145156),
and BuNos for six more reserved, but the order was
cancelled. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
limited, all-weather, night-attack capabil-
ity. Key to these avionics upgrade was
the Westinghouse APG-53A terrain-
clearance radar, which had been specially
designed by the US Navy Avionics facility
in Indianapoli , Indiana. This remarkably
lightweight radar, weighing only 90lb
(40.8kg), operated in four mode', provid-
ing ba ic search, air-to-ground ranging,
and two terrain-clearance modes (plan/
profile). 0 fire-control radar features were
provided. The radar had a total range of 40
miles (65km) and an elevation of +10 to
-15 degree off level flight. To accommo-
date the radar and additional electronics/
avionics, the nose was lengthened by 9in
(22.9cm), a feature that distinguished the
A4D-Z from earlier models.
According to pilots, the APG-53A was
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE TH
This VA-12 A-4C wears markings from its time with CVW-1 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 421. The
'Flying Ubangis' operated from the carrier from 1961 until 1968 and later transitioned to the A-7 Corsair II.
VA-12 had two Vietnam cruises. the first with the Echo and the second with the Charlie. US Navy via author
This A-4C production line
photograph from the Douglas
Palmdale plant highlights the
extended nose-cone which
contains the APG-53A radar.
Boeing Historical Archives via
Harry Gann
Visible in this photo is the windshield wiper
installed on the A-4C model. Here, a Skyhawk is
towed to a catapult on USS Hornet (CVS 121. LI Cdr
Rick Burgess USN ReId
ing [0 keep track of our altitude and make ,ure
we weren't going ro hit the hdb. I wa, thinking
'we'll ne\'er find those pads"
Just then I looked off [0 the right and saw a
hreak, then a road, and figured, 'thi:-, 1ll11:'lt he il'.
When we pulled out of the overcast we were
right in a valley and there were the Spad" ju"
where they were ,uppmed [0 he. The two ,ec-
tions nfSkyhawks [Ook the hdl, on either "de of
the mad with the CB s [0 keep down any AAA
'IS the pad, [Ook out the madway with homhs.
Timing and coordination worked like a charm!
But without that radar [0 keep us above the hill
[01" we would have never found the Spack';
Krucgcr addcd, ' ... as a naviga[ion aid,
[hc radar provided no big picture like
[hose of wday, juS[ enough resolU[ion that
wc could find a landmark, likc an island,
or an inlct, or a river'.16
In addition to d.c APG-53A, mher
avionics wcrc includcd to assist thc
kyhawk pitm in instrumcnt-only AighL
A new autopitm, made by Douglas, was
installcd, as wa- thc AA -19 countcr-
drum airspccd indicator, an A lAP -141
radar altimeter, an angle-of-anack indi-
cating systcm, and the IPP-446/APG-53A
radar indicator scopc. Togc[hcr, d.csc sys-
[ems increased [he basic a v i o n i c ~ package
wcigh[ from 150 to 3951b (6 to 179kg),
which contribu[cd w [he ovcrall cmpty
weigh[ of 9,72 Ib (4,400kg).
The cockpit dcsign was funhcr rcvised w
allow a bcncr scan of Aigh[ ins[rumcnts and
sevcral new gauges werc added, such as a
Mach-me[cr wid. airspccd indica[or, a ver-
[ical speed indicawr, an acceleromctcr, and
a new Bearing-Diswnce-Heading lndicawr
(BDHI). Thc A IA]B-3 all-al[i[LIdc rcfer-
cncc sys[cm (called 'abba-jabba' by many
pitO[S and crcws), wid, an added Low-
Al[iwde Warning Sys[cm (LAWS), also
included in [he upgrade, providcd [hc pitm
wi[h a vi ual rcpresenta[ion of d.c aircrafe
pi[ch, role, and heading u ing a minimure
rcfcrcnce aircrafL A modificd cjenion sea[,
the Escapac I A-I, wj[h i[s gremer e cape
envelope, was also made pan of [he A4D-
2N. Communica[ions equipment r mained
basically [he same as wid. [he A-4B,
ald.ough a ]ulie[ 2 secured (encrnxed)
voicc uansmincr was inswllcd.
[ressing [he expanding conventional
role planned for [he -4, weapons deliv-
cry was cnhanced by the addi[ion of [he
TPQ-IO ground control blind bombing
sys[cm, a ncw gunsigh[, and a Loft
Bombing Sys[em (LBS). Armaments werc
funher cnhanccd by [hc addi[ion of a lim-
i[cd hrikc missile capabiti[y for u c
against enemy radars. The hrike, desig-
nated a d.c AGM-45A, was the earlics[
form of [he An[i-Radia ion Missile
(ARM). I[ carried a 1451b (65.7kg) blas[
fragmenta[ion warhead and fea[LIrcd a sin-
glc burn, [hcn la[cr a doublc burn, cnginc.
One significant drawback of [he mi ile,
howevcr, was d.c fan d.m d,c hrikc
rcquired an anive radar linc; if [he si[c
shu[ down, [he mis ile could nm remem-
bcr where w go and went 'dead'. This
downfall would cvcnwally lead w d.e
development of [he advanced AGM-8
HARM, which is csscntially a 'firc and for-
gC[' anti-radia[ion mi sileo
One of [he mos[ interes[ing addi[ions [Q
thi variant was [he General Elenric
TPQ-IO blind-bombing system. sed
hcavily by d.c Marinc Corps uni[s operm-
ing in Soud. Vicmam, [his sys[cm allowed
weapons w bc rcleascd auwma[ically by
ground con[rollcrs in bad wea[her condi-
[ions or a[ nigh L To accompl ish [his fea[,
wrge[ data would be fed to [he TPQ com-
pU[cr, along wid. thc A-4's airspccd, alti-
tudc, and the [ype of wcapons carricd, w
dew'mine [he prccise launch poinL As [he
bomb run commcnccd, d.c A-4 pilm
would Sc[ [hc bombing scqucncc swi[ch,
line up [he aircraf[ on targe[, and cngage
[he auwpilm. ing radio ignals, [he con-
[roller would [hen make final dircctional
correnions and release die weapons. The
TPQ-IO sys[cm was widcly used and cs[i-
ma[es place d.c numbcr of TPQ-con-
[rollcd runs a[ 31 per ccn[ of all Marine
comba[ sonics (equalling 4,993 sonies)
during [he las[ quancr of 1966.
From a performance perspeni vc, [he
A-4C received an up-ra[ed W-2 [LIrbo-
48 49
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
This power problem was later cured by
the -E and -F models.
The A-4C was produced in the larg t
number, with some 63 eventually pro-
duced for the avy and Marine orps,
and, at it high point, equipped some
twenty-three avy and nine Marine Corps
squadrons. Initial fleet deliveries were
made to Marine quadron VMA-225 at
M A herry Point, outh Carolina, in
March 1960, and to VA-In in May,
repla ing their older FJ-4B Furies. Inter-
estingly, the A-4C was the first Skyhawk
model to be built at the new Douglas fac-
tory at Long Beach, and was the model in
production when the DoD announced its
aircraft redesignation system in 1962. A-
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
4Cs saw the bulk of the early action in
Vietnam, serving with twenty-nine avy
attack and eleven Marine Corps VMA
quadrons over the course of the war. Two
squadrons, VA-12 and VA-72 aboard US
ShangJ';-La, continued to fly the A-4C as
late a 1970.
The Army Looks at
the 'Hawk'
Of particular interest to the -C model was
Douglas's promotion of a modified A4D-
2N for the US Army's 1961 close air
support contract, called the Model 840.
Due to a growing la k of interest by the
SAF, now eparated from the Army, in
the close air upport role, the Army was
looking for its own aircraft to fill that slot,
and one that could perform the job in
unimproved forward-operating areas.
Douglas quickly responded to that need
by taking two A4D-2 s, Bu os 14 483
and 148490, and modifying them to Army
requirements. These modification, under-
taken at the El Segundo factory, included
revising the landing gear to add twin main
wheels for better hand ling on rough
ground, constructing modified underwing
fairings, and the installation of a 24ft
(7.3m) diameter drag chute taken from
the Douglas A3D Skywarrior. These revi-
sions were accomplished in just two weeks.
A member of VA-46 squadron from NAS Cecil Field poses with typical Skyhawk
ordnance. Included in this arsenal are standard 20mm ammunition. Mk 80 series
2501b. 500lb, and 1.000lb bombs, Zuni rockets, AGM-12 Bullpups. AIM-9
Sidewinders, 2.75in rockets, and Mk 84 2,000lb bombs. On the Skyhawk are 300
US gallon (1,135 litre) fuel tanks and a buddy-store. US Navy via Aerospace
Publications
JATO bottles, shown here being readied by a US Marine. were used frequently
at the Marine base in Chu Lai. Vietnam. The bottles provided added thrust to
enable the Skyhawk to take off from a shortened runway.
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
50
jet, which delivered ,3001b (3,76 kg)
thrust at 'MIL' (102 per cent) and 7,4001b
(3,360kg) thrust at 100 per cent. This
provided more than enough power to
compensate for the increased weight of
the upgrade. Indeed, weight wa now
becoming less significant with the advent
of refuelling brought on by the A4D-2
and as engines became more powerful and
efficient. The W-20 increased the
Skyhawk's rate-of-climb to nearly 7,500ft
(2,330m) per minute and overall range to
1,139 miles 0, 45km). Although this
engine hailed a significant improvement
over the W- J6, it was still considered by
Vietnam pilots to be an under-powered
airframe. Lt John G. Kuchinski, a signed
to VA-94 aboard U Hancock in 1967
observed:
II1ce we had A-4Cs, we would c1imh [(1 20-
n,ooo feet and thcn dcscend coming 10 to kecp
our speed up. Thc A-4C engine could not kcep
us, with a full homb load and maneu\,cflng ar
35 knots plus, str<llght and leveLI;
... thc drawhack [(1 thc A-4C was thc undcr-
powcrcd cngll1c and the fact thar we had [(1
carry two 300-gallon drop tanks along with the
bomhs, usually four Mk. 2s. 1 ~
Illustrative of the differences between the variants. an A-4C (left) sits next to an A-4E on the NAS Oceana
flight line with the markings of VA-81 squadron. The immense carriage potential of the five-station Echo is
highlighted when it sits next to the three-station Charlie. In what was probably a disappointment to
squadron members. VA-81 transitioned back to the A-4C from the more capable A-4E in September 1967
before transitioning again to the Chance Vought A-7 Corsair II in May 1970. The 'Sunliners' took the Charlie
on two cruises to the Mediterranean. the first aboard USS Shangri-La lCV 381 and the second aboard the
USS John F. Kennedy lCV 67). US Navy via author
51
I -- - - -- -- - - - - - --- - -
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
Douglas also proposed an A4D-4. which would have had folding wings. a larger fuselage. and seven
hardpoints. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Two A-4s from VMA-332 of the Second Marine Air
Wing (MAW) refuel en route to Rota. Spain. The
two made a non-stop trans-Atlantic crossing. US
Marine Corps via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
An artist's impression of the A-4C Skyhawk
proposed for US Army operations from front-line.
unimproved fields.
Marine Corps A-4 Carrier Deployments (courtesy Mike Weeks)
Squadron Aircrah Modex Carrier/Air Wing Cruise
VMA-225 A4D-2 AK5xx CVA-9/CVG-1O MED
VMA-224 A4D-2 WK8x CVA-62/CVG-7 MED2
VMA-121 A4D-2 VK88xx CVA-43/CVG-15 WESTPAC3
VMA-324 A4D-2 DX6xx CVA-43/CVG-15 WESTPAC'
VMA-225 A4D-2N AK6xx CVA-38/CVG-10 MED
VMA-311 A4D-2 WL8x CVA-41/CVG2 WESTPAC
VMA-225 A-4C CExx CVAN-65/CVG-6 CARIBBEAN5
VMA-324 A-4B AG5xx CVA-62/CVG-7 MED
H&MS-32 A-4B DA40x Det.1 CVS-9/CVSG-60 MED
VMA-214 A-4B WK8x Del. N CVS-12/CVSG-57 WESTPAC
VMA-331 A-4E AJ5xx CVA-59/CVW-8 MED
VMA-223 A-4C WP8x Del. T CVS-10/CVSG-55 WP/SEA
H&MS-15 A-4C YV8x Del. N CVS-12/CVSG-57 WP/SEA
VMA-324 A-4E AG3xx CVA-62/CVW-7 MED
VMA-331 A-4E AG3xx CVA-62/CVW-7 MED
Deployment Dates
08/07/59 - 02/26/60
08/04/60 - 03/03/61
09/19/60 - OS/27/61
09/19/60 - OS/27/61
02/02/61 - 05/15/61
02/15/61 - 09/28/61
10/18/62 - 12/08/62
08/06/63 - 03/04/64
10/01/63 - 12/23/63
10/09/63 - 04/15/64
07/10/64 - 03/13/65
10/23/64 - 05/17/65
08/12/65 - 03/23/66
06/13/66 - 02/01/71
06/23/70 - 01/31/71
Camp titors for this contract included the
orthrop N-lS6 (predecessor to th F-S)
and the Fiat G-91. Neither of these
competing proposals was specially modi-
fied for the fly-off.
After a nine and a half week, Army-
pon ored evaluation, ome of which
took place near Pensacola and A
Jack onville, no contracts were issued, in
part due to the Army's decision to refocus
its efforts on attack hel icopters and the
Air Force' agreement to re-evaluate its
position on close air support. During these
tests, the Skyhawk performed well,
defeating both competitors in the landing
competition, and scoring a 'tic' in the
take-off phase, despite the N-156's after-
burner. Interestingly, this decision by the
Air Force to review the close air support
role ultimately led to the development of
the A-1O Thunderbolt II, which rose to
fame in the 1991 Gulf War.
52 53
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The Replacement Air Group (RAG)
THE SCOOTER COM - TO LIFE
VA-125 served as the west coast A-4 RAG until handing over its duties to VA-I27 in 1970. US Navy via author
Two VA squadrons provided the bulk of Skyhawk pilots for the fleet. VA-44,
located at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, trained all east coast A-4 pilots and VA-
125, at NAS Lemoore, California, trained the west coast pilots. In the early
years, the Grumman TF-9 filled this role. As more A-4s became available
with the newer models entering the fleet, TA-4A/B aircraft made their way
into the training command. A major impetus behind the two-seat TA-4E/F
design was the need for a new weapons and tactics trainer for the
Skyhawk community. Deliveries of this model, which possessed the same
weapons capability as the single-seat Skyhawks, began on 19 May 1966 to
VA-125. With the success of the TA-4F, orders soon came in for a new
dedicated trainer version without a weapons capability, which was dubbed
the TA-4J.
Without question, the methodology and substance of the RAG syllabus
changed drastically with the coming of the Vietnam War in 1965:
When the Vietnam War started we were still training the kids based on Korean
War tactics. And when they got over to Vietnam, everything was a surprise. We
simply weren't teaching them what they needed to know. But, as we learned, as
the word came back from the war, we modified our syllabus and started doing a
great deal better. We would go out and meet the guys coming home and ask
them, 'what have you been doing?' and they'd tell us and we'd incorporate that
into the syllabus. When 1968 and 1969 came around, the people that we were
turning out knew how to do everything that the fleet units were doing on Yankee
Station. These guys were much better going out than we were. Clearly, passing
on what worked made us all better. And that shouldn't be a surprise. The guys in
the fleet were amassing 25ll-300 missions as Lieutenants on their first and
second cruises. There were a lot of these guys, like Tom Brown, 'Boot' Hill, Jim
Busey and a nllmber of others, who would go on to become Admirals."
Capt Thomas Mariner was another Skyhawk pilot familiar with the training
command and how the A-4 impacted that community:
Principally, the Skyhawk was a Navy plane. When a flight student strapped it on,
and that is what you did with the tight cockpit of a Scooter, you knew you were
at last a real part of naval aviation. Not some little safe trainer like the T-34 or T-
2. Men had fought and died (and were still doing so when I first flew TA-4s1 from
the decks of carriers in the A-4. It was a large aircraft for a trainer, sitting well
off the ground as you taxied, with room enough under its wings for bombs. The
aircraft excelled at Navy missions of bombing, strafing, carrier landings and air
combat maneuvering. The skills learned in the Skyhawk were directly translated
to one's future jobs in strike warfare.
The aircraft was relatively simple, but had some characteristics which could
kill you if you ignored NATOPS INaval Aviation Training and Operational
Standard]. So the A-4 was a perfect transition between the trainers of earlier
stages and the Fleet aircraft in a student's future. I do not think I ever met a
Navy pilot that regretted a moment he or she spent in the A-4, even the moments
that scared the hell out of you.20
For the Marine Corps, Skyhawk pilots were trained with VMAT-101 and
VMAT-102 as well as VMT-203.
An A-4C from VA-172 'Blue Blots' refuels an RF-8A from VFP-62 over the Gulf of Tonkin in 1966. The squadron made eleven deployments with the A-4, including two
Vietnam cruises. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
The wing vortex generators fitted to prevent the 'wing drop' problem are clearly visible on the outer wing
sections of this A-4E. Boeing Company via author.
54
---- - --- - -
55
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COM STO LIFE
This A-4E shows its stuff with a full load of Bullpup. Walleye. and Mk 80 series bombs. The more powerful
engine and additional two hardpoints allow it to carry a theoretical load of 9.1551b (4.155kg) of ordnance
and still have enough thrust to get pilots out of jams. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
I'
LA BS was also upgraded to AJ B- 3A stan-
dards. An improved ejection scat, the
Escapac IA-I, was also added, wh ich per-
mitted ejection at zero airspeed/ground
level (zero-zero), ground level at 103.5mph
(167km/h) with a 45 degree roll, inverted
flight e,cape at heights above 320ft (99m)
and speeds over 103.5mph, and wings-
level ejection impact at speeds where the
rate of de 'cent was less than 2,000ft
(62 01) per minute. The 'zero-zero' capa-
bility greatly enhanced a pilot's chances of
a safe ejection during launch malfunctions.
ot commonly reported, some A-4Es
were re-engined with the J52-P- A,
9,30 Ib (4,225kg) thru t engine and
referred to unoffiCially as the' uper Echo',
although no official redesignation occur-
red.
All but eight of the 499 -4Es were
huilt under the pre-1962 A4D-5 designa-
tion system, with production continuing
until April 1966. Although 500 were actu-
climb was an impressive 8,750ft (2,71001)
per minute and its combat radius/mission
time increased to 610 miles (988km) and
215 hours.
Taken together, these twO factors
served to increase overall range by nearly
27 per cent to approximately 1,400 miles
(2,270km) with one ton of ordnance, and
to allow the addition of two additional
outboard wing pylons, numbers one and
five, and rated at 570lb (25 kg) carriage.
These additional hardpoints came at some
cost, however, as the wing structure had
to be reinforced. Yet, the added flexibility
and the total payload capability of,2 Ib
0,725kg) of the five pylons dramatically
increased the kyhawk's potency as a
conventional platform.
Internally, the avionics package was
again upgraded by the addition of the
Mk 9 toss bombing system, A /AR -
52(V) T C ,and N/ P -153(V)
Doppler radar navigation system. The
VA-144 went to Vietnam in October 1969 with CVW-5 aboard USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 311 and.
together with its two sister squadrons VA-22 and VA-94. spent ninety-seven days on the line. During that
time. the squadron lost one aircraft to combat. The 'Roadrunners' returned to the Gulf of Tonkin in 1970, this
time flying the A-4F, and spent 101 days on the line with no combat losses. US Navy via author
were to the engine and avionics - the -E
saw the introduction of the 8,5001b
(3,860kg) thrust Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6
twin-spool turbojet originally planned for
the cancelled A4D-3. This required some
redesign of the forward fuselage to allow it
to accept the new engine and a modified
inlet face. The J52, the same core engi ne as
found in the Grumman A-6A, was tested
in two A4D-2Ns (Bu O' 14613 and
14
1
6(4) that had been converted while
still on the production line to serve as YA-
4E prototype. This engine was not only
lighter than the J65, it was 'ignificanrly
more fuel-efficient. Moreover, unlike the
J65, which had already reached it, design
limitations, the J52 had plenty of room for
growth, and, indeed, would eventually see
its thrust upgraded by Ib (365kg) -
nearly 30 per cent. Thrust-to-weight ratio
of this engine would come in at a
respectable j .2: I, comparable to many of
the fighters of the day. The A-4E's rate-of-
aviation inventory - the A-2, A-3 and A-
4 - had been designed largely for nuclear
missions and that conventional warfare
capabilitie were sorely lacking. Ironically,
this was the same Ie son taught by the
Korean War, but apparently forgotten,
where carriers provided the bulk of close
air support and interdiction trikes.
Of special note, the requirements for
the A-4E were generated before the
A-4C had even flown its maiden flight.
Following discussions between the avy
and Douglas, a formal proposal was
submitted in February 1959, with autho-
rization to proceed given on 30 July. The
existing A-4C contract was then modified
to allow for the last two -Cs to be built
in the -E configuration.
Approximately 30 per cent of the -4E'
airframe was modified from the previous
model. However, the greatest changes
A4D-5/A-4E
Of all of the kyhawks produced, none
marked the shift from the original nuclear
mis ion to one of a close air suPpOrt/
conventional bomber more than the
-4E. Indeed, the importance of conven-
tional warfare had been re-emphasized to
avy officials by the 195 crisis in
Lebanon. U warplane from the carriers
Saratoga (CVA 60) and S Essex
(CVA 9) were called upon to support
Marines ashore when President amille
Chemoun of Lebanon requested S assis-
tance to keep peace after Arab nationalist
seized power in neighbouring Iraq. The
carriers USS Forrestal, Randolph, and Wast)
would also take up positions off Lebanon
to protect US interests.
During that crisis, S Navy planners
quickly realized that much of the naval
A4D-4
In 195 , Douglas prepared a proposal for
a long-range, all-weather attack variant of
the kyhawk, whose primary mission
would be to deliver nuclear weapons from
low altitude. This proposal, given the
A4D-4 designation, replaced the cropped
delta wing with a moderately swept,
tapered design that featured two drag-
reducing 'Whitcomb Bodies' and provided
for seven external weapons stations.
longer fuselage was also de igned to
accommodate the additional electronics
and fuel. Because of the larger wingspan,
approximately10ft Om) greater than that
of the traditional -4, the outer wings
were given a folding mechanism to allow
for arrier storage. Due to funding prob-
lems within the Navy, however, this
proposal never got beyond Douglas.
56 57
THE SCOOTER OMES TO LIFE
This comparison diagram shows the relative size difference between the A-4E (A40-5) and the proposed
A40-6 VAL competition aircraft. Boeing via the author
Aerial refuelling from a tanker's perspective, Here.
an A-4M loaded with AIM-9 Sidewinders and a
centreline tank approaches a KC-10 for aerial
refuelling. Gary Campbell
58
THE SCOOTER COME TO LIFE
The JATO clips on the speed breaks of an A-4M.
The small triangular-shaped opening represents the
JATO igniter. Note the repair patches on the
corners of the speed brakes. Gary Campbell.
The beautiful artwork on this VMA-131 A-4M was painted by Harry Campbell. John W. Binford
59
I
SPOILER
SPEEDBRAKE
WING FLAPS
RUDDER

WING
FILLET
SLATS
MAIN LANDING GEAR
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
VT 7
CT" I
UPPER AVIONICS PACKAGE
CANOPY
These two photos of a VT-7 TA-4J reveal the Skyhawk's forward edge slats (left) and spoilers (right).
This diagram from the A-YM NATOPS highlights the Skyhawk's major airframe components.
y
15 FEET
3 INCHES
FAl-4-8
7 FEET
103/8 INCHES

2 FEET
7 1/2 INCHES
41 FEET3INCHES------------h
--.,..---_-1.._-----------

4 FEET
8 1/4 INCHES
JL----r--__'-I
STATIC GROUND LINE/
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
NOTE
DIMENSIONS ARE TAKEN WITH
THE LANDING GEAR SHOCK
STRUT AND TIRES INFLATED
TO THE CORRECT PRESSURES.
STATIC GROUND LINE/
11 FEET r
10 INCHE S
7 FEET
6 1/2 INCHES
j
11 FEET 4 INCHES
:J
40 FEET
...!......_--------------
27 FEET
6 INCHES
The dimensions of the A-4M are shown in this company diagram.
60 67
THE SCOOT R COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
adjust the linear range from 557-2,G24ft (170-800m) into the range solution,
which controls the aiming sight in the NA gun mode and aiming circle in the
HUD missile mode. The range increases as the control is rotated forward.
THROffiE CONTROL LEVER
STAol AMETRI C
RANGE CONTROL
NOTE
SWITCHES/CONTROLS INSTALLED
ON THE THROTTLE ARE NOT
PLACARDED FOR IDENTIFICATION.
EXTERNAL
LIGHTS
In contrast to the control stick of the A-4A, which featured a centre-
mounted trim control switch, a gun trigger, and a bomb release switch the
A-4C/L stick (right) adds a missile guidance switch and an autopilot override
button.
On the left is the A-4M throttle control, looking more like a modern HOTAS
(Hands On Throttle And Stick) system from an F-15 Eagle or F/A-18 Hornet.
Featured are a tracker slew and tracker stabilization switch for the ARBS, a
stadiametric range control, speed brake control, and an air-to-air/air-to-
ground selector switch. The stadiametric range control allows the pilot to
Control Sticks
A VMA-211 Echo does a 'dirty' fly-by at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, in November 1974 carrying a full load of Zuni rockets.
US Navy via Tailhook Association via author
';q.. -.
;MIf
.,
-:;==ar-
.-' .'Y-....

" ',jy . -
Multiple Carriage Bomb Racks (MCBRs) were
conceived and developed by Navy Cdr Dale Cox,
Marine Corps Maj K. P. Rice, and Capt H. W. Fitch
of VX-5. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
,.
#,.(..
An artist's rendition of the Douglas VAL competition entrant, the MD-G, internally called the A-4F. It was
through this contest that the Navy sought a successor to the A-4. The MD-G was considerably larger than
the standard Skyhawk, but maintained the basic and familiar shape. lVT, later the Chance Vought A-7
Corsair II eventually won the competition and was awarded the VAL contract. Boeing Historical Archives via
Harry Gann
62 63
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
US Navy Operational History
A-4Fs served admirably during the later years of the Vietnam War and were often selected for the dangerous Iron Hand anti-SAM missions because of their
superior ECM equipment. Most of this equipment was housed in the aft avionics package, called the 'hump'. This hump distinguished the Foxtrot from other
models, but only for a short time, as it was quickly added to many Echoes and was later incorporated into the Charlie through the A-4L modifications. Loaded on
this Scooter are two Bullpups, one Walleye, and several larger Mk 80 series LDGP bombs. US Navy via Tailhook Associatioin via author
earlier kyhawk variants, the A-4F would
bring about a new look for the kyhawk.
According to reports, Ed Heinemann did
nor necessarily approve of this addition,
complaining that it ruined the A-4's
ae -rhetic . Although the first A-4F was
outwardly identical to the A-4E, all ub e-
quent production model were fitted with
a large aft avionics 'hump'. Running from
the rear of the co kpit to the base of the
vertical tail, the hump housed mostly e1ec-
troni gear, including the ALQ-45 (V)
homing warning system, the ALQ-55(V)
radar receiving y tem, and the ALQ-100
ECM sy tem. Skyhawk pi lor would some-
time refer to A-4s with these humps as
'camels'. This aft hump was later retro-
fitted to many A-4Es and to the 100
-4Cs converted to the 'F' standard under
the A-4L designation programme.
The imperu for the addition of the
avionic hump i almost a story in and of
itself. A the war in Vietnam progressed,
the military became increasingly
aware of the sophistication of North
Vietnam's air defences, particularly their
Anti-Air Artillery (AAA) and Surface-
to-Air Missile ( AM) site and the
increasing use of ground radar. To foil
these mea ure, electroni device were
developed specifically to confuse enemy
Seen here at Andrews AFB in February 1973, this VA-164 A-4F wears the markings of the Air Wing
Commander or 'CAG'. The 'DO' modex aircraft from each squadron in the air wing are regarded as the
squadron CAG-bird. Modex 'or belongs to the squadrons' skippers. Stephen H. Miller via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess,
USN Ret
A-4F
and could nor be expected to come online
for some time.
Douglas had already submitted an unso-
licited proposal for an improved Skyhawk,
which it called the A4D-6 or A-4F (nor
the A-4F that Douglas would subsequently
develop). This proposal was later reworked
to fit the VAL requirement. Other
de igns in the competition included vari-
ants of the North American FJ-4 Fury, a
stripped-down (single-seat) variant of the
Grumman -6A, and the Chance Vought
F- Crusader.
In February 1964, the A-7 was declared
the winner and was selected to replace the
A-4 as the fleet light attack aircraft. With
its first flight taking place on 27 eptember
1965, the -7A began to enter service in
December 1967 and had completely
replaced the -4 in frontline Navy service
by 1973.
A highly capable Skyhawk, the A-4F
would be the last single-seat production
model to enter service with the U avy.
Indeed, the -F was produced especially for
the avy's needs in the Vietnam War,
although only 146 were produced. Unlike
A4D-6
ally ordered, the last (BuNo. 1521 I) was
used as the A-4F prototype. In all, nearly
thirty Navy and Marine Corps squadrons
operated the A-4E, with many serving in
Vietnam and some continuing to serve
with Reserve units into the middle 1970s.
VA-23 then erving with VW-2 aboard
U MidwQ)" was the fin squadron to
receive the new A-4E variant in
ovember 1962. The -E's first flight took
place on 12 July 1961.
Douglas proposed constructing a kyhawk
with an enlarged airframe, powered by
the I 1,5001b (5,nOkg) thrust Pratt &
Whitney TF30 turbofan. This competed
directly with the Chance Vought A-7
Corsair II in the avy' carrier light attack
(VAL) design competition, which had
been authorized by the Navy's 1963
Request for Proposal. The VAL was
supposed to find an interim aircraft, of
which 100 would be produced, to fill the
gap until the planned VAX programme
came to fruition. It would later turn out,
however, that between 500 and 1,000
VALs would be needed. Moreover, the
VAX programme was experi ncing delays
VA-125 received the first -Es in December 1962, and VA-81 and VA-83 at
NAS Cecil Field transitioned the following April and May. VA-55 and VA-56
of NAS Lemoore followed in July 1963.
Reflecting the overall lower level of production, the A-4F saw service
with only fourteen Navy squadrons, all with the Pacific Fleet. VA-192, the
'Golden Dragons' were the first to convert in July 1967. As the war in
Vietnam progressed into its final years and the A-4 was phased out of
carrier light attack squadrons and replaced by the A-7 Corsair II, most
carrier deployments were made by the Foxtrot with two or three A-4F-
equipped squadrons per air wing. The -F marked the last Skyhawk used by
frontline Navy squadrons.
Over the years, the Navy operated several Reserve squadrons who,
before 1970, operated a limited number of TA-4A and TA-4B models. Indeed,
at that time Reserve squadrons were not assigned their own aircraft and
instead relied on those based at their home air station. This changed with
the 1970 reorganization and all became stand-alone squadrons with the
older A-4s. Many of these were replaced with the uprated A-4L - a Charlie
brought up to Foxtrot standards - and operated with four Atlantic Fleet
Reserve squadrons, VAs-203, -204, -205, and -209, beginning in mid-1970.
VAs- 303, -304, and -305 on the west coast received A-4Cs and -E (VA-305
only). Three other Reserve units operated Skyhawks, VA-776 (A-4B and -El,
VA-831 (A-4Bl, and VA-873 (A-4B and -C). These three squadrons were
activated on 27 January 1968 in response to the North Korean seizure of
USS Pueblo (AGER 2). All returned to reserve status on 12 October 1968.
Six other Reserve units (Reserve Air Wings) operated early model and A-
4L Skyhawks at various Naval Air Stations across the county: RAW-67 (NAS
Atlanta, '7B' tail code); RAW-70 (NAS Dallas, '70' tail code); RAW-74 (NAS
Jacksonville, '6E' tail code); RAW-81 (NAS Minneapolis, '7E' tail code);
RAW-82 (NAS New Orleans, '7X' tail code); RAW-87 (NAS Alameda, '6G'
tail code).
Skyhawk entry into US Navy service began in September 1956 with VA-72
squadron, based at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, receiving the first
batch of MD-1 s for an initial operational work-up. Prior to that, the 'Hawks'
had operated the F9F Cougar. The VA-93 'Blue Blazers' based on the West
Coast, became the second MD-1 operator in November that same year and
the first Pacific Fleet squadron. By the end of 1957, seven more Navy
squadrons had converted to the MD-1. Both VA-44 and VA-l25, the two
Skyhawk RAGs, received their first MD-1s in 1958. By the end of produc-
tion, fourteen squadrons had flown the Alpha model and four had taken it
on cruise.
However, even before full transition could be completed, the new MD-2
emerged and began entering service with the fleet. The vast majority of
MD-2 conversions took place between 1958 and 1960, with a total of thirty-
eight squadrons flying the MD-2 at some point in their operational history.
VA-l2 squadron, the 'Flying Ubangis' made the first transition, having
transferred to the MD-1 just the preceding April. The MD-2, later
designated the A-4B, made a total of sixty-six squadron cruises, with three
to Vietnam.
Of all the Navy Skyhawks, the MD-2N (A-4CI saw the most use; thirty-
seven squadrons operated this variant, making 124 squadron cruises,
forty-two of which were to Vietnam. The first two squadrons to operate the
A-4C were RAGs. VA-44 and VA-125 received their A-4Cs in February and
March 1960, followed by VA-195 in May and VA-192 in June. Most squadron
conversions to the Charlie took place between 1960 and 1962, although four
squadrons waited until the 1966-68 timeframe. VA-152 made its transition to
the A-4B and -C at approximately the same time, having traded in its A-1 Js
in February 1968.
The Echo was used almost as frequently as the A-4C, although it
equipped only twenty-eight squadrons and made only fifty cruises. As
testament to its functionality, thirty-eight of these cruises were to Vietnam.
64 65
-- -- ----- - --- - --- -- - -
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The A-4L resulted from modifications to the A-4C airframe and included the addition of the avionics 'hump'
and other features of the Foxtrot. The Lima, however, retained the J65 engine and the three-station
configuration. This A-4L flew many hours with VA-204 before it was transferred to the Marine Reserves.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
of 8,000 frames. The KB-IOA took a
maximum of five frames per second and
could photograph with an fl2 8 lens with
shutter peeds of 1/2000, 1/1000, and
1/500 second. Film was carried in 15ft
(4.6m) and 50ft (15.5m) spools, producing
either seventy or 230 pictures.
Avionics were modernized in the -F
model, with total package weight rising to
7441b (340kg), contributing to the over-
all empty weight of 1O,4481b (4,740kg).
Cockpit armour was also added as were
several to enhance the
aircraft' handling characteristics, e pe-
cially during cross-wind For
example, a hydraulically controlled steer-
able nose gear was added, as were lift
spoilers and low-pressure tyres. Again,
these changes were all originally part of
the TA-4E design.
In the late 100 were
modified with the up-rated J52-P-40
11,2001b (5,085kg) thrust engines, and
were unofficially dubbed the 'Super F',
reflecting their increased thrust. To
accommodate the increased airflow of the
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
-408s, the Skyhawk's air inlets were
slightly enlarged. With the Super F's new
lift spoilers, tak -off distances could be
shortened by 1,000ft (3lOm).
Completed at the Palmdale factory
on 3 Augu t 1966, the first A-4F flew on
31 August with fleet deliveries begin-
ning in June 1967 to VA-23 and VA-I92
from CVW-19. Its combat debut came
on 26 January 1968, when these squad-
rons launched strikes from the carrier
USS Ticonderoga. Three more A-4F
squadrom joined less than a month later,
when VA-22 and VA-94 began strikes
against orth Vietnam. Most 'Essex' class
carriers operated at least one -F squadron
towards the end of the war, with USS
Hancock's last three cruises seeing all
three VA squadrom with A-4Fs. Indeed,
all A-4Fs would see as ignment with
Pacific Fleet squadrons. 0 new-built
A4-Fs were given to Marine Corps units
- they began to replace older A-4s in
the Marine VMA squadrons only after
they were replaced in Navy units by the
A-7.
Some of these A-4Fs would go on to
serve with the US avy's 'Blue Angels'
flight demonstration team from 1974-87
and with several adversary squadrons
including VF-126, the pre tigious Top
Gun, and VF-I27 at A Fallon's trike
. A-4F flown in role were typi-
cally stripped of all unessential equipment,
such as armament and the aft avionics
hump, to provide for the lightest possible
airframe.
The 'Blue Angels' Get
the Scooter
From 1969, the 'Blue Angels' had flown
the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II
during their flight demonstration perfor-
mances. However, in the autumn of 1973,
they decided to switch to the diminutive
kyhawk. This decision wa due in part
to financial concerns that were threat-
ening the continued viability of the flight
demonstration programme but was also
influenced by the aftermath of an August
search and fire-control and/or reduce their
effectiveness. Indeed, modern electronic
warfare was born in Vietnam. With the
kyhawk, of the'e electronic
devices posed a problem due to the
minimal internal available.
developed a solution to this problem,
however, by locating the necessary elec-
tronics equipment externally, but within
the new aft avioni s hump.
While waiting for the A-4F to be deliv-
ered, the avy established two small
groups, one in the Philippine officially
called Project Shoe Hom, and one at
MCAS EI Toro, to perform what were
essentially field retrofits of the aft equip-
ment for existing A-4Es. Both groups were
closed once the retrofits were completed
and factory production could keep pace
on its own. According to sources, at least
a few -4E and A-4F model were not
fitted with the aft package.
Demonstrating their ingenuity, avy
maintenance personnel adopted a make-
shift solution to the ECM problem by
replacing the kyhawk's port cannon with
electronic countermeasure gear. Because
vibrations from the starboard cannon eas-
ily damaged the electronics, crews loaded
the I ughes Mk-4 gun pod for use against
ground targets. The Mk-4 was Widely used
in Vietnam by A-4 Marine squadrons.
One of the drawbacks of the Shoe Hom
modificatiom was that it meant A-4 pilots
had Ies ammunition for the gun:
We normally carncd a (ull load of 200 munds,
100 pcr gun. Whcn thcy did thc Shoe Hom mod-
ifications, they put some of thc elcctmnic gcar in
t he ammo area anJ haJ to cut JO\\'11
to 75 muncb per gun ... lat firstl thcy c\'en dis-
connccted the wiring for the gum ... They had-
n't told us the guns were d"connected ... One
of the guys wa, on a strike and pulled up With a
MiG right in (mnt of him. lie squcczcd thc
triggcr and nothing happcncd. Whcn hc got
hack to thc hoat, maintenance said thcy had dis-
connccted thc leads to thc guns.
AIthough these were latcr reconncctcd, thc
ammunition quantity remall1cJ the same at
cnty-five rounds, which, 'at thc Mk 12's rarc-of-
firc of 1,000 pCI' minutc, didn't last vcrI' long'21
In some squadrons, the lack of adequate
ammunition was made even wor e, as the
vibrations caused by the cannon's firing
often damaged the sensitive electronics,
forcing maintenance staff to remove the
66
gun entirely from the port side, leaving
only seventy-five rounds in total.
Many internal changes and modifi-
cations were ushered in under the A-4F
designation. For enhanced communi-
cation, the ARC-51 A HF radio and an
ARR-69 auxiliary receiver were installed.
avigation was further enhanced by the
addition of the ARA-50 direction finder,
AR -52 (V) T ACA , and the AR -63
Instrument Landing ystem (ILS). Other
improvements included the addition of
an upgraded AIM transponder system,
with five mode, including two IFF
and one secured IFF, the AN/AS -41
navigation computer, and the ALE-29
chaff unit.
While armaments remained basically
the ame as the A-4E, a Battle Damage
Assessment (BDA) capability was added
y modifying a centreline bomb rack
pylon to carry the LB-I A camera pod.
The LB-18A could carry either a DBM-
4A 16mm motion picture camera or the
KB-IOA till picture camera. The DBM-
4A was a high-speed precision camera
with a frame rate from two to 4 0 frame
per second. 200ft (62m) of this film would
contain forty frames per foot for a total
The 'Blue Angels' began
flying the A-4F during
their 1974 show season.
The decision to go with
the Skyhawk proved the
right one, both in terms
of maintenance costs
and performance value.
The A-4F was cheaper to
operate and handled
better than the F-4J
previously flown by the
team. Vice-Adm Tony
Less, who commanded
the 'Blue Angels' during
their first two seasons
with the Foxtrot. is
shown here exiting his
Skyhawk. US Navy via
author
67
- - -- - - - - - - - -
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The Skyhawk's size and power (at least in its later yearsl made it well-suited to the adversary role. VF-171 ,
the East Coast F-4 RAG, established a detachment at NAS Key West to provide its own adversary training.
In 1994. Del. KW stood down and transferred its three A-4Es to VF-45. US Navy via author
'Blue Angels' Nos 5 and 6 taxi to the runway at NAS Atlanta for a show in 1981. The combination of the
stripped-down Foxtrot and the J52-P-408 engine gave the 'Super Fox' a one-to-one empty thrust ratio. This
added performance helped keep the 'show' in front of the audience. as pilots could perform tighter turns
and did not need as much altitude to go 'over the top'. Frank Mirande
lawr meant that we could hasiGllly rerform any
negative 'g' maneuver and fly inverted (or
st retches of 50 to 60 second,.!>
Load feel bungees were also installed to
provide greater demonstration stick force.
The 'Blue Angels' also r quired the instal-
lation of a foldable ladder for entry that
had it storage compartment in th port
gun station. The wings were modified by
bolting the leading edge wing slats in a
closed position.
The latter modification eliminated the
potentially fatal scenario where the lats
would deploy in a non-uniform manner
duri ng low-a Iti tude or close-formation
flying, where the pilot would have little
time to correct. Indeed, thi was a
common and predictable occurrence while
flying the Scooter at slow air peeds -
parti ularly during aerobatics. At lea t a
few A-4s were lost due to this phenom-
enon when the slat popped and the pilot
was unable to recover. For the 'Blue
Angels', such a problem would have been
disastrous if it had occurred during their
When we were testmg the A-4Fs, AVAIR
test pilot, di,covered that rrolonged inverted
flight could cau,e a flame-out. Of course,
inverted flight i, an ahsolute given in acrobatic
flight, so they had to I,x)k for a solution. The
problem wa, cau,ed hI' the mverted stand pire
in the main fu,e1age fuel tank. The rire ended
aLx)ut four to five inches from the bottom of
the cell and when the Skyhawk went inverted,
air would get into the Ime and cause a flame-
out. The solution was to add a fuel accumulator,
which used bleed air to rressurize the tank. We
hau a small light in the cockrit that glowed
indicating that the accul1lulator was working
and that we could go inverted. This accUI1lU-
oil pressurized by engine bleed air. Sprayed
from a small tube ncar the exhaust pipe,
the oil mixed with the hot exhaust gases
and created smoke. To facilitate control of
the smoke system, it could be activated by
a switch on the control stick.
To help improve the aerobatic perfor-
mance of the A-4, an inverted fuel system
was added. Vice-Adm Less described this
in more detail:
... the Surer F, were ,licked by remo\'mg the
two outhoard rack> on each wing. We kert the
centerline for cross-country flights. \'(Iith the
P-408, we had a lot of rower available. The
Foxtrot's emrty weight was ahout II, 300lh and
with the P-408 we were looking at a ncar I: 1
thrust to weight ratio without fuel. One draw-
b'lCk, however) was that it had no hurner,
which rre\'ented us from going over the tor
'dirty' in formatioll. H
Interestingly, when an alternative for
the F-4 was being considered, the A-4 wa
not alone. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat,
Rockwell T-Z Buckeye, and LTV Cor air
II were all considered, but rejected for var-
iou reasons. With the deci ion made to go
ahead with the kyhawk, eight A-4Fs were
selected and sent to Long Beach for
reworking to 'Blue Angel' standards. This
work included deletion of the hump
avionics package, the addition of a drag
chute, and incorporation of a smoke
system. The smoke-producing system fea-
tured a 30 US gallon (113 litre) tank of a
lightweight, biodegradable paraffin-based
tllne, ,000 feet. gain, thi, kept the ,how
elmer to the crowd. The A-4F also allowed u,
to shorten our rever,als to be back in front of
the center point m a ,horter timeH
This de i ion could not have com at
a better time - hordes of A-4Fs were
now becoming available as the avy
compl ted the switch from A-4F to
A-7s in 1973. Moreover, approximately
100 of these models were of the so-called
, uper F' version, which featured the
powerful P-40 engine. Vice- dm Le s
commented:
With the F-4, they would go 'over the tor' in
a loor at 10,000 to 12,000 feet. With the
smaller A-4F, we could tor out at 7,000, some-
The A-4F was 'imrly the right aIrcraft, at the
right time for the 'Blue Angeb'. It, maneuver-
ability allowed t" to keep the ,how in front of
the audience, which i, where you w,lOt to be
when your performance " only thirty-five to
forty minutes long.!!
A good example of this, Vice- dm Le s
explained, is the altitude at which the
-4 would go 'over the top':
mid-air FAJ collision that had claimed the
lives of three team members. The AAF
presented a more affordable option, with
its lower maintenance cost, and better
specific fuel consumption. Moreover, its
lighter airframe, agility and high roll rate
at moderate speeds (300 degree per
second), made it better suited to demon-
stration purpose.
Vice-Adm Anthony A. Less, then dr
Less, the CO of the 'Blue Angels' during
th ir two years with the A-4F, made the
following observation of the Skyhawk's
impact on the team:
68
69
---- ------ -- -- - - - ~
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
Instructors at Top Gun, the Navy's Fighter Weapons School, chose the A-4 for their dissimilar adversary
aircraft because of its MiG-like performance characteristics. This A-4E represents a 'stripped' version of
those flown by the fleet and has been unofficially termed the 'Mongoose'. Rick Morgan
Four familier aircraft from the Top Gun of the 1980s are, left to right, the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, Grumman
F-14 Tomcat, General Dynamics (now Lockheed-Martin) F-16 Falcon and McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk.
Lt Cdr Tom Twomey USN
A-4L
nlike all other variants, the -L repre-
sented a rebuilding programme that con-
verted 100 fonner A-4Cs to the A-4F
standard, without the J52 engine. These
models also retained the A-4C's three
hardpoint. All A-4Ls were a igned to
avy and Marine Corps Reserve units,
with the initial deliveries made to the
aval Reserve Training nit (NARTU)
at NA Jacksonville, Florida, in December
1969. Marine orps -Ls were later replaced
VFA-I27, flew the A-4 until it was finally
replaced by the F/A-18A in 1992. Sky-
hawks also flew in adversary roles for vari-
ous fleet and omposite squadrons, such as
VC-8 and VFC-12 and -13. Today, only
VC-8 at lA Roosevelt Roads, Puerto
Rico, operates the A-4. Although other
models of the kyhawk were flown at Top
Gun, the A-4F was clearly the model of
choice due to its powerful -408A engine.
Indeed, A-4s would go on to serve in the
adversary role, especially at Top Gun, unti l
they were replaced in 1994, by F/A-I As.
quickly discovered that the A-4 could per-
form almost as well as the avy's frontline
fighters, the F-4 Phantom and the F-8
Crusader. These fighters were then given
a camouflage pa int scheme intended to
mimic the enemy aircraft Top Gun tu-
dents were likely to see if a war broke out.
The adversary rolc, though, was
not exclusive to Top Gun, a VF-126
and VA-I27 flew A-4s in support of vari-
ous fleet exercises. VF-126 flew the
Skyhawk until it dise tablished in 1994,
while VF-I27, after being redesignated
first at the avy Fighter Weapons
chool, also called Top Gun', and later
by fleet adversary squadrons, such as
Oceana's VF-45 and VFC-12, Miramar's
V -13, and Key West's VF-43. Top Gun
was created by the Navy in 1969 to help
reverse the poor ki II ratios that had been
accumulated in the first part of the war -
3.5: l. To achieve this end, Top Gun
created a graduate-level course in air
combat manoeuvring based on the
observations noted in the now-famous
Ault Report. At first, there were insuffi-
cient funds around to allow Top Gun
its own planes, so instructors resorted ro
borrowing T -4Fs from the local instru-
ment RAG, VF-126.
Once Top Gun became an ind pendent
command, funding became available and
the quest began for an adversary aircraft.
To fi 1I that role, the A-4E was selected
because of it ability to imulate the per-
formances of Soviet-built aircraft uch as
the MiG-17 flown by orth Korea.
tripped of all of its external srore stations
and its aft avionics pod, adver ary pilots
The kyhawk became the official flight
demonstration aircraft for the 1974
season, which began in April of that year.
A total of eighteen A-4Fs would serve
with the 'Blue Angels' over the kyhawk's
thirteen-year stint with the demonstration
team, until they were replaced in 1987 by
a modified version of the McDonnell
Douglas F/A-I A. After their tour, four
were reassigned to variou adversary
quadrons, one (Bu o. 1541 ,formerly
Blue Angel o. I) was given to the
Mu eum of Flight in eattle, Wa hington,
and three were given to the Museum of
aval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.
Four of these A-4s now hang in the
famous 'Blue Angel' diamond formation
at the Museum's Exhibition Hall. (Blue
Angel o. I of that display is actually A-
4E Bu o. 150076.)
A-4s at Top Gun
One of the most innovative uses of the
kyhawk was by the adversary squadrons,
The roll rme on rhe uper F ".,,, '" phenom-
enal rhar our solo pdms had to be careful nor
to o\'cruo it and lblow out' the wing. In an
excessive roll rare scenario, rhe hIgh g-force
would force rhe fuel our into rhe wing-rips and
stress rhe wingskin. We learned rhis rhe hard
way in our first year when, during a practice
session, one of nur solos sprung a wing leak
afrer a high roll and we had ro replace rhe
wing.... Once rhis was discovered we quickly
learned to limir rhe amount of stick deAecrion
during rolls.
26
diamond, or delta, formation. However,
the modification provided uniform and
predictable flight characteristics while in
tight formation, even if it made landing
speeds a little faster.
One of the problems with the sl icked-
up Super F was the relative ease with
which it would roll. Vice-Adm Less
commented:
In addition to the single-seat Foxtrots,
the 'Blue Angel' also received one new
TA-4J to serve in an administrative role.
70 77
----------------- - - -
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
-
Two Reserve A-4Ls from VA-203 wait their turn on
the forward starboard catapult during air
operations aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) in
September 1971. Reserve Air Wing Twenty (CVWR-
20) was requalifying. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess
USN ReId
The A-4L cockpit shows the APG-53 radar screen
and more conveniently located dials, as compared
to the A-4A. US Navy via author
Corps' needs and they opted instead for a
further upgraded kyhawk, the -4M.
amed the' kyhawk II', the A-4M was
specifically de igned by McDonnell
Douglas to meet the Marine Corps'
requirements for a low-cost, potent c1ose-
support aircraft. Costing approximately
1,500,000, the A-4M was just what the
larines were looking for to match their
limited budget.
By any standard, the A-4M represented
the most potent of the kyhawk models.
Central to the A-4M was installation of
the improved J52-P-408A engine, which
has been described as the greatest single
improv m nt to the A-4M model. The
A-4M
No -4Ls saw service in Vietnam.
A-4Ls were outwardly identical to A-4Cs,
with the exception of the avionics hump.
When the avy conducted the VAL
competition in the early 1960, the
winner was supposed to become the stan-
dard light attack aircraft for both avy
and Marine Corps atrack squadrons.
While the avy followed thi course, the
orsair II was simply too expensive and
too maintenance-intensive for the Marine
--
An A-4 'Mongoose' from Top Gun makes an approach at NAS Miramar in January 1989, Formerly the home
of Top Gun, the base has now been redesignated and the Top Gun school moved to NAS Fallon.
Lt Cdr Tom Twomey USN
hy rhe A-4Fs, as the A-7 Corsair lis
became more abundant. Douglas con-
vertedthefirstA-4L(Bu 0.14 307)arit
Long Beach plant, but then produced
a total of ninety-nine kits for the avy to
convert at its aval Air Rework Facility
(N RF) in Pensacola. The first A-4L flew
on 2\ August 1969, with conversions arriv-
ing in Re erve units in mid-I970, where
they served until replaced by early model
-7s and were reassigned to various fleet
utility (VC) squadrons. Navy Reserve
squadrons operating the A-4L included
VAs-203, -204, -2 5, and -209. VMAs-
124, -142, and -543, all Reserve units, also
flew this model.
72
73
------------------ - - -
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
A mixed foursome of Marine Skyhawks is represented here, with an A-4M from VMA-223 on the right, an A-4F from VMA-142 on the left, and a VMA-132 A-4F in the
slot, allied by a TA-4J from VMAT-l02. The lead Skyhawk carries two Zuni rocket packs while the A-4M and the A-4F carry a 2,OOOlb laser-guided bomb. Harry
Gann
A close-up of the right side
of this Marine Corps A-4
reveals several of the
plane's unique features.
Visible on the top front
surface of the leading-edge
slats are the vortex
generators added during
the initial flight test period.
The slats hang down when
the plane is at rest and are
actuated by airflow. To the
aft of the wing is the
aileron lclosest, angling
up) and spoiler (drooping).
Harry Gann
An A-4M of VMAT-l02 pictured at MCAS, Yuma, Arizona. Robert F. Dorr
74
------------------ - - - ~ - -
- -
Two Douglas employees work on the
A-4M fuselage. This variant was produced
solely for the US Marines and is regarded
as the most capable of all the Skyhawk
variants. Most notable are its advanced
avionics, 200 rounds of ammunition per
gun, and J52-P-408 11,200lb 15085kg) thrust
engine. The Mike's ECM suite was also
greatly enhanced. Boeing Historical Archives
via Harry Gann
75
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
The A-4M cockpit is much more sophisticated than
earlier models and features easy-to-read and scan
gauges as well as an Elliot 546 HUD. Visible to the
right is the Concentric Warning Receiver used to
locate serious threats. Harry Gann
---
NWC China lake is responsible for testing new ordnance - an A-4M readies for the first test-firing of the new AGM-65E laser Maverick. USMC Maj John P. Bland
stands next to his plane conducting the pre-flight check. This version of the Maverick is heavier than that used at the time by the US Air Force. US Navy via Lt Cdr
Rick Burgess USN Retd
76
A ribbon-type drag chute was added to the A-4M model to give Marine Skyhawks the ability to stop on the smaller runways that might be encountered in forward-
deployed areas. This Skyhawk is from VMA-324 at Marine Corps auxiliary landing field. Bogue Field. North Carolina. Notice the deployed spoilers on the wings. US
Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
VX-5 operated a number of A-4s in its test and evaluation program. Here. an A-4M is set-up as the test aircraft for the new ARBS system. This aircraft has been
called the 'Smart Hawk' because its capabilities enhanced the A-4's stand-off value. Lt Cdr Rick Morgan USN Retd
77
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
An A-4K (NZ62l2) of No. 75 Squadron RNZAF takes on fuel from an RAF VC1D K.4. Peter Foster
The starboard fuselage of the last VMA-13l is
shown here, marking the squadron's lineage.
The port painting can be seen on page 59.
John W. Binford
General specifications
A-4A A-4B A-4C A-4E A-4F A-4L A-4M TA-4F TA-4J
Length 39'-1" 39'-4" 40'-1" 41'-3" 41'-3" 40'-1" 41'-3" 42'-5" 42'-5"
Wing Span 27'-6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6" 27' -6"
Height 15' 15' 15' 15' 15' 15' 15' 15' 15'
Empty Weight 8,391 Ib 9,1461b 9,6191b 9,853 Ib 10,448 Ib 10,448 Ib 10,800 Ib 10,602 Ib 10,602 Ib
Max T/O Weight 22,500 Ib 22,500 Ib 22,500 Ib 24,500 Ib 24,500 Ib 24,500 Ib 24,500 Ib 24,500 Ib 24,500 Ib
An A-4M loaded with Mk 7 dispensers and CBU- Max Level Speed 664 661 649 673 670 675
59/B APAM waits for takeoff. 0 August via Gary Engine J65-W-4 J65-W-16A J65-W-16A J52-P-6/8 J52-P-8/408 J65-W-20A J52-P-408 J52-P-6/8 J52-P-6
Campbell Thrust Ib 7,700 7,700 7,700 8,500/9,300 9,300/11,200 8,400 11,200 8,500/9,300 8,500
78
79
A close-up of the Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) nose reveals the details of the ARBS device. The
large lens in the centre serves as the 'window' for the TV-like sensor and the Laser Spot Tracker (LST).
Lt Cdr Rick Morgan USN Retd
~ = - - - ~ -
THE COOTER COMES TO LIFE THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
Marine Corps Operators
Comparison between (top and bottom) the TA-4F,
XA4D-l and A-4M. Aerospace Publishing Co.
The addition of the A-4 Skyhawk gave the Marine Corps a new punch it
hadn't seen since the days of the F4UA Corsair. VMA-224 received the first
Skyhawks when it converted from the F9F Cougar in January 1957, followed
quickly by VMA-211. Because the Skyhawk programme was advancing
faster than conversions, these are the only two Marine Corps squadrons
believed to have flown the A4D-1. VMA-211 transitioned to the new A4D-2
the following September and took great pride in the fact that the Marines
had received the upgraded Bravo before the Navy. Soon, virtually all VMA
squadrons were flying the A40-2.
The A40-2N, later redesignated as the A-4C, began arriving in Marine
Corps squadrons in March 1960, with VMA-225 taking the honours. As with
the Bravo, the Marines were the first service to receive the Charlie. The A-
4C became the most utilized of all the Skyhawk variants, being flown by a
total of nine squadrons by 1964. VMAs-121, -211, -214, -223, -224, -225, -242,
-311, and -332 all operated the Charlie by that time, with two squadrons,
VMA-324 and VMA-533 still flying the -B, and one, VMA-331, having
converted to the new Echo just the year before. Because the Navy needed
the more modern A-4E for its carriers, these models did not filter into the
Marine Corps in any great number until later in the 1960s. Nevertheless,
nine squadrons ultimately flew the A-4E.
Marine Corps squadrons received no factory-fresh A-4F models; all went
to the first-line Navy squadrons to replace the losses they were sustaining
in North Vietnam. Moreover, many of the Marine Corps VMA squadrons
converted to the newall-weather Grumman A-6A Intruder, including VMAs-
121, -225, -226, -242, -332, and -553. The Foxtrots did eventually come to the
Marines as the A-4s were replaced by A-7s aboard the carriers. But these
were never fully utilized because, at about the same time as the -Fs were
released, the new and vastly improved A-4M Skyhawk II appeared, and
Marine units quickly began converting to the Mike. Only VMA-214 and
VMA-343 operated the -F as frontline units.
VMA-324 received the first A-4Ms on 26 February 1971. The Mike served
with six VMA squadrons before being replaced in active duty units by the
AV-8B and F{A-18 Hornet. Indeed, VMA-331 took the last Marine Corps
delivery of an A-4 Skyhawk on 27 February 1979. VMA-211 flew the
Skyhawk until 27 February 1990, when it transferred the Corps' last active-
duty A-4 (BuNo. 1584281 to Reserve unit VMA-133 at NAS Alameda.
Two-seat Skyhawks also served well with the Marines, both in combat
and training. The TA-4F flew with Headquarter and Maintenance Squadrons
(H&MSI during Vietnam, flying observation and Forward Air Control (FAC)
missions, as well as spotting for artillery and ship-borne fire. The two-seat
OA-4M followed in the mid-1970s and replaced the TA-4F in the Fast FAC
and TAC(A) roles with the newly redesignated Maintenance And Logistics
Squadrons (MALS). Marines also flew the TA-4 in instrument training
squadrons VMT-102 and VMT-203, which later became VMAT-102 and
VMAT-103.
Following the reorganization of the Reserves in 1970, seven Marine Air
Reserve squadrons emerged, all of which flew some variant of the A-4.
Prior to that, like the Navy Reserves, Marine Reserve units shared aircraft
and did not have an individual identity. Following the reorganization, VMAs-
124, -131, -133, -134, -142, -322, and -543 emerged under the control of the
Marine Reserve Air Groups. Three of these squadrons, VMAs-124
(Memphis). -142 (Jacksonville). and -543 (Glenview) operated the A-4L. A-
4Es and -Fs were flown by the remaining squadrons until the retirement of
the A-4M made it the Reserve standard.
The end finally came in August 1994 when the last Marine Corps A-4 was
retired from service with Reserve squadron VMA-131 at Willow Grove, PA.
A-4M SKYHAWK
STORES CAPABILITY
570
3575

AIR-lO-AIR MISSILES

} AIRTOGROUND MISSILES


GENERAL PURPOSE BOMBS

} FUEL TANKS

ROCKETS
80
The basic stores capabilities of the various stations
of the A-4M. The two outboard stations were added
with the A-4E. Harry Gann
- - - ~
A colourful A-4M from VMA-214 carries on the squadron's heritage, which dates back to World War II when Maj Greg 'Pappy' Boyington lead its F4U Corsairs froIII Henderson Field
on Guadalcanal. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Reld
87
-408A, with it 11,2001b (5,0 5kg) thrust
rating, almo t 2 per cent more than it
predeces or, brought with it significantly
better manoeuvrability, acceleration, rate-
of-climb, and take-off performance, with
only a small reduction in overall range.
Comparatively speaking, manoeuvrability
at Mach 0.75 wa improved by 100 p r
cent from 1.5g to 3.2g; acceleration in
dive bombing by 23 per cent; rate-of-climb
improved 50 per cent from 5,620ft
(1,715m) to ,440 ft (2,575m) per minute
and take-off distance was reduced from
3,720ft (l ,134m) to 2,700ft (823m), while
maximum speed at sea level with 4,0001b
(1,815kg) ordnance increased from 598-
644mph (953-1,03 7km/h).
To help reduce smoke trails, something
that earmarked earl ier Skyhawk models,
the J52-P-408A was fitted with smokeless
burner cans. To accommodate the greater
mass flow of the new engines, the intake
areas were widened by 2;..sin (6.35cm) -
approximately 7 per cent. Other signifi-
cant additions to the A-4M consisted of
increasing the ammunition for the two
20mm gun to 200 round each; enlarging
the cockpit canopy to provide for greater
forward and rearward visibility; and
adding a new rectangular windshield,
which increased the angle of vi ion down-
wards from 16-1 degrees and sideways
from 46-55 degrees.
Externally, the A-4M differed by the
addition of a canted refuelling probe in
place of the standard straight probe intro-
duced on the A-4B. This angled configu-
ration, bending outward to the right, was
necessitated by the need to prevent inter-
THE SCOOTER COMES TO LIFE
ference between the metal surfaces of the
probe and the no e-mounted APG-53
radar, as well as other nose-mourned elec-
tronics. This 'cranked probe' was also
retrofitted to certain other early model A-
4s during the I970s. A ribbon-type drag
chute and an enlarged tailfin were also
added, both of which were developed for
the foreign kyhawk production pro-
gramme. The drag chute, located just aft
of the arrest hook, helped to slow the air-
craft and allow landings on shorter fields.
The square-tipped tailfin, changed to
accommodate additional antennas, pro-
vides another means of identifying A-4Ms
from A-4Fs.
The A-4M retained the same five stores
configuration of the -F. The new Sky-
hawk's basic operating weight came in at
12,2801b (5,575kg). Given its normal
gross weight of 24,5001b (II, 120kg), the
A-4M could carry up to 9, 1551b (4, 155kg)
of ordnance, leaving a maximum of
3, 65lb (l,390kg) for internal fuel, or
about 470 S gallons (1,775 litres).
Avionics also saw an upgrade, with the
installation of the AR -159 (V) HF
radio which could acquire up to 7,000
channels manually, the ARC-114/-114A
VHF/FM radio, an additional VHF
ecured radio, and the improved AR -11
(V) TACA . The ARC-114/-114A radio
allowed voice communications in the
VHF range of 30.00 to 75.95 MHz, and
could operate on anyone of 920 channels.
Additional features on the A-4M included
installation of an improved electrical gen-
erator and a self-contained electrical
starter, two items that also originated in
82
the foreign Skyhawk programmes, and a
new fix d gun Sight.
First flight of the A-4M took place on
10 April 1970, with fleet deliveries
commencing on 16 April 1971 to VMA-
324 of MCA Beaufort, C. Test pilot
Walt mith piloted the A-4M on its first
fl ight. Due to an operational exercise,
deliveries were accepted at MCA Yuma.
At the ame time as the initial deliveries
were being made, four other A-4Ms were
busy completing BI trials at the NATC
Patuxent River, while the fifth operational
delivery, BuNo. 16 245, was celebrated as
the 2,500th Skyhawk produced at the 20
April 1971 ceremonies performed at NAF
Washington.
Other changes followcd the initial
dcliveries to Marine squadrons. In 1974,
funding was released for the addition of the
Elliot 546 HUD, with both air-to-air and
air-to-ground modes, and for other cockpit
improvements permitting better situa-
tional awareness. In 1977, the offensive
capabilities wcre further enhanced by the
addition of the Hughes Angle/Rate
Bombing ystem (ARB ), which enabled
the kyhawk to operate laser-guided muni-
tions, such a the AGM-65E Maverick, for
use against hardened targcts. Thc ARB
wa in tailed on several new builds and
retrofitted to older A-4Ms. At one point,
consideration was given to renaming the
ARBS-equipped kyhawks a A-4Ys, but
that idea was eventually dropped.
It was an A-4M that would be the
2,960th and last kyhawk produced, and
later delivered to Marine Corps squadron
VMA-331 on Z7 February 1979. To com-
The parachute housing, seen on some foreign
variants, emerged on the A-4M and allowed
Skyhawks to land on shorter runways. Gary Campbell
The nose-gear mechanism of the Skyhawk is
shown on this A-4M. The A-4C modified for the US
Army proposal was the only Skyhawk to have a
dual nose-wheel system. John Binford
memorare the festivities, the last cooter
was given a non-traditional paint scheme
with both Navy and Marine Corps mark-
ings and the flags of all foreign Skyhawk
users painted along the fuselage.
A-4Ms served with all active-duty
Marine Corps VMA squadrons until
retired from frontline service on 27
February 1990, when VMA-2 II trans-
fened its last Skyhawk, Bu o. 15 42 ,to
Reserve unit MAG-42 at A Alameda,
California. The A-4M continued to serve
with Reserve unit until August 1994,
when Marine Air Wing- 3s VMA-131
'Diamondbacks' retired its last kyhawk
at A Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Lt
Col George 'Eagle' Lake, Commander of
VMA-131, made the final flight. In a
tribute quite fitting to the kyhawk's long
career, Bob Rahn, the man who piloted
the first kyhawk to the skies in 1956,
delivered the closing tribute before VMA-
131 's pilots and crews.
A total of 158 A-4Ms were built, plus
the two A-4Fs (BuNos 155042 and
155049) reworked to the -M standards for
prototype development. A-4Ms were
replaced in the Marine Corps' inventory
with another McDonnell Douglas product,
the AV- B Harrier II, and thirty-six would
later be refurbished for sale to Argentina
as the A-4AR Fightinghawks.
83
CHAPTER THREE
Two-Seat Skyhawks
Despite the fact that the kyhawk had
been in service ince 1956, it was not until
1964 that plans for a two-seat variant
gained momentum within the avy.
Douglas had long advocated a two-seater
for usc in advanced training and to
enhance the overall mission but tight
budgetary constraints delayed this pro-
posal for some time. In 1964, however,
with the US becoming more involved in
the Vietnam conflict, funding became
available to study a two-seat kyhawk.
The Navy asked Douglas to produce two
prototypes out of the last two produc-
tion A-4Es (Bu os 1521 2 and 152103)
which could serve as operational combat
trainers. These would then be designated
as T A-4Es, although they were referred
to in Douglas avy correspondence as
A4D-5Ts. Playing a ignificant role in
the Navy's decision to proceed with the
two-seat variant was the need to use
the single-seat A-4s currently used by the
training command to replace the combat
losses in Vietnam.
A total of 555 two-seat Skyhawks were
produced between 1965 and 1978, with
post-1969 production running parallel
with the A-4M. The A-4 seemed perfect
for advanced navigation, type-training,
and famiIiarization fl igh ts, not to mention
certain combat role for which two sets
of eyes would be better than one. T wo-
eat Cougar were already being u ed by
the Marine Corps for observation and
Forward Air Control (FA ) duties.
TA-4E/TA-4F
Douglas modified BuNos 152102 and
152103 into the new design by adding
another 28in (7Icm) to the fuselage to
accommodate the tandem cockpit. This
resulted is some loss of range, due to the
loss of 136 US gallons (515 litres) offuel,
but it was not viewed as significant as the
aircraft was intended as a combat trainer.
In fact, Douglas offered to resolve this
problem by adding a 270 US gallon (J ,020
litre) faired fuel tank to the top aft fuse-
lage, but the plan was rejected by avy
officials.
Dougla also took the opportunity to
incorporate further upgrades into the two-
seater that had been under development
TWO-SEAT KYHAWKS
This TA-4F, delivered on 10 July 1967, was the 2,OOOth Skyhawk. It was delivered to VF-126, the West Coast
instrument RAG, stationed at NAS Miramar. This squadron later provided two-seat Skyhawks for use as
dissimilar aircraft during the early years of Top Gun. Douglas Aircraft Co. via Aerospace Publishing
A detachment of seven TA-4Js from VT-7 prepare for a mission at NAS Fallon, Nevada, during a February
1984 weapons Del. Rick Morgan
84
------------------------------ -- - - -
Douglas had long pushed for a two-seat Skyhawk on the basis that it would make a perfect trainer.
Douglas also suggested that a second 'set of eyes' might enhance certain missions then flown by the A-4.
The Navy resisted these suggestions at first, due to lack of money, but finally made the commitment in
1964, and ordered the last two A-4Es to be converted to the new configuration. This photo shows BuNo.
152102 being flown by H. H. Knickerbocker on its maiden flight, 30 June 1965. Boeing Co. via author
85
TWO-SEAT SKYHAWKS
TWO-SEAT KYHAWKS
Shown here is a close up of the TA-4J's large canopy and steerable nose-wheel. The Skyhawk is from Modex '04' VC-13 and wears the 'UX' tail markings.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
Although the Navy had been told that the Echo
would be last Skyhawk model, attrition mandated
that war losses be replaced and the Navy ordered
the A-4F. This decision occurred at about the same
time as the initial production of the TA-4E and many
already on the production line were converted into
the new -F model, which itself incorporated many
of the changes brought to the Skyhawk programme
by the TA-4E. Given this, Douglas redesignated the
TA-4E to the TA-4F, renecting its commonality with
the single-seat Foxtrot. This top view of an A-4F
and TA-4F shows their comparative size. The A-4F
has its new lift spoilers and its speed brakes open.
Both show their leading-edge slats fully deployed.
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
The first conversion Model 'Ts', BuNos. 152102 and
152103, sit on the tarmac at Palmdale, California,
following early flight tests. Both 'first nights'
occurred two months ahead of schedule. The
addition of lift spoilers, nose-wheel steering, and a
modified ejection seat were significant
modifications to the basic Skyhawk model, as was
installation of the latest enhancement to the Pratt &
Whitney J52 series, the 9,300lb (4,225kg) thrust P-8A
engine. The fuselage was also stretched by 28in
(71cm) to accommodate the second cockpit. Douglas
via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
VA-125 at NAS Lemoore, California,
received the first TA-4Fs for training
new pilots entering the Skyhawk
community. Fleet deliveries on 19
May 1966 were marked with this
ceremony. Douglas Aircraft Co. via
LI Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
86
- - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ------ - ~ -
87
TWO-SEAT SK YHAWKS
TWO- EATSKYHAWKS
The Mighty T in Tracom
VT-25 was based at NAS Beeville, Texas, and flew from Chase Field. The 'Cougars' belonged to Training Wing Three.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
formation flying, tactics, and advanced air-to-air/air-to-ground (usually at NAF
EI Central. and Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM). The last step was carrier
qualifications, which during the 1970s and early 1980s was usually on USS
Lexington (CV-161. the Navy's dedicated training carrier, although fleet carri-
ers were sometimes used when Lexington was unavailable. To graduate, stu-
dents had to complete 270 flight hours and make six landings on the carrier.
TW-6 trained the NFOs and VT-86 at NAS Pensacola was the squadron
responsible for running the syllabus. VT-86 students followed one of three syl-
labuses: Over-Water Jet Navigation (OJNl for EA-6B Prowler and A-6 Intruder
crew members; Tactical Navigation (TNl, for the S-3 Viking community; and
Radar Intercept (RIL for the F-4 Phantom II, and later the F-14 Tomcat, com-
munity. TA-4Js were used by the RI instructor pilots to help teach prospective
Radar Intercept Officers (RIOsl how to work with pilots as a team and also
how to operate the radar and weapons gear while under the severe stress of
high g-forces.
Towards the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, the TA-4Js started to be
replaced by the Boeing T-45 Goshawk. NAS Meridian's VT-7 officially retired
its TA-4Js in an elaborate ceremony at the National Museum of Naval
Aviation in Pensacola, Florida, on 26 June 1999, although the last class did
not complete its carrier qualifications until late September. Retd Adm
Stanley R. Arthur, who commanded VA-164 from 8 July 1971 until 1 July
1972, was the guest speaker.
The TA-4J became the Navy's exclusive advanced jet trainer following the
initial delivery of fifty TA-4s to VT-21 and VT-22 at NAS Kingsville on 6 June
1969. In the early 1970s, two-seaters began arriving at NAS Beeville, where
Training Command Three operated VT-24 and VT-25. Advanced jet training
was formerly the responsibility of the TF-9 Cougar, but it had become
outdated, and the new Skyhawk was welcomed with open arms.
The training of new Navy and Marine Corps pilots was overseen by the
Chief, Naval Aviation Training (CNATRAl at NAS Corpus Christi, who in turn
reported to the Chief, Naval Education and Training (CNET) in Pensacola.
During the 1970s and 1980s, six training commands, called Training Wings
(TWI. were organized under CNATRA to provide basic, intermediate, and
advanced flight training for both pilots and Naval Flight Officers (NFOs). The
six commands were located throughout the southern part of the US as
follows: TW-1 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi; TW-2 at NAS Kingsville, Texas;
TW-3 at NAS Beeville, Texas; TW-4 at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas; TW-5 at
NAS Whiting Field, Florida; and TW-6 at NAS Pensacola.
TA-4Js were flown by the advanced jettraining squadrons with TWs-1, -2,
-3, and -6. The three pilot 'pipelines', Training Wings 1-3, oversaw VTs-7, VT-
21, -22, and VTs-24, -25 respectively. Instructor pilots from these squadrons
taught students who had been selected for the strike community - the A-4, A-
6, A-7, S-3, and later the F/A-18 and F-14. A typical TraCom pilot syllabus cov-
ered swept-wing familiarization or FAM, all-weather instrument flight,
This TA-4F hails from Marine unit H&MS-24 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where it provided adversary
services for local Marine and Air Force squadrons. Bruce Trombecky
The Marines used TA-4Fs like this one from H&MS-31, for Forward Air Control (FAC) missions in Vietnam.
This photo was taken in 1979 at NAS Moffit Field. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
88
89
~ - --- -- -
TWO-SEAT SK YHA WKS
Students with the advanced jet training squadrons take a Skyhawk aboard for
carrier qualifications (Cll). Here. two TA-4Js from VT-7 sit on the elevator of USS
Enterprise during Cll off the coast of San Diego. USS Lexington ICV 161 served as
the official training carrier. although fleet carriers were used when she was not
available. Rick Morgan
for future kyhawk variants. A zero-zero
ejection seat was installed with an
expanded operational envelope and the
engine was modified with the latest
upgrade to the J52 series, the P- A, wi th
9,3001b (4,225kg) thrust. All armament
and weapons systems were retained,
although some TA-4Fs later had the gun
removed. However, of all the modifica-
tions the most significant involved the
addition of the nose-wheel steering and
wing spoilers. Since the TA-4E/F would
be used as a trainer for new pilots, it was
recognized that something needed to be
done to improve the handling character-
istics while landing in strong cross-winds.
Because of the Skyhawk's unique landing
gear arrangement, a strong cross-wind
could cause significant handling problems
for inexperienced pilots. This problem was
effectively countered by the addition of
lift spoilers, which in turn provided the
added benefit of a reduced landing roll-
out. Although initially used to transition
pilots to combat tactics and instrument
training (with the instrument RAGs, such
a VA-43 and VA-126) the TA-4F went
TWO-S - T SKYHAWKS
VT-21 at NAS Kingsville was one of the first advanced jet training squadrons to receive the TA-4J.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
90
91
Navy RAGs trained foreign Skyhawk purchasers as
well as US aviators as export sales began to rise in
the late 1960s and early 1970s. Here. two TA-4Js
from VA-12Ts instrument RAG fly with two
Singapore A-4S. Harry Gann
Two ex-RAN TA-4Gs are flanked by two TA-4Ks
shortly after delivery to the RNZAF. RNZAF
TWO-SEAT SK YHAWKS
TWO-SEAT SK YIIAWK
for proficiency and other administrative
support fl ights. Records show that
H&M -II, -12, and -13 all participated
in this role during the war.
everal A Lemoore-based squadron-
also used TA-4s for short periods; VA-
144 and VA-I95 had at least one, and
VA-I64 actually took the type to sea
aboard USS Hancock in 1974 and 1975.
Their two-to-three two-seaters for use
with hand-held laser designators, called
the Light Weight Laser (LWL). Measur-
ing 4Y2 X 4Y2 X lOin (l1.4 X 1104 X 2504cm)
and weighing a mere Ib (3.6kg), the box-
shaped LWL wa aimed by the back-seater
in the same fashion as one uses a camera.
pecial goggle were worn to prevent
damage to the eyes from reflected la er
light.
For such missions, the 'spotter' TA-4F
arried two Aero-l fuel tanks on its
inboard stations. Maintenance officers
typically served as the designator in the
aft cockpit. The accompanying strike
aircraft were then armed with Mk 82
LGBs on the outboard station and Mk
3 bombs on the inboar I, with a centre-
line tank. VA-164, on its 1972 cruise
aboard the Hancock, used this TA-
4F/LWL combination in conjunction with
its laser-bomb touting -4Fs.
Interestingly, several T A-4Fs actually
made their way into comhat during the
Vietnam War with several of the Marine
Corps' Headquarters & Maintenance
quadrons (H&M ), later redesignated as
Marine Aviation Logistics quadrons
(MAL ). Taking advantage of the added
-et of eye, T A-4Fs were used by the
Marines in the Fast Forward Air Control
(Fast FAC) and Tactical Air Coordinator
( irborne), or T C (), roles to co-
ordinate air strikes, artill ry, and naval
gunfire in support of ground units and, by
using smoke rockets, to mark targets. The
TA-4F, with its high speed and modern
weapons suite, seemed a natural for this
role. These innovative applications would
later lead to the development of the
OA-4M, a FACrrAC (A) variant of the
-4M. The T -4F' FAC mi sions over
South Vietnam began in late 1967 and
were flown primarily from Marine Corps
bases in Da ang and Chu Lai. R pia ing
the two-seat TF-9J Cougar formerly used
by the Marines for this role, TA-4Fs would
al 0 mark targets. Reconnaissance was also
a favoured TA-4F mis ion. The H&M
units were selected for the Fast FAC and
T AC (A) roles becau e no two-seaters
were assigned to VMA squadrons. The
H&MS units also were assigned T A-4F
VT-4 operated out of NAS Pensacola under control of Training Wing Six. They are not known to have a squadron name. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
---
on to underrake a wide range of training
duties.
Piloted by H. H. Knickerbocker, the
first TA-4E (Bu o. 152lO2) took to the
air on 3 June 1965, with the second
(Bu 10 .1521 3) followingshorrlyafteron
2 August. Deliveries began on 19 May
1966 to VA-125 at A Lemoore, which
was the west coast squadron responsible
for training newly-winged pilots on the
A-4, as well as transitioning A-4 pilots
who were assigned to A-4 operational
squadrons. Deliveries to VA-44, who
shared these re ponsibilities, but for east
coast pilots, and VMAT-I 2, the Marine
Corps' Replacement Air Group (RAG),
began shorrly thereafter.
oon after the first flight, the avy
decided to procure the A-4F, which
incorporated many of the new feature
introduced on the T A-4E. The TA-4E
was then redesignated as the TA-4F.
A total of 241 T A-4Fs were produced,
plus the two TA-4E prototypes. Over 100
of these were later reworked to the
TA-4J tandards and twent -three were
converted into OA-4Ms for the
Marine Corps. Four were made into elec-
tronic warfare models, designated as
EA-4Fs and used by VAQ-33 to fill the
role of surface fleet aggressors.
VT-22 from Training Wing
Two received its model Ts
on the same day as VT-21
when a mass of fifty TA-4Js
were flown to Kingsville
from the Palmdale Plant
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
An VMAT-102 A-4M (back) flies with its TA-4J squadron mate. VMAT-102 provided instrument training for
Marine Corps pi lots. Harry Gann
92
93
TWO-SEAT SK YHAWKS TWO-SEAT SKYHAWKS
This Skyhawk belongs to the Chief, Naval Aviation Training ICNATRAj and carries the '000' Modex, LI Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
A freshly painted OA-4M
assigned to H&MS-32 at MCAS
Cherry Point. The OA-4M
represents a FAC version of
the A-4M and served solely
with the Marines. Rick Morgan
Training for fleet Naval Flight Officers took place at NAS Pensacola under the care of VT-86 'Sabrehawks'. This TA-4J is being refuelled at NAS Atlanta to
complete its training mission. The training command's distinctive orange-red and white paint scheme is seen here, with a black rudder. These colours enhance
the TA-4's visibility. Frank Mirande
OA-4M
With the advance brought on l y the A-
4M, the Marines were soon looking for an
aircraft with the ame capabilitie as the
TA-4F Fast FAC platforms that had
proved so successful in Vietnam. McDon-
nell Douglas quickly responded with the
two-seat OA-4M, and authority was given
by the avy to rework some twenty-three
T -4Fs for use as high-speed reconnais-
sance and air ontrol platforms. All
reworks were completed by the Naval Air
Rework Facility ( ARF) in Pensacola.
Key to thi modification, authori:ed by
AF 542, was the installation of new
communications gear to enhance the FAC
role, namely the ARC-114 VHF, RC-
159 HF, and KY-2 secured (encrypted)
voice communications systems. Addi-
tional armour-plating for the cockpit sides
and a ground-controlled bombing system
were also added as was a canted A-4M-
style refuelling probe. The aft avionics
hump, made a common sight by the
A-4F model, was also included. These
upgrades e sentially brought the TA-4F up
to A-4M standards, although the ARBS
was not added because the OA-4M lacked
a true direct bombing mission. Inter-
estingly, at one point, consideration was
from the gull-grey and white fleet aircraft.
With its first flight taking place on 17
December 196 , deliveries to VT-21 and
VT-22 began in earnest on 6 june 1969
when a mass of fifty two-seaters were flown
to NA Kingsville from the Palmdale
plant. ince then, all U avy advanced
jet training squadrons have operated the
TA-4j, including VT-24 and VT-25 at
S hase Field, Texas, VT-4 and
VT-86 at N S Pensacola, and VT-7 at
NAS Meridian. II TA-4js have been
replaced in the training pipeline by the
Boeing T-45 Goshawk.
TA-4js also flew with everal avy
support squadron, namely A Mira-
mar's VF-126 adversary squadron, VA-I27
(later redesignated as VFA-127) at A
Lemoore, VF-43 at AS Oceana, and
VF-45 at NAS Key West. It also served
with the Composite squadrons, namely:
VC-I at Barber's Point, Hawaii; VC-2 at
A Oceana; VC-5 at Cubi Point, Philip-
pines; V -7 at NAS Miramar; VC-8 at
NA Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico;
VC-IO at Guantanamo Bay, uba; and
RVAH-3 at AS Key West, where it
helped facilitate training and other sup-
port operations. T A-4js were also flown by
the Marine H&M (later Maintenance
and Logistics Squadrons, or MAL ).
TA-4J
The second two-seat version of the A-4
resulted from a 196 decision by the avy
to incorporate the two-seat trainer into
the advanced training command as a
replacement for the ageing Grumman
TF-9j Cougar and the F-I IF Tigercat,
both of which had been in service since
the 1950s. To more reflect the training
role, and also in an effort to reduce costs,
the TA-4j, as it would be called, was pro-
duced without a weapons system, missile
launch capability, or LABS. The ability to
receive in-flight refuelling was retained,
but the ability to refuel other aircraft via
the buddy-store system was eliminated.
The e deletions resulted in a saving of
approximately lJOlb (104kg), thereby
allowing the lower-rated P-6 engine to be
used instead of the P-8A that had been
used in the TA-4F. In most other respects,
the T A-4j was identical to the TA-4F,
although later production models saw the
incorporation of the canted refuelling
probe that was installed on the A-4M.
Due to the conversion of a number of
former TA-4Fs, only 277 TA-4j were
newly produced. For this training role,
TA-4js were painted in a red-orange and
white paint scheme to distingui h them
94 95
---- - - - -- -- --- ---
given to up-rating the J52-P-408A
11,2001b (5,085kg) thrust engine, but that
was rejected, a decision which later led to
the OA-4M's fleet reputation of being
underpowered.
These modifications were first installed
experimentally on TA-4F BuNo. 152856.
The first OA-4M, however, was BuNo.
154294, which was outfitted at NATC
Patuxent River and first flew on 23 May
TWO-SEAT SKYHAWKS
1978. H&MS-32 at MCAS Cherry Point,
VA, was the first squadron to receive the
OA-4M in late 1979, with H&MS-12 at
MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, and H&MS-13 at
MCAS El Toro, California, following
in subsequent years. The OA-4M could
carry a maximum warload of 6,500lb
(2,950kg) and achieve a maximum level
speed 'clean' of 670mph (l,085km/h) at
low level.
96
This depicts the typical front TA-4J cockpit.
Ted Carlson
EA-4F
Yet another use for the two-seat Skyhawk
came about when the US Navy surface
fleet set out to create their own version
of the Navy's successful Fighter Weapons
School. Impressed with the NFWS's
ability to train pilots to counter Soviet air
forces, surface officers were anxious
to create a training environment where sur-
face ships could obtain the same experi-
ence in countering Soviet and Chinese-
built anti-surface weapons, such as the
Chinese Silkworm and the widely exported
French Exocet.
What resulted was the creation of the
Fleet Electronics Warfare Support Group
(FEWSG), which featured an electronic
aggressor squadron, designated VAQ-33
'Firebirds', which could electronically
simulate the signal of Soviet aircraft and
naval weapons systems. Fleet units would
then develop tactics and electronic coun-
termeasures designed to thwart such
weapons. After VAQ-33 relocated to
NAS Norfolk from Quonset Point, where
it was winding down as the last fleet
A-I Skyraider squadron, it subsequently
moved to NAS Key West in 1980 where
it enlisted a hodge-podge of naval aircraft
(the NC-I21K Constellation, ERA-3B
Skywarrior, EA-6A Electric Intruder, TA-
7C Corsair) to serve as the airborne
aggres ors.
The two-seat TA-4F was chosen for one
of these roles, and redesignated as the EA-
4F. Three TA-4Fs (BuNos 152869,
153481,154655) were so modified in 1970
at the McDonnell Douglas Long Beach
plant, with BuNo. 152852 converted in
1973 by fleet personnel at NAS Norfolk.
Externally, the EA-4Fs looked virtually
identical to their TA-4F counterparts,
except for the absence of the gun barrels,
modified canted probes, and modified
contoured nose-cones. The latter was
added to accommodate the installation of
an internal jammer, which was apparently
never followed-up. They differed inter-
nally by the addition of wiring enabling
the use of chaff and jammers, and the
ability to carry external electronic stores,
including the AN/AST-4 jammer pod and
This VT-7 'Marine' TA-4J, painted in the familiar orange and white scheme.
hopes to beat the coming storm as it waits for the handler to remove the
chocks. Frank J. Mirande
A-4s from the Marine Corps played an active role throughout the
Vietnam War, flying thousands of missions from their base at Chu LaL
This A-4E from VMA-121 awaits final permission to taxi. Aerospace
Publishing
The A-4F was selected by the 'Blue Angels' to replace the F-4J
Phantom II in late 1973 and began performing with the Flight
Demonstration Team for its 1974 season. 'Blue Angel' No.1
(BuNo. 155033) is seen here at Andrews AFB in May 1981.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
Four TA-4Fs were modified as electronic 'aggressors' and served with VAQ-33 at
NAS Norfolk, then NAS Key West, and provided electronic support for the Fleet
Electronic Warfare Support Group. This EA-4F is pictured off the coast of Puerto
Rico in 1981. Only four Skyhawks were converted to this configuration. Rick Morgan
New Zealand purchased a total of fourteen Skyhawks, beginning in 1969. To
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the RZNAF, this two-seat TA-4K (NZ 6256)
was painted in this unique gold finish. RNZAF via author
The first Skyhawk, BuNo. 137812, sits in front
of the Douglas plant for a publicity photo,
circa 1956. US Navy via author
This colourful VT-7 Skyhawk taxies for
take-off at NAF EI Centro, Nevada, where
students conduct their air-to-ground syllabus.
Ted Carlson
Top Gun eventually flew the A-4M shown here.
Lt Cdr Tom Twoney USN
VMA-322's famous Revolutionary War-era
Minuteman insignia is displayed on the A-4E
in this photo. US Navy via author
VMA-311 played a significant role during the Vietnam War. Based at
Chu Lai, they accumulated over 50,000 combat sorties between 1965
and 1973 and, along with VMA-211, were the last fixed-wing assets
to leave Vietnam. This photo of an A-4M was taken at Randolph AFB
in July 1979. A 300 US gallon (l,136Iitre) tank and Multiple Carriage
Bomb Racks (MCBRs) are loaded on the aircraft's stations.
Rick Morgan
Only an air show could put such dreaded foes in such close proximity without causing
alarm! Pictured together at the 1990 Oshkosh Air Show, this MiG-21 'Fishbed' and A-4B
Skyhawk would have had different impressions of one another had they met over the
skies of Vietnam some twenty years earlier. R.S. DeGroat
A pilot from VMAT-102 demonstrates his prowess by
delivering two Mk 83 Snakeye retarded bombs. The
Snakeye was developed to allow pilots to attack targets
from a lower altitude without fear of damaging their
aircraft from the bomb blast. Designed as a high-drag
complement to the Mk 80 series designed by Ed
Heinemann, the Snakeye's fins deployed, thereby
slowing the bomb's flight and giving the pilot sufficient
separation to escape. Snakeye kits have been replaced
today by an air-inflated bag, known as a 'ball ute', which
is more reliable. Harry Gann
Singapore purchased forty Skyhawks for its Royal Singapore Air Force, which have since undergone two upgrades. Here, the product of the second such project,
an A-4SU Super Skyhawk of No. 145 Squadron, sits at Kuantam, Malaysia. The large black VHF aerial aft of the cockpit distinguishes this from earlier -S models.
Also note the lack of an avionics hump typical of US -E, -F, -l, and M models. The hump was removed and replaced with a saddle-type ADF antenna. Peter Foster
The Navy created two
large Anti-Submarine
Fighter Squadrons, VFS-1
and VFS-3, from which
smaller detachments
could deploy and
provide the ASW carrier
air groups with a basic
level of fighter support.
VFS-1, to which this
A-4C belongs, was the
parent squadron from
which VFS-3 was
created in 1967. This
concept soon fell by
the wayside as the
ASW carriers were
phased out and their
mission taken over by
the large-deck carriers
as part of the 'CV'
concept in the early
1970s. US Navy via author
An A-4B belonging to the Naval Missile Center sits loaded
with three AGM-12 Bullpup missiles. The Bullpup capability
was introduced on the A-4B, but failed to live up to its
advertisement as a workable stand-off weapon. The pilot
had to maintain a straight approach while the bomb was
guided to its target, making him susceptible to enemy AAA
and small arms fire. US Navy via author
~ - - - ~ - - - - -
VF-101 and VF-171 both
acquired small numbers
of A-4s to assist with
dissimilar air combat
training and established
a detachment at NAS
Key West where
students could go for
the DACM portion of
their RAG syllabus.
Here, an A-4E from
VF-171 KW Det. taxies
on the ramp in colourful
camouflage. Rick Morgan
The last Marine Corps A-4 was
retired from Reserve Squadron
VMA-131 'Diamondbacks' in
August 1994. Especially visible
on this A-4M is the parachute
canister just aft of the tailhook.
The painting on the Skyhawk's
side can be seen in detail on
pages 59 and 79. John W. Binford
The A-4M's Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) was added in the mid-1970s to
enhance the Skyhawk's weapons delivery capability. Shown here in this close-
up of a VMA-131 Skyhawk is the ARBS TV sensor (centre) and lST (laser Spot
Trackerl. On each side of the nose are antennae for the AlR-45 radar warning
system. The two white antennae are for the AlQ-126 jamming system. John W.
Binford
Zuni rockets are fired from a steep-diving A-4M of VMAT-102. Harry Gann
Five A-4s painted for delivery to the US Marine
Corps are parked neatly to commemorate the 2,50Oth
Skyhawk produced. McDonnell Douglas via author
Proving itself during the Vietnam War, the TV-guided AGM-62 Walleye was one of the
early 'smart' weapons and brought to the fleet the ability to send one plane after one
target. Here, a VMA-324 A-4M releases a Walleye over the Chocolate Mountain target
range in Southern California. Close inspection shows the pilot's head is down,
watching his screen. Harry Gann
This Marine Corps Reserve A-4E sits on the tarmac at NAS Key
West in April 1981 and is painted in the more colourful high-viz
markings that were prominent prior to the adoption of low-viz
two-tone grey scheme in the mid-1980s. Rick Morgan
Two-seat Skyhawks were also well-received by
the experimental and test community. Here, a
Skyhawk from Reserve Air Wing 81 (RAW-81) of
NAS Minneapolis, Minnesota, bears the markings
of the Naval Air Test Center at NAS Patuxent River.
Interestingly, the TA-4J retained its '7E' tail code.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
TWO-SEAT SKYHAWKS
The electronic aggressors, represented
by this VAQ-33 EA-4F, flew out of NAS
Key West. A sister unit, VAQ-34, was
formed on the west coast, but was
unable to secure its own EA-4Fs.
McDonnell Douglas converted this
Skyhawk to the electronic aggressor
variant in 1970 at its Long Beach plant.
This EA-4F served with VAQ-33 until 1988
and was transferred to VC-l0 at
Guantanamo Bay. Notice the extended
nose cone. designed for jammer gear
that was never added. Rick Morgan
The 'Blue Angels' received one TA-4J to
provide maintenance and support duties
for the Flight Demonstration Team. This
Skyhawk wears the markings of 'Blue
Angel' No 7 and is being inspected by
onlookers at the air show at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland in 1977.
Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
The Navy experimented
with several different
camouflage
combinations in an
effort to better protect
pilots from enemy
gunners. This scheme,
which features a dark
green colour, was
tested for a short time
aboard USS Enterprise
(CVAN 65). US Navy via
author
Catapult crews hook an A-4E from VA-212 to the bow cat near the end of USS Hancock's 1965 cruise.
The Skyhawk carries Zuni rocket pods, drop fuel tanks, and a centreline-mounted Triple Ejector Rack (TER)
with four Mk 80 series bombs. Robert F. Dorr
97
TWO-SEAT SK YHAWKS
This Skyhawk from VC-1tows a TBU-UB target off
the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. VC-1 was based at
Barber's Point and provided logistics and adversary
support for Pacific Fleet units. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick
Burgess USN ReId
TWO-S AT KYHAWKS
Many Composite Squadrons, such as VC-8, became full adversary squadrons during the early 1980s. Based
at NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, the 'Red Tails' first transitioned to the A-4 in 1967, receiving a batch
of A-4Bs to replace their ageing FJ-4D Furies. Note the bright red star tail markings designating it as an
adversary unit. Jim Winchester
ALQ-167 jammer. A target missile
launcher capability was also added. A new
panel was in tailed in the aft cockpit
allowing the Naval Flight Officer ( FO)
to operate the electronic equipment.
Electronic exercises with fleet units
were performed on both coasts by VAQ-
33 until the formation, in 19 3, of a ister
unit, VAQ-34, at NA Point Mugu,
California. VAQ-34 requested its own
EA-4Fs, but this was rejected due to a
hortage ofTA-4 airframes in the jet train-
ing command. Aggre sor missions would
often involve the EA-4F using an A T-4
pod to imulate an incoming cruise missile.
This pod produced a signal similar to that
emitted by a missile seeker and provided a
near-live 'threat' to locate and identify.
Combining the AST-4 touting Skyhawks
with other VAQ-33 aircraft created a very
effective electronic training scenario for
fleet EW operators. As evidence of the
EA-4F's usefulness in this role, the four
VAQ-33 Skyhawks (two EA-4Fs and two
modified TA-4]s) flew a combined 1,142
hours (approximately 18 per cent) of the
squadron's total of 6,286 flight hours
during 1986.
One EA-4F, Bu o. 152869, was lost
in April 1980 in olorado following
an oil system failure. The avy later
replaced this with a T A-4J, Bu ]0.
154343, that was modifi d to carry the
various pods, but not rede ignated. A
second EA-4F, Bu o. 154655, was lost
in 1985, off A orth Island,
California, due to an engine failure. It,
also, was replaced by a modified TA-4,
Bu o. 15 136, but not rede ignated.
The remaining two served with VAQ-
33 until March 1988 and ended their ser-
vice life with VC-8 (Bu o. 152 52) and
VC-10 (BuNo. 1534 1) on 5 and 9
October 1990, respectively. The two mod-
ified TA-4Js continued to serve - Bu o.
154343, with VF-43 at A Oceana,
98
Virginia, until 1994, and BuNo. 158136,
with TW-2 until 1997. While other om-
posite squadrons had similarly modified
TA-4s, none were designated as EA-4Fs.
Composite Squadrons
Fleet ompo ite (VC) squadrons emplo-
yed the TA-4 in a variety of role as they
attempted to support the fleet units. The
primary VC function, until the advent of
di similar adver ary service in the mid-
197 s and early 19 Os, wa fleet support,
which ranged from transporting VI Ps to
towing or launching targets for other avy
aircraft and ships. TA-4Js frequently
pulled TDU-series towed targets for
strafing or missile firings, and launched
BQM-34 Firebees or AQM-3 7A super-
son ic targ ts for fleet exercises.
Six Fleet and two Reserve Composite
squadrons were active during the 1970s.
An in-flight VT-U 'Golden Eagle' from Training Wing Two. The TA-4J played a integral role in advanced jet
training for nearly twenty years until replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk. Bob Thomas via
Robert F. Dorr
99
TWO-SEAT SKYHAWKS TWO- T SK YHA WKS
A VFC-13 TA-4J makes a final approach at NAF EI Centro in early 1990. The squadron began at NAS New
Orleans in 1973 and moved to Miramar in 1976 to augment VC-7. Many of its original members were from
VSF-76 and VSF-86, which were disestablished in 1973. later that year, the' Saints' traded in their A-4ls for
two-seat Skyhawks and since acquired A-4E and A-4F single-seaters as supplements. The 'Saints' continue
in their adversary role today, although they traded in their A-4s for F/A-18 Hornets in 1994. Ted Carlson
VAjVF43
Based at AS Oceana, the 'Challeng rs
received their first kyhawk during the
early I960s for use in the instrumentation-
training role but it was not until 1970
that th y began nying some limited Air
Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) training. In
197 , the adversary role was added to their
training mission and squadron aircraft
started to receive the camounage paint-
schemes that traditionally designated this
role. In 1978, VF-43 was ordered to make
following summary discusses how thes
squadrons became involved in the adver-
sary role.
Instrument Squadrons
An interesting photo of TA-4E BuNo. 152102 with four AIM-9 Sidewinders. US Navy via Aerospace Publishing
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, four
squadron served the Navy as so-called
'instrument squadrons', each nying the
TA-4J. These squadrons were responsible
for providing all-weather instrument
ground and night training to naval avia-
tors en route to Fleet squadrons from the
training command. Two of these squad-
rons were located on the east coast - VA-
43's 'Challengers' operated out of NA
Key West and VA-45's 'Blackbirds' new
out of NA Oceana. VA-126, called the
'Bandits', new at A Miramar and VA-
127's 'Desert Bogeys' at AS Lemoore,
then at Fallon, new on the west coast. The
Top Gun's founders quickly work d out
an arrangement with VF-126, the we t
coast instrument RAG, to u e some of
their T -4Fs in the adversary role. It has
b n reported that famed MiG-killer
Randy Cunningham credits the moves he
learned from Top Gun stud nts nying the
VF-126 TA-4Js as being, in part, re ponsi-
ble for his air combat ucce se in Vietnam.
Top Gun would later go on to acquire its
own A-4s as it became a separate com-
mand, nying stripped-down vel' ions of the
A-4E, A-4F and uper Fox, and finally the
A-4M, before transitioning to the F/A-!
in 1994. At one point, the A-4, together
with the F-5E, was the mainstay of Top
Gun's adversary force.
No true I' view of the two-seat kyhawk
can be complcte without some discus ion
of its role in the establishment of Top Gun,
the avy Fighter Weapons School, or in
the emphHsis on dissimilar aircraft adver-
sary training that nourished from 1973
until 199 . When Top Gun was formed in
1969 funds were short. Instructors, who
still were working out of a trailer at AS
Miramar, had to look for aircraft wherever
they might be found. Since Top Gun
began as a part of the West Coast F-4
RAG, VF-121, finding Phantoms was not
the real problcm. Rather, the difficulty was
finding adversary aircraft.
How the TA-4 Impacted
Top Gun and the
Adversary Squadron
their disestabl ishment. VC-13 did th
samc in 1976 when it went to Miramar.
Both VC- 2 and VC- 7 were dise tabl ished
in October 1980, with the Reserve units
assuming all VC duties. VC-l and VC-5
stood down in September 1992.
was disestablished in Ocrober 1980 and
VC-5 in eptember 1992.
Two VC squadrons served in the
Caribbean; VC-8 operat d out of NA
Roosevelt Roads and served Atlantic
oast neet units and squadrons. V -10's
'Challengers', nying out of MCAS
Guantanamo Bay, uba, serv d a dual role
as neet support and air defence for the
Marines based at Gitmo. Because of their
air defence mission, itmo's TA-4Js were
the last remaining U -operated two-seat
kyhawk configured to carry the A1M-9
Sidewinder. Both squadron are opera-
tional at the time of writing and are still
nying the TA-4J.
Two Reserve V quadrons were
formed on I eptember 1973; VC-12
'Fighting Omar 'at A Detroit, Mich-
igan, and VC-13 ' aint' at A ew
Orleans, Mi si sippi. The ' aints' were
formed in part with memb rs of the then-
disestablished V F-76 and - 6, the
Reserve Anti- ubmarine Fighter squad-
rons intended to supplement V F-I and
-3. Both Reserve V units operated the
A-4L. VC-12 moved to Oceana in 1975
and took over VC-2's duties following
f the six Fleet squadrons, two were
forward-deployed in the Pacific ro
assist neet unit during their WestPa
crui es. V -1 was based at AS Barber's
Point, Hawaii. With its Marine orps
brethrcn H&MS-31 (later MAL -31),
VC-I new support for neet units out
of Pearl Harbour, Air Force F-15s at
Hickam AFB, and Marine Corps
squadrons from MCAS Kaneohe Bay. V -
5 operated out of Cubi Point in the
Philippines and provided neet support f I'
forward-deployed units, such a
Midway based in Japan and those carriers
deploying ro WestPac or the Persian
Gulf/Indian Ocean (PG/IO). VC-I dises-
tabli hed in eptember 1992 and VC-5
discstablished in eptembcr 1992, when
Cubi Point was closed.
Back in the tates, two Composite
squadrons operated in conjunction with
the fighter-oriented master jet bases.
VC-2 resided at NA Oceana, while
VC-7 was based at NA Miramar. Both
new support mission for their respective
coast squadrons and neets, and were
augmented in 1975-6 with the rebasing
of the two R serve VC squadrons. VC-2
100 707
TWO-SEAT SK YHAWKS
Instrument RAGs helped train naval aviators en route to the Fleet squadrons and fleet-experienced aviators returning to the cockpit who need instruments
refreshers. One such squadron was VA-45 based at NAS Oceana. Originally designated as a VA squadron, the 'Blackbirds' received authorization to fly dissimilar
ACM missions in 1976 and later assumed the mission completely. In recognition of this. they were redesignated as VF-45 in 1985. US Navy via author
TWO- - T KYHAWKS
One of the early duties of the Composite Squadrons was target towing. Here. a VC-1 A-4E flies near Hawaii
with a TDU-10 Dart target package installed. US Navy via Aerospace Publishing
adversary activities their number one
priority. One of the squadron's most
significant innovations was the creation
of the Fleet Fighter ACM Readiness Pro-
gram (FFRAP), which became a standard
part of the VF-IOI's F-14 instructional
syllabus. FFRAP was a series of lectures
and dissimilar ACM missions flown by
RAG students against the adversary
pilots. VF-43 stood down in 1994 due to
budgetary constraints associated with the
massive military downsizing of the early
1990s.
VA/VF-45
This squadron began as VA-45 and, as
with VF-43, served as an instrument
RAG. It was based at AS Key West
and began operating two- eat variants
of the kyhawk in 1967. On 16 August
1976, the' Blackbirds' were authorized to
begin providing dissimilar ACM (DACM)
training and, in recognition of this role,
were redesignated as VF-45 in 1985. The
'Blackbirds' flew single and two-scat A-4s,
plus a mixture of F-5s and later F-16 s,
a special version of the F-16 designed for
use by the Navy_ VF-45 taught DACM to
Hornet and Tomcat pilots alike, both a
fleet units an I for the community RAGs,
later called Fleet Replacement quadron
(FRS), as part of their tactics and ACM
training phases. VF-45 remains today,
although its Skyhawks were retired in
1994.
VA/VF-126
Again an instrumentation RAG, this
squadron, located at NA Miramar, was
long noted as the premier adversary
squadron. VF-126 developed a counterpart
training programme for the fighter com-
munity, called Turnaround ACM Program
(T P), which was later meshed into one
programme with the East Coast FFRAP.
VF-126 flew A-4E, -F, -M, and TA-4J
702
variants in the DACM role, in addition to
F-5Es, and later F-16 s. This quadron
stood down in 1994.
VA/VF-127
VA-I27 began as a detachment of VF-
126, referred to as VF-126 Det. Alpha,
providing instrument training to squad-
rons at NAS Lemoore. In May 1970,
VF-127 took over the role of A-4 commu-
nity RAG as VA-125 was stood down and
VA-In handled the new A-7. It served
in this role until July 1975. hortly after
that, the squadron was officially desig-
nated as an adversary unit. As with all
other squadrons performing the adversary
role, VF-I27 adopted the camouflage
schemes of the foreign threat nations. One
VF-I27 aircraft was even painted with the
silhouette of a MiG-17. In 19 7, with the
F/A-18 taking such a prominent position
in the force structure, the squadron was
redesignated as VFA-I27 and moved to
AS Fallon, where it flew adversary
missions in support of the Navy's trike
Warfare Center. VFA-I27 was disestab-
lished in 1993, with VFC-13 assuming its
adversary role.
Two other squadrons operated a small
number of A-4s for the adversary role. VF-
10l, the east coast Tomcat RAG, kept
three A-4Es in its VF-IO 1 KW Oct, VF-
171, the RAG for the F-4 Phantom II,
operated a similar detachment called VF-
171 KW Det., also equipped with A-4Es.
VF-171' Det. stood down in 19 4.
VC Change of Mission
The idea of adversary squadrons caught on
fast and by 1975 virtually all of the then-
remaining VC squadrons had hed their
703
support missions and were performing
adversary work. As the original V
quadrons stood down, their DACM
duties were assumed by VC-12 and VC-13,
both of wh ich were rede ignated in 19 7
to VFC units, to reflect their primary role
as fleet adversary squadrons. Both
squadrons flew their A-4s until 1994 when
they were traded in for the newer F/A-18
Hornet.
SKYI-IAWKS T Wf\R
CHAPTER FOUR
This VA-86 Sidewinder CAG '00' A-4E starts down the port catapult aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) during its 1965 Vietnam cruise, 1 July 1965 marked the
squadron's baptism into combat, flying raids against targets in South Vietnam from Dixie Station. Stations one and five appear to carry Mk 83 1,OOOIb bombs.
us Navy via Tailhook Association
cally armed with two or four pod of 2Xin
(6.9cm) rockets, which could be fired
sin Iy or in salvos and would have been
particularly useful against trucks or lightly
armed vehicl s. Full ammunition was
also carried for the twin Mk 12 20mm
cannons.
With two carriers on station, air cover-
age re ponsibilitie were often rotated,
with one air group taking responsibility for
full air operation while the other stood
down for replenishment. Thi 'stand-
down' generally took place every four to
fiv days. These carriers provided much-
needed air coverage for the Marines for
approximately one month, until US ir
Force units could be moved into place at
the ATO air base in Adana, Turkey.
The entire operation ended on 25 October
The other two-thirds of our aircraft were
employed on surveillance missions, which
consisted mainly of flying horder patrols around
the perimeter of Lehanon, the Israeli side as
well as the yrian SIde. We also conducted
route reconnaissance, involving flying over
some of the main roads leading out of the prin-
cipal cities of Sidon, Tyre and Beirut and
through the mountains into the Bekka Valley
and from there across the border. The purpose
of the border patrols was to detect the incur-
sion of any foreign military forces, and the road
recces were just to keep track of what was
moving on the roads in Lehanon
n
For these missions, kyhawks were typi-
cribed by Cdr James L. Holloway III,
skipper of VA-83 aboard USS Essex:
These A-4Es from the USS Oriskany are carrying a load of Mk 83 bombs and a centreline tank as they
prepare to go 'feet dry' over Vietnam. The Skyhawks belong to VA-163 'Saints'. us Navy via author
34' 4D-1s, while VA-83 aboard Essex
flew A4D-2s. USS WaS/), although it had
no A-4s, also stood ready to assi t.
One of the missions assigned to
kyhawk units during that crisis included
providing a nuclear deterrent against any
pos ible oviet retaliation, for oviet
Premier I ikita Khrushchev had threat-
ened to strike at the carriers and turn
th m into 'flaming coffins'. At least one-
third of the carrier' kyhawk tood
nuclear alert during the crisis, with some
A-4s even loaded and on deck. American
carrier aircraft paid close attention for
ign of any Soviet fleet movement from
ports in the Black Sea, but that never
material ized.
The mainstay of the Skyhawks' mis-
sions, however, was survei lIance, as des-
The Skyhawk Has a Few
Close Calls
The 1958 Lebanon Crisis saw the
Skyhawk on the verge of combat, as two
carrier from the US Navy's Sixth Fleet,
USS aratoga (CVA 60/CVG-3) and US
Essex (CVA 9/ TG-201), stood offshore
ready to provide air cover for the Marines
who had gone ashore under Operation
Bluebat to help keep the peace and to
allow Lebanese Army units to go into the
countryside to defeat leftist guerrillas. The
kyhawks aboard Saratoga included V -
7 Marine Corps kyhawk were lost to
enemy action in the conAict.
Skyhawks suffered from the same hand-
icap that plagued all military operations
in Vietnam, as overly burdensome polit-
ical restraints unnecessarily prolonged the
war and prevented military objectives
from being achieved. everthelcss, the A-
4 earned a reputation as a tough, rugged,
reliable war-horse, that would later go on
to help drive export sales to foreign
governments so impre sed by the Scooter's
performance that they, too, wanted the
A-4 for frontl ine role.
Skyhawks at War
Probably nothing te ts the endurance
capabilities of an aircraft more than
combat. In this regard, the A-4 Skyhawk
performed admirably, Aying thousands
of missions for both Navy and Marine
orps squadrons in one of the nation's
darkest hours, the Vietnam War. From
its beginning on 5 August ] 964 to the
last mission Aown in January ] 973,
Skyhawk Aew hundreds of thousands of
sorties, both from aircraft carriers on
Yankee and Dixie Station and from
Marine Corps bases at Da ang, hu
Lai, and later Bien Hoa. 196 Navy and
704
705
SKYHAWKSATWAR
SKYHAWK AT WAR
A veteran of World War II, USS Essex ICVA 91 is seen here with a complement of A-4 Skyhawks lined down
her deck. The Essex stood ready with VA-34 to provide air cover for US Marines ashore in the 1958 Lebanon
Crisis. US Navy via author
Skyhawks from USS Shangri-La ICVA 38) stood ready to assist democratic nations throughout the
Caribbean resisting the spread of communism during the early 1960s. Here, a formation of A40-2s led by
then Lt Cdr Otto E. Kruger, from CVG-l0's VA-l06 squadron fly overhead. The 'Gladiators' flew three variants
of the A-4 until disestablished in November 1969. US Navy via author
and V IA-533 being transferred from
MCA Cherry Point to A Key West
and VMA-324 tran ferred to the same
base from MCAS Beaufort. Beaufort's
VMA-331 was moved to AS Roosevelt
Roads and VMA-I21, the only west coast
VMA unit affected, was ent to NAS
Cecil Field. VMA-224 remained on alert
at MCA Cherry Point.
The alert had an equal impact on the
avy, where the carriers Enter/)rise
(CVAN 65), S Essex (CV 9), and
S Inde/)endence (CVA 63) were
deployed to the Caribbean. U Randol/)h
(CV IS), an anti- ubmarine carrier, was
also tasked into service in support of the
ment. The operation was no less than a
total failure, as the uban nationalist
were quickly captured by Ca tro's force.
The Cuban Missile ri is followed in
October 1962, as the U sought to remove
recently-deployed Soviet SS-4 Sandal and
SS-5 Skan IRBMs. Also deployed to Cuba
were various Soviet-built MiG fighters and
A-2 AM units, as well as 11-28 'Beagle'
tactical bombers. In an effort to concen-
trate air power in the south-east of the
United tate to support OpPlan 312, the
air strike option against the Cuban sites,
approximately half of the U Marine
Corps' A-4 squadrons were placed on alert
starting on 22 October, with VMA-242
Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and those
involved in the now-infamous Cuban
Missile Crisis in October 1962. Alarmed by
the activities of Fidel Castro in opposition
to Cuba's Dictator Fulgen io Batista, the
US government sponsored an invasion of
Cuba, called Operation Zapata, which
involved transporting US-trained Cuban
refugees to a remote landing spot called the
Bay of Pig. Providing air support for those
landings was a collection of U avy
ships, including U Essex, with VA-106,
deployed as part of CVG-10. The
kyhawks tood ready but Pre ident John
F. Kennedy refused to call them into action
in an effort to prevent any direct involve-
often a part of carrier patrols off Central
America, as the attempted to contain
the spread of ommunism to countries
such as icaragua and Guatemala. During
November 1960, for example, Skyhawks
from VAs-12, -15, and -106 stood ready
aboard SS ShangJi-La as it steamed
through the Carribean as part of the
Carribean Task Force. kyhawks aboard
U Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42)
performed similar mi sions in 1963 off the
Dominican Republic.
Most notable, however, were the units
sent to provide support for the disastrous
the region and U Essex, now freed from
its duties off Lebanon, was ordered to
'chop' from the Mediterranean to the
western Pacific. Despite sever<ll exchanges
of shelling and the downing of four
Communist China MiG-17s by ROCAF
F-86Fs, the matter came to an end with a
cease-fire announced on 6 October. 0
shot were fired by force. Of these
named carrier, only Hancock, Essex, and
Lexington operated a contingent of A-4s.
Other operations also took the
Skyhawks to the brink of combat action.
During the early 1960s, Skyhawks were
195 , when the Marine withdrew after
General Fouad hehab, former head of
the Lebanese Army, was elected Pre ident.
As the Lebanon crisis W<lS coming to an
end, US carrier forces were again sent into
harm's way during the summer of 1958
when a dispute aro e between ommunist
hina and Taiwan over the islands of
Quemoy and Mat u. Quickly dispatched
were the eventh Fleet carrier U
Hancock (CV 19) and Lexington
(CV 10), which took up stations east of
Taiwan. S Midway (CVA 41), with its
nuclear weapons arsenal, was also sent to
106
107
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
A-4Bs with VA-l06 squadron were stationed with the Air Force's 19th Tactical Air Force during the Cuban
Missile Crisis. The 'Gladiators' later deployed to Vietnam, but the cruise was cut short by the tragic fire
aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 591 that killed eight squadron members. US Navy via author
SKYI-IAWKS TWAR
This photo, taken during VA-86's late 1958, early 1959 cruise, shows an A-4B tanking one of three squadron mates while circling USS Randolph (CVA 15).
Skyhawks were often used to provide tanking services around the carrier. VA-86 Skyhawks provided operational detachments for several of the anti-submarine
carriers during 1963, for which they were equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinders. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
blockade forces. A Cecil Field's VA-
106 was as igned temporarily to the Air
Force' 19th Tactical Air Force, where its
A-4s stood alert. Tensions mounted
quickly and US forces were placed on a
DEF ON Two level, meaning that fore s
were deployed for a nuclear confl ict, at
the height of the stand-off. Most of these
A-4 units remained on alert, despite the
apparent calming of events in late
October, unti I December 1962 when the
last 11-28 'Beagles' left.
In an interesting foreshadow of future
events, Marine A-4s were called upon
to provide air support for a Marine
Expeditionary Force (MEF) sent to Thai-
land in mid-1962 to help defend against
a Communi t threat to the Thai govern-
ment. VMA-332's A-4C deployed to
dorn, Thailand. Thi unit was with-
drawn on 2 July without having flown any
combat sorties.
Naval Air Operations in
Vietnam
The Navy's role was almost ex lusively
one involving air power and key to that
role was the kyhawk. Indeed, dr John
Nichols and Barrett Tillman said it best
in their book, On Yankee tation, when
they described the vital role played by the
A-4 in just one short, but remarkably
accurate summation: 'If one airplane kept
us in the air over North Vietnam, it was
the -4'28
The Skyhawk's role in the Vietnam air
campaign was crucial as the diminutive
Scooter formed the ba kbone of the
Navy's light attack squadrons. During the
early years, most of the Skyhawks involved
were A-4C and A-4E models. Indeed, A-
4Cs went to sea on forty-four cruises,
while -Es deployed on thirty-eight cruises.
On a few occasions A-4Bs were deployed,
fir t with VA-15 and VA-95, and later
with V F-3 in 1966, aboard lnrrepid.
A-4Bs also deployed with the A W
carriers U Bennigwn (CV 20) and
Kearsage (CV 33) with VA-l13
Det. Q and VA-153 Det. R, respectively.
The A-4Es certainly presented the more
desirable model, with its greater range and
additional hardpoint .
In late December 1967, the more
capable A-4F models, with their aft
avionics hump full of electronic counter-
708
measure gear, began to appear in Fleet
squadrons and would eventually comprise
the majority of A-4 squadrons supporting
the war. By the end of the war, A-4Fs had
deployed on twenty-five cruises.
In many air wings, the kyhawk
squadrons flew different variants on the
same cruise. A good example was CVW-
5, wh ich, in 1969, deployed to U S Bon
Homme Richard with VA-ZZ and VA-94
flying A-4Fs, and VA-144 flying A-4Es
Also deploying that year was CVW-I0'
VA-36 and VA-66, with their A-4 s, and
VA-I06 with A-4Es. VA-95's 'Green
Lizards' would take the A-4C on cruise a
total of four times, with VA-163's' aints'
taking the Echo to cruise the same
number. Two squadrons, VA-55 and VA-
212, shared the Foxtrot honour with five
A-4F cruises, four of which were aboard
U Hancock.
To the surprise of many, two- eat
Skyhawk also deployed with the carriers
including two cruis s to Vietnam. VA-
164 went to sea aboard the Hancock in
1972, '73, and '75 with a small contin-
gent of TA-4Fs. At the time, on-looker
thought that th se were merely for pilot
training while on cruise, but in reality, Illustrative of the ruggedness of its design, this damaged A-4 fought its way back to its carrier following a serious encounter with
North Vietnamese anti-aircraft artillery. US Navy via author
709
--
- - ---
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
SKYI-IAWKS AT WAR
A VA-95 A-4 sits with an AGM-12 Bullpup. The 'AJ' markings belong to CVW-8, which cruised the
Mediterranean Sea aboard USS Shangri-La in 1968. US Navy via author
Route Packages (RPs)
Four VA-66 Bravos pose in formation in June 1961 operations with USS Intrepid (CVA 11). The lead and left
wing are carrying AGM-12 Bullpup missiles while the remaining Skyhawks carry iron bombs. US Navy via
Tailhook Association
the two-seaters went along to provide
hand-held laser designation for laser-
guided munitions, as no laser designating
pods were then available.
In all, thirty-six A-4 squadrons deployed
on a record I 12 cruises over the course of
the nine-year war, with ome squadrons,
namely VA-55's 'Warhorses', VA-I64's
'Ghostriders', and VA-212's 'Rampant
Raiders', seeing as many a eight deploy-
ment . The number of A-4 losses, 196
Navy aircraft, reflects the aircraft's high
rate of usage rather than its vulnerability.
In fact, most pilots would agree that the
kyhawk was one of the most survivable
plane in the inventory. It was also one
of the most reliable aircraft of the war,
with availability number reaching 90-
100 per cent at time. Key to this was
the simplicity of it de ign, which allowed
even major damage to be repaired fairly
quickly.
The Carriers
A total of twenty-one carriers fought off
the shores of Vietnam as part of Task Force
77, serving some 9,178 days on the line. Of
these carriers, U S Hancock made eight
combat cruises; U Ranger, Coral Sea,
Oriskany, and Constellation; made seven
combat cruises; and U Kitty Hawk, Bon
Homme Richard, and Enterprise made six
cruises.
Skyhawks were operated from all of the
carriers, although most A-4s were phased
out of the large decked ships beginning
in December 1967 with the introduction
of the A-7 Corsair [[ aboard U S Ranger.
The smaller deck carriers (U Essex,
Hancock, Intrepid, Yorktown, Oriskany, and
Ticonderoga) typically operated two A-4
squadrons, with a third added in early
196 following the exit of the A-I
kyraider. The fir t three A-4 squadron
cru i e took place in 1966/7 aboard U
Fran/din D. Roosevelt, when CVW-I was
stocked with VAs-Il, -72, and -172.
Although it would not be until mid-May
of 1967 before another air wing would
deploy with three A-4 squadrons, that
would later become the tandard for the
mall deck 'Essex' class carriers (U
Hancock, Bon Homme Richard, Shangri-La,
and Oriskany) as the war wound down.
With an average of fourteen kyhawks
per squadron, the three-A-4 squadron air
wing composition gave the small deck
carriers a powerful complement of forty-
two strike aircraft. These A-4s typically
flew their missions with F-8 rusaders
providing escort or flak suppression. The
larger carriers substituted their A-4s and
A-Is with Intruders and Corsair and the
newer F-4 Phantom II for the rusaders,
with the A-7s taking over the /Ton Hand
mi sions.
Of special interest was the late 1965
cruis of USS Enter/Jrise. For this, the
Air Force and Navy air operations over North Vietnam were controlled by two
groups; the Commander, Second Air Division, in Saigon, and the Commander
of Task Force 77. When the air war began, the sparse number of approved
targets in the North created a 'competition' between the services as to who
could strike a particular target. Service strikes were often duplicative of one
another, due in part to poor communications. In an attempt to remedy this,
days were divided into three-hour slots, for which control would alternate
between the Navy and the Air Force. While theoretically appearing sound,
this soon proved to be a problem, as weather delays continued to cause con-
fusion about who would hit a particular target.
Co-ordination of these efforts was eventually given to the Rolling Thunder
Armed Reconnaissance Coordinating Committee (RTARCC, later RTCCI. In
November 1966, the RTARCC devised a plan to divide North Vietnam into six
Route Packages, the control of which would alternate between the services
on a weekly basis. This also proved problematic, and control over the
individual RPs was eventually permanently assigned.
Route Package I began at the DMZ and ran north to the Mu Gai Pass.
Because of its proximity to the fighting in the south, command of RP I was
given to Gen William C. Westmoreland, Commander, US Ground Forces,
Vietnam. Route Packages II, II, and IV ran along the coast and extended to
just below the Hanoi/Haiphong area, stopping at an imaginary line someway
from Hanoi. These RPs were given to the Navy. RPs III and IV carried much of
the traffic south, with major transportation facilities located in RP IV. The
infamous Thanh Hoa Bridge and the Dong Suong and Quang Lang airfields
were in that RP.
The Air Force was assigned responsibility for Route Package V, the most
north-eastern part of North Vietnam. This assignment made sense, as Air
Force planes based in Thailand were much closer to the targets. Route
Package VI was considered the 'hot spot,' as it contained Hanoi and
Haiphong. This RP was sub-divided at the north-eastern rail line into China,
with RP VI-A, the northern segment, including Hanoi and the airfields at
Kep, Gia Lam, and Phuc Yen. RP VIB was to the south and included
Haiphong and Hon Gai and the MiG base at Kein An. RP VI-A was assigned
to the Air Force and RP VI-B assigned to the Navy.
Carrier Stations
Because the carriers steaming off the coast of Vietnam never faced any
significant threat of air attack, they could generally cruise in the same loca-
tion. Two stations that would become well-known terms in the life of naval
aviators were Yankee Station in the north, and Dixie Station in the south.
Gen Westmoreland was so impressed with the performance of Navy and
Marine aviators operating from USS Midway and USS Hancock during the
early part of 1965 that he lobbied for the establishment of a permanent
station off the coast of South Vietnam. This became Dixie Station and was
staffed initially by USS Oriskany (CVA 341. Seventh Fleet carriers deploying
to Task Force 77 would often begin their line periods by serving a few days
or weeks at Dixie Station as a 'warm up' for operations 'up North'. Dixie
Station was eventually discontinued in August 1966 as sufficient Air Force
assets had been located in South Vietnam and Thailand to support ground
operations in the south.
Yankee Station was the base for all operations against North Vietnam
and the point from which the majority of Navy strikes were conducted
during the war. Initially located due east of the DMZ, Yankee Station moved
north beginning in April 1966 to a point east of Vinh, then moved south with
the end of Operation Rolling Thunder in 1968. It moved north again during
1972 during the Operation Linebacker raids, at one point coming within 70
miles (113km) of Haiphong. Yankee Station was generally staffed by two to
three carriers 'on the line' and was unquestionably considered more
hazardous by the pilots and air crews who flew there.
110
111
SKYHAWKS AT WAR KYIIAWKS AT WAR
A flight of four VA-93 A-4Cs carry gun pods and napalm en route to a target in South Vietnam. These planes are from USS Enterprise and were one of four A-4
squadrons deployed on the late 1965 cruise. us Navy via Boeing flistorical Archives via Harry Gann
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Published with the permission of the Naval Institute Press.
A-4Fs such as this from VA-55 in 1972 made a total of twenty-five squadron war cruises and represented the last Navy Skyhawks to fly combat missions over
Vietnam. VA-55 took the Foxtrot on four Vietnam cruises, participating in Operations Freedom Train and Endsweep, and was aboard USS Hancock for the
Skyhawk's final cruise in 1975. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
112 113
SKYHAWK AT \ AR
SKYHAWK AT WAR
Carrier Air Wings
The A-4 Skyhawk has played a vital role in the carrier air wing from its initial
deployment with CVG-9 aboard USS Ticonderoga (CVA 14) in September 1957
to its final cruise with CVW-21 aboard USS Hancock (CVA 19) in 1975.
Skyhawks first deployed on attack carriers and anti-submarine carriers with
air groups designated as Carrier Air Groups (CVG) and Carrier ASW Groups
(CVSG). On 20 December 1963, Carrier Air Groups were redesignated as
Carrier Air Wings, hence the CVW abbreviation. For a time, Carrier Air Groups
aboard the ASW carriers were designated ATG, for Air Task Group.
When the air war broke out over Vietnam in August 1964, all CVWs
included two A-4 squadrons in the light attack role, with AD Skyraiders and
A-3 Skywarriors serving in the medium and heavy attack roles respectively.
Fighter squadrons were staffed with F-8 Crusaders on the small-deck carriers
and the new F-4B Phantom lion the large-deck carriers. A-3s generally flew
the medium attack role for the large-deck ships, with A-5 Vigilantes flying the
heavy attack role. With the deployment of the A-6A Intruder in May 1965, the
larger carriers began replacing the AD in their medium attack squadrons, and
eventually deployed the Intruder on all large-deck carriers.
Interestingly, USS Enterprise (CVAN 651. on its first Vietnam cruise in late
1965 took four A-4 squadrons to sea as part of the largest air wing
assembled up to that time. A Del. of A-3Bs from VAH-4 and RA-5Cs from
RVAH-7 also accompanied CVW-9. This would be the only time that four A-4
squadrons would deploy on a single carrier.
In June 1966, the phasing out of the Skyraider led to many of the carriers
deploying with three A-4 squadrons. USS Franklin O. Roosevelt (CVA 421.
made the first such deployment in June 1967 with CVW-l's VAs-12, -72. and
-172 on board. USS Intrepid (CVA 11) followed this pattern in May.
December 1967, however, marked the beginning of the end for the A-4 in
carrier light attack squadrons, as VA-147 aboard USS Ranger (CVA 61)
made the Corsair II's maiden war cruise.
The A-7 eventually replaced the A-4 in all light attack squadrons aboard
large-deck carriers, and, later in the war, as the newer A-7C entered
service, also did so aboard many of the modified 'Essex' class carriers,
such as USS Ticonderoga. The A-4, however, continued to serve throughout
the remainder of the Vietnam War with the smaller carriers.
Several other air wing deployments were notable throughout the war.
USS Ranger and CVW-2 deployed in both November 1967 and October
1968 with a unique combination of one squadron of A-4, A-6, and A-7
aircraft. Also, the first large-deck carrier deployment without A-4s occurred
with USS America's (CVA 66) departure of 10 April 1968, its two light
attack squadrons, VA-82 and VA-86, flying A-7As. America was followed
in that regard by USS Constellation (CVA 64) and CVW-14's cruise on
29 May.
While USS Hancock continued to deploy throughout the remainder of the
war with three A-4 squadrons, it was not until 1972 that all three squadrons
flew the -F model. Prior to that, the air wing had been mixed with A-4C and
A-4E squadrons. When the Skyhawks were on last cruise, they performed
all attack roles for the carrier, with the AD having been phased out of
service.
Called the 'Bonnie Dick', by those familiar with her,
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) made six cruises
to Vietnam, all with various models of the A-4
Skyhawk. US Navy via author
Three A-4Bs from VA-95 fly together for strikes against Vinh in October 1966. These Skyhawks flew with
USS Intrepid's 'all-strike' air wing, which consisted of A-4Bs from VA-15 and two squadrons of A-1H
Skyraiders. The A-4B in the forefront, piloted by It Sam Lev USN, carries markings from thirty bombing
missions. Capt Walter Ohlrich USN Retd
774
This picture of USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) marks its 1965 cruise with four A-4 squadrons. These included
VAs-36, -76, -93, and -94, all assigned to CVW-9, which also had two F-4B, one A-3B and one RA-5C
squadrons. US Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
775
Enterprise's first war-cruise, four A-4
squadrons (VAs-36, -76, -93, -94) were
deployed with the Air Wing 9, all of
which were - models. This was the only
time during the war that four Skyhawk
quadrons would be deployed on one
carrier. By its next cruise in November
1966, one A-4 squadron had been
replaced with an A-6A squadron and
another eliminated from the air wing.
US Ranger, during it ovember 1967-
May 196 and ovember 196 -May 1969
cruises, also operated a unique combina-
tion of attack aircraft, with one A-4, one
A-6, and one A-7 squadron. Ranger i
believed to be the only carrier to have
done this mix. U Kitty Hawk' (CV 63)
air wing carried one A-I, one A-4, and
one A-6 squadron on her 1965/66 cruise.
everal of the 'Essex' class carriers
were deployed as anti-submarine (A W)
carriers to provide protection again t
ubmarines deployed by the Soviets.
Assigned to these air groups (called
CVSGs) were typically four kyhawks in
a squadron detachment. Throughout the
war, four VA and even two Marine Corps
squadrons would deploy a small portion of
their A-4s (in four-plane Dets) to serve
in an air defence role for the A W groups.
Two Skyhawk squadrons, VSF-l and VSF-
3, were specifically formed to deploy from
these CV carriers. Both units were filled
with the older A-4B models. However,
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Although belonging to a Marine Corps H&MS unit, this TA-4F is representative of those attached to Navy VA squadrons during the early 1970s to provide hand-held
laser designation of targets. VA-163 is known to have taken at least two of the model Ts aboard its 1972 and 1973 cruises. Michael Grove
bridge. Added to this were another 569
structures Iisted as 'damaged'.JO Later that
month, U Kitty Hawk, while operating
on Dixie Station, flew an average of 100
ortie per day. When Marine air and Air
Force units started arriving in outh
Vietnam in larger numbers, Dixie tation
stood down in August of 1966, after fifteen
months of operations.
Yankee Station provided the bulk of
carrier operations during the war, with
three and sometimes four carriers on
station at any given time. Line periods
were long and carrier turn-around times
short, making wartime deployments
commonplace for many of the west coast
A-4 squadrons. Yanke tation began at
a spot approximately due cast of the DMZ
and was moved north to a point east of
Vinh in April 1966 as more targets were
opened up in orth Vietnam. At one
point, it wa even moved as close a 70
miles (112km) from Haiphong. Over one-
third of all Navy flights into North
KYHAWKS AT W R
Vietnam from Yankee tation were flown
by A-4 .
Flight Operations
The nature of carrier air operations
differed slightly depending upon which
station the carrier were operating from.
Those flown from Dixie Station concen-
trated on close air support and interdic-
tion. Attention was given to individual
bombing division tactics, and use of
Forward Air Controllers (FACs). Later in
the war effort, carriers from Dixie tation
(and ome from Yankee tation) flew 0-
called Steel Tiger missions over the pan-
handle region of Laos. For such strikes,
it was mandatory to get clearance from
Laotian FACs before releasing any
weapons further than 200ft (61 m) from a
highway. These trikes were about as
frequent as the Alpha strikes (described
below) launched from Yankee tation and
were essentially a continuation of the
Barrel Roll operations began during
December 1964.
Operations from Yankee Station were
conducted as either Alpha strikes or cy lic
op , with the latter predominating and
generally based on a ninety-minute cycle.
The Alpha strike concept most closely
re embled those strikes seen during World
War 11 in the Pacific, with carriers
launching a full deck of aircraft. Alpha
strikes were launched against briefed
targets, such a rail yards, bridges, and
POL complexes, and would become one
of the most commonly known phrases
when discussing naval aviation in the
Vietnam War.
First con eived in April 1965 in refer-
ence to the large deck strikes against tar-
gets in the 'Alpha' region of orth
Vietnam, it was not until 5 March 1966
that one was acrually launched. Whether
launched from a large or small deck car-
rier, the numerical composition of a max-
imum-effort Alpha strike remained about
only V F-3 saw action in Vietnam when
it deployed with U Intrepid in 1967.
ince the submarine threat proved to be
an empty one, many of these kyhawks
were assigned to traditional attack roles
supporting Operation Rolling Thunder
strikes.
During the course of the war, 199
kyhawks would be lost in combat, with
eighty- ix lost to operational incidents. Of
these combat losses, two were A-4Bs,
eighty-one were A-4Cs, and 107 were A-
4Es. Nineteen -4Fs were lost and one
T A-4F. Approximately 130 of these losses
were from AA ,with another thirty-six
from AMs. Fifteen were downed by small
anns and automatic fire and only one wa
lost to a MiG.
Of all the Vietnam cruises, none were
as costly as those of Air Wing 16 aboard
USS Oriskany from May-November 1966
and June 1967-January 1968. During the
1966 cruise, CVW-16 lost sixteen aircraft
in combat, three of whi h were A-4Es.
Oriskany's 26 October fire damaged three
more kyhawk and de troyed a fourth.
But OrisIwny's next cruise would prove to
be its worse - during its 122 total 'line
days', it lost twenty-nine aircraft. Of these
losses, twenty were Skyhawks. Senator
John . McCain III, then a Lieutenant-
Commander, piloted one of those A-4s
and went on to serve seven years as a
POW. Ten more aircraft, including three
A-4s, were lost in operational accidents.
Stations of Operation
Carrier operations were conducted from
two 'station,' one off outh Vietnam in
the outh hina ea, called 'Dixie Sta-
tion,' and the other in the Tonkin Gulf,
outh of Hanoi, called 'Yankee tation'.
As the geographics would suggest, Dixie
Station provided air cover for operations
in outh Vietnam and even into Laos and
ambodia. E tablished in May 1965, it
was typically taffed by one carrier. Prior
to that, aircraft from the carriers
Midwa)' and US oral Sea, in addition
to Marine Corps F- E fighters operating
from USS Oriskany, flew operations in the
south. According to reports, th flying so
impressed General William C. Westmore-
land, Commander, Ground Forces,
Vietnam, that he in isted the avy tation
a carrier off outh Vietnam at all times.
Oriskany became the fir t carrier to fill that
role, taking up position about 100 miles
sOLlth-east of Cam Ranh Bay.
Because operations in the south were
not as 'hot' as those 'up north,' carriers
deploying to Task Force 77 would often
begin their line period here, then move
north. Although one ha reason to doubt
the accuracy of his description, one
776
aviator has described operations on Dixie
tation as a 'picnic.' Part of this compar-
ison, however, may be due to the ab en e
ofMiGsand A-2sitesin outhVietnam,
which made mi ions significantly less
intense. apt Wynn F. Foster describes
life on Dixie tation:
Missions flown from Dixie tanon were consid-
ered safer than those flown from Yankee
Station, the carrier; operation area for the
northern war. Friendly troops operated in many
areas of South Vietnam, but there were no
friendly forces on the ground in orth Vietnam.
Enemy anti-aircraft fire in the south was virtu-
ally nonexistent, whde missions launched from
Yankee tation routinely encountered moder-
ate-tn-heavy AAA.
Except for the live ordnance we carried and
enemy small-arms fire - hazardous primarily to
a pilot who pulied out too low from an attack
run - our dawn-to-dusk operations from Dixie
Station were not unlike Stateside missions
N
Nevertheles, operations 'down south'
were conducted at an intense pace. For
instance, in the eight days USS EntertYrise
spent 'on the line' on Dixie tation in late
January/early February 1966, Air Wing 9
flew nearl y 1,400 sorties, of wh ich 1,100
were combat, and destroyed 51 truc-
rures, twenty-four bunkers, twenty-three
sampan, four gun-emplacements, and one
This early war shot of USS Oriskany shows F-B Crusaders and one A-4 Skyhawk on the port bow, with a line of AD Skyraiders along the starboard edge. The
an.d CVW-16 saw some of the most Intense losses of all carrier air wings during their 1966 and 1967 cruises. including the massive fire that nearly sunk
the carner In October 1967. US Navy via author
777
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Skyhawks like these A-4Cs from VA-112 frequently tanked before and after missions. an A-.3 tanks the as two wait their turn. These
Skyhawks flew with CVW-11 aboard USS Kitty Hawk during its 1966-67 and 1967-68 Vietnam crUIses and participated In the Navy s IIrst stnkes against the large
MiG base at Kep north-east of Hanoi. US Navy via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
KYHAWKSATWAR
CVW-9 and USS Enterprise served eight days on the line on Dixie Station during January/February 1966.
Skyhawks from her four VA squadrons contributed to the nearly 1,100 combat sorties flown during that
time. In this shot, three A-4s from VA-36 'Roadrunners' prepare for a mission loaded with 12 Mk 82
Snakeyes. US Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
One problem witnessed personally by a few pilots was the A-4's narrow tricycle undercarriage, which made
trip-overs possible in crosswinds. US Navy via author
778
the same. Approximately thirty to thirty-
five aircraft would be launched, with four
Aights of four A-4s serving as the strike
component and four F- Crusaders flying a
Target CAP, or TARCAP, along the axis
between the bombers and the perceived
air threat. A section of A-4 Aew han
Hand or anti- AM ahead of the group and
on each side, with two to four F-8s Aying
Aak suppression. Offshore an EA-l or EA-
3 would provide electronic support while
a pair of KA-3s or A-4s with buddy-stores
would circle as tankers. This same system
was u cd by the big deck carriers, although
F-4 replaced the F- sand A-6 and A-7s
r placed the A-4s, with Shrike-armed
Corsairs filling the Iron Hand role. KA-6D
tankers eventually replaced the A-4s and
KA-3s.
Mini-alphas, consisting of four A-4s,
two to four F- sa TARCAP, and flak sup-
pressors, were also Aown against sl1"laller
targets. Most of the strikes against the
Thanh Hoa Bridge in Route package IV
were mini-alphas. The Thanh Hoa Bridge,
called Ham Rung or 'Dragon's Jaw', was an
immensely strong bridge carrying rail traf-
fic from Hanoi outh to Vinh. Built in the
1950s, it measured some 540ft (165m)
long and 56ft (17m) wide and was sup-
ported on concrete piers. It was among the
most heavily bombed targets of the war.
Unfortunately, most of these strikes did
little damage to the bridge. A total of
1,250 ton of ordnance wer expended at
the cost of eight aircraft, but it was not
until 13 May 1972, with the introduction
of the first laser-guided weapons, that the
bridge was finally brought down.
Alpha strikes were launched as many
as three times per day, with the biggest
criticism being that they tended to occur
on a regular, and predictable ba is. At one
point, Alphas were et for to, 2, and
4 o'clo k, making it rather easy for orth
Vietnamese gunners to know American
779
intentions. perfect example of the
frequency of Alphas occurred on 21
August 1967, when five Alphas were
launched from the carriers SS Con-
stellation, Oriskany, and Intrepid on Yankee
tation. Constellation's CVW-14 truck
two major target, including the Kep
airfield (a major MiG base north-east of
Hanoi) and the rail yards at Duc Noi.
While no A-4s were lost in that raid, three
A-6 ' were shot down. At the same time,
Intrepid's kyhawks were hitting Port
Walluc with twO lpha strikes approxi-
mately three hours apart, and Oriskany's
A-4s led AGM-62 Walleye attacks against
the Hanoi thermal plant.
Cyclic operations were more closely
associated with the strikes conducted
under Operation Rolling Thunder, the elab-
orate bombing campaign against the
orth that began on 1 March 1965. These
strike were more Aexible in nature than
the Alpha strikes and involved something
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Skyhawks were renowned for taking massive battle damage. One such mission
was described by Capt. Otto E. Krueger which occurred while he was Air Boss
aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVA 141 in 1968: 'Sam Chessman, CO of VA-195
aboard Ticonderoga returned from a strike with his A-4 "all shot up" after
tangling with a SAM. He was led back to the 'Tico' by a tanker, running fuel out
the holes as fast as he could take it aboard, then dropped off right on glide slope
just before he landed. He was on fire. Sam shut down and got out and let the fire
crews put it out. By then, the tail was about burned off. We put the plane on the
hangar deck and when we got back to Subic Bay. we declared it a total loss. It
had something like 250 holes in it, some as big as a baseball. But it brought him
home!'
In the ;pring of 1965, a phorographic recon-
nais;ance plane returned ro the Aag;hip with
phoros which were immediately idenutied as a
surface-ro-air missile site. Thi was the tif>t clear
proof that AM ;ites were under construction. II
Such a refu;alwas beyond my comprehemion. It
was fea;ihle to have destroyed this site 'md orh-
ers still under construction which were ultI-
mately completed. It was nor until the orth
Vietnamese had shot down some numhers of our
aircraft that our combined air forces were pcr#
mined to strike back at these, now well e;tHh-
lished, defen;ive sites. Since then approximately
Adm Outlaw then flew to aigon to detail
his plan for strikes against the sites, at
which his supervisors balked.
changing to the L-band just before launch.
This change wa detectable by radar
warning instruments which were later
incorporated into kyhawks and other
avy attack aircraft. A 3501b warhead
tipped the A-2, with either contact,
proximity, or command detonation fusing.
They were usually fired in pairs, according
to standard oviet doctrine, but larger
salvos of ten to twelve were not
uncommon.
More sites were also discovered by early
July forming an irregular ring pattern
around the Hanoi/Haiphong area. Rear-
Adm Edward . Outlaw, who temporarily
replaced dm Henry L. Miller in
command of TF 77 in early 1965, wrote
this in a 1971 New York Times article:
121
5 April 1965, Soviet-built A-2 Guideline
sites were discovered being constructed
around Hanoi by a avy RF- A photo
reconnaissance bird from S Coral ea,
which brought an entirely new threat to
the air war. The A-2 had been in service
with the oviets ince 195 . A typical bat-
tery consisted of between four and six
launcher deployed in a circle about 165ft
(50m) in diameter. Located in the middle
of this circle was a trailer or tru k con-
taining the radar and communications
equipment.
The A-2 featured its own early-
warning VHF radar, called 'Spoon Rest',
wh ich operated in the A-band. Radar
guidance was handled by a 'Fan Song'
radar operating in the -band, but
A deck full of Skyhawks are shown in this photograph from USS Kitty Hawk. These A-4Cs belong to VA-112's 'Bombing Broncos', who made two Vietnam cruises
with Air Wing 11. US Navy via author
Operation Iron Hand became the Navy's
answer to the surface-to-air missile, or
SAM. [n its early days, the air war pre-
sented many threats to the aviator, namely
thos from MiGs and AAA. However,on
Iron Hand
In the early days of the war, confusion
reigned as [0 which en'ice would control
what sector. [nitially, a plan was con-
ceived where each day would be divided
into three-hour slots, with control over
these slots alternating between the avy
and Air Force. This soon proved cumber-
some, and a new method, using Route
Packages (RPs), was devised.
[n November 1965 a decision was made
to divide North Vietnam into six geo-
graphic regions for which bombing respon-
sibility would be given to a specific service
on an ,dternate, weekly basis. Subse-
quently, this was also found confusing and
it was decided to give permanent control
of each RP to only one service,
RPs ranged from I in the southern part
of orth Vietnam to VI ju t north-east
of Hanoi. RP I was assigned to the Air
Force and ran from the Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ) north to ju t above the I th
parallel and included the port of Dong
Hoi. RP 1I ran north to the [9th parallel;
RP III included Vinh and numerous passes
through which the orth Vietnamese sent
supplie to the Ho Chi Minh Trail- both
were under avy control. RP IV, also
under Navy control, extended to just
below Hanoi and Haiphong and included
the priz d Thanh Hoa rail bridge and the
MiG base at Quan Lang. The largest single
area was encompassed within RP V, which
extended north-west of Hanoi to the
Laotian border and north to hina, and
was under ir Force control. RP VI was
divided into two areas. The first, RP VI-
, wh ich ran east from the 105 degree 30
minute line of longitude and north of the
north-east rail-line, fell under Air Force
control and included Hanoi, the Paul
DOUlner Bridge, and the large ~ iG bases
at Kep, Hoa Lac, and Phuc Yen. RP VI-
B was avy territory and included
Haiphong, Cat Bi, and Gia Lam. Virtually
all of the avy's Alpha strike were
focused against targets in RP VI-B.
Route Packages
the vast number of A-4s gave air wing
commanders great flexibility.
120
targets changed from week to week,
rotating between trucks, bridges, and
similar targets. Alpha strikes were gener-
ally the exception.
For most operations, aerial refuelling
was a must, with tanking performed by D-
704-equipped A-4s or K -3. Tankers
flew both mission profiles and provided
emergency tanking. The kyhawk's ability
to serve as a tanker proved invaluable as
akin to armed reconnaissance or 'road
recce'. Cycl ic op were conducted on a
twelve-hour on, twelve-hour off ba is on
a three-day rotation. nlike the targets
selected for the Alpha strikes, which were
chos n in Washington by the Pentagon
and those higher up, road recce targets
were selected by the on-scene naval
commander, given the general targ t
parameters. General target categories
r - - --
--- ---
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
A-4 Ordnance
The weapons we took to war were basic. The
bombing techniques were the old pilot-computed
lead with the gun-sight. We had no radar; there was
ground clearance radar, but nothing to give us any
help on moving targets, night work, or rendezvous or
anything like that3'
Lt Donald D. Smith of VA-72 explains this as it
pertained to the A-4:
These bombs were very effective and sorely
missed.
In the early days of the Vietnam War, A-4
pilots relied heavily on the same high-altitude
delivery methods as had been used in Korea.
Loaded on this VA-83 A-4E are two 2 ~ i n . (6.9cm)
rocket pods, 12 500lb Mk 82 bombs, and a 300 US
gallon (l,136Iitre) centreline tank. US Navy via
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Mk 80 series
Mk 81 250lb LDGP Snakeye
Mk 82 500lb LDGP Snakeye
Mk 83 1,0001b LDGP
Mk 84 2,OOOIb LDGP
Early in the war we also used the 36in bomb extenders, called Daisey-cutters. These
extenders were just what the name implied; along, 36in slender cylinder extending
from the nose of the bomb. This would allow the bomb to go off right on the surface,
whereas without the extenders, the bombs could and did bury themselves in the soft
earth before exploding. That really increased their
damage potential and made them excellent for
knocking things down like buildings. But they were
soon withdrawn from use by the Navy because [ofl
concerns aboutthe powder.
33
Some 90 per cent of all Navy bombs delivered during the Vietnam War
were Mk 80s, with the vast majority being Mk 83s.
With the A-4B also came the ability to carry and fire the infra-red homing
(heat-seeking) AIM-9 Sidewinder, something that proved important when the
A-4 fulfilled the fighter air defence role aboard the anti-submarine carriers,
such as USS Intrepid (CVS ,,). USS Yorktown (CVS 10), and USS Hornet
(CVS 12). The Sidewinders of the day were primarily the -0 variant, which
weighed about 160lb (72.5kg) and carried a 101b (4.5kg) warhead. Effective
range was between 1,OOOft (305m) to a little over two miles (3km). but
attacks were limited to the target's rear quarter. Skyhawk pilots also used a
light-seeking variant of the AIM-9 called Focus.
Rockets have always been a mainstay Skyhawk weapon and could be
carried in packs of nineteen LAU-61/A and -69/As (using the Aero 7
dispenser) or seven LAU-68/A (using the Aero 6 dispenser). 2Yoin (6.9cm)
FFAR and LAU-10/A Zuni 5in (12.7cm) rockets. Napalm was used by US
Navy and Marine Corps forces in South Vietnam and was delivered using
the Mk 77. It was rarely dropped in the North. Cluster Bombs (CBUs) were
also used, but again only in South Vietnam. Armed with Mk 20 Rockeye II
CBUs, Skyhawks were particularly effective against troop concentrations
and anti-aircraft artillery batteries and were commonplace on flak
suppression missions and on early Iron Hand missions.
Skyhawk pilots also used a specially-fused bomb designed to produce an
air blast:
retarded bombs (Mk 81 and 82 class). and Cluster Bomb Units (CBUs) with
Rockeye II submunitions. The Mk 80 series utilized an Aero 1A shape with
an aspect ratio of 8.3 and was developed by Douglas during the 1950s as it
pursued a low-drag ordnance.
Weapons
As the 1960s went on, Skyhawk ordnance expanded to include a variety of
air-to-ground ordnance, including the Mk 80 series iron bombs, Snakeye
The A-4E was afine, fine airplane for combat, a great machine except for the guns.
The 20mm wasn't much good to start with and after the Shoe Horn system was put in,
its capacity was reduced from 150 rounds, which was bad, to seventy-five - which
was ridiculous. I used the 20mm to check out buildings, see if there was anything in
the building explosive in nature. I'd roll in, squirt afew rounds with the gun, and see
what happened. If there was some reaction, the plan was to come around and hit the
structure with abomb or rocket. That was about the only use for a20mm.
32
However, events eventually dictated a new mission for the A-4. The
intensification of the Cold War in the form of smaller, conventional brush-
fires, and regional conflicts, rather than an all-out nuclear exchange; the
Lebanon Crisis in 1958; and the rapid deployment of Fleet units to China
were just a few examples. In the late 1950s, the need was identified for a
more conventional platform and so Douglas sought to improve the A-4's
ability to perform in that environment.
Although it began its career with a nuclear mission, the Skyhawk emerged as
one of the most flexible conventional platforms around. In its early days, the
Skyhawk was fitted with only three pylons and could carry about 5,5001b
(2,500kg) of ordnance. Other than nuclear 'shapes', A-4As typically carried iron
bombs of the day, plus unguided 2Min (6.9cm) FFAR rockets, mines, and 200
rounds of ammunition for its 20mm cannon.
Unfortunately, the Skyhawk's 20mm cannon was not as functional as
pilots would have liked. Not only was the cannon given a limited supply of
ammunition, but it often jammed and was not highly accurate. One A-4E
pilot made the following comments about these deficiencies:
Hardpoints
The first three Skyhawk models carried only three hardpoints. The centre
pylon was rated at 3,550lb (1,610kg) with the wing pylons each rated at
1,2001b (544kg). With the need to carry a fuel tank on at least the centreline
mount, only two were left for weapons carriage. The A-4E added not only
two additional hardpoints (rated at 5001b/227kg each), but also an up-rated
engine, which allowed for even greater ordnance carriage.
The A-4 used a bridle system for catapult launches as seen here on this 'Essex' class carrier, US Navy via author
Chance Vought's F-8 Crusader flew flak suppression
missions in support of the Alpha strikes and Iron
Hand missions. For this, F-8s were typically armed
with full 20mm ammunition and Zuni rockets.
US Navy via author
722
723
-- ---
- - ---=- -
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Multiple Carriage Bomb Racks (MCBRs) were developed by VX-5 at China Lake to enable Skyhawks to
carry greater numbers of bombs. Shown here are groups of Mk 81 bombs being tested, The MCBRs were
later built by Douglas and proved invaluable in Vietnam. us Navy via It Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
days later, a strike was organized against
this site,
Less than a month later, on the night
of 11 August, VA-23's Lt(jg) Donald H.
Brown became the Navy's first SAM
victim, when his A-4E flying from the
carrier USS Midway was struck while he
was on a road recce mission about 60 miles
(97km) south of Hanoi. Brown's lead, Lt
Cdr Francis D. Roberge's A-4 was also hit.
Reports from the incident revealed that
both pilots were flying at 9,000ft (2,740m)
when they noticed what looked to be two
glowing flares below the clouds about 15
miles (24km) ahead of their position, As
the 'lights' grew closer and broke through
the clouds, the two immediately recog-
nized the threat and tried to take evasive
action, accelerating with full power,
Unfortunately, it was too late and Brown's
plane was destroyed. Roberge's A-4,
although badly damaged and on fire, made
it back to Midway where more than fifty
holes were found in its fuselage.
The AM incident sparked an imme-
diate, albeit unsuccessful, retaliation the
next day when seventy-six Iron Hand
strikes were launched against SAM sites,
Five aircraft and two pilots were lost and
another seven planes damaged with no
SAMs found. 13 August 1965 became
known as 'Black Friday'.
Flares were later improved to meet these complaints.
The A-4 also carried a variety of Aero 10 drop tanks -150, 300, and
400 US gallon (568, 1,136, 1,510 litre). For most A-4E and -F missions over
Vietnam, two 300 gallon wing tanks were used, taking full advantage of the
extra wing stations. Special missions were also authorized using no tanks,
and a single centreline-mounted 2,0001b Mk 84 or Walleye. A-4E and -F air-
craft also flew many missions with a 400 gallon centreline tank and some
combination of stores on the wings. A-4C missions were often flown with a
single centreline tank, leaving the outboard stations available for weapons
stores.
The A-4M brought new stores such as the AGM-65 Maverick capability.
Skyhawks could also carry the LAU-10/A leaflet dispensers, the Aero 14/B
spray tank (thought to be intended for application of defoliating chemicals).
the Mk-12 smoke tank, and the LB-18/A centreline-mounted camera pod.
For night operations, greater quantities and improved reliability of the Mk 24 flare
are necessary. A near 50 per cent dud rate was experienced with this flare.
However, it is an excellent pyrotechnic when it works; and the only one that
should be used in an AAA environment, because of the delay feature and the
enemy's habit of shooting out flares as well as leading the flares in an attempt to
hit the aircraft."
An improved ARM was later deployed, the AGM-78 Standard, carrying a
longer range and larger warhead. The Standard was originally deployed
with a modified Shrike seeker (called the Mod). but later incorporated a
Maxsom wide-band seeker, justifying the Mod 1 redesignation, and
subsequently AGM-78B. The Standard also used a gimballed seeker,
memory circuits, and carried an impact marker for designating the sites'
location for follow-on strikes. The AGM-78B had a 35nm range and
travelled at near Mach 2.5 speed. A-4 pilots used the Standard to some
degree, although its availability was sometimes limited due to its high
cost.
Because the Skyhawk's gun was not all that it should have been, a Mk 4
gun pod was developed and was used in Vietnam by US Navy A-4s on
their road recce missions and by Marine Corps pilots for close air support
missions. This gun pod offered a tremendous rate of fire - 4,000 rounds
per minute. A one-second burst (firing sixty-six rounds per gun) has the
equivalent of a 4,0001b bomb load delivered from 1,000ft (305m). Mk 24/25
para flares were also carried by A-4s, although at first there was some
trouble mounting them on the Multiple Ejector Racks (MERs)s However, as
noted in the USS Independence Command Debrief following its 10 May
1965-13 December 1965 deployment, at least early in the war, a need was
identified for an improved, or at least more reliable flare for night recce
missions.
Once this passed, however, Vietnam served as a virtual testing-ground for
newly developed systems.
For example, Vietnam saw the introduction of several new guided, semi-
stand-off weapons such as the AGM-12 Bullpup and the AGM-62 Walleye.
The Bullpup was a rocket-propelled radio-guided bomb that was originally
developed with a 250lb warhead and later modified to carry a 1,0001b SAP
warhead, reflecting the common knowledge that the Bullpup A did not carry
enough 'punch'. Both models of the Bullpup, however, suffered from one
drawback that would later lead to its abandonment as an effective attack ord-
nance. 'The [Bullpup] B was a lot more sophisticated than the old Bullpup, but
we learned after getting into Vietnam there was little extensive application for
the bomb because the pilot had to stay on a long, steady, descending path to
control it to the target. In an AAA environment, that wasn't exactly the thing
you wanted to do.'38 Most people considered the Bullpup obsolete as early as
the mid-1960s.
The AGM-62 Walleye was an optically-guided weapon that was
introduced into combat in 1967 and scored several successful hits on key
North Vietnamese targets, including the Haiphong thermal plant. The
Walleye used a television camera 'gated' to remain pointed at the target
area (high contrast) and could be Locked-On Before Launch (LOBL).
enabling the carrying aircraft to leave the area. Initial versions of this
missile carried the 8251b (374kg) linear shaped-charge warhead and
possessed a range of approximately lOnm. An improved version,
dubbed the Walleye II, carried an improved seeker and a larger, 2,0001b
warhead.
A much-needed anti-radiation missile was also added to the Skyhawk
arsenal in 1966 with the AGM-45A Shrike. The Shrike homed in on SAM
radar beams and rode them into the guidance van, destroying the site.
Skyhawks flying Iron Hand missions against North Vietnamese SAM sites
typically carried two Shrikes for such missions and when the Shrike
supplies were limited, carried one simply to 'listen' for North Vietnamese
radars. Early Shrikes were problematic because they had a fixed gimbal and
could not 'remember' site locations once they shut down. Moreover, they
used a pre-tuned seeker that was matched to a particular frequency.
To combat the wide variety of frequencies, some thirteen frequency seekers
were made. An extended range variant was also produced, the AGM-45B.
One reason the Shrike did not perform well was the enemy's excellent electronic
emission discipline and the use of two or more antennae. Another is that missile
ranges are so short that prospective targets are obvious. The enemy ceased
emitting when the attacker pointed in his direction and radiated when he turned
away. Shrike should be modified to enable homing on a Fan Song radar radiating
into a dummy load.. 39
I 15 of our planes have been destroyed by sur-
face-to-air missiles launched from pads which I
believe could have been destroyed at aminimum
risk before they became opcrational.
41
Despite warnings from Navy officials
about the threat these systems posed, the
SA-2 sites would remain untouched
because Washington feared that a strike
against the sit s might injure or kill Soviet
advisers who were known to be training
North Vietnamese crews on how to
operate the new weapons, On 24 July an
Air Force F-4C of the 47
th
Tactical Fighter
Squadron based in. Ubon, Thailand, was
downed by an SA-2 near Hanoi. Three
We also used a larger 750lb bomb for a short time. These were old iron bombs
left from World War II and they had a thinner skin, which meant that more
explosives could be packed. A 750lb bomb from that era had the explosive force
of a 1,0001b Mk-83, but with the aerodynamics of a Mk 82:
37
bombs which allowed a low-level drop. With the fins open, the bomb was slowed
which permitted aircraft separation from the blast.
One big plus to our strike capability with the A-4 was the introduction of MERs
and TERs in the early 1965 time frame. (We first used them in early 1965 on
Rangers cruise.) With these we could carry three 500s on each wing and/or six
on the centerline. On our 1965-66 cruise, we were carrying three 500 pounders
(Mk 82s) on each wing pylon with a 300 gallon (1.136 litreI tank on the centerline.
Mk 81s (2501b) were used somewhat less, although when we did, we carried six
per TEA. We occasionally used napalm in the south, but flights there were limited
to a few warm-up hops from Dixie Station at the outset before heading north for
the remainder of the cruise and Yankee Station.
Up north, especially on the second cruise, we ohentimes flew in a 'slick-wing'
configuration, with a single 2,0001b bomb on the centerline and a 1,000 pounder
on each wing. We didn't carry the external drop tank so we couldn't spend as
much time over the target. This slick config let us get in and out real fast. 36
As Krueger indicated, an interesting feature of the Navy's early involvement
in the war was the fact that pilots of all attack communities had to rely at
times on vintage ordnance:
Our initial tactic for putting bombs on target, which of course later had to be
abandoned, was a 60 degree dive angle because the only worry was the ground-
fire. A 60 degree dive rolling in at 16,000h is straight down the chute, just
hanging in the straps. Of course it's not an accurate run - it's hard to correct for
winds and Vietnam is a fairly windy place - but we got pretty darn good at it.
We'd corne in at 16,000, 22,000ft (4,877-6)06ml. pull down to a roll-in at 16,000
and head in at 60 degrees on the target, pull out high and never, never get 10w.35
The weapons and tactics we used were in a constant state of evolution during
the early part of the war. By 1966, we had pretty much used up stocks of bombs
left over from World War II that were being stored at Guam. These were the old
'iron fat bombs' that weren't very aerodynamic insofar as reducing drag was
concerned. And this was happening at a time when McNamara was telling
everyone that 'there is no bomb shortage, it's a distribution problem'.
The Mk 80s and their electronic fusing were a learning experience for us all.
Many of us dropped our first on a mission; even the kids corning out hadn't
trained on them because they were in such short supply. Early on we were still
trying to figure out what would work best against any given target. But by '68 or
'69, those parameters were set and the typical loads were established based on
our experience. We started early in '65 to use retarded Snakeye MK 80 series
Later in the war, with the introduction of surface-to-air missiles, high-
altitude attacks became exceedingly dangerous and pilots resorted to
low-level approaches. Staying under the SAM envelope meant. however,
that pilots were now in prime range for AAA and small arms fire.
724 725
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
SKYHAWKS T WAR
Although not seeing combat in
ietnam, A-4s from VA-64
'Black Lancers' were sent to
aid the USS Liberty (AGTR 51
hen she came under attack
rom Israeli aircraft during the
1967 Arab-Israeli war. US Navy
During their time together on USS Oriskany (CVA 341, VA164 'Ghost Riders' concentrated on the Shrike
mission and VA-163 'Saints' focused on Walleye. This 'Ghost Rider' sits with an anti-radiation missile on
stations one and five and 300 US gallon (l,126litrel tanks on stations two and four. US Navy via author
On its second war cruise, VA-106 went with
CVW-10 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 111. This A-4E is
being manipulated with a nose-wheel steering bar
on one of the carrier's catapults during operations
in September 1968. An Mk 80 series iron bomb is
visible on the outboard port station and an LB-18/A
camera pod is attached to the front of the
centreline station just above the fuel tank. These
cameras were used for Bomb Damage Assessment
(BDAI. This provides a good view of the Charlie's
extended nose and ECM antenna. US Navy via author
This A-4 pulls off target over Vietnam.
US Navy via author
126
127
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYHAWK ATWAR
The Shrike Shooters of VA-164
attack to VA- 72 and I was tasked to plan and
lead the strike. Our package consisted o( (our A-
4Es (Cdr I-larry Southworth, Lt(jg) Carl
Moslener, Lt Cdr Jack Davi;, Lt Dick Koffarnus)
and one A-6A from V -75 (Lt Cdr Pete Garber,
Lt(jg) Ken Jones) and we used a combination o(
500lb and I,0001b low-drag bombs.
The plan (or our group called (or us to tag
along behind and helow the larger strike group
until we were abeam o( the valley that would
lead us to the target area. The A-4s remained
low until reaching a pre-established check
pOll1t, where we accelerated and climbed to the
target 4lrea, jinking as we welle.
Priority on the attack was assigned to
the mi;;ile control van, usually located in the
center of the site. ext were the launcher; with
missile;, then any mi;siles in the site area. Once
we (ound the target, we made our initial
run and when we left. the control van wa; on
fire and unable to launch any more AMs.
The A-6 then attacked several o( the missile
Arnold explained that later on during that cruise, VA-164 began using a new
tactic whereby the Shrike would be launched using a 'loft' technique,
allowing the missile's seeker to search out its victim. Arnold explained:
Unfortunately, that pilot was later shot down on one of the squadron's Iron
Hand missions and it was not until this past year that his remains were
returned to the United States.
The Shrike missile was all hands on, in-the-field learning. You had to learn every-
thing on cruise. During Oriskanys 1967/68 cruise we had a former Air Force B-47
pilot who had brought with him a horde of tapes with radar modes. He used to con-
duct training sessions in the Ready Room, where we'd listen to the emissions
recorded on the tapes. It was invaluable. Those of us who flew the Iron Hand can
credit these tapes to saving our lives on more than one occasion."
This method proved much more effective at suppressing the SAMs.
While the A-4s were the 'shooters' for the Iron Hand missions, the role of
the F-8 must not be underplayed. Not only did the Crusader crews protect
against any air threats, but they carried air-to-ground ordnance and helped
suppress flak, and, probably more important, they kept an eye out for SAMs
while the A-4s made their runs. Capt Arnold commented: ' ... we flew with
F-8s as our flak suppressers and really, our extra set of eyes. Once we
began our run on the site, we had our heads buried in the cockpit studying
our needles. The F-8s kept watch for MiGs and SAM.44
The Crusaders also carried bombs and rockets that could be used
against SAM sites successfully attacked by the A-4s. Once it became
apparent that the MiG threat had diminished, the idea was hatched to use
A-4s as escorts. Capt Arnold describes this in more detail, ' ... later in that
cruise we did some more experimenting and tried using A-4s as our
escorts. These would be armed with four 500 pounders and a centreline
tank and had little trouble keeping up with us. They'd follow us in and hit
the site with their bombs; it made quite a combination'.'s
One of the problems during the war was the lack of training on newer
weapons systems - many weapons were rushed to service directly from the
test squadrons.
... to do this, we would hang above the main strike force, listening for the tale-
tell signs of the SAM radars. Before we'd launch, we study the mission and
determine just when the strike aircraft would enter the SAM envelope and how
long it would take them to reach the target. Then we'd calculate when our
Shrikes would have to be launched to get to the radars before the SAMs could
get to our planes. Just as the strike aircraft were entering this zone, we'd dive
down to about 1O,000ft, then pull up to 30 degrees and loft our Shrikes. This
would put the missiles over the target just before the strike aircraft arrived over
the target. The first time we tried this, during a raid on Phuc Yen just outside
Hanoi, it worked perfect. Not a single SAM came up.' 43
For the Iron Hand mission, we flew the A-4E, with its five stations. We'd carry a
300 Ib tank on the centreline, a TER [triple ejector rack] with two five hundred
pounders on the two and four stations, and our Shrike on stations one and five.
We only carried two Mk 82s on the TERs because of the tank. If we wanted
more maneuvrability, we'd carry single five hundreds on the inboard stations,
instead of the TERs.
At the time VA-164 was designated as the Iron Hand squadron and VA-163,
our sister, was the Walleye squadron. Now, you must remember that we had no
state-side training on the Shrike or the Iron Hand tactics; this was all learned in
the field. There were no electronic warfare ranges or the like.
We'd normally fly two sections with the Alphas; one on each side, escorted by
a section of F-8s for flak suppression and in case any MiGs came up. Our job
was to listen to the electronic signals generated by the different modes of the
enemy radars. These modes were picked up by the Shrike's seeker and funnelled
through our headsets. Each radar had a distinctive sound which allowed us to
tell who was painting us.
Before the strike, we would brief on the mission with the guys from Intel and
they would identify the probable SAM sites that we were to watch for. Usually,
each one of us would take a site and fly a racetrack pattern around it until we
found something with our seekers.
As we approached the target area we flew out in front on the strike
package listening for emissions. The first radar that came up was the search
radar. Next would be height finding, followed by gun control. It sort reminds
you of an orchestra tuning up, with each instrument adding to the sound. The
missile acquisition radar was the next mode and it created low warble. Our
instruments had an enhancing device to help us distinguish this mode. A
flashing light would also come on in the cockpit. As soon as one of us heard
this, we'd call out 'singer low', meaning that they were about to launch at
one of us.
The guidance radar sent a high pitched sound through our headsets. That
meant that a SAM was in the air and we'd better start trying to find it. When we
heard this sound, we'd call 'singer high'. The needles in our LABS told us which
direction the signal was coming from. The vertical needle showed us tile azimuth
and the horizontal needles height. Once we had the needles pointed at the
target, we had our fire solution and then we'd fire the Shrike. If the Shrike
tracked, we'd follow-up with our two Mk 82s. This attack method was called a
'down the throat' delivery."
The Iron Hand mission was regarded as one of the most dangerous of all
missions flown by Skyhawk pilots during the Vietnam War. It took a special
breed of person to go out and 'play chicken' with SAM operators, all for the
good of the strike package. Capt Bob Arnold served with VA-164 of CVW-16
aboard the USS Oriskany (CVA 34) during its 1968/69 cruise and was one of
those men who welcomed the challenge of confronting the SAM. Capt
Arnold provides the following overview of Shrike operations and the tactics
used by the Iron Hand pilots:
U Independence was assigned to destroy a
SAM ;ite that posed a threat to a large CVA 62
strike group that was to attack the large highway
north of Hanoi. CVW- 7 assigned the SA I site
On 17 October 1965, Cdr Harri on B.
outhwOI"th, Commanding Officer of VA-
n quadran, led the avy's fir t successful
strike against a orth Vietnamese A2
ite near Kep. outhworth de cribed thi
in his own words:
Oi?'
loads such as the one shown on this VA-164 'Ghost Rider' A-4C were made possible by Multiple Ejector Racks (MERs) and Triple Ejector Racks (TERs). loaded to
this A-4 are 14,2501b Mk 81 bombs. VA-164 Skyhawks later participated in the 1972 linebacker I raids, attacking major installations in North Vietnam. US Navy via
author
A VA,72 A-4E launches for a strike against Vietnam from the deck of USS Independence (CVA 59). The 'Blue Hawks' took one cruise aboard the Independence in
mid-to-Iate 1965, then a second with Air Wing 1 aboard USS Franklin a.Roosevelt (CVA 42) beginning in June 1966. VA-72 transitioned back to the Bravo for two
Mediterranean cruises then transitioned to the new A-7B Corsair II in January 1970. US Navy via author
128 129
SKYI-IAWKS AT WAR SKYI-I WKS AT WAR
The addition of the AGM-45 Shrike made Iron Hand missiles much deadlier for North Vietnamese SAM operators. Shown here is an A-.4E .with two
Shrikes. These were typically carried on the outboard stations. Shrikes were effective in this role. although SAM operators could missile s 1.451b (44.2kgl
fragmentation warhead by simply turning off their radars. Nevertheless. even if this occurred. the site had been shut down and effectively suppressed for the
purpose of the mission at hand. US Navy via author
Skyhawks from VA-93 and VA-94 are on USS
Ranger during its 1964-65 cruise. The carrier was
on Yankee Station during spring 1965 when this
photo was taken. which corresponds with the
timing of the strike against the Tam Da Bridge
shown on page 138. Robert Olen via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess
USN Retd
An Iron Hand section was composed of an
attack aircraft - A-4 or A-7 - packing two
Shrikes, escorted by an F-4 or F- fighter.
Within five minutes of the target, the fighters
would break off as the attack craft continued
on to their assigned SAM site. While the crews
sensor homing head, the parrow-shaped
AGM-45 would detect operating frequen-
cies of various oviet-block radars, then
Ay down on the radar beam and destroy
the guidance equipment with its [451b
(66kg) blast fragmentation warhead.
Follow-up strikes against the missiles or
their launchers with Mk as, c1ustcr
bomb or nakeyes, would then finish
thc site. AGM-45As possesscd a range
of about 3 miles (4. km). The -45Bs,
however, introduced later in the war,
increased the range to nearly 10 milcs
( [5km).
The Shrike thereafter becam a stan-
dard load on all Iron Hand mi sions. [n
some cases, Shrikes were in short supply
but carried simply to allow the operator
to 'listen' for AMs. For most missions,
two hrike were carried, with two Mk
2s on ingl pylons, giving the kyhawk
'slicked up' aerodynamics. Most mid-war
hrikc missions were Aown by the A-4Es
to take advantage of the additional
wcapons tat ion and more powerful
engines. This mission latcr cvolvcd to the
-F with its uperior ECM capability. Cdr
ichols tells about this mi sion in On
Yankee ration:
Project hoehorn was retrofitting three new
pieces of electronic equipment into our
Skyhawks. A black hox called the ALQ- 51
would provide the pilot with a visual alert to
any activity by the AM-associated Fan Song
radar. A blinking red light would indicate that
the aircraft was being illuminated by a Fan Song
in the search mode. steady red glow would
mean that the radar was locked on preparatory
to fire a SAM. The second piece, the APR-I7,
would simultaneously generate a [One through
the pilot's helmet earphone:, - sounding a low
pitch during the search phase and increasing
to a higher, more frantic pitch at lock-on.
Eventually, a third component, the APR-n,
would provide a visual indication, relative to
the nose of the aircraft, of the direction of the
threat.
To help counter the SAM threat, the new
gear was a step in the right direction. But
without the APR-I3 to determine the direc-
tion of the threat, cockpit aural and visual alerts
were merely something eI e to promote adren-
alin Aow. The real problem in dealing with a
SAM lay in not knowing where it was coming
from.
411
year/Tracor A /ALE-29A chaff/Aare dis-
penser was added near the rear of the
kyhawk.
Adding immensely to the Iron Hand
mission capabilities wa AGM-45 Shrike
mission, developed by the US avy at it
China Lake Weapons enter, and first
fired on 18 April 1966. With its passive
tramporters parked nearby the -AM site and
left them twisted and in Aames. 47
When the strike exited the area, outh-
worth reported seeing several radar vans
afire, vehicle burning, and one A-2 mis-
i1e d stroyed. A second SAM was snaking
along the ground burning itself our.
At that time, Iron Hand mi sions were
Aown at altitudes below 3,500 ft (l,065m)
using Snakeyes, Zuni rocket, cluster
bombs, and other low-altitudc ordnance to
keep out of the SA-2's envelope. Ofcourse,
this opened the attacker up to a barrage of
enemy A A fire, which claimed many A-
4s in the first Iron Hand efforts.
[n 1965, the avy, tog ther with
Douglas and Sanders Associates, began
modifications to the A-4 airframe (called
Proje t Shoe Hom) allowing the installa-
tion of electronic self-prate tion equip-
ment, namely the Sanders A /ALQ-51A
E M deception ystem and a receiver for
the Magnavox A l/APR-27 SAM launch
detection ystem. All of these were housed
in the distinctive aft hump, that would
later bc retrofitted into a number of -E
model. Wiring was al 0 add d for carriage
of the wing-mounted A /ALQ- 1 E M
jamming pod, and installation of the ltek
A / PR-25 RHAW, which was ubse-
quently replaced by the Bendix A /APS-
107 RHAW for use with the hrike missile
ystcm. A canted refuelling rod was then
added to avoid interference with the elec-
tronics. To complete thc systcms, a Good-
..
Errant bombs and missiles often lead to
disaster for deck crews. This Skyhawk
from USS Ranger (eVA 61) loses a
Shrike missile as the aircraft catches a
wire. US Navy via author
130 131
. _.
----
Skyhawks from VA-144 and VA-146 aboard USS Constellation (CVA 64) led the
strikes against Hon Gai on 5 August 1964 as part of Operation Pierce Arrow,
which were the reprisals against North Vietnamese for the 2-4 August attacks
against USS Turner Joy (00951) and USS Maddox (00 731). US Navy via author
would focus on their scopes as the range to thc
targer decreascd, the escorting fighters would
maintain a visual guard during thc run-in.
Usually thc VA pilot would loft both hrikcs
at the salllc tlIllC. What was good doctrinc for
the AM, was good doctrine for thc hrikes.
Thal left the fightcrs, if F-Ss, to follow up thc
Shrtkc, in hopcs of finishing off the sitc
49
In his book, Rolling Thunder, John T.
mith described just how the Iron Hand
mis ions meshed with Ipha strike:
Thc Navy Iron I land mission> wcrc carricd out
hy sUlI1dard strikc aircraft, a major aval AI{Jha
Strike involving four or eight Iron I-land aircraft.
A-4s carrying Shrikc missilcs would hc givcn
specific to att<1ck where it was known these
sitcs wcrc activc and close to thc routc of thc
main ,trikc forcc. They could be paircd with
F-Ss to providc protcction and to add wcight
to lhe attack on the missile
Without question, the Shrike and the
proven Iron Hand tactics quickly brought
avy losses down to pre- AM levels and
better, improving odds from one aircraft
lost per seventeen AMs in 1965 to one
lost per sixty AM by 1973. dded to
the Iron Hand arsenal was the A M-7
tandard ARM, a larger, longer-ranged
ARM, that appeared in 196 and was
equally as effective against AAA gun-
director radar.
According to Rear-Adm Paul Peck,
who served as Commanding Officer of
VA-94 in 1965 and later in 1967-8 as
AG-9 aboard USS Enterprise, although
many improved anti-missile systems were
later developed, the Shrike was a 'success':
'The reduction of the threat was consid-
erable judging from the shut down of
mi sile guidance radars when the Shrikes
were in the air. Other pilots reported the
same result achieved,sl In frICt, early in
the war, the 'Shrike in the air' fear was
capitalized on by A-4 pilots who would
launch Zuni rocket at the sites. M
operators, 0 fearful of the hrike riding
their beam, would then hut down. This
bluff worked for a while, but wa discov-
ered by the orth Vietnamese and quickly
disseminated.
One of the most distinguished Iron
Hand pilots wa Lt Cdr Mike Esrocin, from
VA-I92 who flew A-4Cs with VW-19
aboard S Ticonderoga. Esrocin wa key
in the development of anti-S M and
hrike tactics. oted for his tenacity and
aggressiveness against SAM sites, Estocin
SKYHAWK AT WAR
was shot down during an Iron Hand mis-
sion against site 109 north of Haiphong on
26 April 1967 and was posthumously
awarded the Medal of Honor.
A4 Operations
aval aviation's involvement in the
Vietnam War began on 2 and 4 August
1964, when orth Vietnamese PA PT
boats attacked the destroyers U S Tumer
Joy (00-951) and S Maddox (00- 731)
in the Gulf of Tonkin. Maddox had been
patrolling near the orth Vietname e
hores since mid-ro-Iate July performing
electronic surveillance, called Desoto
Patrols. On these missions, Maddox was ro
gather intelligence on orrh Vi tnamese
radar characteri tics and ro evaluate navi-
gational and hydrographic condition in
the area. Going on at the same time was
Operation Plnn 34A (OPLA -34A),
under which outh Vietnamese troops
conducted small raids against naval instal-
lations in orth Vietnam. Indeed, one
OPLA -34A mission took place on the
night of 30 July near Vinh.
I rior ro the attack of 2 August, AAEs
from V -55 and VA-56 aboard
Ticonderoga had been providing aerial
refuelling and flying escort for RF-
Cru ader and RA-3 Skywarrior recon-
nai sance missions inro Cambodia, Laos,
and outh Vietnam. These flight had
been generally uneventful except for an
incident in May 1964, when an RF- from
U S Kitty Hawk piloted by Lt harles F.
Klusman was shot down over Laos.
Although Klusman was captured, he later
escaped.
Following the North Vietnamese
atta ks on the two US destroyers, imme-
diate air cover was provided by planes from
the carrier SS Constellntion (CVA 64),
which had been recalled from port in
Hong Kong. Following the initial attack
on Maddox on 2 August, several of Ticon-
deroga's Crusaders from VF-51 and VF-53,
plu one of the Air Group's A-4s, flew
cover for the destroyers until relieved
some time after midnight by kyhawks
from onstellation. This became known a
the 'Gulf of Tonkin Incident' and is
regarded as the beginning of the air war
against orth Vietnam.
In retaliation, President Lyndon B.
John on immediately ordered air strikes
against various PT boat bases and POL
facilities. Secretary of Defense Robert
McNamara is said ro have determined the
precise targets while the strikes were in-
SKYHAWKS T W R
bound. On 5 August at approximately
12.30 local time, a rotaI of Sixty-four
orties were launched from the carrier
Ticonderoga and Constellation under Oper-
ation Pierce An-ow. Of the thirty-four
launched by Ticonderoga, six F- Es struck
at the PT boat facilities near Quang Khe
with Zuni rockets and 200101 cannon fire.
Eight of the boats were destroyed and
another twenty-one damaged. VF-51's F-
Es, together with twenty-six A-4Cs from
VA-55 and VA-56, hit the POL facilities
at Vinh. Covering thes attacks were the
new FAB Phantom lIs of C01l5tellntion's
VF-142 and VF-143, wh ich were maki ng
their first deployment. The strike left the
POL facility in near ruins, with estimates
that 90 per cent of the structure was
de troyed. Five of onstellation's Skyhawks
also struck PT boat bases at Loc Chao and
eight struck Hon Gai, the latter on the
out kirts of Haiphong. In all, a rotal of
thirty-three of the thirty-four Nonh
Vietnamese PT boat were either sunk or
damaged by the strike.
However, there was a cost ro the opera-
tion - one -4 (Bu o. 14957 ) flown by
Lt Everett J. Alvarez of VA-144 and one
A-I from VA-145 (Bu o. 139760) were
shot down in the Hon Gai raid. Alvarez
was captured and became the first U avy
POW, Lt(jg) Richard . Sather, the pilot
of the 'Spad', was killed. Unfortunately,
President Johnson's announcement of the
strikes happened ro occur just as the air-
craft were leaving their carriers, then some
This bomb-ridden A-4C
prepares for take-off. Visible
on the three stations are ten
500lb Mk 82 iron bombs. The
Skyhawk appears to be from
VA-36. US Navy via author
300 00 miles (4 5-650km) offshore, and
the orth Vietnamese were waiting.
On I Augu t, Congre spas ed the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave
the President the power ro take 'all neces-
sary mea ures to repel armed aggression'
in Vietnam until the 'peace and security
of the area is reasonably a urec!'.
Following the incident, the carriers
Ranger (CVA 61) and SS Kearsage
( VA 3) joined Ticonderoga and Cmmel-
lntion setting up patrols in what would
become Yankee Station. Kearsage had b en
deployeu primarily ro guard against any
oviet or hinese submarine incursions
towards the task force. As the year wit-
nes ed an election, air activities over
Vietnam were mainly reconnaissance,
despite numerous and violent Viet ong
(V ) attacks around Saigon and a build-up
of U air forces at bases throughout outh
Vietnam.
On 14 December, however, and at Adm
. . Grant harp's urging, order were
given to begin Operation Barrel Roll, which
con i ted of armed reconnaissance flights
by avy and Air Force planes directed
again t the Ho Chi Minh Trail along the
border of Laos. While most flights were
conducted by the Air Force, avy planes
did participate when inclement weather
prohibited action 'up nonh'. kyhawks
from the carriers S COllStellntion and
U Ticonderoga participated in many of
these strikes, as did those from S Ranger
and US Bon Homme Richard. Moderate
132
--
133
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYII WKS AT WAR
Of all the carriers participating in Vietnam, one of the most active was USS Hancock (CVA 19). making seven Vietnam cruises. Many of the strikes early in the war
were flown by Skyhawks from the Hancock. For its last three cruises, all three A-4 squadrons flew the A-4F. Hancock was the last carrier to deploy with the A-4.
US Navy via author
seventy attack aircraft again hit the radar
installations at Cap Mu Ron.
Road Reece
One of the more interesting kyhawk
missions involved night bombing along
the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These strikes were
suppo ed to be limited to military trucks.
ince much of orth Vietnam wa already
mobilized for war, that limitation baffled
many a pilot. Later, however, this limita-
tion was modified to allow strikes against
any truck within 328ft (lOOm), then 984ft
(300m) of roadways.
VA-IS3 aboard USS Coral Sea was
one of the first squadrons involved in
this mission, which generally saw sec-
tions of two A-4s flying low-level attack
runs against orth Vietnamese trucks.
oral Sea's Skyhawks were joined in this
mi sion by S Midway's VA-22 and
VA-23. Loads for these missions included
flare, nakeyes, cluster bomb, and gun
pods - 'all low-level, lay-down ordnance',
as one pilot described. A-4 flying the e
missions would launch, refuel, then eros
'the beach' using dead-reckoning naviga-
tion or VFR. Flares would then be released
and the two kyhawk would dive down
to 100-200ft (30-60m) looking for trucks
to hit.
Cdr David Leue, an A-4C pilot with
VA-lS3 aboard Constellation, com-
mented on the e tactics thus:
We took a simple tactic and made it highly
success(ul even though our A-4Cs were severely
limited (uelwise.
We carried flares anu hombs, all low-level,
lay-down ordnance. Vou could not see a truck
(rom ten thousand (eet, or dive-homb-it; you
had to get down underneath the flare and look
at it. The rules were don't go low in the
daytime; it sounueu crazy to go low at night.
But it was absolutely safer to go IowaI' night
than in the daytime, i( you could overcome
your (car o( the hills and the dark.
Typically, I'u put my wingman at (our thou-
sanu (eel', lights out, anu we'u always tank just
before coasting in. I'd get on Route I, latl ahout
five hundred feet, and rocket down the road
with my wing down a little hit, anu just like
that I could see trucks. They'u throw a little
lead, so I woulu Jink, but the onh Vietnamese
were lousy shots at night.
ll
Captain Wynn Foster also flew road recce
missions during his time with V -163
aboard Oriskany:
The avy was ill-prepareu (or night recce,
,1I1d whtle the kind o( miSSIOn we ended up
fighting was carrying and dropping flares, the
proper equipment for that Illls)ion
able. IMultiple Ejector Bomh Racksl IER,
which eject hombs real well were av",lahle,
hut they punched holes in the flares. So 111 1965
the squadron [VA-1631 ended up mlxl,(ying
the [practice non-ejector Multiple Bomh
Racksl PMBRs, which for some IT'lM1I1 we rook
with us.
ll
But, as seemed to be the case throughout
th war, A-4 pilots adapted to the situa-
tion and became quite adept at night
operations, much to the chagrin of their
A-6 night-attack brethren.
I' the ame time, avy aircraft re-
newed their Barrel Roll efforts over Laos,
but under a different name. Operation
Steel Tiger designated the interdiction
missions in the Laotian panhandle region
outh of the I th parallel, while Banel
Roll still referred to missions flown in the
The A-4B, although lacking the sophistication of the later Charlie and Echo models, flew several missions
in and around the Haiphong area when deployed aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 111 in 1966. US Navy via author
2679-
-

buildings damaged. Again, there wa a

cost, as three aircraft were 10 t. One, an A-
4C from Coral Sea's VA-lS3 (Bu o.
149572), was lost, but the pilot survived.
Another belonging to VA-ISS div 1'1' d to
Da ang with stuck ordnance.
15 March marked the fir I' US avy
involvement in Operation Rolling Thunder
strikes, with kyhawks from USS Ranger
and USS Hancock, flying two or three mi -
sian a week, mostly interdiction by two
and four plane units. Rolling Thunder was
intended to force the orth Vietnamese
to capitulate in the face of bombing that
began in the south and moved slowly
north. The problem was, however, that it
took too long and had too many restric-
tions. aval aircraft had been flying tacti-
cal reconnaissance missions over North
Vietnam under the code-name Blue Tree
since Rolling Thunder began on 2 March.
!\arine aviation unit also played a role in
Rolling Thunder, but in South Vietnam.
On 1 March, Skyhawks from Coral ea
and Han ock launched strike at the sup-
ply buildings at Phu Van and the depot at
Vinh on. One week later, the same car-
riers struck radar sites at Bach Long Vi
Island, Ha Tinh, and Mui Ron, losing one
A-4E from VA-212. Its pilot, dr K. L.
Shugart, was recovered. On 31 March,
15 075) took mall arms fire to its port
wing. Ranger's strike force of thirty-four
aircraft was not as fortunate with its tar-
get, as poor weather over the ViI' Thu Lu
barracks prevented it from completing its
strike. Foreshadowing things to come,
Defense Secretary Me amara refused to
allow Ranger to divert and support those
underway from Coral Sea and Hancock at
Dong Hoi and instead ordered the pilots
to drop their bombs harmlessly into the
sea, a source of cant ntion for many
Skyhawk pilots for years to come.
Outraged at the S attack, Ho Chi
Minh launched another strik , this time
with VC forces destroying the American
enlisted barracks at Qui hon, killing
twenty-three and wounding another
twenty-one. Johnson retaliated with a
ninety-nine-plane strike on army barrack
at Chanh Hoa. Again, indicative of what
lay ahead, Mc amara not only selected
the targets, but also the aircraft that would
participate, their load, and even the fus-
ing. Moreover, he ordered the attack to
commence at 900 local time, oblivious to
local weather condition, which were
poor, restricting flight to low altitudes.
Operation Flaming Dan JJ was only mar-
ginally more successful than the first oper-
ation, with twenty-three of the seventy-six
success was achieved by these trikes, with
damage inflicted to the main road running
from orth Vietnam south. These raids
forced trucks to travel at night.
The next major operation to involve
kyhawks took place in February 1965.
As with the Pierce Arrow strikes of ug-
ust, these too, were retaliatory, respond-
ing to the Viet Cong (VC) attack on
Camp Holloway at Pleiku, near the
Central Highlands of 7 February. Nine
US personnel were killed and nearly 100
wounded, and ten aircraft destroyed. On
8 February, Operation Flaming Dan J was
launched by planes from the carriers S
Hancock, and Coral Sea, which
weI' already in the Gulf of Tonkin. Coral
ea and Hancock had, in fact, been
steaming towards the Philippine and had
to be recalled to join Ranger.
In a combined launch from Hancock
and Coral Sea, forty-nine aircraft, includ-
ing VA-212 and VA-2I6 from Hancock,
and A-4C/E from VA-IS3 and VA-ISS
aboard Coral Sea, struck Vietnamese Army
barracks and port facilitie at Dong Hoi.
Ten building were de troyed, two dam-
aged, and an undetermined number left
burning. The raid caused only moderate
damage, but Skyhawk pilot Lt E. A.
Dick on was lost when his A-4E (BuNo.
734 735
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Bullpups at the Tam Da Bridge
Capt Otto E. Krueger, then a Commander with VA-94, flew a Skyhawk like
this on his strike against the Tam Da Bridge. US Navy via author
The Bullpup was hailed as the first 'stand-off' weapon, but did not fully live up to designer's claims. To properly fire the rocket, the operator had to fly a
straight attack trajectory that made him quite susceptible to enemy AAA and gun-fire. US Navy via author
The Bullpup was a line-of-sight, rocket-propelled bomb controlled by a thumb
toggle on the pilot's control stick. At launch, it would be ejected downward from
the plane and initially would drop out of sight. We'd have to tug back on the
knob to bring it up into view. The Bullpup had a flare on its tail that let us follow
it down and control the trajectory to the target.
Bullpup was a good idea, but first models were just not powerful enough. The
-B, though, carried a punch and if you could get it on target you could do some
real damage. The Bullpup was heavy, weighing about 2,OOOlb, and the sheer
velocity of it would have done damage alone. But with the warhead addition, the
Big Bullpup was a good weapon, in my opinion.
To show how the weapons had progressed, in early 1965 we launched two-
carrier Alpha strikes against the Tam Da Bridge south of Vinh. Maximum
ordnance loads from two air wings missed the bridge in the morning, with the
same result in the afternoon, until the final four-plane division of A-4s from VA-94
dropped several spans. About a year later they asked me to lead another strike
against the bridge which had been put back into use, this time with only two
planes carrying the new Bullpup 'B'. I managed to hit the bridge abutment,
dropping the remaining span and putting the bridge out of commission again. The
RA-5C post-strike photos showed a big hole where the abutment had been. So
instead of a two carrier, max-effort Alfa strike, it was now one plane, one
Bullpup, one bridge! (We saved the second Bullpup for another target.1
The RF-8 reconnaissance photo in this insert shows the Tam Ho Bridge
after Captain Krueger's Bullpup attack. The damage from the first strike
several months earlier (the dropped spans) can also be seen.
One of the most interesting developments of the war was the gradual shift
from an all 'dumb' bomb ordnance to a mix of 'smart bombs', One of these
early smart bombs was the AGM-12 Bullpup made by Martin. Capt Otto
Krueger, then a Commander flying Skyhawks with VA-94 aboard USS
Enterprise (CVAN 65!. tells about his two strikes against the Tam Da Bridge
near Vinh:
Skyhawk road recce missions were flown from
Dixie Station during 1966 by aircraft from USS
Oriskany (CVA 34). Using flares and iron bombs,
aviators flew 'in country' at night, releasing their
flares then bombing North Vietnamese trucks
travelling down the Ho Chi Minh Trail through laos.
US Navy via author
A load of lAU-10/A 5in (12.7cm) Zuni rockets are
fired against Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam.
US Navy via author
136 137
... _----------- -
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
For part of 1968, attacks 'up north' focused on transportation systems immediately south of the Haiphong
area in RP IV. Here, an Echo fires a Zuni rocket at a North Vietnamese train. Other photos in this series
show that the last carriage to the right was struck by the rocket. us Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via
Harry Gann
the newer A-6A Intruder. For the remain-
der of the year the carriers focused on a
number of the POL delivery systems
throughout North Vietnam, triking rail
junctions at Vinh, inh Binh, Thanh
Hoa, and Phy Ly, and also earclling out
and de troying depot, convoys, and barg s
that might be carrying supplie to the VC
and orth Vietname e Army ( VA)
units in the South.
eptember 1966 marked the beginning
of a new interdiction phase against the
I anoi/Haiphong area. After analyzing
traffic patterns, strikes were organized
against the infamous Thanh Hoa bridge,
as well as rail yards around Nin Binh and
Phy Ly. All bridges south of the Thanh
Hoa were subsequently destroyed.
Up to 1967, the majority of -4 strikes
were conducted with Mk 80 series bombs,
napalm (only in the south), Zuni rockets,
and, as of mid-1966, hrike. For 'hard'
targets, Mk 4 2,000lb bombs were used;
however, Task Force Command permis-
sion was needed to use the larger bombs.
For the most part, thi ordnance wa deliv-
ered from low altitude to avoid the
A-2s, although opening the attacking
pilots up ro heavy AAA from the orth
Vietnamese 37, 57 and 5mm guns. The
GM-12 Bullpup, although intended as a
David McDonald, Chief of Naval Opera-
tions, modified the composition of navy
carrier air wing ro add another VA
squadron, taking the number of VF units
down to two. At this point, at least on the
larger deck carriers, some of the A-4s and
the A-I kyraider were being replaced by
now "on the list", we launched our strikes
in Ie than 90 minute '. Washington
would later complain that pilots had
truck a Poli h merchant hip; the pilot
contended that they had not, but that the
Poli h ship wa shooting at them.
An interdiction campaign began against
trucks, roads, and bridges south of Hanoi,
and, on 1 April, A-4s struck the Uong Bi
plant for a second time. trikes against the
Vinh-Ben Thuy complex that month cost
the Yankee Station carriers twenty-one
aircraft, including five Skyhawks. April
also saw a devastating strike by eleven
Skyhawk and four Crusaders from U S
Ticonderoga's CVW-5 attacking a major
highway bridge in Hanoi that connected
the city with China. Approaching from
behind a ridge, the A-4s flying clean-wings
and with a single 2,0001b bomb dodged at
least two AMs and AA from 37mm
guns and downed five of the bridge's
twenty-four spans.
29 June saw the first attacks against
P L facilities at Haiphong and Hanoi.
kyhawks from VA-55 and VA-146
aboard U S Ranger dropped 19 tons
(11,582kg) of ordnance on the Haiphong
plant while A-4s and A-6s from US
Constellation struck Do on. The next day,
A-4 from Constellation and Hancock
struck the facilitie at Bac Giamg, de troy-
ing seven POL tanks and four support
buildings.
By August of 1966, the pace of strike
operations had so picked up that Adm
The end of 1967 saw the introduction of the Chance Vought A-7 Corsair II with VA-147 'Argonauts' aboard
USS Ranger (CVA 61). The Corsair had prevailed against a souped-up Skyhawk in the 1963 LAV competition.
The Corsair soon replaced the Skyhawk on all large-deck carriers and many Essex class carriers.
us Navy via author
beginning to change, as aircrews adapted
to the pre ence of the AM and devised
new ways ro counter the threat. For
exampl , high and mid-altitude flight was
prohibited in high A 1 areas. Of course,
this placed the pilots 'down in the weeds',
which subjected them to heavy small arms
and AAA fire. Also plaguing pilots was
the shortage of bombs, whi h the
Department of Defense denied.
In April 1966, the first AGM-45
Shrikes arrived in Vietnam, giving Iron
Hand sections their first effective weapon
against SA-2 sites. The first Shrike firing
rook place on 25 April by pilots of VA-
23. At about the same time, the lpha
strike concept was put into practice, with
Alpha strikes now occurring inro RP VI.
TF 77 pilots flew some 6,500 sorties over
Vietnam in March, losing eleven air raft,
ix of which were kyhawks.
avy strikes from the carrier U Kitty
Hawk hit the coal port of Cam Pha, some
35 mile (56km) from the Chinese border,
dropping 50 rons (45,360kg) of ordnance
on the city's rail yards, water pumping sta-
tion, and coal treatment plant. Fires were
started and smoke was een billowing to
2,000ft (6IOm). TF 77's Commander,
Rear-Admiral J. R. Reedy, stated that the
am Pha targets had been frequently
requested by the TF for major strikes:
'When the word came that Cam Pha was
eral storage ranks were left ablaze. Any
hope of this signalling a new direction for
the air war were diminished, however,
when a new peace offering was made, fol-
lowed by a thirty-seven day bombing pause
instigated by Washington.
In eptember, Cdr James B. tockdale,
CAG of CVW-16, was shot down by
57mm flak while leading a strike against
the Thanh Hoa bridge. Stockdale, an F-8
pilot, who was on the scene at the time of
the Gulf of Tonkin incident, was flying an
A-4E at the time. He would become a
POW and later receive the Medal of
Honor for his leadership of prisoners in
Hanoi.
1966 saw the air war increase with a
sharp intensity after the bombing pau e
was lifted in early February, although most
targets were limited to the southern areas
of orth Vietnam. Hanoi and Haiphong
were absolutely off-limits. kyhawks were
also encouraged to pick up the pace of
their night-time, anti-truck patrols.
Poor weather continued to hamper
operations a the VC ontinued to expand
its AM network and move supplies south
over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. During
January and February, fourteen were lost,
seven of which were A-4s. Also during
this period, avy planes flew nearly 1,400
sorties, the majority of which were over
South Vietnam. At thi time, tactics were
This photo recce BDA shot shows the damage
that Krueger's Bullpup caused to the bridge.
The bridge runs south (left) - north (right). The
south abutment is destroyed. The 45-degree
line down towards the abutment shows the
flight path of Krueger's Bullpup. The downed
spans (left and centre) from the initial 1965
Alpha strikes are still visible. Capt. Otto L.
Krueger, USN(Ret.)
northern regions. Steel Tiger strike were
co-ordinated by Air Force C-130 Airborne
Command and Control Center (BC )
aircraft. Call signs for the ABCCC in the
Steel Tiger region were Hill boro during
the day and Moonbeam during the night.
Also in April 1965, carrier aircraft from
USS Coral Sea and Midway con-
ducted strikes against VC po itions around
the Black Mountains, supporting US
ground for es in the area. It was at this
time that attempt were made to establish
what would eventually become an opera-
tional station off the southern coast of
Vietnam. On 20 May, Dixie Station,
located approximately 100 miles (160km)
south-east of Cam Ranh Bay, came to life
as Oris/<any became the first carrier to
be assigned official station duties.
December of that year saw the largest
carrier strikes to date in the war, with over
I 0 plane from Enterprise, Ticon-
deroga, and Kitty Hawk triking the giant
Uong Bi thermal plant 15 miles (25km)
north/north-east of Haiphong. kyhawks
from Enter/Jfise approached the plant from
the north as -4 from the other two ar-
riel'S hit from the outh causing consider-
able damage to the facility and marking
the first major industrial site to be hit in
orth Vietnam. Two A-4s from Enterprise
were lost. Reports show that the boi IeI'
house was severely damaged and that sev-
138
139
. - .. -
e---- _ - ~ -
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
SKYHAWKS T WAR
A VA-12 A-4E 'AB 407' with a Battle 'E' showing
launches from the carrier's port bow catapult with
two wing tanks. The outboard stations are empty
which leads one to wonder whether this aviator is
heading up to provide tanking services. The
centreline station is obscured by steam.
Vince McCarthy via Robert F. Dorr
An A-4C with empty Zuni pods returns to the USS
Midway (CVA 41) during operations off Vietnam in
1965. During that cruise, light attack missions were
flown by A-4Cs from VA-22 and A-4Es from VA-23.
On 25 April 1965, VA-23 became the first squadron
to fire an AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile in
combat. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Reid
this strike that the A-4 achieved its only
MiG-ki II of the war. VA-76' Lt Cdr
Theodore R. chwart:, a former F- pilot,
had ju t descended on the runways in
his A-4C when he received an alert
from his wingman of a pair of MiGs on
his tail. chwartz performed a quick roll
manoeuvre and ended up with one of the
MiGs in his sights. Firing three Zuni's, he
hit the MiG, then turned for its wing.
Had his cannon not failed, Schwartz
It wa 23 April when authority was
finally given to trike at the orth
Vietnamese MiG base at Kep. ituated in
RP VI-A, this base had been the source
of many of the MiG attacks against U
forces as they struck targets in and around
the Hanoi/Haiphong area. kyhawk from
the carriers U S Kitt)' Hawk and Bon
Homme Richard struck the ba c in two
waves, damaging the runways and
destroying several MiGs. It was also on
\ ;he catapult just begins to take this A-4E down the deck. The squadron's 'Kiss of Death' emblem is plainly
\visible on the fuselage. Robert F. Dorr
This A-4F from VA-212 climbs above USS Hancock in the late 1960s - early 1970s. US Navy via author
stand-off weapon, was not as useful as
hoped, a it required a straight, predictable
run at the target, thereby making the pilot
a 'sitting duck' for enemy gunners. The
Bullpup was used to some degree in the
early days of the war, but later abandoned.
The quest for a replacement for the
Bullpup led to t e development of the
AGM-65 Maveric .
However, in Ma ch 1967, the avy
received a new capab ity via the AGM-62
Walleye, which was I:) sed on the Mk- 4
bomb. This TV-guide glide bomb gave
Skyhawk pilots a true stand-off weapon
that could be launched from ranges up to
II miles (18km). Carrying an 8251b
(374kg) linear-shaped charge warhead,
the AGM-62 required an optical lock
before launch. The first Navy raid with the
Walleye was made by Cdr Homer Smith's
-4E from VA-212 aboard the carrier
USS Bon Homme Richard on II Mar h.
The strike was conducted against orth
Vietnamese barracks at am on. The
pilot apparently sent the bomb directly
through a window. The next Walleye
strike occurred against the Phu Oicn
Chaw highway bridge, with follow-up
trike against the Sam on barracks.
pril saw a wideni) g of the air war as
major power plants) Haiphong and
Hanoi were attacked. 2 April, two
major Ipha strike did COl iderable dam-
age to the powcr plant at ong Bi and
Bac Giam. The Hanoi power plant was
also struck by a Walleye launched by VA-
212's Cdr Homer Smith.
740
747
- -. --
One of VA-212's sister squadrons, a VA-216 A-4C launches from the port bow cat during operations in 1965.
US Navy via author
might well have had two kills. Contro-
versy soon followed, as some accu ed him
of saving his Zunis for MiGs that were
suppa ed to be used as flak suppres ion.
evertheless, it was a significant achieve-
ment for the Skyhawk community.
On 19 May, three Walleyes were
launched against the Thanh Hoa bridge,
and despite direct hit, could not de troy
the structure. Again, that strike was led by
Cdr Smith. Overall, the Walleyes were
regarded as accurate and effective against
all but the most hardened targets. An
improved Walleye II, with longer range,
was deployed ncar the war's end. Rear-
Adm Thomas J. Walker, Commander of
Carrier Division Three, who oversaw the
Walleye's introduction into combat, com-
mented on the impact of this weapon, stat-
ing that: ' ... for the first time in the
history of naval warfare, a combat com-
mander could launch one aircraft carrying
one weapon with a high degree of confi-
dence that significant damage could be
inflicted on a selected target'S4
The next day, however, Cdr Smith
was shot down when his A-4E was hit by
anti-aircraft fire while attacking a heavily
defended thermal power plant. Smith
escaped his plane but was captured and
later died in captivity. For hi outstanding
actions in combat and his extraordinary
heroism, Cdr mith was posthumously
promoted to Captain and awarded the
avy's highe t combat award, the avy
Cro s.
A major follow-up strike on the Hanoi
thermal plant facility was conducted in
ovember, which Cdr Bryan W. Comp-
ton, who flew on this strike, described as
follows:
We planneJ (0 coa,t in from the ,outh until
we were ju,t \\'e,t of a line hetween Phu Ly
anJ Hanlll anJ Just south of the range of
HanOI's major SAM hatteries. From thiS point,
we woulJ turn our A-4s north to Hanoi,
fanning out ahoul 25 miles from the target,
which wa, on the north-wcst eJge of the city.
We planneJ for five Walleyc Jrops to exccute
<l network coming from the west
counter-c1ockwi,c to thc south-ea,t. We
thought this approach woulJ give each of us a
chance to relea,e the wcapon on hIS inJiviJual
alln point anJ ,till Jilutc the Jcfenccs hI' the
,imultaneity of the attack.
11
Even though the main part of the plant was
large, we were concerneJ that ,moke anJ Just
from the impact of thc first wcapon might Jecoy
the others. We were anxioLis to get close to
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
simultaneous impact as possible. ince we were
coming in essentially together, this requireJ
somc careful aJjustment of speeJ anJ maneuver-
ing. We were not using any flak suppression on
thc strikc for thc final attack, so we rejecteJ the
option of Jropping the weapons sequcntially. \6
Cdr Compton's plan was put into action
on 21 November.
On the morning of thc strikc, wc were up early
for our last-minute briefing. ince we were only
Jropping one Walleye each, we slickeJ up the
airplancs. taking off thc 400-gallon center-I me
auxiliary fuel lank> anJ the two triple ejector
racks (TERs) on the inhoarJ wing stations.
Since wc wanteJ to he toppeJ off (attain
maximum fuel srate), we planneJ to refuel cn
route to our ("'oint. The only cover we
haJ was a Target Comhat Air Patrol
(TARCAP) that went into our turn point south
of Ilanoi anJ two Iron Hand aircraft JroppeJ
off at the same haslc ro:,ition.
All five of the Skyhawk on Compton's
strike made hits on the power plant, with
ompton's Walleye impacting directly
through a window.
1967 was one of the most inten e
periods of the war. VA-l13's cruise aboard
SS Enter/Jrise is a testament to this fact,
as it flew some 2,287 combat sorties and
delivered over 2,450 tons (l,493,520kg)
of ordnance. That year, the eleven carriers
that served with TF 77 destroyed an esti-
mated thirty AM sites, 1 7 AAA sites,
734 vehicles, 4,100 locomotives, and some
955 bridges. Another 1,5 6 bridges were
damaged. All of this cost 133 aircraft,
sixty-five of which were A-4 . That year
also saw Oriskany' air wing suffer tremen-
dous losses, as its kyhawks served 122
days 'on the line'.
After 1967, more target restrictions
were lifted, but any benefits were lost in
November 196 when yet another
bombing halt signalled the end of Rolling
Thunder. In early 196 ,the weather played
a major role in limiting trikes, as rain,
storms, and low cloud limited visual strikes
to about three days per month. ever-
theless, the weather did allow A-4s from
KYHAWKS AT WAR
A'Rampart Raider' from USS Hancock (CVA 19)
departs with several Mk 831,OOOIb bombs on its
centreline and two wing tanks. Robert F. Dorr
The Marine bases at Chu lai, South Vietnam had to
be built from scratch. Navy Seabees quickly
prepared a 4,OOOft (l,233m) aluminium Short Airfield
for Tactical Support (SATSj and Marine
A-4s began using the base within two months of
arrival. This photo shows two A-4s on the runway
and a third in a state of repair. US Marines Corps via
author
142
-----
143
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYHAWK AT WAR
and -311. M G-16 and MAG-36 were the
helicopter groups and operated out of
Marble Mountain east of Da Nang and at
Ky Ha outh of Da ang, respectively.
With all of the Marine tactical air oper-
ations basing out of Da ang, the facilities
quickly became overloaded and a new air
base location was thus sought out and
found along the coast some 50 miles
(80km) south of Da Nang at Chu Lai.
This location was selected, in part,
because it could be easily supplied by sea
and easily defended. It also offered a good
staging point for supporting ground units
in and at out outh Vietnam, especially I
Corps. Indeed, Chu Lai would in time
become the most significant of all Marine
Corps air bases and the primary operator
of land-ba ed A-4 squadrons throughout
the war.
One problem with Chu Lai, however,
was that it lacked any runway facilities,
so the 'Seabees' immediately II' nt to work
constructi ng a Short Airfield for T actica I
upport ( T) field which involved the
laying of two 12ft (3.6m) sections of
aluminium matting over levelled earth.
To combat the shortened take-off dis-
tance, Skyhawks launching from the
SATS field would rely on a carrier-like
North Vietnamese were nearly out of
munitions.
Hancock served as the last carrier
operating kyhawks in 1972 and 1973,
with all three of it kyhawk squadrons
flying A-4Fs. Following the war, A-4s
made two more cruises aboard Hancock
before being withdrawn from active Navy
service. The last kyhawk squadrons were
disestablished in December 1975.
Marine Corps Operations in
Vietnam
Although avy kyhawk had been
engaged in the war sin e the initial Gulf
of Tonkin reprisal arracks on 5 August
1964, Marine Corps A-4s did not join bat-
tle until early 1965 when the 9th Marine
Expeditionary Brigade landed a Da
Nang and established a base. At that time,
Marine air units in Vietnam were organ-
ized under the 1st Marine ircraft Wing
(I M W) based in Japan, which con-
si ted offour Marine Air Groups (MAGs).
MAG-II pro ided fight r/attack air-
craft and M G-12 provided the attack
squadrons - then VMAs-211, -214, -225,
Jet Assisted Take-Oft (JATO) was used by Marine pilots at Chu lai to help take-ofts in high cross-winds. US
Navy via author
Laos. Missions were carried out against
truck convoys along the Ho Chi Minh
Trail and in the mountain passes and A-
4Fs performed occasional strikes inro
North Vietnam. uch mi siems were
carried out against advancing orth
Vietnamese units until the end of the
involvement in the Vietnam War.
Also significant in 1971 were the
missions flown in support of Operation
Proud Dee!J AIIJha, which commenced on
26 December 1971 and involved five days
of bombing directed against orth
Vietname e troops massing along the
DMZ. Of the 1,025 sortie flown,40 were
by aircraft operating from the carriers
Constellation and U S oral Sea.
Major change in the overall military
strategy against North Vietnam, most of
which had been advocated by avy plan-
ners since 1965, were now starting to have
an effect on the war effort. Haiphong's
harbours were now mined and major
traffic centres bombed, severing Vietnam
from its Chinese and Soviet supplier, and
the troops in the field from their supply
lines in the orth. MiG were no longer
a threat, some seventy-five being downed
in 1972. AAA and AM activity was also
down, with reports showing that the
With the war now winding down, the
A-4's presence diminished, with only
three Skyhawk-operaring carriers on
station in 1970, and two (USS Hancock
and USS Bon Homme Richard) in 1971.
That year Hancock and its A-4Fs from
V s-55, -164 and -212 flew dozens of
interdiction trikes in support of the outh
Vietnamese Lam Son 719 offensive in
This A-4E based at Chu lai carries a Mk 11 gun pod on each in-board station and 5in (12.7cml Zuni pods on
the outboard stations, with a centreline tank. This load was typical of the Marine close air support
missions flown in support of I Corps. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
had grown inro large flights with fighters,
flak suppressors and arrack aircraft to
handle SAMs.
Operation Linebacker I, whi h ran from
10 May until 22 Ocrober 1972 cost the
avy sixty-one aircraft, including five
kyhawk. During this time six carriers
rotated in and out of Yankee Station,
flying a total of 23,652 orties.

; 1080 .
MAR1N
f5
A Marine pilot sits waiting, with bombs loaded, for a call from Marine or Army ground forces operating in South Vietnam. us Navy via author
Coral Sea ro mount yet another strike
on the Thanh Hoa Bridge on 2 January,
with forty-four aircraft dropping 2,0001b
bombs against the structure.
AIso provid ing some distraction to
Vietnam operations was the orth Korean
seizure of SS Pueblo in international
waters in early January. Two carriers were
diverted from Yankee tation ro positions
off orth Korea. A-4
squadrons did provide support trikes
during the Tee Offensive and the siege of
Khe Sanh. TF 77 flew II sorties in
'upport of the Marines during the siege of
Khe Sanh in January followed by 1,500
in February and 1,600 in March. Later in
the year, operations continued against
targets in RPs II and III and in Laos.
In 1969, fi ve of the seven carriers that
served on Yankee tat ion were the small
deck 27-Charlie 'Essex' carriers, three
of which ( Bon Homme Richard,
Hancock, and IntrelJid) had three squad-
rons of A-4s. Each air wing had at least
one squadron with the newer -F model.
U Ranger, a 'Forrestal' class carrier,
was home to a unique combination of
V s, with one squadron each of Intru-
ders, Corsairs, and A-4F kyhawks.
Air strikes during these years, excepting
those of the Linebacker raids, were in
the southern regions of orth Vietnam
and were mainly Blue Tree flights.
Interestingly, these flights, which had
began in 1964 as single aircraft missions,
744 745
--- ---- --
SKYI-IAIVK ATWAR
SKYHAIVK ATWAR
Two-seat TA-4Fs flew FAC and TACIA) missions supporting Marines on the ground as well as spotting
missions for artillery and US naval gunners aboard USS New Jersey. The Skyhawk's speed, ruggedness,
and warload made it a good choice for these missions. Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN ReId
During the tour al Chu Lai most missions were
in direct support of U MC units and Army
outposts in the highlands. Our missions were
usually two and four plane formatiOn>,
controlled by ;lirborne FAC or ground FAC .
Rarely did we attack without a clearance from
During 1966 and early 1967, a many
as five squadrons operated from hu Lai
at anyone time, with full squadrons being
rotated in and out. Due to the disruption
caused by the replacement of combat
veterans, a new policy wa adopted in
1968, whereby aircraft and crews would
be rotated on an individual basis. Thus,
squadrons such as VMA-211, -214, and-
311 served at hu Lai for many years.
VMA-311 eventually accumulated over
54,000 combat orties before it logged its
last Aight in 1972.
Colonel Caldas described ome of the
mi sions flown by Chu Lai based Marine
A-4s:
Marine ground crews prepare this VMA-311 A-4E
Skyhawk for the lO,OOO'h combat sortie from Chu
Lai. The original image is slightly lop-sided, but is
reproduced in full here for completeness. Aerospace
Publishing
Bombs are double-checked about this VMA-225 A-4C as it readies for strikes in support of Operation
Piranha In September 1965. US Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
unit could handle upwards of 250 aircraft
tracks at any given time and eventually
would grow to incorporate Air Force
activity. Both the T ADC and the MTD
were key in the Marine' usc of the TPQ-
10 blind-bombing system used by A-4s
and other Marine attack jets.
approximately 160,0001b (72,640kg) of
ordnance. VMA-223 also sent a four-
plane Det. to U S Yorktown for the
carrier's cruise with CVSG-55 (October
1964-May 1965). The H&M -15 Det's
kyhawks were A-4C and those senr by
VMA-223 were A-4Bs.
Tac Air Co-ordination
Control of Marine air units was initially
given to the Air Force, although precise
control over which squadrons were avail-
able remained with the Marines. This, in
turn, ensured that some Marine assets
would always remain available to support
Marine units in the field and that their
close air support needs were met before
offering the remaining aircraft to the Air
Force for tasking. Operational air control
wa routed through Da ang's Tactical
Air Direction Center (TADC), which, at
fi rst was compo ed of the Tactical Air
Operations Center (TAOC) and Direct
Air Support Center (DASC). These sub-
units governed air surveillance and air
defence, respectively. U ing radar infor-
mation gathered from a variety of sources,
operators would manually plot aircraft
movements on a large board.
In 1967 a new computer-assisted
TAOC arrived, called the Marin Tacti-
cal Data ystem (MTDS). This was
similar to that used by the Navy but signif-
icantly easier to operate. Established at
Monkey Mountain near Da ang, this
VMA-223 did operate a few -C models
for a time. Chu Lai's close proximity to
targets in I Corps meant that many of the
Marine strikes were only minutes away.
One Marine pilot from Chu Lai
commented on this ' ... when we oper-
ated in ountry, we were rarely more than
1 -15 minute from our targets. On many
occa ions, we'd raise the gear and climb
to roll in altitudes to strike a target. This
was not the case for strikes into Laos and
Cambodia. Then, we were conserving our
fuel's9 Indeed, Marine Skyhawks relied
heavily on tanking from neighbouring
KC-13 F from VMGR-15Z and later
VMGR-352 operating out of Da ang.
According to sources, while Marine
Corps kyhawk pi lots were trained on
aerial refuelling with the D-704 stores, it
happened seldom, at least during the early
year of the war.
Marine Skyhawks at Sea
Two Marine A-4 quadrons sent dem h-
menrs of A-4s to sea with Navy carriers
during the war. H&MS-15 sent four
Skyhawks to USS Midwa)', which were
later transferred to Homer and its
CV G-57 air group. During the squad-
ron's two-month stint at sea, its four A-4s
flew a total of 1 orties and delivered
cross-wind conditions on the long runway,
as Col John Caldas, who Aew A-4Es with
VMA-211 out of Chu Lai in 1966 and
1967, describes: 'We rarely used JATO at
Chu Lai, but when we did it was because
there was a severe cross-wind on the ,000
ft main runway (aluminum). The cross
runway, as I recall, was less than 4,000
feet. Once the concrete runway was
completed, we never again used JATO
there'.58 According to Caldas, using JATO
had its drawbacks, because 'if the bottles
failed to ignite, we'd have bought the
farm. Once you committed yourself for the
take-off, there was nowhere to go, be ides
cros ing a perimeter road that circled the
inside of the ai r base'.
hu Lai was the focus of a major VC
effort to oust the Mari nes from 18-24
August. ode-named Operation StarUre,
Marine A-4 , with F-4 from Da Nang,
Aew around-the-clock missions in support
of Marine ground units. Once the VC
uprising was defeated, Chu Lai remained
in U hands throughout the war.
The Marine Skyhawk ' role in Vietnam
was primarily one of close air support.
vcr the course of the war, seven Marine
A-4 squadrons would operate out of the
Chu Lai base, including VMA -121, -211,
-214, -223, -224, -225, and -311. Most of
these Skyhawk were A-4Es, although
catapult sy tem or JATO hortles.
Recoveries could also be accomplished by
a system of carrier-like arresting wires,
called MOREST. This ATS system, in
fact, had been tested carl ier by the
Marines during their operations at Taiwan
in the late 195 s. On 31 May, just twenty-
four days after they arrived, the' eabees'
had completed a 4,000ft (1,215m)
runway, some 70ft (2111') wide, complete
with taxiways and parking ramps. Later
th is runway was extended to 8,000ft
(2,438m) of matting.
On 1 June 1965, MAG-12's Com-
manding Officer, Col John D. oble,
made the first SAT landing with a
VMA-225 A-4 brought over from Da
ang. Four more Skyhawks from VMA-
311 arrived larer that day and a VMA-225
A-4, led by its Commanding Officer,
Lt Col Robert W. Baker, Aew the base's
first operational sortie that afternoon.
Work continued on the facilities and they
were declared fully operational in July. A
a testament to its contribution to the war
effort, Chu Lai logged its lOO,OOOth A-4
mission on 7 December 1966.
A 10,000ft (3,040m) concrete runway
with a sociated taxiways was completed in
1966, eventually eliminating the need for
using the AT or JATO. JATO had
been used on occasion during extreme
146
147
--- - -
- - ~ -
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
This photo shows a Marine Corps A-4E with a sampling of the stores available to it by the mid-1960s. From left to right are: Zuni rocket pods, Mk 77 napalm, Mk 81
and 82 Snakeye retarded bombs. a Mk 831.000lb slick bomb. a 150 US gallon {567litrel drop tank. a 2.000lb Mk 84 bomb. a HiPeg gun pod. a 1.000lb Bullpup B. the
smaller 250lb Bullpup A. an AGM-45 Shrike. and a Mk 20 Rockeye II cluster bomb unit. US Navy via Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
148
-----
A Marine Corps TA-4F armed with Zuni rockets is
being towed with crew embarked and ready for a
mission over South Vietnam. These two-seat
Skyhawks proved invaluable in the resupply efforts
during the siege of Khe Sanh in 1968 by helping co-
ordinate deliveries to outlying posts. Thomas H.
Idema via Robert F. Dorr
some control agency - usually in the vicinity
of the targets. If a target was resi Iient enough
to warrant continuous attacks, we'd on
s[ation (fuel pennirring) until we were relieved.
We also used radar bombing with TPQ radar.
A controller would control our drops from a
radar ,ite. This was usually done at night or in
conditions of bad wemher.
As for TPQ, our recon or advanced ground
troops would sometimes place a beacon in the
field somewhere, and by triangulation our
Marine support units would direct us m drop
from those reference points. This wa, a method
of area hombing. We could harass the NVA
'md VC hI' bombing their known or suspected
assembly points without them e\'er seemg us -
or we them for that marrer. We usually bombed
from 12 m 15 or 16,000 feet.
We abo provided armeu escorts for heli-
copter - either site preparation or cover
for unit Inserts or In major
we might have three or four dl\'I>iom (four
aircraft) prepare concentrated on an
SKYHAWKS AT WAR
area before the troop inserts. Then maintain a
presence or keep an area secure from intruding
troop . In the Sou th we did nor have to worry
about enemy air.
On one occasion I remember dropping
leaflets in the DMZ from jury rigged drop tanks.
We only did rim once, to my knowledge.
On Illany occasions, we checked in with
controlle" after t/o and were adviseu to hold
while they tried to find us a mission(s). Several
times I can recall sightmg what I (we) thought
were VC and could not get clearance to arrack.
149
Afler a few minutes the possible targets would
be gone inm the jungle.
60
According to Caldas, and other pilots, the
kyhawk was ' an ideal close air
support aircraft'. Col Caldas added:
... If we had any limitation, Il had to be the
I.mlteu load and/or time on srallon av<"lahle
to us. We normally carried ahout 4,000 [() 5,00
pounds of expendahle ordnance. \Ve generally
used a centerline drop rank, which left us with
(our open wing Our load:-, were typl-
C<llly (I) Mk O-series Snakeyes and napaIt""
(250/500 !,ounders and two napalm ranks); (2)
rockers and hombs 12-250s or 6-500s (using
2.5 and 5 inch HVAR pods) or (3) two 1000
pounders for hunkering. [All flights carrieu
20l11m Cclnnon ammunition I. We sometimes
used a MK 4 gun pod centerline. It wasn't [()o
reliahle.'''1
Marine Corps strikes differed from avy
strikes in size and composition. The avy
tended to use Alpha strikes, featuring a
large number of different aircraft directed
at a large target uch as a marshalling yard
or refinery. That' a coml ined effort of
fighter-, ECM, flak uppressors, attack
birds and post strike recon, added
Caldas.
62
Marine strikes were often in
A 1.000lb Mk 83 has just been released by this
VA-23 Skyhawk during an attack on Viet Cong
positions in South Vietnam. us Navy via Robert F. Dorr
KYHAWKSATWAR
A heavy load of Snakeyes on this VMA-211 A-4E meant more close air support for the Marines. Skyhawks
such as this one flew hundreds of missions supporting the siege of Khe Sahn in January 1968.
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
SKYI-IAWKS AT WAR
VMA-223 flew sorties from Chu lai from late 1965 until early 1968 and again from May 1968 until early 1970.
Pictured here is an A-4C with its pilot. Notice the dark colouring around the 20mm cannon barrel indicating
heavy use. Defense Department via Robert F. Dorr
smaller sections or fl ights and were ori-
ented toward ground upport.
Air operations intensified as 1967
began, with MAG-12 Skyhawks providing
24-hour support for US Marine, rmyand
South Vietnamese ground forces. To keep
pace, A-4s at Chu Lai often sat fully
loaded on the ramps with pilots on
standby in what was termed 'hot pad' alert,
awaiting a call to scramble.
1968's Tee Offensive laun hed by orth
Vietnam on 30 January saw a further
increase in Skyhawk operations, as MAG-
12 units provided much needed air cover
for the be ieged Marines at Khe anh.
Code named Operation iagara, the air
effort in defence of Khe Sanh wa joined
by all services, with Marine performing
close air upport and radar-guided attacks
and Air Force B-52 Arc Lighe trikes. Co-
ordination of all aircraft was handled by
a Ta tical Air Controller (Airborne) or
TAC(A), who sometimes complained
that there were simply too many strike
sorties hoveri ng overhead. Indeed, reports
would later show that an average of 300
sorti s p r day were directed at Khe anh
and over 35,000 tons (21,336,000kg) of
ordnance delivered. Some of the Khe
anh strikes were handled with the TPQ-
I radar system, which proved particularly
effective and saved many a crew from the
heavy barrage of orth Vietnamese AAA
in the area. This system was used to
control both A-4 and F-4 units.
It was during th is battle that the SU/Jer
Gaggle concept was developed, a means
by which outposts were r -supplied in the
hills surrounding Khe anh by a combi-
nation of A-4s and Marine helicopters.
The first such operation took place on 24
February 196 , when twelve Skyhawks
escorted a large contingency of CH-46
transports. Four UE-I E gunships also flew
cover, with a single TA-4F providing the
overall tactical co-ordination for the
mission.
Once the aircraft and hel icopters had
launched, all would gather in the vicinity
of Khe anh and await instructions from
the TA-4F. When word was given, the
A-4s would then charge down and 'sani-
tize' the area with cannon fire, rockets,
and napalm, after which the CH-46s
would land and unload their supplies.
mazingly, many of these unloads took
no longer than five minutes to accom-
plish, although it certainly must have
750
seemed longer to the crews. The UH-IE
gunships would follow the CH-46s to pick
up any crew that may have been shot
down or become stranded.
Following the Khe anh defence, air
control of Marine units fell under the 7th
Air Force under the so-called 'single man-
agement doctrine'. Marine units now had
to detail their assets' availability daily and
the Air Force, not the Marines, had com-
plete tasking control. Air Force officials
claimed that the Khe Sanh operations
confirmed the efficiency of such a sy tem,
but the Marines never fully accepted it,
arguing that the ir Force simply did not
understand the Marine air role.
Fast FAC Skyhawks
One of the interesting developments of
the war occurred with the innovative use
of two- eat jets as forward air control
aircraft, observation, and escorts for hel i-
copter transports. Given their range,
speed, and weapons-carriage, the jets were
perfect for these roles and the added set
of 'eyes' further enhanced their value for
low-level operations. Beginning in 1966,
H&M -13 based at Oa ang had been
operating the Grumman TF-9J ougar in
the Forward Air Controller (F ) role
(called Tactical Air Control (Airborne)
or TAC(A)) supporting both MAG-II
and MAG-12. These FAC aircraft carried
the standard 20mm ammunition and also
rockets for both attack and for target
designation. As the ougars began
showing their age, the two-seat T -4F
became available and Marine units eized
upon the opportunity to grab a few of
the e for the FAC role.
Originally designed to operate as a
trainer for advanced jet units in the tates,
the e two-seaters retained the single-seat
A-4s full combat operational capability.
Only range was limited by the addition of
the second cockpit, which was eldom a
problem because of aerial refuelling. TA-
4Fs served with H&M -II at Oa ang,
and H&M -12 and -13 at Chu Lai - and
performed out tandingly in this capacity.
Missions included the tradi ional FAC
role, observation, and spotting for both
Marine artillery and naval guns from U S
ew Jersey (BB 62), which patrolled off
North Vietnamese shores during a portion
of 1968.
The End Draws Near
Early 1969 saw Marine Skyhawks sup-
porting Operation Dewey Canyon in the
A Shau Valley in north-west South Viet-
nam, which ran from 22 January until
I March. These operations, which were
ome of the mo I' successful by Marine
ground force, aimed to infiltrate VC
camps in Laos and to interdict the upply
lines from orth Vietnam.
Marine kyhawk activity began to
wind down in mid-1969 with Pre ident
Nixon's decision to phase-out troops
in Vietnam, and in early 1970, VMA-211
and VMA-223 left hu Lai for the U .
Many of the MAGs lost combat squadrons
and MAG- 13, still ba ed at Chu Lai, was
down to one A-4 squadron, VMA-311.
otable also were several Marine orp
F-4 squadrons taken from Oa Nang. Later
757
that year, in July, Skyhawks from VMA-
31 1 were transferred to MAG-II at Oa
Nang where they operated against targets
along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. hu Lai
was then transferred to the Army. VMA-
311 A-4s also flew strikes in support of
the South Vietnamese offensive, Lam Son
7J9, launched into VC staging areas in
Lao during early 1971. All Marine air
units had left Vietnam by mid-I971.
However, that departure soon proved
premature, as the orth Vietnamese
launched a major invasion across the
DMZ into South Vietnam on 30 March
1972. force again scrambled to deploy
support unit and air power to the region,
as only two carriers and variou Thailand-
based ir Force units remained. As part
of the effort, three Marine fighter squad-
rons and two VMA squadrons were order-
ed to return to South Vietnam. A-4Es of
VMA-211 and VM -31/ deployed to
Bien Hoa air base, 15 miles (25km) north-
east of aigon, arriving on 17 May. Both
squadrons immediately began flying sorties
------_.
".
1966
Carrier/Air Wing A-4 Squadrons Variant Tail Code/ Deployment Dates Days on Combat
Used Modex the Line Losses
USS Constellation ICVW-15) VA-153 A-4C NL 3xx 12 May 1966 to 03 Dec 1966 111 3
VA-155 A-4E NL 5xx 4
USS Coral Sea (CVW-21 VA-22 A-4C NE 2xx 29 Jul 1966 to 23 Feb 1967 109 4
VA-23 A-4E NE 3xx 3
Combat
Losses
Comblt
Loss.
o
o
1
o
6
5
o
o
o
o
o
4
3
o
4
2
1
2
4
4
4
2
8
2
2
4
o
o
131
Days on
the Line
Deployment Dates
10 May 1965 to 13 Dec 1965 100
19 Oct 1965 to 13 Jun 1966 122
06 Mar 1965 to 23 Nov 1965 144
05 Apr 1965 to 16 Dec 1965 141
10 Dec 1965 to 25 Aug 1966 137
28 Sep 1965 to 13 May 1966 112
22 May 1965 to 07 Oct 1965 34
12 Aug 1965 to 23 Mar 1966 80
26 Dct 1965 to 21 Jun 1966
21 Apr 1965 to 13 Jan 1966 136
1965
Carrier/Air Wing A-4 Squadrons Variant Tail Code/
Used Modex
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW-19) VA-192 A-4C NM 2xx
VA-l95 A-4C NM 5xx
USS Enterprise ICVW-91 VA-36 A-4C NG 7xx
VA-76 A-4C NG 5xx
VA-93 A-4C NG 3xx
VA-94 A-4C NG 4xx
USS Independence ICVW-7) VA-72 A-4E AG 3xx
VA-86 A-4E AG 4xx
USS Kitty Hawk ICVW-11) VA-113 A-4C NH 3xx
USS Midway (CVW-2) VA-22 A-4C NE 2xx
VA-23 A-4E NE 3xx
USS Oriskany (CVW-16) VA-163 A-4E AH 3xx
VA-164 A-4E AH4xx
USS Ranger (CVW-14) VA-55 A-4E NK 4xx
VA-146 A-4C NK 6xx
USS Ticonderoga (CVW-51 VA-56 A-4E NF 4xx
VA-144 A-4C NF 5xx
USS Bennington ICVSG-591 VA-113 A-4B n/k
Del. Q
USS Hornet ICVSG-57) H&MS-15 A-4C YV 8x
Del. N
and VMA-311 left Bien Hoa for Iwakuni,
japan, on 29 january 1973. These were
the last two fixed-wing squadrons to
depart Vietnam.
The Vietnam War came to a close on
23 january 1973, with an armistice signed.
egotiations resulted in POWs being
released by 29 March. While all air activ-
ity over the North was done, strikes con-
tinued in Laos and Cambodia unril all U
forces in south-east Asia were stood down
on 15 August 1973. In the nine years from
5 Augu t 1964 to Augu t 1973, over 6.2
millions tons of ordnance wa dropped
over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and
some 3.5 million sortie flown, during
which 3,720 fixed-wing aircraft were lost,
including 266 kyhawks.
SKYHAWKSATW R SKYHAWKS AT WAR
A-4 SQUADRON CARRIER DEPLOYMENTS IN VIETNAM
1964
Carrier/Air Wing A-4 Squadrons Variant Tail Code/ Deployment Dates Days on
Used Modex the Line
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW-19) VA-192 A-4C NM 2xx 28 Jan 1964 to 21 Nov 1964 39
VA-195 A-4C NM 5xx
USS Constellation (CVW-14) VA-144 A-4C NK 4xx 05 May 1964 to 01 Feb 1965 68
VA-146 A-4C NK 6xx
USS Coral Sea (CVW-15) VA-153 A-4C NL 3xx 07 Dec 1964 to 01 Nov 1965 167
VA-155 A-4E NL 5xx
USS Hancock (CVW-21) VA-212 A-4E NP 2xx 21 Oct 1964 to 29 May 1965 82
VA-216 A-4C NP 6xx
USS Ticonderoga ICVW-5) VA-55 A-4E NF 5xx 14 Apr 1964 to 15 Dec 1964 61
VA-56 A-4E NF 4xx
USS Kearsage ICVSG-53) VA-153 Del. R A-4B n/k 19 Jun 1964 to 16 Dec 1964 58
USS Ranger (CVW-9) VA-93 A-4C NG 3xx 5 Aug 1964 to 6 May 1965 103
VA-94 A-4C NG 4xx
USS Yorktown ICVSG-551 VMA-223 Del. T A-4C WP xx 23 Oct 1964 to 16 May 1965 57
low overcast and funning in towards the hills,
where you'd he rccovering on thc climb
our flying through thc soup. \'Vc also acted as
cover for and extraction;; of Recoil
troops or rccovcry of crews from downcd heli-
copters.
VMA-211 and -311 flcw only daytime strikcs
from Bicn Hoa. Wc supportcd ARV I [South
Victnamese Army] units and occasionally
tcamcd up with ohscrvation aircnlft (rom thc
Air Cav and 20'h Tactical Air Support
quadron (20'h TA -U AF) for strikcs in II
and IV Corps.l>!
Finally, on 2 january 1973, a division of
A-4Es from VMA-311 delivered the final
kyhawk warload of the war during a
mission over Cambodia. Both VMA-211
Targcts in amhodia wcrc usually along the
'1-10 Chi Minh' Trail. Occasionally wc caught
thcm transporting cquipmcnt passing through
clcarings, ctc. BUI most of thc timc wc droppcd
bombs in trce lines. All drops wcre controllcd
hy airbornc FAC , usually in Ocs [0-1 Bird
Dogsl or Oys -little puddlc jumpcrs. ometimcs
we relicvcd prcssure on combat basc unJcr
using apalm or high drag ( nakeyes)
bombs - 250 or 5 pounders (113 or 227kg).
This could get intcresting if operating under a
along the Cambodian and Laotian borders
attempting to interdict the flow of troops
and supplie inro the south. Again,
Colonel CalJas flew some of these
mi ions with VMA-311 a it Command-
ing Officer:
An A-4E armed with four Mk 77 napalm bombs taxies under the guidance of a plane handler prior to a
mission in South Vietnam. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
752 753
-- ._--------------- ---=-.; ........ --
- --
SKYHAWKS AT WAR SKYHAWKS AT WAR
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Hancock (CVW-21)
USS Intrepid (CVW-1 0)
USS Kitty Hawk (CVW-11)
USS Oriskany (CVW-16)
USS Roosevelt (CVW-1)
USS Ticonderoga ICVW-19)
1967
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW-21)
USS Constellation (CVW-14)
USS Coral Sea (CVW-15)
USS Enterprise (CVW-9)
USS Forrestal (CVW-17)
USS Hancock (CVW-51
USS Intrepid ICVW-lO)
USS Oriskany (CVW-161
USS Ranger (CVW-2)
USS Ticonderoga (CVW-19)
1968
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW-5)
USS Coral Sea (CVW-15)
USS Enterprise (CVW-9)
USS Hancock (CVW-21)
A-4 Squadrons
VA-212
VA-216
VA-15
VA-95
VA-ll2
VA-144
VA-163
VA-164
VA-12
VA-72
VA-l72
VA-192
VA-195
A-4 Squadrons
VA-76
VA-212
VA-55
VA-146
VA-153
VA-155
VA-56
VA-113
VA-46
VA-106
VA-93
VA-94
VSF-3
VA-15
VA-34
VA-163
VA-164
VA-22
VA-23
VA-192
VA-195
A-4 Squadrons
VA-93
VA-94
VA-212
VA-153
VA-216
VA-56
VA-113
VA-55
VA-163
VA-164
Variant
Used
A-4E
A-4C
A-4B
A-4B
A-4C
A-4C
A-4E
A-4E
A-4E
A-4E
A-4C
A-4E
A-4C
Variant
Used
A-4C
A-4E
A-4C
A-4C
A-4E
A-4E
A-4C
A-4C
A-4E
A-4E
A-4E
A-4C
A-4B
A-4C
A-4C
A-4E
A-4E
A-4C
A-4F
A-4F
A-4C
Variant
Used
A-4F
A-4E
A-4F
A-4F
A-4C
A-4E
A-4F
A-4F
A-4E
A-4E
Tail Code/
Modex
NP 2xx
NP 6xx
AK 3xx
AK 5xx
NH 4xx
NH 3xx
AH 3xx
AH 4xx
AB 4xx
AB 5xx
AB 3xx
NM 2xx
NM 5xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NP 6xx
NP 2xx
NK 5xx
NK 6xx
NL 3xx
NL 5xx
NG 4xx
NG 3xx
AA 4xx
AA 3xx
NF 3xx
NF 4xx
AK 1xx
AK 2xx
AK 3xx
AH 3xx
AH 4xx
NE 2xx
NM 3xx
NM 2xx
NM 5xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NF 3xx
NF 4xx
NF 5xx
NL 3xx
NL 6xx
NG 4xx
NG 3xx
NP 5xx
NP 3xx
NP 4xx
154
Deployment Dates
10 Nov 1965 to 01 Aug 1966
04 Apr 1966 to 21 Nov 1966
05 Nov 1966 to 20 Jun 1967
26 May 1966 to 16 Nov 1966
21 Jun 1966 to 21 Feb 1967
15 Oct 1966 to 29 May 1967
Deployment Dates
26 Jan 1967 to 25 Aug 1967
29 Apr 1967 to 04 Dec 1967
26 Jul 1967 to 06 Apr 1968
19 Nov 1966 to 06 Jul 1967
06 Jun 1967 to 14 Sep 1967
05 Jan 1967 to 22 Jul 1967
11 May 1967 to 30 Dec 1967
16 Jun 1967 to 31 Jan 1968
04 Nov 1967 to 25 May 1968
27 Dec 1967 to 17 Aug 1968
Deployment Dates
27 Jan 1968 to 10 Oct 1968
07 Sep 1968 to 18 Apr 1969
03 Jan 1968 to 18 Jul 1968
18 Jul 1968 to 03 Mar 1969
Days on
the Line
143
103
149
87
95
34
Days on
the Line
112
121
132
132
102
103
122
88
212
Days on
the Line
135
a
110
100
107
Combat
Losses
2
4
a
a
2
2
a
4
4
1
2
Combat
Losses
4
6
a
2
2
3
1
2
a
a
5
1
2
5
4
10
10
a
a
7
1
Combat
Losses
4
2
a
3
2
2
2
a
1
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Intrepid (CVW-1 0)
USS Kitty Hawk (CVW-11)
USS Ranger (CVW-2)
1969
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW-5)
USS Hancock ICVW-21)
USS Oriskany (CVW-19)
USS Ticonderoga (CVW-16)
1970
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Bon Homme Richard (CVW -5)
USS Hancock (CVW-21)
USS Shangri-La (CVW-8)
1972
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Hancock (CVW-2l)
1973
Carrier/Air Wing
USS Hancock (CVW-21)
A-4 Squadrons
VA-36
VA-66
VA-106
VA-ll2
VA-144
VA-155
A-4 Squadrons
VA-22
VA-94
VA-144
VA-55
VA-164
VA-212
VA-23
VA-192
VA-195
VA-112
A-4 Squadrons
VA-22
VA-94
VA-144
VA-55
VA-164
VA-212
VA-12
VA-152
VA-l72
A-4 Squadrons
VA-55
VA-164
VA-212
A-4 Squadrons
VA-55
VA-164
VA-212
Variant
Used
A-4C
A-4C
A-4E
A-4C
A-4E
A-4F
Variant
Used
A-4F
A-4E
A-4E
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
A-4E
A-4C
Variant
Used
A-4F
A-4E
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
A-4C
A-4E
A-4C
Variant
Used
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
Variant
Used
A-4F
A-4F
A-4F
Tail Code/
Modex
AK 5xx
AK 3xx
AK 2xx
NH 4xx
NH 3xx
N E4xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NF 3xx
NF 4xx
NF 5xx
NP 5xx
NP 4xx
NP 3xx
NM 3xx
NM 4xx
NM 5xx
AH 4xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NF 3xx
NF 4xx
NF 5xx
NP 5xx
NP 4xx
NP 3xx
AJ 4xx
AJ 5xx
AJ 3xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NP 5xx
NP 4xx
NP 3xx
Tail Code/
Modex
NP 5xx
NP 4xx
NP 3xx
155
Deployment Dates
04 Jun 1968 to 08 Feb 1969
18 Nov 1968 to 28 Jun 1968
26 Oct 1968 to 17 May 1969
Deployment Dates
18 Mar 1969 to 29 Oct 1969
02 Aug 1969 to 15 Apr 1970
16 Apr 1969 to 17 Nov 1969
01 Feb 1969 to 11 Sep 1969
Deployment Dates
02 Apr 1970 to 12 Nov 1970
22 Oct 1970 to 02 Jun 1971
05 Mar 1970 to 17 Dec 1970
Deployment Dates
07 Jan 1972 to 03 Oct 1972
Deployment Dates
08 May 1973 to 08 Jan 1974
Days on
the Line
106
125
91
Days on
the Line
97
113
116
97
Days on
the Line
101
110
120
Days on
the Line
165
Days on
the Line
28
Combat
Losses
a
1
1
1
3
a
Combat
Losses
a
a
1
1
a
1
1
a
a
a
Combat
Losses
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
1
Combat
Losses
3
a
2
Combat
Losses
a
a
a
- - - - ~ - - - - - ------- -----
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
CHAPTER FIVE
Argentina became the first purchaser of A-4s when
it bought fifty surplus A-4Bs. The photo shows these
refurbished Skyhawks on the line at the Douglas
plant at Tulsa. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Skyhawks in Foreign
Service
quently returned to their shore base for
additional training.
Within days of their return, however,
the carrier and its air group, as a part of
Task Force 79, were back at sea to conduct
further training in anticipation of hattie
with the British carriers HMS Hermes and
HMS Invincible which it foresaw devel-
oping as early as 30 April By 2 May, the
two opposing carrier groups were only 150
miles (245km) apart and reports state that
the Argentines were close to launching a
strike against the British carriers using all
eight Skyhawks equipped with six Mk 2
Snakeye iron bombs. One A-4 was
reported to have been configured for air
defence with A[M-9 Sidewinders.
This strike was apparently abandoned
due to unusually light winds that ham-
pered take-off in the maximum weight
configuration, which was needed to reach
the British fleet. Later that morning, the
S-2E Tracker shadowing the British
carrier group lost contact and, following
the sinking of ARA General Be/grano by
a shadowing British submarine that after-
noon, the Veinccino De Mayo returned to
port on 5 May. Although that battle never
occurred, one wonders how it would have
impacted the war effort had Argentina
succeeded in damaging or sinking one of
the Bri tish carriers.
Shortly after the occupation began,
Grupo 4 moved its twelve A-4Cs (nine
of which were operational) to San Julian;
Grupo 5 moved its twelve A-4Bs to Rio
Gallegos. No real combat occurred until
[2 May when HMS Glasgow and HMS
Brilliant were attacked by Skyhawks from
Grupo 5 de Caza. Glasgow, a Type 42 des-
troyer, was hit, although two 500lb bombs
failed to detonate and passed through the
ship. Four attacking Skyhawks were lost,
although Argentina considered it a success
- it believed it had sunk Brilliant and
damaged Glasgow. Interestingly, after this
attack, Argentina re-evaluated its attack
tactics and determined that it would
conduct all future anti-ship attacks from
abeam. Tanking would also be used for
future missions.
Argentina again turned to the US in 1976
to purchase another twenty-five A-4s, this
time a refurbished A-4C variant.
The A-4Ps, still called the A-4B by
Argentinians, served with ] and Il
Escuadrones from Grupo 5 de Caza of
V Brigada era. These units were based
at General Pringle's Air Base at Villa
Reynolds. The A-4Cs were stationed at
Commandate Espora Naval Air Station
and were assigned to I Escaudrone of IV
Aerea Brigada's Grupo 4 de Caza. Today,
A-4s all operate with Grupo 5 de Caza,
with III Escuadron operating the
remaining A-4Cs, and I and Ii Escuadron
operating the new A-4AR.
The Falklands War
The most recent test of the A-4 Skyhawk
at war came in April 1982 when
Argentine military forces invaded the
Falkland Islands. At the outset, Argentina
had a total of forty-eight Skyhawks of
various models; twenty-six of these were
A-4Bs, twelve were A-4Cs and ten were
A-4Qs belonging to the CANA. When
the invasion began, the ten A-4Qs aboard
the ARA Veintcino De Mayo were ready
to provide cover for advancing Argentine
troops. But because British {orces offered
no air opposition, these kyhawks were
not called into action and were subse-
The second batch, also of twenty-five
aircraft, was delayed until 1970 due to
Congressional concerns that the sale
would deplete the number of aircraft avail-
able to aval and Marine Corps Res rve
units and force them to rely on the
outdated A4D-l model All A-4Ps relied
on the 7,7001b (3,495kg) thrust J65-W-
16A engi ne and none were fi tted for
Sidewinder carriage or loft bombing.
These Skyhawks featured the Escapac I
ejection seat with the Stencil modifica-
tion and were equipped with the lift
spoiler introduced in the A-4F model
Visibly, they di{fered from US models by
the addition of a ADF aerial 'blister' on
the top fuselage and a 'ring' type antenna
on the tailfin
In 197 J, the Argentine aval Air Arm
(Comando de Aviacion aval Argentina
or CA A) decided to equip its avy's
sole carrier, the J6,000 ton ARA 25
Veinccino De Mayo (the ex-British light
carrier HMS Venerable), with Skyhawks
and acquired sixteen refurbished A-4Bs,
redesignated as A-4Q. These models were
updated by Lockheed Martin Air Services
at Ontario, California. Unlike the A-4P,
this variant used the 8,4001b (3,815kg)
thrust J65- W -20 engine. Th is variant, too,
as with American models, was equipped
to carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Having
had success in operating the Skyhawk,
Argentina
Entering into a 7.1 million contract in
1965, the Argenti ne Air Force (Fuerza
Aerea Argentine or FAA) became the
first foreign buyer of the A-4, with an
initial purchase of fifty surplus A-4Bs to
replace their ageing Gloster Meteors and
orth American F-86 fighters. Argen-
tina's Skyhawks were refurbished to the
new standards at the Douglas plant in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, and, following the
initial flight on 31 December 1965, were
delivered in two batches. The first,
consisting of twenty-five A-4Bs, redesig-
nated as A-4Ps, were delivered in June
1966. The delay resulted from initial crew
training in the US.
4E for the single-scat, and CA-4F for the
two-seat variant, that offered many of the
added capabi lities developed over the
years.
An advanced trainer version, the
TCA-4F, was also offered. Based on the
A-4F model but stripped of its weapons,
the TCA-4F was powered by the 9,3001b
(4,222kg) thrust J52-P-8A, although
other options were provided, including
the 12,0001b (5,448kg) thrust Rolls-Royce
RB 168 Spey and the 1l,6501b (5,290kg)
thrust General Electric non-afterburning
]79.
The following review looks at each
foreign user in order of purchase, begin-
ning with Argentina in 1965.
Douglas introduced the designations CA-4E (single-
seat) and CA-4F (two-seat) to identify export
variants based on the US Navy A-4F. A third export
designation. CTA-4F. was used for the advanced
two-seat trainer variant. Douglas Aircraft Co. via
Aerospace Publishing
and refurbished models, with Indonesia
purchasing a batch of A-4Es from Israel
and Brazil buying twenty-three A-4s from
Kuwait.
Certainly, the new builds offered many
advantages to the US military. Building
export models permitted Douglas to keep
its production line open longer, thereby
helping to contain manufacturing costs for
the US models, such as the -F and -M.
Sales of new and refurbished Skyhawks
also gave US all ies, such as Israel and
Australia, current-generation hardware
and pO'mitted some level of standardiza-
tion of weapons and stores.
At one point in 1958, Douglas identi-
fied an export aircraft, called the DA-101,
based on the A4D-2. These were to come
from surplus Skyhawks and were priced at
$35,000. However, with the Vietnam War
heating up in 1964, these A4D-2s were
needed for Reserve and non-deploying
Fleet squadrons. Douglas later considered
a special export Skyhawk, designated CA-
Although it took over ten years and some
2,000 A-4s to be produced before any
orders were placed, the -4 Skyhawk
became one of the most successfu I export
aircraft in US history. With its low cost,
high degree of reliability, and low main-
tenance requirements, not to mention its
proven track record with US forces in
Vietnam, foreign countries became inter-
ested in the Skyhawk to modernize their
frontline air forces. Some have attributed
this long delay to the fact that no two-
seat version was available for pilot
training: there may be some merit to that
claim, since the export sales began about
the same time as the two-seat T A-4E/F
was developed.
Most foreign purchases consisted of
refurbished models, with only 277, less
than 10 per cent of all built, consisting
of new builds. Of the foreign sales, only
Australia, Israel, Kuwait and New Zealand
received new builds. Argentina, Malaysia,
and Singapore would receive reworked
156 157
- -----------
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE SKYH WKS IN FOREIGI SERVICE
Argentine A-4 losses in the Falklands War
, .....
just days later, on 13 june, the FAA
mounted its last arrack, and its only CAS
mission of the war. Two Grupo 5
kyhawks, launched against a concentra-
tion of British troops and an HQ unit near
Two Sisters, succeeded in reaching the
target without inrerfcrence from Brirish
Harriers. One of the A-4s dropped its
warload while the other strafed with its
20mm cannon. everal vehicles and heli-
copters were destroyed, bur only light
damage was done to the overall facilities.
The next day the Argentine force' on rhe
Falklands surrendered. Inrere tingly, Maj-
Gen jeremy Moore, Commander of the
British force, was at the HQ unir which
had been arracked at Two isrers.
From an operarional 'tandpoint, ir \\'a
clear thar rhe Argenrine kyhawks were
on their la r leg, suffering from shortages
of 'pare, bartle damage, and component
failure. Had the war lasted much longer
it is doubtful what role the A-4 could
have continued to play.
in total,S 5 sorties were flown from
Argentine land bases, with 149 of those
by A-4Bs and 106 by A-4Cs. Of these
sorties, the -Bs flew 133 operational
missions (eighry-six in combar) and the
ships unloading the Welsh Guards near
Fitzroy. Perhap lulled by a relatively long
period of Argenrine air inactivity, the
British arrempted ro land a large part of
its 5th Infantry Brigade ar Port Pleasant.
Led by Primer Tenienre Cahon, Argen-
tine Skyhawks scored three hits on RFA
Sir Galahad and two on RFA Sir Tristram,
alrhough the latter bombs failed to
explode. Sir Galahad was nor so lucky and
caught fire after ammunition aboard was
ser aflame. The ship burned for a week
and eventually 'unk; fifty-one were killed
and sixry-four injured, rhe worst single-
incidenr loss of life in the campaign for
the British.
On june, CA A's III Escuadrilla,
down ro its last rwo serviceable kyhawks
and unable ro launch a trike since
23 May, ent these two A-4Qs against
suspected Bri rish posi tions on Broken
Island. A similar strike was conducted by
two A-4Qs on J 2 june, which was foiled
by the presence of Briti h ea Harriers,
and the CA A wa e sentially out of the
war. During the war, III Escuardilla de
Caza y Ataque flew thirry-four operational
sorties and lost three aircraft (3-A-307,
-312, -314) to combat operations.
The A-4P and A-4Q provided the bulk of Argentina's strike assets during the Falklands War.
Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
These bomb, which hit the forward and
aft part of rhe ship, failed to explode on
impa t. During rhe night, rhough, rhe afr
bomb detonated causing a vicious fire that
ultimarely caused rhe hip to explode and
break in two. Another mission was
mounred by III Escuadrilla on 23 May
direcred against 'any suitable target in San
Carlos Warer'. While warship were found
and attack runs made, ar leasr one of the
Skyhawks' bombs failed to release.
By rhis rime in the war, Argentina's
Grupo 4 and 5 had made several changes
in their overall tactics based on lessons
learned. For example, radler rhan launch
in fl igh rs of two, fl ights were now launched
in two groups of three, wirh ea h 'wave'
a few minutes apart. In-flighr refuelling
was also made a parr of missions, espe-
cially those ro San Carlos Warer. Missions
were also ofren accompanied by a 'spare',
which would then depart afrer conclusion
of rhe in-flight refuelling segment.
The anri-ship campaign conrinued on
25 May, Argenrina's ational Day, wirh
an arrack on HM Coventry and HM
Broadsw01'd, which had been providing
British units with excellent radar coverage
from a picket position some 15 mile
(24km) north of Pebble Island. Two flights
ofGrupo 5 aircraft, call-signs 'Vulcan' and
'Zeus', rook off that day carrying an unusu-
ally large load of three 1,0001b bombs.
This wa permirred only because of rhe
shorrer range involved and rhe usc of
refue II ing. In rhe acrion, Broadsword was
hir bur only lighdy damaged, while
Coventry took rhree direcr hits, exploded,
and sank in jusr over an hour.
On 30 Maya major efforr was under-
raken by borh rhe FAA and ANA ro
sink rhe Brirish carriers. Four A-4 s from
Grupo 4 armed wirh rwo 5001b bombs
each were chosen for rhe arrack, which
was ro be in conjuncrion wirh an Exocer-
rouring Das ualr uper Erendard. The
arrack was ulrimately unsuccessful as the
uper Etendard mi took the Type 21 class
frigate HM Avenger for the carrier HM
Invincible, which was some 20 miles
(33km) ro the north. One of rhe A-4s was
hot down and the remaining three missed
their target. Following rhis, a period of
aim resulted as poor weather hampered
air operations and Argenrine inrelligence
sour es failed ro locate any British ship-
ping.
This came to a rarher abrupr end on 8
june wh n five Argenrine Skyhawks from
Grupo 5 artacked two British landing
On 21 May 1982, Argentinian Skyhawks from Grupo
IV, and later, III Eslila, attacked and sunk HMS
Ardent during the Falklands War. Royal Navy, SMH via
Aerospace Publications
Argentina's attacks on British shipping
continued on 21 May at what is now
call d th Battle of San arlos Water.
There, Skyhawks damaged rhe frigate
HMS Argonaut as it steamed unescorted
off Fanning Head and put it out of action
for the remainder of the war. Two flighrs
of rhree -4s put rwo 1,0001b bombs inro
rgonaut, although neirher exploded.
That same day, H I Ardent became
the next vicrim, as it rook hit from a
Grupo 6 'Dagger' and ubsequent strikes
of rwo SOOlb Mk 2 bomb from three
A-4Q from III Escuadrilla. HM Antelope
fell victim on 23 May ro rwo ucce sive
flighrs of Grupo 5 de Caza Skyhawks.
Harrier pilots, seven were due to sea-launched SAMs, and four were
downed by ground-fire.
Forty-eight Skyhawks were deployed for combat operations during the
conflict, with twenty-two lost. Eight losses were at the hands of British Sea
Date Aircraft Details Date Aircraft Details
9 May A-4C/C-313 Grupo IV de Caza 24 May A-4C/C-305 Grupo IV de Caza - downed by AAA
9 May A-4C/C-303 Grupo IV de Caza over St. George Bay
12 May A-4B/C-246 Grupo Vde Caza - lost to Sea Wolf 25 May A-4B/C-244 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by Sea Dart
from HMS Brilliant near Port Stanley from HMS Coventry north of Pebble
12 May A-4B/C-208 Grupo Vde Caza - lost to Sea Wolf Island
from HMS Brilliant near Port Stanley 25 May A-4C/C-319 Grupo IV de Caza - downed by AAA
12 May A-4B/C-206 Grupo Vde Caza - crashed avoiding and SAM over San Carlos Water
Sea Wolf from HMS Glasgow 25 May A-4C/C-304 Grupo IV de Caza - downed by Sea
12 May A-4B/C-248 Grupo Vde Caza - mistakenly shot Dart from HMS Coventry north of
down by Argentine 35mm AA fire over Pebble Island
Goose Green 27 May A-4B/C-215 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by 40mm
21 May A-4C/C-325 Grupo IV de Caza - lost to Sea Harrier Bofors from HMS Fearless
flown by Lt Cdr Blissett over West 30 May A-4C/C-301 Grupo IV de Caza - downed by Sea
Falkland Dart from HMS Exeter east of Falklands
21 May A-4C/C-309 Grupo IV de Caza - lost to Sea Harrier 30 May A-4C/C-310 Grupo IV de Caza - downed by Sea
flown by Lt Cdr Thomas over West Dart from HMS Exeter east of Falklands
Falkland 8 June A-4B/C-226 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by Sea
21 May A-4QJA-307 III Eslla 0660 - lost to Sea Harrier flown Harrier flown by Fit Lt Morgan over
by Lt Morrell over Falkland Sound after Choiseul Sound
attack on HMS Ardent 8 June A-4B/C-228 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by Sea
21 May A-4QJA-314 III Eslla 0667 - lost to Sea Harrier flown Harrier flown by Fit Lt Morgan over
by Fit Lt Leeming over Falkland Sound Choiseul Sound
21 May A-4QJA-312 III Eslla 0665 - damaged by Sea Harrier 8 June A-4B/C-204 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by Sea
flown by Lt Morrell and downed by Harrier flown by Lt Smith over Choiseul
Argentine AA over Port Stanley Sound
23 May A-4B/C-242 Grupo Vde Caza - downed by
AANSAM over San Carlos Water Reproduced with the permission of Aerospace Publishing
158 159
MCAS Yuma for air-to-air gun attacks on a
towed banner target, GCI (Ground Controlled
Interception) training and Sidewinder firings
against parachute Aarc targcrs.
64
Although DaCosta reported that they
experienced problems wi th the Sidewinder
firings at MCAS Yuma, later live-firings
resolved these with the RA using a heat-
source target towed by a drone.
Once established in Australia, the
training programme took place with o.
724 Squadron over a six-month period,
where new pilots flew an average of 110
hours on both the A-4G and T A-4G. [t
took about five fl ight hours before a
student could fly 'solo', and about twenty-
five hours before the conversion to the
new aircraft was considered complete. The
remaining flight time was spent in
advanced training for operational flight -
refuelling, tactics, bombing - and in
carrier qualifi ation. New or conversion
pilots were given approximately 100
'looks' at the practice landing field at NAS
Nowra before qualifications took place
aboard Melbourne.
Unlike Argentina's Skyhawks, Aus-
tralia's were new builds and ultimately
were the equivalent of the US Navy
A-4F and T A-4F, but without the aft
avionics hump. Originally, the contract
Our A-4 RAG syllabus was entirely attack
oriented and fully met our needs. Highlights
were the 'Sandblower' low-level navigation
exercises over much of Nevada and the
weapons training deployment to NAS Fallon.
At the latter place, I was snowed upon for the
first time in my life, even though it was in a
desert' Since there was no 'fighter' phase of the
RAG syllahus, special arrangements were made
for a one week A-4E(fA-4E deployment to
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
767
outdated de Havilland Sea Venoms for
their 16,000 ton class HMAS Melbourne
(Ex-British HMS Majestic). Australia had
recently purchased fourteen Grumman
S-2 Trackers and was looking to operate
both as an air group from Melbourne with
its small contingent of Wessex ASW
helicopters.
Beginning in January 1967, pilots were
sent from Australia to NAS Lemoore
where they spent four months training
with VA-125. These pilots, Lt Cdr John
DaCosta and Lt Cdr Graham King, then
returned to Australia to conduct the first
RA conversion and operational flight
courses and develop the training syllabus.
As Lt Cdr DaCosta, later to become
Commanuer of VF-805 anu of the air wing
assigned to Melbourne, reported in a 1997
issue of the Skyhawk Association News-
letter, the time at VA-125 was well spent:
This Australian A-4G sits on the deck of the RAN's sole carrier. HMAS Melbourne in July 1977. The RAN
purchased sixteen A-4G and T4 A-4Gs. About half were lost to operational accidents and the remainder
sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the early 1980s where they were modified to the A-4G and TA-
4G standards. Peter Foster
Australia became the next, albeit lim-
ited, purchaser, with initial deliveries of
eight single-seat and two two-seat A-4s
taking place in 1967. These Skyhawks,
purchased at a cost of $18.5 million, were
to fill the Royal Australian Navy's need
for a fighter attack aircraft to replace the
Australia
version of the Westinghouse APG-66
used by the F-16), and adding the ALR-
93V(l) RWR, a av-attack system, the
Sextant Smart HUD, a chaff and flare sys-
tem, and Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick
(HOTAS) configuration. An On-Board
Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)
was also added. The cockpit was further
modified by adding two AlliedSignals
CRT panels, a military stanuardl553 elec-
trical bus, and a state-of-the-art mission
planner with a data link ground control
capabili ty. Excluded from th is dea I, how-
ever, was the Hughes ARBS system used
by Marine Corps A-4Ms. These units were
apparently removed and reinserted into
the AV-8B programme.
Two dual-seat T A-4 Rs were also in
the deal as well as several airframes for
spares and other contract provisions
for service, manuals, and crew and main-
tenance training. Argentina plans to
continue to upgrade these variants by
incorporating advanced Air-to-Air Missile
(AAM), laser/tv-guided weaponry, and
Maverick.
The first of these improved A-4s
(BuNo. 158161) flew on 17 July 1997,
with Lockheed Martin test pilot Kirk
Kalstad at the controls. Although the first
nine -4ARs were built in the US at
Lockheed Martin's Ontario and Palmdale
facilities, Lockheed opened a new factory
in Cordoba, under the name of Lockheed
Aircraft Argentina, outh America
(LAAS), where the remaining twenty-
seven will be built. The first five A-4ARs
were delivered on 12 December 1997 to
Grupo 5 de Caza at Villa Reynolds AB.
Further deliveries took place in June
1998, with the first local-built deliveries
commencing on 22 July 1998. Sources say
that the A-4AR will be used to enhance
Argentina's air-to-air defensive role.
Argentina's avy now flies the Dassault
Super Etendard. Some discussion is
presently underway for the purchase by
Argentina of an additional eighteen
T A-4Js for use as advanced trainers.
-_...:::-
In 1993, the embargo prohibiting sales of
A-4 spares to Argentina was lifted
and immediately negotiations began on
acquiring replacements for the losses
sustained in the Falklands War. Pre-
viously, Argentina had tried to purchase
twenty-four ex-Israeli Skyhawks, but the
US protested and was generally against
any such purchases until 1993. In 1994,
Argentina entereu into a $208 million
contract with Lockheed Martin to modify
and convert thirty-six surplus A-4Ms
and another five surplus OA-4Ms for the
FAA. Requiring extensive avionics and
airframe upgrades, this new purchase
was designated as the A-4AR Fighting-
hawk.
Modifications to the A-4AR included
incorporating an ARG-I radar (a modified
New S/?yhawks for Argentina
760
A-4s had little time over the target and
were on ly able to make one pass before fuel
supplies dictated that they return to base.
A Iso aggravating the situation were the
older electronics and navigational equip-
ment, plus the complete failure of some of
the Argentine bombs to explode, thereby
limiting the damage even when a strike
resulted. Argentine Skyhawks also suffered
from the lack of any real co-ordinated air
plan or air control.
In December 1983, the FAA consoli-
dated its A-4s, with Grupo 4 transferring
its seven remaining -Cs to Grupo 5 de
Caza and re-equipping itself with ex-
Israeli Mirage Ills. The twelve A-4Bs and
four A-4Cs remaining in the mid-1990s
were phased out and replaced by the
newer A-4AR, based on the US Marine
Corps A-4M. The last A-4Q flew in April
[988.
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
Argentina's Air Force received a considerable upgrade by purchasing thirty-six A-4M and five OA-4M
Skyhawks formerly operated by the US Marine Corps. These Skyhawks have been substantially reworked
with new avionics. and have been redesignated as A-4AR Fightinghawks. This photo shows four single-
seat and one two-seater lined-up for testing. Conversions were performed by lockheed Martin Aerospace
Services. Denny Lombard
- - - - ~ -_._-- -
A-4Cs flew eighty-six operational missions
(forty-one in combat). Ten A-4Bs and
nine A-4 Cs were lost, most coming from
Grupo 4 de Caza. [n exchange for the
destroyer, landing ship, and two frigates
sunk, the Argentines lost twenty-two
Skyhawks and fifteen pilots. Of these
aircraft losses, ight were the result of ea
Harrier engagements, and seven were from
shipborne SAMs. Four resulted from
ground-based AAA/SAMs and one was
due to friendly fire.
Despite the rather high loss rate, A-4s
performed well considering everything
that was stacked against them. First, those
A-4Bs operating out of Rio Gallegos were
approximately 482 miles (780km) from the
Port Stanley area; the A-4C and A-4Q
Skyhawks flying from Rio Grande were 437
miles (700km) from the theatre of opera-
tions. With a shortage of refuelling aircraft,
-- -- ------- ---
SKYI-IAWKS I 'FOREIGN SERVICE
KYH WKS IN FOREIGN ERVICE
One of the A-4KU Skyhawks flown during the 1991 Persian Gulf War by the Free Kuwait Air Force (FKAFI is being inspected. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
Australian A-4 Skyhawk Losses
This small Arab nation was one of the
few foreign purchasers interested in new
builds. Impressed by the uccess of Israeli
models in the 1973 war, Kuwait eventu-
ally cho e the A-4 over the Vought A-7.
On 7 ovember 1974, Kuwait contracted
for the purchase of thirty -4M and six
T A-4s. pare parts, training for personnel,
and various support equipment were also
covered by this 250 million contract.
Training would later be conducted at
Kuwait
kyhawks and rendered them basically
impotent as a force factor, leading to the
demise of Melbourne and disbanding of
VF-80s in \982. At that time, all
remaining Skyhawks were transferred to
the training squadron. Only ten Skyhawks
remained operational, with four serving a
target tow (trainers 80 and 1, and
fighter 3 and 4) and six kept in
storage until all ten were sold to ell'
Zealand in June 1984 for an amazi ng price
of 2 .2 million.
From an operational perspective, the
kyhawks performed well and proved to
be effective as ground attack aircraft
as well as providing limited air defence
capability. Illustrative of the latter is the
fact that an A-4G with two AIM-9B
idewinders and two 300 U gallon
(1,136 litre) external tanks could tay
on-station for up to three hours at a
combat radiu of2 7 miles (463km). Only
the ingle-seat models were flown from
Melbourne due to its short (70ft/213m)
flight deck, which was accentuated by the
slightly heavy centre of gravity of the T A-
4G which prevented the aircraft from
lifting its nose-wheel from the deck in
time during a 'bolter'.
Australia's Skyhawks operated with
OS quadron (later VF-80s) as fighter
bomber and with 724 quad ron (later
VC-724), the RA ' training squadron,
at RA A owra in New outh Wale.
VF-8 5, with its roots dating back to
World War II, wa re-commi sioned as an
A-4G squadron at HMAS Albatross on 10
January 1968. An exceptionally high
operational loss rate plagued Austral ian
Kuwait purchased thirty single-seat Skyhawks, designated A-4KU, and six two-seat variants, TA-4KU, in
1974 which were based on the A-4M and OA-4M models operated by the US Marines. This shot shows
several on the production assembly line at Palmdale. One features the Kuwaiti two-tone paint scheme but
wears the US insignia. Approximately twenty of these survived the 1991 Gulf War and were later sold to
Brazil and now operate with VFA-1 of the Brazilian Air Force. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
had called for A-4Es; however, during the
course of procurement, the production
changed to the -F and the contract was
modified. Australia's A-4Gs were espe-
cially modified for the air defence role and
carried hardware for mounting up to four
AIM-9 Sidewinders. A limited ground
attack capability was retained, although
they could not deliver nuclear weapons.
Like the avy -F, the A-4G wa
powered by the Pratt & Whitney 9,3001b
(4,222kg) thrust Js2-P- A axial flow
turbine engine and wa fitted with the
wing lift spoiler and nose-wheel steering.
These kyhawks would be designated by
the ustralians as Nos. 882-889 for the
fighters and Nos. 8 0 and 88\ for the two-
seat tra iners.
Redesignated for Australia as the -4G
and T A-4G respectively, the kyhawks'
first flights occurred on 19 July and 7
August 1967. Both were conducted by
test pilot Jim tegman. 1n October
1967, the ten Skyhawks were loaded
rlborlrd the crlrrier Melbourne from
AS orth Island and arrived in Syd-
ney, Australia, on 22 ovember 1967.
Operations began aboard Melbourne in
February 1968 with no operational losses
occurring until 1973, when N13-lss060
crashed over water.
As a ide note, while Melbourne wa
undergoing it refit to accommodate the
new kyhawks and was, therefore, not
ready to receive the newly trained avia-
tors, the Australian gov rnment made an
offer of its yet-to-be-carrier-qualifi d A-4
pilots to the US to supplement shore-
based USMC A-4 squadrons operating in
Vietnam. This offer was accepted by the
U and the Australian unit received
pares and other equipment needed for
operational use. However, before this
agreement could come to fruition, the U
began its de-escalation of the air war and
the Australian A-4s II' re not called into
service.
Eight additional refurbished A-4Fs and
two TA-4Fs were purchased on 10 March
1970 to supplement anticipated opera-
tional losses and to allow a more flexible
rotation of airframes. To make these
common with earlier A-4Gs, the dorsal
hump wa removed at the avy's
aval Air Rework Facility ( ARF) in
Pensacola. The e aircraft were coded
70- 77 for the fighters and the T A-4G
were as igned 7 and 79. This batch of
A-4s was picked up by HMAS Sydney and
transported to Australia in May 1971.
Details
No. 888/N13-154909. Rolled off edge of HMAS
Melbourne after arrestor gear failure near Jervis
Bay, NSW.
No. 886/N13-154907. Slid off HMAS Melbourne
when heavy seas unexpectedly shifted carrier 20
degrees to starboard.
No. 878/N13-154647. TA-4G suffered engine failure
near Nowra while landing.
No. 875/N13-155062. Suffered engine failure
following launch from HMAS Melbourne near
Sumatra.
21 October 1980 No. 885/N13-154906. Crashed
after catapult failure following launch from HMAS
Melbourne west of Columbo.
2 October 1980
28 April 1980
23 May 1979
Date
24 September 1979
half years after the aircraft entered RAN service. Two of the losses were two-
seat TA-4Gs. The following shows the losses in chronological order:
Details
No. 873/Nl3-155060. Suffered engine failure near
Williamtown, NSW.
No. 889/Nl3-15491O. Lost following catapult failure
after launch from HMAS Melbourne near
Singapore.
No. 879/N13-154648. TA-4G crashed into sea
during mock attack on HMAS Melbourne near
Nowra.
No. 872/N13-155055. Collided with No. 870 while
part of four-ship bombing run at Beecroft Head
Firing Range, NSW.
No. 870/N13-155051. Suffered turbine failure near
Braidwood, NSW.
Date
23 January 1979
Of the twenty Skyhawks purchased by Australia, ten were lost in operational
accidents. Interestingly, the first A-4 crash did not occur until 1973, five and a
5 June 1973
16 May 1974
8 November 1973
17 July 1975
762 763
SKYI-IAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
The Israeli A-4N of No. 102 'Tiger' squadron seen in 1998. This model is also based on the Marines A-4M,
but features two 30mm DEFA cannons with 150 rounds each and an extended tailpipe to reduce infra-red
signature. Israel bought 117 of these, with deliveries commencing in 1972 replacing A-4E losses during the
Yom Kippur War. Peter Foster
. De pite the higher ammunition
capaci ty proposed by the (the 2 0
rounds of the A-4M model), the DEFA
was chosen because it was believed to be
more rei iable and accurate, and, ba cd on
some of the report from S pilots during
Vietnam, this seems to have been a wi e
decision.
The A-4E delivered by the U were
later modified to reflect the Ie sons learned
during the 1967 and 1973 wars, where a
roral of approximately fifty Skyhawks were
lost, most to fire from ground-based A-
7 IR missiles. A lengthened tailpipe was
added to reduce the Skyhawk's IR signa-
ture and a chaff/flare device in tailed. By
moving the exhaust further back, heat
emissions were moved away from the
aircraft. Electronic countermeasures were
also added to increase effectiveness against
radar-directed SAMs. Other modifications
to all kyhawks aw the installation of
dual-disc main-wheel brake, no e-wheel
teering, and the Elliot H D ystem.
The Israeli kyhawk performed well in
comt at, flying the majority of mi sions in
both the 1967 and 1973 war. In the 1967
fighting, Israeli Skyhawks downed two
Israel's initial purchases were the A-4F-derived A-4H. These models lacked the aft avionic hump, but
added a brake chute and AN/APX-46 fin-tip IFF. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
T A-4H). Approximately forry-six A-4Es
(some ources claim as many a sixty) were
purchased from U avy and Marine
Corp stock between 1967 and 1973 to
replace those kyhawks lost in Israel's
wars with yria and Egypt. ource also
claim that another seventeen T A-4j were
purchased by Israel. Given I rael's ecrecy
surrounding its air forces, the e numbers
are difficult to confirm.
The original order called for the
production of forty-eight aircraft. Twenty-
five T -4s were also purchased for
training, with deliveries commencing in
1969. The first single-seat flight took pia e
on 27 0 tober 1967 and the first two-
seater flew on 15 April 1969. jon Lane
piloted both fl igh ts. This new -H model
was to serve in a tactical arrack role,
replacing the Dassault Mirage.
The Israeli A-4H, although ba ed on
the U avy' -F, lacked the well-recog-
nized aft hump, but added a squared-off
vertical tail with the A /APX-46 IFF,
and a drag chute for reducing landing roll-
out. It also fearured the DEFA 30mm
cannon with 15 rounds each, which
replaced the 2 mm cannon u ed by the
Israel
Unquestionably the large t purchaser
of kyhawks was Israel, who bought a
total of 355 new and used A-4s between
1966 and \976. Intere tingly, these sales
almost did not take place. During the early
1960 , Israel approached the U inten-
ding to purchase a large upply of refur-
bished A-4Bs for their air force, the
Heyl Ha' Avir. But the political climate
of the day and the d sire to maintain
tability in the Middle East led merican
officials to reject the offer in 1965. Yet,
one year later, the issue was back on the
table following a US sale of urplus Air
Force Lockheed F-I04 Starfighters to
jordan, one of Israel's foes. To restore
the balance of power, Israel's purchase
was finalized in August 1966, but with
a much more potent variant of the
kyhawk, the A-4F.
The Israel Air Defence/Air Forces
(lAD/AF) operated three A-4 variants:
the AH (a modified A-4F), the AA
(a modified A-4M), and the TA-4H (a
modified T A-4j). Of these, some 217 were
new builds (ninety A-4H, 117 A-4 , ten
escaped to Saudi Arabia where they would
later fly mis ions as the Free Kuwait Air
Force (FKAF) from Dhahran Air Base, in
upport of Operation Desert SlOrJn. During
the course of the war, FKAF A-4 flew a
total of 1,361 orties and lost only one
aircraft. tandard warload for the Kuwaiti
kyhawks included two 450 gallon
( 1,703 Iitre) tanks on the inboard station,
and five Mk 7 dispensers for luster bombs
or Mk 2 bombs (LDGP, nakeyes, or
LDGPs with laisy-currer fuse extenders)
on TERs. Following the war and the liber-
ation of Kuwait, the Skyhawks were
replaced by F/A-I Hornets and eventu-
ally purchased by Brazil.
(5,0 5kg) thrustj52-P-4 engines.ltalso
incorporated the aft avionics package of
the OA-4M used by the Marines and
retained an ordnance capability equal to
that of the ingle-seat A-4K .
Deliveries began in late 1976, following
the A-4K 's fir t flight on 20 july 1976
and the TA-4K 's fir t flight on 14
December. McDonnell Douglas test pilot
Fred Hamilton was at the controls for each
flight. Nos 9 and 25 quadrons received
these Skyhawks at Ahmad al-jabr.
Kuwait -4s saw their 'baptism-by-fire'
with the 2 August 1990 Iraqi invasion.
Many A-4s were captured by the Iraqis,
although twenty-four (mostly A-4KUs)
MCA Yuma. Designated as the A-4KU
and T A-4K ,the Kuwaiti kyhawks have
been described by some as the most
capable of all the variants,
The A-4KUs were based on the already
succe ful -4M being produced at that
time for the Marine orp. For the
most part, the single-seat model remained
the same as its American counterpart,
although certain capabilities were deleted,
uch as hrike, Walleye, and the nuclear
delivery. The Hughes Angle-Rate Bom-
bing et (ARBS) was added, however, and
the Maverick capability retained. As for
the T A-4K ,it was the sole two-seat vari-
ant produced with the up-rated 11,2001b
764 765
SK YHA WKS I FOREIGN SERVICE
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
The A-4N cockpit features a combination of old and new technology, having gauges and the Elliot wide-
angle HUD. Boeing Historical Archives via Harry Gann
yrian fighrer ; one, a MiG-17, wirh rhe
30mm cannon, and rhe second, a MiG-19,
wirh 2Yzin (6.35cm) air-ro-ground rocker.
Over rhe course of rhe eighreen-day
Ocrober 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel is
said ro have losr upwards of fifry -4s,
alrhough precise numbers are nor available
due ro rhe securiry surrounding I raeli
operarions.
Israel onrinued Aying rhe Skyhawk in
an operarional role unril rhe mid-1990 ,
bur has since relegared rhe A-4 ro a rrain-
ing role. Many A-4s have been rerained,
however, in war srorage and for possible
sale ro foreign counrries (such as Indonesia
in 1979). Israel also reporredly modified a
small number of T A-4H Skyhawks ro
serve in rhe EW role, adding jammer pods
and an Elra chaff sysrem.
New Zealand
Anorher long-rerm eu ramer ha been
ew Zealand. In an efforr ro modernize
ir armed forces in rhe lare 1960s, rhe
Royal ew Zealand Air Force (R ZAF)
began exploring possible replacemenr for
In an effort to modernize its air force, New Zealand
purchased fourteen A-4s in the late 1960s.
Designated as the A-4K and TA-4K, the avionics
hump featured only on the single-seat A-4K, but, in
many cases was empty due to financial constraints
that prohibited purchasing the standard
electronics/avionics gear. The A-4Ks were
assigned to No. 75 Squadron based at Ohakea, New
Zealand. Boeing Co. via author
Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4 Losses and Other Notables
20 June 1996 - Crashed north of Ohakea due to loss of oil pressure. Pilot recovered.
24 Oct 1989 - Crashed in mid-air collision with NZ6211 during aerobatics practice. Pilot was killed.
24 Oct 1989 - Damaged in collision with NZ6210 during aerobatic practice. Repaired and returned to
service 17 Nov 1990.
29 Jan 1986 - Lost canopy in flight.
26 June 1975 - Pilot jettisoned drop tanks during night flight in Australia after problem with hydraulics.
Prototype 'Kahu' single-seater
5 Feb 1997 - Canopy inadvertently jettisoned during flight. Repaired and returned to service 14 Ju11997.
25 Mar 1981 - Crashed in the Ruahine Ranges. Pilot killed.
23 Mar 1994 - Prototype 'Kahu' two-seat variant damaged in heavy landing. Repaired and returned to
service 1 Feb 1995.
14 Sep 1989 - Landed wheels-up after touching down short of the runway threshold and tearing off
part of the main landing gear. Repaired and returned to service 12 Mar 1990.
1987 - Flew RNZAF fiftieth anniversary golden colour scheme.
Date unknown - Successfully completed a wheels-up landing after losing a wheel during a touch and
go on HMAS Melbourne.
26 Oct 1968 to 17 May 1969 - Deployed to Vietnam on USS Ranger with VA-155. 2 Aug 1969 to 15 Apr
1970 - Served on USS Hancock with VA-212.
Same Vietnam deployment as above.
26 Oct 1968 to 17 May 1969 - On USS Ranger Vietnam deployment with VA-155. 2 Aug 1969 to 15 Apr
1970 - Served on USS Hancock with VA-55 during Vietnam deployment.
Last A-4F built. 26 Oct 1968 to 17 May 1969 - Deployed to Vietnam with VA-155 on USS Ranger. 2 Jul
1969 - Severely damaged by a wire strike with the USN. 3 Jun 1985 - Rolled over during landing at
RAAF Base Townsville while in service for RNZAF. Repaired and returned to service 29 Mar 1990.
18 Oct 1974 - Crash near Ohakea caused by loss of pressure. Pilot recovered with broken leg.
23 July 1992 - Fuel-feed problems caused crash on coast of North Island. Pilot recovered.
29 Jun 1967
26 Jun 1967
First Flight
20 Jul 1967
26 Jul 1967
8 Aug 1967
31 Jul 1967
unknown
10 Nov 1969
14 Feb 1970
19 Feb 1970
11 Mar 1970
6 Mar 1970
11 Mar 1970
unknown
6 Apr 1970
15 Apr 1970
unknown
15 Jul 1967
A-4F/G/K
A-4F/G/K
A-4F/G/K
A-4F/G/K
A-4G/K
A-4G/K
A-4G/K
TA-4K 5 Dec 1969
TA-4K 24 Jan 1970
TA-4K unknown
TA-4K 21 Feb 1970
TA-4G/K 21 Jul 1967
TA-4G/K 16 Aug 1967 NZ6256/154912
NZ6251/157914
NZ6252/157915
NZ6253/157916
NZ6254/157917
NZ6218/155069
NZ6212/154904
NZ6213/154905
NZ6214/154908
NZ6255/154911
NZ6216/155061
NZ6217/155063
NZ6215/155052
Serial No'/US BuNo. Model
NZ6201/157904 A-4K
NZ6202/157905 A-4K
NZ6203/157906 A-4K
NZ6204/157907 A-4K
NZ6205/157908 A-4K
NZ6206/157909 A-4K
NZ6207/157910 A-4K
NZ6208/157911 A-4K
'"
I
NZ6209/157912 A-4K
NZ621O/157913 A-4K
NZ6211/154903 A-4G/K
I
,
-
,-
Three Israeli A-4Es drop napalm during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Aerospace Publishing
166
167
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIGN SERVICE
SKYIIAWKS IN FOREIGN ERVICE
A comparison between the pre- and post-Kahu upgrade. The latter incorporates the Ferranti 4510 wide-
angle HUD and Vintan airborne video recording system. plus an ALR-66 RWR pre-Kahu (top) and post-Kahu
(bottom). Troy Campbell
when six A-4s and approximately fifty
personnel set up there. The agreeme[)[
called for 1,0 hour per annum to be
nown in support of the ustral ian Defence
Force (mainly the RA ). This largely
consists of training the crews and cali-
brating the weapons systems of ships just
out of refit and new ships such as the
A ZAC frigates entering service with the
RAN and R Z . The rest of the nying
time nown by the squadron (a total of
1,7 hI'S per aircraft) wa available for
pilot conversion (all A-4 pilots graduated
at 10wra, the final two in September
1999).
Initially two, later three TA-4s were
based in Australia. The squadron also
undertook trials work on new equipment
at 10wra. [n 1996, the Enhanced owra
Agreement was signed, increasing support
nying hours to [,35 hours, including the
involvement of No.75 Squadron, and
valid until 30 june 2001. [t has since been
stated that the same agreement will con-
tinue with the F-16s (although nothing
has been signed).
The ew Zealand anti-nuclear policy
has led to the su pension of the A ZU
agreement (by the ), and direct exer-
cises between the US and ew Zealand
have nor taken place since 1984. On occa-
sion, however, RNZAF A-4s and S /
U MC aircraft have 'just happened to
bump into each other' over Australia. I
am informed that the Kiwis have 'won' a
number of these unoffi ial encounters.
lew Zealand A-4s often deploy to
south-east Asia for exercises under the
Five Power Defence Arrangement ( Z,
Australia, the K, ingapore and
Malay ia). Currently, the main annual
exercise i Vanguard, which consists of
everal phases. The most recent was
winding-up in Malaysia at the time of the
recent troubles in East Timor. Submarine
exercises in 1997 included Thai-Kiwi
(teaching the Thais maritime attack), and
Flying Fish (air defence and anti-subma-
rine warfare combined). In 1997, o. 75
quadron was the only unit involved
(which included RAF Tornado F.3s, Royal
Navy Sea Harriers, Singaporean A-4s,
F-5s and F-16s, and Malaysian F-5s,
Hawks and MiG-29 'Fulcrums') to achieve
a 10 per cent sortie rate.
Overseas deployments are supported by
a P-3K Orion (at least) as navigation
leader and AR support. The tran-
Tasman leg requires topping-up from at
least one buddy-tank-equipped A-4 which
Examples of the vastly improved A-4K are seen
here at NAS Nowra in Australia in current
markings. The Kahu retrofit. initiated in the 1980s.
put the A-4 on par with the F-16 in the close
support/maritime interdiction role. Most of the
upgrade focused on avionics and included the
installation of an APG-66 derivative radar.
Calum Gibson
on [ june. These kyhawks were assigned
to 75 quadron at Ohakea, and went on
to erve in the close air support, inter-
diction, anti-shipping, and limited air
defence roles, with AIM-9G idewinder
missiles. Other weapons included standard
Mk 0 series bombs and 2Xin (6.9cm)
rockets, and possibly also Sin (12.7cm)
Zunis.
ew Zealand's initial A-4 purchase was
augmented in 19 4 when it acquired ten
A-4Gs (eight single and two two- cat)
from Australia. They arrived in july 1984.
The co t of the purchase was AU 2.2
million Z 40 million. These kyhawks
were immediately upgraded to the Kiwi
standards by the addition of the drag chute
and VHF radios. Following the sale,
ustralia and New Zealand reached an
accord whereby a small squadron of six
-4Ks (with the newly re-established 2
quadron) would be stationed in ustralia
at the Royal Australian aval Air Station
(RAN S) at owra, ydney. These
kyhawks routinely train with Australian
F-III sand F/ -I s. The A-4s arc based
at Nowra under the Nowra Agreement,
which came into being in March 1991
.'
forty-eight maintenance staff members
trained on the A-4 with VA-44 at NA
ecil Field. Interestingly, one of the
kyhawks that ew Zealand pilots trained
with (BuNo. 155069) was actually
purchased by them in their 19 4 acquisi-
tion of A-4s from Australia. Delivery of
the entire purchase was made in May
1970, with USS O/<inawa (LPH-3)
providing the transport to ew Zealand.
Okinawa arrived on 17 May, the aircraft
were towed from the docks to R ZA F
Whenuapai by tug and Landrovers. The
first aircraft (TA-4K Z6254) was nown
in ew Zealand on 21 May; the last
arrived at Ohakea from Whenuapai on 27
May and the neet was accepted at Ohakea
This Kahu A-4 sits with engine running as a
groundsman makes final checks.
Calum Gibson
its Canberras and de Havilland Vampire
FB5s. Under consideration was the
McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, the Norehrop
F-5 Freedom Fighter, and an Australian
vel' ion of the French Mirage. Impre sed
with the A-4's performance in Vietnam,
though, an R ZAF team visited Douglas
in April 196 to evaluate the Skyhawk's
potential as a strike platform. Impressions
were favourable, and a 26 million
contract was signed on 3 july 196 for the
purchase of ten single-scat and two two-
seat kyhawks, both ba ed on the A-4F
model.
Designated as the A-4K and T A-4K,
the baseline A-4Fs were modified along
the lines of the Israeli -4H and US
Marine Corps -4Ms, with the addition
of a 14ft (4.2m) drogue brake chute, an
A / px-n IFF mounted in the vertical
tabiliser, modified VHF radio, and provi-
sions for the AIM-9 idewinder on two
of the five stations. The e were painted a
four-colour camounage of shades of green,
brown, and grey - the standard T.O-I 14
Asia Minor/SEA cheme.
The first A-4K new on 1 ovember
1969, the first T A-4K on 5 December.
Test pilots Walter Smith and john Lane
were at the respective controls. \X!hile the
remaining orders were filled, ten pilots and
168 169
SKYIIA\ KS IN FOREIGN ERVICE
ERVICE
Singapore's TA-4SU is one of the rarer dual-seat Skyhawks. It features two separate canopies, a creation
of Lockheed Martin who handled the refurbishing. This TA-4SU is former US Navy BuNo. 142814. Singapore
Super Skyhawks feature twin 30mm ADEN cannons, enhanced avionics, and the non-afterburning GE F404-
GE-l00D 10,800lb (4,905kg) thrust turbofan. Rate-of-climb is said to reach 18,50Oft (5.460ml per minute.
Peter Foster
then turns back. The leg from Townsville
to ingapore is usually supported by
RAAF 707 tankers. ources indicate that
the new F-16s will be able to make it to
Townsville and then Malaysia without
AAR, which i good, because they will
not be able to use the drogue equipment.
Shortly after this purcha e, New Zea-
land military officials began a sweeping
review of their air for e capabilitie and
requirement. Particular attention was
given to the upgrading of their air defence
and strike assets, especially in the mar-
itim and CAS roles. In due course, con-
sideration was given to acquiring US Air
Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, US avy
F/A-I Hornet, the F-20 Tiger Shark,
and the Briti h Aerospace Harrier Mk II.
Financial constraints, however led to the
eventual decision that a retrofit of the
existing twenty-two -4 could provide
the same capabilities at a fraction of the
cost. This retrofit, concentrating on avion-
ics, navigation, and weapons systems,
would ee the A-4K's capabilities match
tho e of the F-16 but at 1/ 16th of the cost.
Known as Project Kahu (Maori for
'Hawk'), the retrofit began in 19 6 and
lasted for five years. Included in this $92
million programme were the complete
rewiring, re-winging, and removal of the
-F's standard aft avionics hump. For air
defence and ground attack, the AN/ PG-
66NZ ( imilar to the tandard -66, but
optimized for maritime mission) was
in tailed and the cockpit completely
redesigned to give the modern 'glass'
cockpit, with HOTA and a Ferranti
4510 wide-angle H D. A MiI- td 1553
digital data bus and Litton ring la er gyro
were also included in the package. The
Vinten airborne videotape recording sys-
tem was installed to enhance surveillance,
and countermeasures were enhanced by
the addition of the Tracor ALE-39
chaff/flare system and the General Electric
ALR-66 RWR. Weapons upgrades gave
the kyhawks an AIM-9L, Maverick,
and GBU-16 laser-guided bomb delivery
capability.
The original Mk 12 20mm cannons
were retained. Mavericks used by ew
Zealand were purchased from Jordanian
stocks (apparently the same batch that
the U have recently discovered don't
work!), AGM-65B Scene Mag TV-guided
and AGM-65G IR versions. Before the
Kahu programme began, the A-4s were
repainted in 'European One' wrap-around
camouflage. ILS aerial on the fin and a
raked-back aerial behind the cockpit iden-
tified those aircraft that went through the
programme. The humps, which had alway
been empty in R ZAF aircraft except for
storage, were removed before the Kahu
programme began. More recently, some of
the A-4s have been repainted green.
The first Kahu Skyhawk flew in June
19 , with the last rejoining active service
in March of 1991. Ithough the Kahu
upgrade was planned to take the kyhawk
well into the 21" century, and a follow-
up Kahu II upgrade had been proposed,
plans have recently been announced for
170
The Westinghouse APG-66NZ, a specially modified
variant of the radar used by US Air Force F-16s, was
added to the A-4K Kahu for an enhanced maritime
mode capability. Troy Campbell
the R ZAF to purchase or lease (in two
five-year batches with an option to
purchase after that) twenty-eight Block 15
OCU F-16s (originally intended for sale
to Pakistan) to replace the A-4s. Sources
expect this move to save approximately
29 million, with the longer-ranged, anti-
ship mi sile and FUR planned for the
Kahu II migrating to the F-16 programme
after it enter service in mid-2002.
Kahu II was going to include a self-
designating capability for the LGBs, a new
anti-ship missile, and a new ejection seat.
Studies into the ejection seat and a life-
of-type study involving an instrumented
A-4 had begun when the F-161ea e deal
was announced. The I raeli Litening pod
has been chosen.
The New Zealand government has high
hopes of selling the A-4s to another
customer. In September 1999, officials
stated that consultants Ernst and Young
had been contracted to begin a marketing
campaign. 'More than fifteen but less than
twenty' Asian and outh American coun-
tries have had information forwarded to
them. The Defen e Minister had said in
December 1998 that selling the A-4s
would raise Z 50 million, although the
ew Zealand Ministry of Defence expects
to get much more than that. Flight maga-
zine reported in late eptember 1999 that
the Philippines were interested in them.
Singapore
Beginning in 1972, the Republic of
Singapore Air Force (R AF) purchased
forty-seven refurbished A-4s (forty A-4B
and sev n TA-4s),which were redesig-
nated as the A-4S and TA-4S respectively.
Unlike the U two-seat variants, the
Singapore 'T's contained two separate
canopies rather than the larger single
'clam-shell' canopy seen on other TA-4s.
This was the brain-child of Lockheed
Martin Air Services of Ontario, California,
who had been awarded the refurbishment
contract.
Central to the Singapore A-4B model
upgrade was the ,4001b (3,815kg) thrust
Curtis )65-W-20 engine, which provided
a 20 per cent improvement in power over
the -W-16A. AIso incorporated were the
lift spoilers of the A-4F variant. aviga-
tion and communications sy tems were
modified with solid-state electronics. Also
added were a drag chute and a Ferranti
I IS 0-101 lead-computing optical sight.
The Mk 12 cannon was replaced with
a 30mm Aden cannon. Two additional
wing stations and wiring for AIM-9
idewi nder capabil ity were also added.
The arrestor hook wa retained for oper-
ations on SATS-equipped airfields.
Reflecting ingapore's need for compat-
ibility with the remaining Hawker
Hunters in its air force, most of the up-
grade equipment was of British, rather
than American, origin. AI 0 problematic
for the RSAF was an American embargo
on sophisticated electronics, that ould
otherwise be obtained from Britain or
internally.
Eight of the A-4Bs were refurbished in
the , with the remaining thirty-two
reconditioned by Lockheed Air Services,
Singapore. Delivery of the initial eight
conversions took place at NAS Lemoore
on 14 July 1973, where R AF pilot were
undergoing training with VA-125. The
T A-4 , were al 0 conversions from - B
model, with a 27in (68.6cm) plug added.
Operationally, these retained that same
tacti al capabilities as the single-seaters.
171
Initially, Skyhawk were assigned to two
squadrons, No. 142 'Gryphon' in 1974,
and No. 143 'Phoenix' in 1975 as an
advanced training unit. Both squadrons
were based at Tengah. A third kyhawk
squadron, o. 145 'Hornets', would later
form at Tengah, with subsequent pur-
chases of ex- avy A-4Cs in 1982. A few
A-4s also flew with the 'Hunter' squadron,
No. IAI.
ingapore's experience was so positive
that an additional seventy airframes were
purchased in 1980 and modified to the
same A-4S standards as the initial
purchase. Only the 2 mm cannon was
retained. This purchase, however, con is-
ted of surplus A-4 s, with the straight
refuelling probe. An additional sixteen
Tentra dara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM).
Of these eighty-eight, fifty-four aircraft
were ro be single-seat and fourteen two-
seat trainers, all with updated avionics and
weapons sy tems. Despite the large pur-
chase, only forty of these were actually
intended for operational use, with the
remainder relegated to pare part canni-
balization.
Twenty-five of the kyhawk were to
come from surplus avy A-4Cs, with
sixty-three from the A-4L srocks. At the
time of the purchase, all of the earmarked
Skyhawks were resting at Davis-Monthan
AFB in Arizona with an e timated four-
teen years of service life remaining. Due
ro problems with the U government, a
temporary hold was placed on the sale,
with Malaysia receiving only forty of
the planned purchase. Once delivered, the
TA-4PTMs were assigned numbers M32-
I - M32-06, with A-4PTM assigned
M32-07 - 4 .
Modifications were carried out by
Grumman Aerospace at their t Augus-
tine plant in Florida. Redesignated as the
Malaysia signed a 12 million contract
on 15 December 19 2 for the purcha e of
eighty-eight kyhawks for its air force, the
Malaysia purchased several former US Navy A-4C and A-4l airframes and converted them to A-4PTM
(Particular to Malaysial standards. adding two additional wing stations (total fivel, an enlarged cockpit
canopy (similar to the A-4Ml, and drag chute. Provisions were also included to carry AIM-9 Sidewinder
and AGM-65 Maverick weapons. The A-4PTMs were withdrawn from active service in 1994 and replaced
by the BAe Hawk Mk 208. Six Malaysian A-4s remained as fleet tankers using the D-704 buddy-store.
Peter Foster
SKYHAWKS IN FOREIG SERVICE
than the oviet-provided equipment it had
been using before 1974.
Indonesia later purchased another six-
teen A-4Es directly from the S, although
the refurbishing was handled by Indonesia.
This 27 million contract came about in
late 19 J. The Skyhawk became opera-
tional in 19 5 and were as igned ro II
and 12 Squadrons based at Iswahyudi
(later Ha anuddin) and Pekanbaru. Both
units have seen action in anti-guerrilla
operations in East Timor and Papua, New
Guinea.
Two TA-4Js have been under rework
by SAFE Air at Woodbourne for the T -
AU/. They are 154315 and IS 454 ex
/DMAFB. It seems this is not a major
upgrade but it has caused some fuss
because of A-4 use over East Timor.
Malaysia
The Indonesian Armed Forces - Air Force
(Tentara a ional Indone ia - Angkacon
dara or T I-A ) received support in
1979 for the purchase of fourteen A-4E and
two TA-4H kyhawks from Israel at a price
of 25.8 million. Israel, now looking co
reduce its stocks of A-4E Skyhawks, was
actively engaged in providing refurbished
version of its older aircraft co other third
world nations as it modernized it own air
fleer. The purchase also reflected the
Indonesian decision co re-equip its armed
forces with Western technology rath r
Indonesia
approximately 2 maintenance personnel
deployed to Cazaux Air Base in France.
The pilots underwent advanced jet train-
ing, taking advantage of the good weather
and excellent training facilities at Cazaux
and the M ranges over the t1antic.
This deployment followed the signing of
the French/ ingapore Defense oopera-
tion and tatus of Forces Agreemenr.
Mil standard databus, the Bendix fI ight
data computer and the A /AAS-35 Pave
Penny laser tracker pod. This upgrade
wa referenced as the A-4 . V i s i ~ Iy, the
A-4S differed by the addition of a large
VHF/UHF aerial behind the cockpit and
on the nose-wheel door and a longer
tailpipe. Production of the uper Skyhawk
began in earnest in mid-1987.
Six A-4 U were sub equently selected
for the R AF's flight demon tration team,
the 'Black Knight " when it re-formed in
19 9. Thi became the first unit CO operate
the improved uper Skyhawk. o. 145
became operational as an A-4SU squadron
on 24 February 1992, with os 142 and
143 receiving them as they became avail-
able. A-4 may be fitted with the LA -
10 or Alkan Triple-Ejection-Racks (TER )
and can carry the UU-23 2 mm gun
pods, -40/A flare dispensers, AGM-
65B/E Maverick, and SNEB 6 mm rock-
ets. Future upgrades under consideration
include addition of laser range-finders and
the GE Avionic Atlantic FUR for all-
weather navigation and targeting.
In]uneand]ulyofI99 ,a mallderach-
ment of eighteen Super kyhawks (from
the disestablished No. 143 quadron) and
A trio of A-4SUs of No. 145 Squadron sit at Kuantan.
Notice the camouflage extending to the fuel tanks.
Also notable is the windshield wiper. a remnant of
the US Navy A-4C. Peter Foster
(5,625m) per minute and thrust CO weight
ratio increased from .75 ro l. 2. The
added fuel efficiency also increased
endurance without external ranks from 3.5
ro 4.3 hours.
The second phase of the Singapore
upgrade programme began in 1985 and
was more avionics-oriented and involved
the incorporation of a Maverick missile
int rface, a monochrome head-down dis-
play with FUR, a GEC Marconi 4150
HUD and a new HOD. The Litron L -
93 laser I was added as was a 1553B
A-4Bs were also purchased and converted
into eight TA-4 .
Over the year, ingapore's kyhawk
underwent two major upgrades. The first,
called Pha e One, and falling under the
designation A-4S-I, rook place in 196
and involved re-engining the fleet with
the non-afterburning GE F404-GE-1 000.
Offering a 27 per cent increase in
power, this engine was rated at I ,8 Olb
(4,9 Okg) thru t and was considerably
more fuel-efficient than its predece sor.
This, in turn, brought about an increase in
range and a reduction in the man-hours
necessary to keep the Skyhawks flying (ten
man-hours per fI ight hour). The A-4S-1
first flew on 19 eptember 19 6 and a rotal
of forty single-seaters were converted, plus
ten dual-sear. Initial deliverie were to o.
143 squadron on I March 19 9.
The up-rated engines brought an im-
provement ro the Skyhawk's performance.
Most significantly however, maximum
take-off weight was increased by per
cent ro 24,50 Ib (I I, I 13kg) and payload
increased by 23 per cent to 13,95 Ib
(6,32 kg). Rate-of-c1imb increa ed by a
phenomenal 131 per cent ro 18,500ft
One of the Skyhawks sold to Malaysia undergoing
refurbishment.
772
773
SKYHAWKS I 'FOREIGN SERVICE
This VMA-214 'Blacksheep' A-4M was used for the French Navy's carrier evaluation in 1973. The Skyhawk
lis were not selected by the French, but would have given them a credible strike platform. Stephen H. Miller
via Lt Cdr Rick Burgess USN Retd
When operational, these kyhawks will
operate from the 19,890 ton carrier Minas
Gerais (A-II), formerly the British HMS
Vengeance. Intere tingly, this carrier wa
built in 1945 and holds the distinction of
being the olde t carrier in active service.
Current plans are for some level of
upgrade to these kyhawks in the early
2000s.
Other Foreign Sales
Considered, But
Not Fulfilled
Several other countries considered the
A-4, but for various reasons did not pro-
ceed to purchase. One of these was France,
who initially evaluated the A-4M for its
SKYI-IAWKS IN FOREIG SERVICE
carriers Foell and Ctemenceau in eptem-
ber 1972. Both carriers wer approxim-
ately the same size as the US Navy's 'Essex'
class, which had successfully operated
the kyhawk off of Vietnam. Catapult
incompatibility problems oon developed
and the tests were can clled. Rather than
fix the problem by strengthening and
extending the French catapults, a deci-
sion was made to purchase the Dassault
uper Etendard. ome, however, speculate
that the true reason for the decision not
to procure the kyhawks was political, in
that the French were already operating
-built F- Crusaders and the presence
of two foreign aircraft types on a French
carrier would do little for the morale of the
French aviation business.
Brazil and Columbia, both of whom
wanted to upgrade their ageing air forces
with the new A-4M, al 0 made inquirie
during the mid-to-Iate 1960s. Both ges-
tures were quashed, however, by US con-
cerns over possible instability that might
be created in the region as a result of the
introduction of the newer generation air-
frames.
Dougla also offered the A-4 to various
ATO countries, including Greece, the
Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium, to fill
the role of a close air support/reconnais-
sance air raft. The Indian Navy was also a
potential buyer. Some of these countries,
namely Belgium, and the etherlands
would eventually purchase the F- I6 Fight-
ing Falcon.
At the time of writing, Bolivia was
al 0 considering a purchase of eighteen
TA-4Js for its air force, with the ultimate
goal of having twelve operational trainers.
A-4PTM (Particular To Malaysia), these
kyhawks would ee the installation of
new wiring and th addition of two new
wing stations rated at 1,0001b each. This
gave the A-4PTMs an appearance similar
to that of the A-4E, but with greater
carriage capability. everal 0-704 buddy-
stores were also included in the Malaysian
purchase.
For the A-4Cs, aft avionics humps were
added to complete the A-4L-type upgrade.
From an avioni standpoint, an A /
AR -118 TACAN was install d as was
a Saab RGS-2A lead computing weapons
sight, the Lear Seigler altitude heading
reference system, and the A /ARC-154
UHF radio. The A-4PTM's cockpit wa
also modified to A-4M standards with a
'bubble' canopy. A drag chute was added
and the aircraft given AIM-9J and AGM-
65A capabilities. As with the U avy
T A-4 model, the fuselage was stretched
by 28in (78cm) to accommodate the TA-
4PTM's second seat.
The first A-4PTM flew in pril 1984,
with RMAF pilots undergoing training for
their soon-to-be instructor role shortly
thereafter. Flight training was included in
the contract. Del iveries to Malaysia com-
menced in 1985 and were completed in
February 1986. Two squadrons were oper-
ational with the 0 6' aga' and No.9
'Jebat' quadrons at Kuanton. In 1994,
the A-4PTM wa withdrawn from service
(ah ad of its planned retirement in 1995)
and replaced by the BAe Hawk Mk 208.
ix A-4s were retained for in-flight refu-
elling services.
Brazil
The most recent purchaser of A-4s is
Brazil, who, in September 1998, received
twenty-three kyhawks from Kuwait.
Twenty of these are the single-seat A-
4KU models and three are T A-4K s.
Brazi I has redesignated these as the AF-1
and AF-I A for the single-seat and two-
seat version respectively, and assigned the
erial numbers 11001 - 1020 to the AF-
I and 1021-N1023 to the AF-IAs.
174
These are called 'Falcoes', which means
'Hawks' in Portuguese. Brazil is reported
to have selected the Kuwaiti Scooters
because of their relatively low flight time
and excellent condition.
The particular of the Brazilian
purchase date back to December 1997,
when a contract wa signed totall ing 3
million. Included in th package w re
approximately 65,000 spare parts and
nineteen spare J52-P-40 A engines. The
Kuwaiti kyhawks were modifi d (essen-
tially overhauled) by Boeing in Kuwait
and delivered to Brazil on 5 eptember
199 . After a three-day road trip from port
to their new base at aval Air Station
ao Pedro d'Aldeia near Rio de Janeiro,
the Skyhawk were commis ioned as
1 Esquadro de Avioes de Interceptacao e
Ataque (Fighter/Attack quadron One
or VFA-l). They were then officially
inducted into the Brazilian Navy on 2
October and will be kept in storage until
the flight crews complete their training
with VT-7 at A Meridian. These A-
4s becam op rational in September 1999.
175
APPENDIX I
APPE DIX"
Significant Skyhawk
Milestones
Variant Specifications
and Details
Ticonderoga
closed-circuit course at 695.163mph
Constellation conduct first strikes against
YES YES YES YES YES YES
YES YES YES YES YES YES
SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED
AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A NO
YES
J52-P-408
YES
YES
AN/AJB-3A
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
POWERED
NO
NO
A-4M tt
YES
10 LITRE
NO
11,200
YES
NO
J65-W-20
YES
AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A
PROVISIONS
ONLY
PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY
POWERED
A-4L
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
3
YES
10 LITRE
NO
8,400
YES
POWERED
NO
NO
PROVo ONLY AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-41
PROVISIONS
ONLY
NO
YES
NO
PROVo ONLY AN/AJB-3A
(WIRING)
PROVo ONLY YES
TA-4J
10 LITRE
NO
J52-P-6A, 6B
J52-P-8A, 8B
8,500
9,300
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
700lb
POWERED
NO
NO
5
YES
YES
NO
1 PROBEE
6 PROB
YES
700lb
10 LITRE
NO
POWERED
NO
YES
NO
A-4F TA-4F
YES
5
YES
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-6A, 6B
J52-P-408 J52-P-8A, 8B
9,300 8,500
11,200 9,300
10 LITRE
NO
YES
5
POWERED
YES
SOME
PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY SOME
NO
AN/AJB-3 AN/AJB-3A AN/AJB-3A
AN/AJB-3A
YES YES YES
NO
A-4E
10 LITRE
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
J52-P-6A, 6B
J52-P-8A, 8B
8,500
9,300
NO
POWERED
AN/AJB-3
NO
NO
A-4C
YES
NO
10 LITRE
NO
3
YES
YES
YES
FLUSH
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
J65-W-16A
J65-W-20
7,700
8,400
YES
AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-41 AN/ASN-41
(EARLY A-4E)
AN/ASN-41
AERO 18B
NO
5 LITRE
YES
NO
NO
POWERED
1 PROBE
2 PROBE
YES
1600lb
NO
NO
NO
A-4B
YES
YES
FLUSH
NO
3
J65-W-16A
J65-W-20
7,700
8,400
YES
NO
3
A-4A
J65-W-4
BOOSTED
NO
AERO 18B
NO
NO
NO
5 LITRE
YES
1 PROBE
2 PROBE
YES
1600lb
NO
NO
FLUSH
NO
NO
NONE
7,700
WING STATIONS
FUSELAGE FUEL CELL
CAPACITY
ELEVATOR ttl
STABILIZER TRIM
12 Degrees Noseup
1 Degree Nosedown
11 Degrees Noseup
1 Degree Nosedown
121. Degrees Noseup
1 Degree Nosedown
Thrust
Engine
LABS
VIDED IP-936/AXQ
NAVIGATIDN COMPUTER
AFCS
RADAR
CP-741/A
OXYGEN SYSTEM
EXTENDABLE CONTROL
STICK
FUEL GAUGING
Fuselage
Wing
Drop Tanks
US A-4 Variant Summary
Upper Avionics
Compartment
Fuselage
Fueling Probe
Air Refueling
Intake Ducts
orth Vietnam
Douglas awarded initial contract
Work begins on preliminary designs for kyhawk
avy authorizes further development
X 40-1 rolled out of EI Segundo plant
Douglas test pilot R.O. Rahn conducts first Aight in X 40-1 prototype
Fir t production A4D-I (A-4A) Aight
Authori:ation given to begin work on A4D-2 (A-4B)
uccessfully complete initial carrier qualifications aboard
Lt Gordon Gray ets world peed record for 5 0 kilometre
(I,II.7km/h)
irst Aight of A40-2 (A-4B)
Initial Aeet delivery begins to VA-72
A-4 declared operational
First factory-to-Aeet delivery of A4D-I (A4-A) to VA-72
First operational -4 SMC unit - VMA-224
uthority given to proceed with A4D-2 (A-4C)
First Aight of A40-2 (A-4C)
uthori:ation given to proceed with A-4E
4D-2N (A-4C) become operational
1000,h Skyhawk produced (an 40-2 /A-4
First A-4E Aight
A-4E became operational with VA-23
First -4 trans- t1antic Aight
Authorization to proceed with T A-4E
A-4s from carriers U Ticonderoga and
First T A-4E Aight
First factory-to-Aeet delivery of T A-4(E)F
First Aight of A-4F
Lt Cdr T.R. wartz becomes first A-4 pilot ro down a MiG
Fleet deliveries of A-4F begin
Authorization to proceed with T A-4J
First factory-to-Aeet T A-4J del ivery
First Aight of -4L
First Aight of A-4M
First delivery of A-4M ro VM -324
Last Vietnam cruise for A-4 squadrons aboard U Hancock
-4F selected for 'Blue Angels' demon tration team
Last US A-4 quadran dise tat Ii hed
ast -4 delivered, Bu o. 2960
Last operational USMC Reserve A-4 (VMA-131)retired
VT-7 says goodbye to TA-4J in TRACOM
21 June 1952
26 July 1952
13 October 1952
February 1954
22 June 1954
14 August 1954
Ocrober 1954
eptember 1955
15 Ocrober 1955
26 March 1956
9 eptember 1956
26 Ocrober 1956
November 1956
January 1957
eptember 1957
21 August 195
30 July 1959
February 196
July 1961
12 July 1961
December 1962
8 October 1963
July 1964
5 Augu t 1964
30 June J965
19 lay 1966
31 August 1966
I May 1967
June 1967
19 December 196
15 April 1969
21 August 1969
I April 1970
16 April 1971
25 September 1972
September 1973
December 1975
27 February 1979
August 1994
September J999
176 177
VARIANT SPECIFICATIONS A 0 DETAILS
VARIANT SPECIFICATIONS A '0 DETAILS
US A-4 Variant Summary (continued)
Foreign A-4 Variant Summary
* AFC 482 UPDATES A-4C/E AVIONICS TO A-4F CONFIGURATIONS
I AFC 442 INC SPOILERS It The OA-4M was similar except for certain communications gear: ARC-159, KY-28 secure voice. Itt Only the A4-A had single aileron all
subsequent modules were tandems.
RT-355/ RT-355/ RT-355/* RT-355/* AN/ARC-51 A AN/ARC 51A AN/ARC-51A AN/ARC-51 A
ASQ-17 ASQ-17 ASQ-17 ASQ-17 AN/ARR-69 AN/ARR-69 AN/ARR-69 AN/ARR-69
(AN/ARC-27A) (AN/ARC-27A) (AN/ARC-27A) (AN/ARC-27A)
NO PROVISIONS* PROVISIONS* PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
AFC-482 AFC-482 PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS AFC-482 ONLY
A-4G
J52-P-8A, 8B
9,300
YES
YES
SEPARATED
PROVISIONS
ONLY
YES
AN/APG-53A
NO
10 LITRE
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
ESCAPAC
1C-3
YES
YES
NO
AN/APX-64(V)
NO
YES
A-4Q
ARG Navy
J-65-W-20
8,400
YES
NO
FLUSH
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
5 LITRE
1 PROBE
2 PROBE
YES
1600lb
3
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOD
NO
YES
NO
AN APX-72
NO
NO
A-4P
ARG AF
J-65-W-20
8,400
NO
NO
AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-19A AN/ASN-41
NO NO PROVo ONLY
(WIRINGI
NO NO NO
YES
5 LITRE
1 PROBE
2 PROBE
YES
1600lb
3
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOD
NO
YES
NO
NO
NO
AN/ARN-21D AN/ARN-21 D AN/ARN-52(V)
A-4N
YES
YES
NO
10 LITRE
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
YES
YES
YES
ESCAPAC
1C-3
DUAL ARC-109 UHF ARC-109 UHF AN/ARC-51A
AN/ARC-51A 618M-2D VHF 618M-2D VHF AN/ARR-69
AN/ARR-69
NO
YES
TA-4K
NO
YES
NO
10 LITRE
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
700lb
YES
YES
YES
ESCAPAC
1C-3
NO
YES
A-4K
YES
YES
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
ESCAPAC
1C-3
YES
YES
YES
AN/ARC-51A AN/ARC-51A
AN/ARC-115 AN/ARC-115
(VHF-AM) (VHF-AM)
AN/ARR-69 AN/ARR-69
AN/APX-72(V) AN/APX-72(VI AN/APX-72(V) AN APX-72
NO
YES
AN/ARN-52(V) AN/ARN-52(V) NO
TA-4H
YES
AN/ASN-41 AN/ANS-41 AN/ASN-41 AN/ASN-41
PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY NO
(WIRING)
NO PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY NO
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
700lb
5
ESCAPAC
1C-3
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
A-4H
YES
PROVISIONS NO
ONLY
HI PRESSURE HI PRESSURE 10 LITRE
GASEOUS GASEOUS
NO
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
1600lb
ESCAPAC
1C-3
YES
YES
YES
NO
TA-4G
J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-8A, 8B J52-P-408
9,300 9,300 9,300 9,300 9,300 11,200
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
YES YES YES YES YES YES NO
SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED SEPARATED FLUSH
YES
NO
AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APG-53A AN/APQ-145 NO
NO NO NO NO PROV ONLY NO
AN/ASN-41 AN/ASN-41
PROVo ONLY PROVo ONLY
(WIRING) (WIRING)
NO NO
NO
10 LITRE
1 PROBE
6 PROBE
YES
700lb
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES YES NO
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
YES YES YES YES YES YES NO NO YES
POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED POWERED
YES
YES
NO
ESCAPAC
1C-3
AN/ARC-51A DUAL DUAL
AN/ARR-69 AN/ARC-51A AN/ARC-51A
AN/ARR-69 AN/ARR-69
NO
AN/APX-64(V) AN/APX-46 AN/APX-46
YES YES
AN/ARN-52(V) NO
WING STATIONS
EJECTION SEAT
FUSELAGE FUEL CELL
CAPACITY
ELEVATOR Itl
STABILIZER TRIM
12 Degrees Noseup
1 degree Nosedown
11 Degrees Noseup
1 Degree Nosedown
121. Degrees Noseup
1 Degree Nosedown
EXTENDABLE CONTROL
STICK
FUEL GAUGING
Fuselage
Wing
Drop Tanks
Engine
Thrust
Fuselage
Fueling Probe
Air Refueling
Intake Ducts
Upper Avionics
Compartment
AFCS
RADAR
VIDEO IP-936/AXQ
NAVIGATION COMPUTER
LABS
CP-741/A
OXYGEN SYSTEM
NOSEWHEEL STEERING
SPOILERS
DRAG CHUTE
COMMUNICATIONS
RADAR IDENTIFICATION
(IFF)
APC AN/ASN-54
DOPPLER AN/APN-153
TACAN
NO
A-4M tt
20MM
400 RDS
YES
ESCAPAC
1C-3
1F-3
YES
YES
YES
PROVISIONS
ONLY
PROVISIONS
ONLY
YES
A-4L
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
ONLY ONLY
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
ONLY ONLY
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOD
NO
YES
NO
YES
20MM
200 RDS
SOME NO
AFC-203A
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
ONLY ONLY
PROVISIONS YES
ONLY
NO
NO
NO
NO
20MM
200 RDS
TA-4J
PROVISIONS YES
ONLY
ESCAPAC
1C-3
1F-3
YES
YES
NO
NO
20 MM
200 RDS
TA-4F
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
NO
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS YES
ONLY ONLY
YES PROVISIONS NO
ONLY
ESCAPAC
1C-3
20 MM
200 RDS
A-4F
ESCAPAC
IC 3
AN/ARA-63
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
NO
SOME
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS NO
ONLY ONLY ONLY/SOME
YES
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOD
NO
NOt
NO
YES
20 MM
200 RDS
YES
A-4E
AN/ARC-51 A
AN/ARR-69
AN/ARR-114
(VHF-FM)
RT-354/ AN/APX-64(V) AN/APX-64(V) AN/APX-64(V) AN/APX-64(V) AN/APX-72(V)
(AN/APX-6BI* AN/APX-72
ASQ-17
20 MM
200 RDS
A-4C
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS SOME
ONLY ONLY ONLY
AN/ARN-21 D* AN/ARN-21 D* AN/ARN-52(V) AN/ARN-52(VI AN/ARN-52(V)
(EARLY A-4E) AN/ARN-84 AN/ARN-52(V) AN/ARN-52(VI
ARN-52(V) AN/ARN-84
AM 1260/* AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50
ASQ-17
(AN/ARA-25)
NO
YES
YES
LIMITED
SHRIKE
NO
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOO
NO
NO
NO
SOME
AFC-203A
AM-l260/*
ASQ-17
(AN/ARA-25)
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
A-4B
20MM
200RDS
SOME SOME PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL SOME COMPLETE
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
ONLY ONLY ONLY
AN APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141
AN/APN 194
NO
AM 1260/
ASQ-17
(AN/ARA-25)
NO
NO
YES
SOME PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS NO
PROVISIONS ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY
ONLY
YES
TWO
STATION
BY AFC
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS NO
ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY
ESCAPAC 1
STENCEL
MOO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
A-4A
20 MM
200 RDS
RT-354/ RT-354/ RT-354/*
(AN/APX-6B) (AN/APX-6B) (AN/APX-6B)
ASQ-17 ASQ-17 ASQ-17
YES
NO
NO
NO
ESCAPAC 1
NO
NO
NO
AN/ARN-210 AN/ARN-210
NO
AM-l260/
ASQ-17
(AN-ARA-25)
NO
NO
GCBS
GUNS
SPECIAL WEAPON
SIDEWINDER
EJECTION SEAT
AIMS
SHRIKE
ECM
NOSEWHEEL STEERING
SPOILERS
DRAG CHUTE
COMMUNICATIONS
BULLPUP
ADF
APC AN/ASN-54
WALLEYE
DOPPLER AN/APN-153
TACAN
RADAR ALTIMETER
RADAR
IDENTIFICATION (IFF)
ILS
JATO
178
179
VARIANT SPECIFICATIONS A 'D DETAILS
Foreign A-4 Variant Summary (continued)
TA-4G A-4H TA-4H A-4K TA-4K A-4N A-4P A-4Q A-4G
ARG AF ARG Navy
ADF AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 AN/ARA-50 DFA-73 DF-203 AN/ARA-50
ILS NO NO NO NO NO NO 51RV-1 51RV-1 NO
JATO PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL PARTIAL NO NO PARTIAL
PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS
RADAR ALTIMETER AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-141 AN/APN-194 PROVISIONS PROVISIONS AN/APN-114
ONLY ONLY
AIMS NO NO NO NO NO PROVISIONS NO NO NO
EXCEPT
KIT/T SEC
ECM NO NO NO PROVISIONS NO PROVISIONS NO NO NO
ONLY ONLY
SPECIAL WEAPON NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
SIDEWINDER FOUR FOUR FOUR TWO NO FOUR PROVISIONS PROVISIONS FOUR
STATIONS STATIONS STATIONS STATIONS STATIONS ONLY ONLY STATIONS
BULLPUP PROVISIONS NO NO PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS NO NO PROVISIONS
ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY
GCBS NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
SHRIKE NO NO NO PROVISIONS PROVISIONS YES NO NO NO
ONLY ONLY
WALLEYE NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO
GUNS 20MM 20MM 20MM 20MM 20MM 30MM 20 MM 20 MM 20MM
200ROS 200RDS 200 ROS 200 ROS 200 RDS 300 RDS 200 RDS 200 RDS 200 RDS
30MM
300RDS
* AFC 482 UPDATES A-4C/E AVIONICS TO A-4F CONFIGURATION
I AFC 442 INC SPOILERS 11 The OA-4M was similar except for the following communications gear: 111 Only the -A had single aileron all subsequent modules were
tandems.
780
APPE DIX III
A-4 Production
History
A-4 Skyhawks were manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company (a division of McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing) at the EI Segundo and Long Beach,
California plants. A total of 2,960 A-4s were built in seventeen different models over a production span of twenty-five years. Of those 2,960, 555
were produced as two-seat models, and 277 were original-builds for foreign countries. The list below is a best estimate based on numerous
Douglas and Grumman documents, and lists compiled by others.
US NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PRODUCTION
Model Number Bureau Numbers
XA4D-1 137812
A4D-1 (later redesignated A-4Al 19 137813 to 137831
52 139919 to 139970
94 142142 to 142235
165
A4D-2 (later redesignated A-4Bl 60 142082 to 142141
8 142416 to 142423
280 142674 to 142953
194 144868 to 145061
--
542
A4D-3 145147 to 145156 cancelled
A4D-2N (later redesignated A-4C) 85 145062 to 145146
0 146460 to 146693 cancelled
181 147669 to 147849
14 148304 to 148317
178 148435 to 148612
160 149487 to 149646
20 150581 to 150600
638
A4D-4 (cancelled)
A4D-5 (later redesignated A-4E) 2 148613 to 148614
20 149647 to 149666
180 149959 to 150138
180 151022 to 151201
0 151202 to 151261 cancelled
118 151984 to 152101
500
A4D-6 (VAL competition proposal - cancelled)
787
Model Number
A-4 PRODUCTIO HISTORY
Bureau Numbers Model
A-4 PRODUCTION HISTORY
Number Bureau Numbers
A-4F
TA-4E (later converted to TA-4Fs)
TA-4F
TA-4J (159 TA-4Js were converted
from TA-4Fs - see below)
TA-4J conversions from TA-4F
(These TA-4Fs were modified to the TA-4J
configuration by removal of much of the
weapons-orientated system.)
1
46
100
146 + 1 conversion
2
33
31
73
57
44
1
241 + 2 conversions
1
48
60
75
75
12
6
277
152101 (converted from A-4E)
154172 to 154217
154970 to 155069
152102 to 152103
152846 to 152878
153660 to 153690
153459 to 153531
154287 to 154343
154614 to 154657
155071
155070
155072 to 155119
156891 to 156950
158073 to 158147
158453 to 158527
158712 to 158723
159090 to 159104
152103, 152847-850, 152853-855, 152858-859, 152861-864,
152867-868, 152870-872, 152875, 152878, 153409, 153460-469, 153471,
153473-479, 153482, 153486, 153490, 153492, 153495-498, 153500,
153502, 153512-513, 153515-518, 153521-522, 153524-526, 153528,
153530, 153661-664, 153667, 153669-672, 153674-681, 153683-685,
153687-690, 154287-293, 154295-300, 154303, 154305, 154310,
154312-315, 154317-319, 154322-323, 154327, 154330, 154332, 154338,
154341-343, 154614-619, 154626, 154631-632, 154634-636,
154649-650, 154653, 154656-657, 155072-095
A-4M
OA-4M (23 conversions from TA-4Fsl
A-4A to TA-4A (known redesignations)
A-4Bs to TA-4B (known redesignationsl
EA-4F Electronic Aggressors
2 155042, 155049 (converted from A-4Fs)
49 158148 to 158196
24 158412 to 158435
20 159470 to 159489
4 159490 to 159493
13 159778 to 159790
24 160022 to 160045
24 160241 to 160264
158 + 2 conversions
152856, 152874, 153507, 153510,
153527, 153529, 153531, 154294,
154306, 154307, 154328, 154333,
154335, 154336, 154340, 154623,
154624, 154628, 154630, 154633,
154638, 154645, 154651
137813, 142149
142103.142111-113.142116,142118,142121-122, 142125, 142131,
142141.142220,142676.142679.142682-683,142687. 142709, 142717,
142726.142735.142741.142745-746,142764,142768. 142772, 142777,
142783,142788.142790.142800.142807,142809, 142815, 142818-819,
142821,142825.142829,142833-834,142837 (from NA-4B to TA-4Bl.
142842, 142849, 142865, 142868-869, 142873-874. 142876-877, 142879,
142881, 142890, 142892, 142895, 142897, 142900. 142905, 142908,
142913, 142920, 142922, 142929-930. 142934. 142937, 142942. 142946,
142948, 142953, 144870, 144872, 144874-875, 144878, 144882, 144884,
144889.144894,144901.144903,144913-915, 144917-919, 144924-926,
144929-930, 144932-933, 144937, 144940, 144943, 144947-948, 144954,
144956, 144964, 144966-967, 144972, 144974, 144983, 144985-986,
144988, 144994-996, 145000-001, 145004, 145008, 145010, 145012-013,
145022, 154024-025, 145029-031, 145033, 145035, 145038, 145047,
145050,145057,145059,145061
4 152852, 152869, 153481, 154655
A-4L (100 conversions from A-4Csl 145065, 145076, 145077, 145078, 145092, 145101,
145103,145114,145117,145119,145121,145122,
145128,145133,145141,147669,147671,147690,
147703,147706,147708,147717,147723,147727,
147736,147750,147754,147761,147768,147772,
147780,147782,147787,147793,147796,147798,
147802, 147807, 147815, 147825, 147827, 147836,
147843, 148306, 148307, 148316, 148436, 148446,
148453, 148479, 148487, 148490, 148498, 148505,
148530, 148538, 148555. 148578, 148581. 148586,
148588,148600,148602.148611,149497.149500,
149502. 149506, 149508. 149516, 149518, 149531,
149532, 149536, 149539, 149540. 149551, 149555,
149556,149569,149573,149579,149583,149591,
149593, 149595. 149604, 149607, 149608, 149620,
149623, 149626. 149630, 149633, 149635, 149640,
149646, 150586, 150593, 150598
182
A-4C proposed for US Army
Blue Angels
Miscellaneous BuNos
2
8
10
148483, 148490
Initial A-4Fs: 154176, 154177. 154179,
154975. 154983, 154984, 154986,
155029
Replacements: 154202, 154973,
155033. 155056. 154172. 154180.
154211.154217.154992,155000
TA-4J: 158722
Temporary: 153667. 153477, 1581 07
NA-4B 142837; NA-4C 145062/145063; NA-4E 148613/148614/150050;
NA-4F 152101; YA-4F 150050; NTA-4F 152102,155049, NTA-4J 154332;
NA-4M 155042, 155049.
183
FOREIGN PRODUCTION/CONVERSIONS
Model
A-4G Australia (Air Force)
Conversions from A-4Fs
TA-4G Australia (Air Force)
A-4H Israel (Air Force)
TA-4H Israel (Air Force)
A-4K New Zealand (Air Force)
Conversions from former
Australian A-4Gs
TA-4K New Zealand (Air Force)
Conversions from former
Australian A-4Gs
A-4KU Kuwait (Air Force)
TA-4KU Kuwait (Air Force)
Number
8
2
1
5
16
2
2
4
48
34
8
90
6
4
11
4
25
10
8
18
4
2
6
30
6
A-4 PRODUCTION HISTORY
Bureau Numbers
154903 to 154910
155051 to 155052
155055
155060 to 155064
154647 to 154648
154911 to 154912
155242 to 155289
157395 to 157428
157918 to 157925
157429 to 157434
157926 to 157929
159546 to 159556
159795 to 159798
157904 to 157913
154903 to 154905, 154908,
155052,155061,155063,155069
157914 to 157917
154911, 15491 2
160180 to 160209
160210 to 160215
Model
Additional designated Malaysian
purchases not delivered
A-4SU Singapore
TA-4S Singapore
A-4P Argentina lAir Force)
Conversions from A4D2N
A-4s bought as spares:
Number
48
38
8
50
25
75
4
A-4 PRODUCTION HISTORY
Bureau Numbers
145064,145131,147673,147675,
147696, 147722, 147726, 148500,
148502, 148509, 148573, 148575,
148576,148593,148597,149547,
149550, 149575, 149580, 149581,
149595, 149606, 149636, 150581,
150592 145076, 145128, 147669,
147671,147690,147754,147761,
147768,147793,147798,147815,147836,148307,148316,148446,
148581,148602,149500,149502,149540,149555, 149591, 149604,
149620
142101,142119,142125,142131,142711,142746,
142751,142770,142771,142744/142774,142800,
142819, 142832,142840, 142850, 142870, 142876,
142882, 142908, 142942, 144874, 144926,
144971,144974,144980,145013,
145030, 145038, 145046, 145056,
145059,145110,147779,148521,
148526, 148603, 149498, 149537
144979, 144894, 145021, 145043, 145047, 147742,
148525, 148483
142090,142098,142099,142102, 142104,142108,
142109,142110, 142110,142128,142129,142136,
142139,142171,142416,142421, 142684,142688,
142694,142701, 142728,142734,142736,142747,
142748,142749,142752,142757, 142760,142762,
142765,142773, 142784,142788,142796,142799,
142803,142830, 142838, 142855, 142859, 142862,
142866, 142883, 142893,142901, 142902, 142910,
142911, 142914
147714, 148438, 149526, 149618, 148562, 148435,
148452, 148612, 147747, 148450, 148517,
150595,149564,148531,147806,147830,148556,
148533,149642,147741,149514,148467,148559,149585
144932, 145017, 145053
A-4N Israel (Air Force)
A-4PTM Malaysia
Conversions from A-4L
18
18
24
12
26
19
117
8
32
158726 to 158743
159035 to 159052
159075 to 159098
159515 to 159526
159799 to 159824
159527 to 159545
145119,145141,148555,148588,
148611,149531,149626,154121
145065, 145078, 145092, 145101,
145103,145114,147703,147706,
147736,147780,147782,147796,
147798,147802,147807,147827,
148306,148436,148479,149497,
149506, 149518, 149536, 149551,
149753, 149583, 149594, 149607,
149608, 149630, 149633, 150593
184
A-4Q Argentina (Navy) 16
A-4Ms bought as spares 36
OA-4Ms were also bought as spares 5
A-4Ms
OA-4Ms
- stored at AMARC and designated for Argentina.
144872, 144882, 144895, 144915, 144929, 144963,
144983,144988,144989,145001,145004,145010,
1450125, 145061
158161,158165,158167,158171,158417,158419,
158423, 158426, 158428, 158178, 158193, 158413,
158414,158429,159470,159471,159472, 159473,
159475, 159478, 159483, 159486, 159487, 159493,
159778, 159780, 159783, 160025, 160029, 160032,
160035, 160039, 160042, 160043, 160045
153531, 154294, 154328, 154645, 154651
158170, 158184
152874, 154306
185
A-4 SQUADRONS
APPENDIX IV
A-4 Squadrons
US Navy US Marine Corps
RESERVE SQUADRONS
TRAINING SQUADRONS
VMTNMAT-l02
VMTNMAT-l03
VMTNMAT-203
HEADQUARTER/MAINTENANCE
SQUADRONS/MALS
Aggressors
Bulldogs
Outlaws
Angels
H&MS-ll
H&MS-12
H&MS-13
H&MS-15
H&MS-24
H&MS-31
H&MS-32
H&MS-33
H&MS-37
H&MS-42
H&MS-49
Hawks
Green Knights
Bantam Bombers
Diamondbacks
Dragons
Skyhawks
Flying Gators
VMA-121
VMA-124
VMA-131
VMA-133
VMA-134
VMA-142
disestablished before
converted to A-4
Cowboys
Wake Island Avengers
Devil Cats
Black Sheep
Bulldogs
Bengals
Vikings
Tomcats
Game Cocks
Vagabonds
Bumblebees
VMA-533
VMA-543
VMA-112
VMA-113
VMA-211
VMA-212
VMA-214
VMA-223
VMA-224
VMA-225
VMA-242
VMA-311
VMA-322
VMA-324
VMA-331
VMA-332
VMA-343
REGULAR
FLEET SQUADRONS RESERVE SQUADRONS COMPOSITE SQUADRONS
VA-12 Flying Ubangis VA-203 Blue Dolpins VC-l Unique Antiquers/Blue Ali
VA-15 Valions VA-204 Terci Pel os VC-2 Usus Ubiques/Blue Falcons
VA-22 Fighting Redcocks VA-205 Green Falcons VC-5 Checkertails
VA-23 Black Knights VA-209 Air Barons VC-7 Tally-Hoers
VA-34 Blue Blasters VA-21 0 VC-B Fireballers
VA-36 Road Runners VA-303 Golden Hawks VC-l0 Proud Pelicans (at Gitmo)
VA-43 Challengers I-RAG VA-202 VC-12 Fighting Omars
VA-44 Hornets EC-RAG VA-304 Firebirds VC-13 Saints
VA-45 Blackbirds I-RAG VA-305 Lobos
VA-46 Clansmen VA-776
VA-55 War Horses VA-B31
ADVERSARY SQUADRONS
VA-56 Champions VA-B73 VF-43 Challengers
VA-64 Black Lancers VA-B76 VF-126 Fighting Seahawks
VA-66 Waldomen VSF-76 Saints VF-127 Desert Bogies
VA-72 Blue Hawks VSF-B6 Gators VFC-12 Fighting Omars
VA-76 Fighting Spirits VFC-13 Saints
VA-Bl Sunliners VF-l01KW Grim Reapers
ANTI-SUBMARINE FIGHTER
VA-B3 Rampagers VF-171KW
VA-86 Sidewinders
SQUADRONS
VA-93 Blue Blazers VSF-l Warhawks
VA-94 Mighty Shrikes VSF-3 Chessmen
FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION
VA-95 Green Lizards
TEAM
VA-l06 Gladiators 'Blue Angels'
VA-112 Bombing Broncos
TRAINING COMMAND
VA-113 Stingers
SQUADRONS
VA-125 Rough Raiders WC RAG CNATRA Chief of Naval Training
ELECTRONIC AGGRESSORS
VA-126 Bandits I-RAG VAQ-33 Firebirds
VA-l27 Royal Blues I-RAG TW-l (Training Wing One)
VA-133 Blue Knights VT-7 Eagles
VA-134 Scorpions
OTHER
VA-144 Roadrunners TW-2 (Training Wing Two) RVAH-3 Sea Dragons, Albany, GA
VA-146 Blue Diamonds VT-21 Fighting Redhawks
VA-152 Mavericks VT-22 Golden Eagles
VA-153 Blue Tail Flies VT-23 Professionals
RAW (RESERVE AIR WING)
VA-155 Silver Foxes RAW-67 NAS Atlanta, GA '7B'
VA-163 Saints TW-3 (Training Wing Three) RAW-70 NAS Dallas, TX '7D'
VA-164 Ghost Riders VT-24 Bobcats RAW-74 NAS Jacksonville, FL '6F'
VA-l72 Blue Bolts VT-25 Cougars RAW-81 NAS Minneapolis, MN '7E'
VA-192 Golden Dragons RAW-82 NAS New Orleans '7X'
VA-195 Dambusters TW-6 (Training Wing Six) RAW-87 NAS Alameda, CA '6G'
VA-212 Rampart Raiders VT-4
VA-216 Black Diamonds VT-86 Sabre Hawks
NAS Pensacola, T, '23X'
786 787
Glossary
Aero I D fuel tanks 3, 125
150 gallon 34,39,42,50, 14
300 gallon 34,37,39,45,50,127,129
400 gallon 125,142
450 gallon rank 164
D-704 refuelling pod 146
aircraft by type
AD, AD-I Skyraider 11,13,14,36,3,41,46,
96, 110, 114, 117, 139
AJ-I avage 11,46
A-2/XAZD-1 Skyshark II, 56
A3D, A-3 Skywarrior 10,12,14,19,37,41,
46,51,56,64,114,115,118
A-5 Vigilante 114
A-6lntruder 57,65,89,114,115,129,135,
139
A-7 Corsair II 48, 51,62,64,65,6 , 72,89, 102,
110,114,115,119,128,139,163
A-IOWarthog 53
A-20 Havoc II
A-26 Invader II
AV-8B H,lITier 27,81,83,161,170
13-47 II
13- 52 tratofortress I I, I50
C-130 13
D-55 -I kystreak 12
D-55 -2 Skyrocket 12
DT-I 10
E-2 Hawkeye 71
EA-4F 93,96-98
EA-6A Intruder I I, 96
EA-6B Prowler II. 9
ERA-3B 96
E -3A hadow 12
F2 H Banshee I I
F3D Skyknight II
F3H Demon I
F-4 Phantom 1\ 12,41,67,6, 9, 110, 114,
115,119,125,131,133,150,16
F4D-1 Skyray 9, 15, 19,43
F4U Corsair 10, I I, 1
Fj-4 Fury 19,25,5,65,100
F-5E Tiger II 101,168,169
F-8 Crusader 12,15,41,44,71,110,114,116,
117,119,122,129,131-133,13 ,140,175
F9F Panther/Cougar 11, 14, 16, 17, 36, 81
F-14 Tomcat 69,71,89,102
F-15 Eagle 63, 100
F-16N Falcon 71,102,168-170,175
F-84F Thunderstreak 30
F-86 Sabre 14, 26, 106, 156
F/A-18 Hornet 27,49,63,70,81,89,100,
103, 164, 168, 170
F-20 170
F-104 165
F-III 168
G-91 53
Hawk Mk 20 173
Hunter 171
11-2 Beagle 107, 10
KA-3 119,120
KA-6D Intruder 41,119
KC-I 5
KC-I 30 tratoranker 146
Mirage 16
MiG-IS Fagot 11,14
MiG-1770, 103, 106, 166
MiG-19 Farmer 16,166
-156 53
C-I 2 I K Constellation 96
PBM (Martin) 10
P-3K Orion 169
1'-704 173
RA-3 133
RA-5C 114,115,137
RF-8A 55,121,133,137
SBD Dauntless 10
A-4 by variant
XMD-I 12,17,25,28,
A4D 15, 16, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
MD-I 27,28,29,30,31,34,35,36,37.3
64,1,105,157
MD-2 26,34,37,42,45,50,64.81,105,107,
156
A4D-2N 34,45,46,49,51,57,64,81
A4D-3 45,46,57
A4D-4 53, 56
A4D-5 56,57,58
MD-5T 84
A4D-6 58, 62, 65
A-4A 22, 73
A-4AR 83,157,160,161
A-4B 26,40,42,43,44,49,82,98, 10 , 109,
114-116, 135, 147, 156, 157, 159, 160,
165, 170, 172
A-4C 41,46,4,51,55,56,64,66,72, 3,
10,113,116, II ,125,12 ,132-135,
140-142,147,151,157,159,160,171,173
A-4E 51,56-5,64-66,6,70,81, 4, 5,
100-105,10 ,114,116,123,125,126,
129-131,133,134,13 ,140-142,144,
14 ,151,151,156,163,164-166,173,174
A-4F 1,51,57,62,64-68,70-72,74, 2, 3,
6,93,94, 10 102, 10 , 113, 114. 116,
125,134,140,144,145,156,157,161,
163,165,168,171
A-4G 161,163
A-4H 165, 16
A-4K 167, 16 , 170
A-4KU 1,162-164
A-4L 64,71-73,81,100,173,174
A-4M 12, I ,27, 30, 58, 72, 75-78,80- 4,92,
94,101,102,125,160,161,16 ,173-75
A-4N 164-66
A-4P 156, 157
A-4PTM 173
A-4Q 157-160
A-4S 91,170
A-4-SI 172
A-4SU 172
A-4Y 2
CA-4E 156
CA-4F 156
DA-IOI 156
OA-4M I, 93-96, 160, 163, 164
TA-4 40, 9
TA-4A 45,64
TA-4AR 161
TA-4B 45,64
TA-4E 67, 4, 6,90,93,101,156
TA-4F 70, ,1,85- ,90,93,94,96,10
I 16, 146, I 50, 151, 156, 161
TA-4G 161,163
TA-4H 165,166,173
TA-4J 1,70,74, 4, 7,89,91,92,94,95,
97-102, 165, 173, 175
TA-4K 167,16
TA-4K 164
TA-4PTM 173,174
TA-4S 170,171
TA-4SU 171
TCA-4F 156
YA-4E 57
AF-I 174
AF-IA 174
VF avy fighter squadron
VHF Very-High Frequency
V avy anti-suhmarine squadron (aircraft)
VT Navy training squadron (aircraft)
Index
avy attack squadron (aircrafr)
Vice Admiral
avy electron ic warfare squadron
(aircraft)
Navy airborne warning squadron
(aircraft)
Itra-High Frequency
United States Air Force
nited States Marine Corps
nited tates Ship
nited States avy
Newton. equal to 0.225 Ibs. of force
Naval Air Facility
aval Air ration
aval Flight Officer
orh Vietnamese regular Army
TACtical Aid to avigation
Low- Drag General Purpose Bomb
Laser-Guided Bomb
Lieutenant
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Rear Admiral
Radar Homing And Warning System
Radar Warning Receiver
Identify, Friend or Foe
Mark
urface-to-Air Missile
uspension Underwing Unit
Electronic Counter Mea ures
Her Majesty' hip
Head- I' Display
Battleship
Bomb Damage Assessment
Board of Inspection and Surveys
Bureau of Aeronautics
Air-to-Air
Anti-Aircraft Artillery
Air Force Base
Air-ro-Ground
Air-to-Ground Missile
Air Intercept Missile
Airborne, countermeasures, dispensables
Airborne, radar, guidance aid
Airborne, radar, navigational aid
Airborne, radar, special purpose
RAdm
RHAW
RWR
TACA
UHF
USAF
USMC
US
US
AM
SUU
HM
HUD
IFF
LDGP
LGB
Lt.
Lr. Cdr
Lr. Col.
Lt(jg)
Mk
VA
VAdm
V Q
ECM
VAW
N
AF
A
NFO
NVA
CVW
CAG Commander, Air Group
Capt. aptain
Cdr. Commander
ClN PAC Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet
CINCLA T Commander in Chief, Atlantic
Fleet
Colonel
Aircraft carrier, attack
ircraft carrier, battle
Carrier Air Group
Aircraft carrier, light
Aircraft carrier, anti-submarine
Aircraft carrier, anti-submarine Air
Group
Carrier Air Wing
AlA
AAA
AFB
AlG
AGM
AIM
ALE
APG
APN
APQ
1313
BDA
131
BuAer
Col.
CVA
CVB
CVG
CVL
CV
CV G
Lawson, R.L. (cd.), The /-liswry of us o<'al Air
Power (The Military Press, 1985)
Levinson, J., Alfa Strike Viernam, The a,'y's Air
l\'lar, 196410 1973 (Presidio Press, 19 9)
Love, R.W., The /-liSW1)' of the US / avy: Vol. II
1942 - 1991 (Stackpole Books, 1992)
Marolds, E.J., Carrier Operations: The Viel11am War.
(Bantam Books 19 7)
Mersky, 1'.13. Pol mar, ., The aval l\'lar in
Viel11am (Kensington Books, 19 I)
Mersky, 1'.13., U.S. Marine Corl>s A"iation, 19/210
the Prese," ( autical and Aviation Puhlishing,
1997)
lichols, j.B. & Barrett T, On Yankee Srati01]; The
Naml Air l'(Iar over Viel11am (Navallnstiture Press,
1987)
Peacock, L., A-4 SkyllQwk (Osprey, 1987)
McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Variants
(Aviation ews, 1987)
Sharp, Adm USG., Strategy for Defea!: Viel11am in
Pers/>ective (Presidio Press, 1998)
Smith, JT., Rolling Thunder: The Strategic Bombing
Cam/JaigJl, Nonh Viel11am 1965-1968 (Air
Research Publications, 1995)
Linebacker Raids (Air Research Publications, 1999)
Ward, R., McDonnell Douglas A-4A/L Skyhawk in
US -US Marine Corps-Royal Australian avy
Royal etv Zealand Air Force Service (Arco
Publishing, 1971)
Wilcox, R.K., Scream of Eagles (Pocket Books, 1990)
Interviews
Capt Bob Arnold,
Col John J. Caldas, U
Capt Ono E. Krueger, S Ret
Vice-Adm Anthony L. Les , US 1 Ret
Capt W ~ l t e r Olhrich, US Ret
Rear-Adm Paul Peck, USN Ret
Magazines
Air Combm
Air Enlhusiast
Air Fan
Air Forces Monthly
Air Inlemotional
Air/Jower
Air Progress
Avimion Week Space Technology
Combat Aircraft
The Hook
Jane's Defence Weekly
McDonnell DOtlglas SI>jril
laval A,'iOlion News
(Ivai Review
a,'Y Times
The Proceedings
Replica in Scale
Skyhatvk AssociOlion ewslwer
Wings of Fame
Wings of Gold
World Air Power JOllmal
Videos
The A-4 Skyha,vk Swry, Discovery Channel.
Government Publications
S avy NATOI' Manuals, A-4C/L, A-4E/F, A-
4M, TA-4FIJ
S Navy Training Manuals, A4D-I, A4D-2, A4D-
2N
Books
( aval Institute Pres, 1992).
49. Ibid at PI'. 60-61.
50. Smith, John T, Rolling Thunder: The Strategic
Bombing Campaign, onh Viernam, 1965-
1968, p. 2 3 (Air Research Group, 1994).
51. Letter, Vice-Admiral Paul Peck, U N (Ret.),
10 December 1999.
52. Levinson, at p. 51.
53. Levinson, at p. 2.
54. Cagle, Vice Admiral Malcom W. Task Force
77 in Action Off Viel11am, p. 97. aval
Institute Proceeding" May 1972.
55. Kilduff, Peter. Douglas A-4 Sk)'hatvk, p. 104
(Osprey Air Comhat cries, 1983).
56. Ibid at p. 108-109.
57. Ibid at p. 109.
58. Interviews, Col. John Caldas, USMC (Ret.),
Aug-Sept 1999.
59 Ibid
60. Ibid
61. Ibid
62. Ibid
63 Ibid
64. Skyhawk Association ewsletter, spring 1997.
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the Viel11am War (Bantam Books, 19 )
Burden, R A. et aI., Falklands: The Air War (British
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Clancy, T, Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft
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1988)
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VAI-/, VAK, VAL, VAP and VFA quadrons
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Hall, G., To/rgJm (Motorhoob, 19 7)
Hallion, R.P., The ami Air l\'lar in Korea (Nautical
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Falklands (W.W. Norton, 19 3)
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Notes
I. Interview, Capt. Otto E. Krueger,
(Ret.), 4 October 1999.
2. Hallion, Richard 1'., The / aval Air War in
Korea, p. 20 I.
3. Ibid
4. Douglas Aircraft Division, Hiswry of the
avy's Skyhatvks, p. 44, ( en'ice Infonnation
Summary Jan-Feb 1963), quoting from Rahn
Flight Log.
5. Interview, Capt Otto E. Krueger, S
(Ret.), 4 Octoher 1999.
6. Ibid
7. Ibid
8. Letter, Capt Walter E. Ohlrich, Jr., SN
(Ret.), 4 October 1999.
9. Interview, Capt Otto E. Krueger, USN
(Ret.),4 October 1999.
10. Ibid
II. Ibid
12. Ibid
13. Ibid
14. Ibid
15. Ibid
16. Ibid
17. Chinnery, Philip D. FilII Throltle, p. II t.
Martin's Paperback, 1988.
I. Ibid ;H p. I 19.
19. Interview, Capt Otto E. Krueger, SN
(Ret.), 4 October 1999.
20. Letter, Capt Thomas Mariner, U N (Ret.),
Ocroher 1999.
2I. Interview, Capt Bob Arnold, (Ret.), II
Ocroher 1999.
22. Interview, Vice Admiral Anthony A. Less,
5 Ocrober 1999.
23. Ibid
24. Ibid
25. Ibid
26. Ibid
27. Kilduff, Perer, Douglas A-4 Skyhatvk, p. 39
(Osprey Air Combat Serie", 1983) (quoted
with permission of Osprey Press).
2. Nichols, John B. and Barett Tillman. On
Yankee StOlion: The No<'ai Air War Over
Viel11am, p. 3, (Naval Institute Press, 1992).
29. Foster, Capt Wynn F. Ca/nain /-look, p. 39
(Naval Institute Press, 1992).
30. United Srates Naval Operations, Highlights,
Fehruary 1966, p. 3.
31. New York Times, 8 April 1971.
32. Levinson, Jeffrey L., AI{rha Strike Viel11am,The
Na"y'.1 Air War, 1'.75 (Presidio Press, 1989).
33. Interview, Capt Boh Arnold, U N (Ret.), II
Ocroher 1999.
34. Levimon, at p. 80.
35. Ibid at p. 71
36. Interview, Capt. Otto E. Krueger, US
(Ret.), 4 Ocroher 1999.
37. Interview, Capt Bob Arnold, US (Ret.), II
Ocmber 1999.
3. Interview, Capt. Otto E. Krueger, U
(Ret.), 4 Octoher 1999.
39. United tates aval Operations, Highlight"
January 1966, p. I .
4. Ibid at p. II
41. etv York Times, April 1971.
42. Interview, Capt Bob Arnold, U (Ret.), II
Ocmber 1999.
43. Ibid
44. Ibid
45. Ibid
46. Ibid
47. Letter, Harrison 13. Southworth, 10 December
1999.
48. Foster, Capt Wynn F. Ca{rrain /-look, p. 168
788 789

INDEX I'DEX
Paul Doumcr Bridgc 120
Phuc Ycn III, 120
pcrsonaliric"
Alvarez, Everc[[ J. 133
Arnold, Boh 129
Arthur, Stanley R. 89
Boyingrnn, Greg 81
Caldas, John 146, 147, 149, IS0, 152
Chcssman, Sam 120
Compton, Bryan \XI. 142
DaCosta, john 161
Dickson, E. A. 134
Esrocin, Mikc 132
Firch, H. \XI. 62
Fosrer, \XIynn F. 116,135
Heinemann, Ed 11,12,14-17,22,25,29,30,
37,65
Hollo\\'ay, Jamcs L. 105
joncs, Kcn 129
Klusman, Charlcs F. 133
Kruegcr, Otto E. 9, 35, 36,46,49, 120, 124,
125,137,138
Lcss, Anrhony A. 67, 68, 70
Leuc, David 135
Lcv, am 114
McCain, John S. 116
McDonald, David 139
Mc amara, Robcrt S. 133, 134
Mariner, Thom,,, 54
ichols, john 10, I 31
ohle, John D. 146
Ourla\\', Ed\\'ard C. 121
Peck, Paul 132
Rahn, BohO. 12,21,25,26,27,83
Rccdy, J. R. 138
Ricc, K. P. 62
Robcrgc, Francis D. 125
Schwarz, Thcodorc R. 140
Smirh, Homcr 140, 142
Smirh, John T. 132
Smirh, \XIalrcr 168
ourh\\'<lrrh, Harrison B. 129
Stockdalc, Jamcs B. 13
PK- 3 pararafr 36
radar
AN/APG-53 46,47,48,49,73,82
AN/APG-53A 48
AN/APG-53B 47
APG-66 161,168,170
ARG-I 160
TPQ-IO 147,149,150
radios
A /AR -21 TACA
A /ARC-27A HF 32,35, 36,47
A /ARCI54 UHF 174
ARC-5IA UHF 66
ARC-114/-114A VHF/FM 82,94
ARC-159(V) UHF 2,94
AR -52(V) TACA 57,66
AR -118(V)TACA 82,174
Julicr 28 49
KY-28 94
RAG 31,54,93,101,102
RATO/JATO 30, S0, 59,145,146
Rcservc Air \XI ing 64
RA\XI-67 64
RA\XI-70 64
RA\XI-74 64
RA\XI- I 64
RA\XI- 2 64
RA\XI- 7 64
rockcr"
Aern6D 34,123
FFAR 123
HVAR 149
LAU-1036,136
LAU-61 36,123
Quan Lang 120
132, 133
107
132-134
135, 136
117,135,138
119, 142

Air Lighr I50
Barrel Roll 117, 133, 135
Blue Bar 31,104
Blue Tree 134, 144
Desen SlOnn 164
Dewey Canyon I 5I
Endswee/J I I 3
Flaming Dan I34
Freedom Train I I3
Lam Son 7I9 145, 151
Linebacker I I I, 128, 144
Niagara I SO
O/J LA -34-A
Op Plan 3/2
Pierce ATrOW
Piranila 147
Prolid Deep AI/Jha 145
Rolling Hlinder 111,116,119,134,142
Star/ite 146
Za/Jata 107
NAF EI Ccnrro 43, 100
AVPAC
A /ARN-14E 36,42
Naval Fighrcr \XIeapons School 96, 100
Naval Air S[<lrion (NA5)
Bccvillc 89
Cecil Field 45, 50, 168
Corpus Chrisri 89
Cuhi Poinr 63,94
Fallon 67, 4
Key \XIc"r 68
Kingsville 9,9
Lemoore 54, 64, 7, 93, 161
Meridian 9
Miramar 72,94
Moffir Field 8
Oceana 51
Patuxcnt Rivcr 19,27,82
Pcnsacola 89
Rooscvclr Roads 71, 94, 98
cw Zealand 166
Royal Air Forcc (RNZAF) 166

o. 75 167

AIM-9 36,44,50,58,100,101,109,123,
157,163,168,170,171,174

AGM-12 Bullpup 39,50,56,64,110, III,
125, 137, 139, 140, 14
AG 1-45 Shrike 36,49, 125, 130, 131,
13 -141, 14 ,164
AGM-62 \XIalleyc 56,64, 119, 125, 140,
142, 164
AGlvl-65 Maverick 36, 76, 82, 161, 164,
170, 172
AGM-78 Standard 36, 125, 132
AGM-88 HARM 49
surfacc-ro-air 107,129,139,142,144,145,160
SA-2 39,116,121,125,131,138,157
SA-7 165
su,-facc-ro-surfacc
Exoccr 96
Silkworm 96
S-4 Sandal 107
S-5 kan I 7
Mongoosc 7, 72
Mulriplc Ejccrion Rack!> (MER) 124, 12 , 135
Road
Sleel Tiger
TARCAP
missilcs
Lascr Spor Trackcr (LST) 78
LAU-7 launch rail 36
Lchanon Crisis 56, 104, 106
Lighr \XIcighr Laser (L\XIL) 93
Malaysia 173
Tentra Udara Diraja 173
"quadrom
No.6 174
0.9 174
Marine Air Group" (MAG)
MAG-3 3
MAG-II 145,151
MAG-12 145,146, ISO, 151
MAG-13 151
MAG-16 145
MAG-36 145
MAG-42 83
Marinc Corps Air Srations (MCA
Beaufort 107
Cherry Point 5I, 95, 96, 107
EI Toro 66,96
Iwakuni 96, 152
Kancohe Bay 10
Yuma 44, 164
Marine VMA carrier deployment" 53
missions
Close Air SlIPlJOn 159
Iron Hand 64,110,119-23,125,129-132,
138, 142
nuclcar mission 35
Kcp airfields III, II ,119,120,140
Khe anh 144,149,150,151
Kuwair 163, 164
Free Kuwair Air Forcc 164
DEFA cannon 164, 165
HiPcg 14
Mk436,125
Mk II 36,45, 144
Mk 12 36,45, 105
SUU-23 172
Indoncsia 173
Israel 165
Hel'l Ha' Avi" 165
squadrons
o. 102 164
jammer poc)", ECM cquipmcnt
ALR-39 17
ALR-66 R\XIR 170
ALR-93V( I) R\XIR 161
A /ALE-29A chaff unir 66, 131
A /ALQ-167 1,9
A /ALQ-IOOECM 65
AN/ALQ-5IA ECM 131
AN/ALQ-81 131
AN/APR-23 131
AN/APR-25 RHA\XI 131
A /APR-27 131
AN/APS-107 RHA\XI 131
AN/A T-4 96, 9
Elra chaff sysrem 166
Projecr Shoe Hom 66, 123, 131
UU-4 /A Flare pod 172
Haiphong 111,120,125,132,133,138-140,145
Hanoi S0, II I, 116, 120, 125, 13 -140, 142
Head-Up-Display (HUD) 30, 2
Ellior 82,165,166
Fcrranti 45 I 169, 170
GEC larc<lI1i 41 SO 172
Scxrant mart 161
HoChi Minh Trail 120,133,135,136,138,145,
151
hor refuel 40
ejection seats
Escapac
I 18,35,157
lA-I 57
IG I
AMC Type II
engines
Anmtrong Siddeley Sapphire
GE F404-GE-IOOD 172
GEj79 156
J52 45
J52-P-6 57,94
J52-P-408 67,69,72,75,82,96, 164, 174
J52-P-8A 86,93,94, 156
J65-\XI-2 16, 17,22
J65-\XI-4B 2
J65-\XI-16A 47,157,171
j65-\XI-1 3
J65-\XI-20 50,157,171
Rolls-Royce RB 16 5pey 156
TF-3 65
cxrernal power unir, RCPP-I OS 34
France
ships
Foch 175
Cfemenceall I75
Falklands \XIar 157
Flccr Readincss Squadrons (FRS) see also
RAG 27,31,54
flighr rcsr programmc 26
folding-wing A-4 33
Forward Air Conrrollcr (FAC) 1,84, 8,95,
117,149-151
Gia Lam 120
Gulf of Tonkin 132-134, 138, 145
guns and gun pods
Adcn cannon 171
Colr Mk 12 16, 33, 36, 171
D-704 refuclling store 36,37,41,45
Da ang 93,104,145-147,151
Dixie Srarion 104, III, 112, 116, 117, 119,124,
138
drag chure 51,77,82,171,174
Douglas Aircrafr Company 10
KB-IOA srill picrurc 66,67
LB-18/A camcra pod 36
canrcd rcfuelling prohc 94
Carricr Air Groups (CVG)
CVG-9 114
CVG-IO 107
CVSG-53 44
CVSG-55 147
CVSG-57 146
VSG-60 39
Carrier Air \XIing" (CV\XIs)
CV\XI-I 48,110,114,12
CV\XI-2 65, 114
CV\XI-5 57, 10
CV\XI-7 129
CV\XI- III
CV\XI-9 114-16
CV\XI-IO 39,108,126
CV\XI -I I 28, I I , 121
CV\XI-14 114, 119
CV\XI-16 116,117,129,138
CV\XI-19 67, 132
CV\XI-21 114
CV\XIR-20 73
Car Bi 120
China Lakc \XIC 76
Chu Lai 30, 50,93,104,143-147, ISO, 151
conrrol srick!> 63
crankcd prohe 2
Cuhan Missile Cri"is 31, I 7, I
cameras
DBM-4A 16mm motion picture 66
Bay of Pigs 31, 107
Bicn Hoa 104, 151
BI 27
Bille Angels 1,67,69,70,97
homhs
c1usrcr bomb unlr 123, 131
CB -59 APAM 36
CB -59/B 7, 164
CB -72 FAE 36
Mk 20 36, 123, 14
Mk serics 5, 123, 126
Mk 80 56,64
Mk 81 36, 50,123,128,148
Mk 82 34, 36, 50,93, 119, 123, 129, 133,
148, 158, 164
Mk 83 34, 36, S0, 93, 104, 105, 123, 143,
148, 149
Mk 4 34,36, S0, 123, 125, 139, 14
mulri-carriagc homh rack 62
napalm Mk 77 123, 152
nakeye 124, 131, 135, 149, IS0, 152, 164
spccial wcapons 16
B-43 36
B-57 36
B-61 36
Mk 8 34
Mk 9 57
MkI217,34,66
Mk 91 34
Boguc Field 77
Brazil 174
ships
Minas Gerais 175
squadrons
VFA-I 174
VT-7 174
Brirish ships
HMS Anlelope IS
HMS Ardenr IS
HMS Argonaw 158
HMS Ark Royal 31
HMS Avenger 159
HMS Brillianr 157
HMS Broadsword 159
IIMS Covenrry 158, 159
HMS Exeter IS
HMS Glasgow 157
HMS Hennes 157
HM Invincible 157,159
HMS Majeslic 161
HM Venerable 157
HM Vengeance 175
RFA Sir Galahad 159
RFA Sir Trislram 159
AN/ARA-25 direcrion finder 32, 36
AN/APX-46 IFF 165
AN/APX-6B IFF 32, 36
AN/APX-72 IFF 168
AN/ARN-12 36,42
A /AP -141 radar alrimcrcr 49
AN/ASQ-17IEP 32,47
AN/ASN-19A dcad-rcckoning 38
A /APN-153(V) 57
A /ARA-50 dirccrion findcr 66
A /ARA-63 IL 66
ARB 82,94,161,164
A /ARR-69 aux. receiver 66
A /ASN-41 navigarion compurcr 66
Conrrol srick!> 63
Fcrranrill -D-IIOlsighr 171
GEC Avionic Arlanric FUR 172
HOTAS 63,161,170
LN-93 lascr INS 172
Mk 9 ross bomb sysrcm 57
T-2 Buckeye 69
T-45 Goshawk 89,99
TA-7C 96
TBD Devastator
TF-9 Cougar 54,89,94, 151
S- 3 Viking 89
Sca Harricr 159
aircrafr carricrs (US)
America (CV 66) I 14
Bennington (CVS-20) 39, 10
Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) 57,10,110,
115,134, 140, 144
Cl!115lellation (CV 64) 114, 119, 132, 133, 135,
139, 145
Coral Sea (CV43) 110,116,121,134,135,
13 ,144,145
Enrerprise (CVN 65) 31,41,90,107,110,
113-116, 119, 132, 137, 138, 142
Essex-class 10,67, 122, 144
Essex (CV 9) 31,39,43, 56,86, 104-08, 110
Forreswl (CV 59) 56, 108
Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV 42) 32,48, 106, 110,
12
Hancock (CV 19) 50,67,71,93,106,10,
110, III, 113, 114, 134, 139, 140, 143-145
Homer (CV,-12) 39,123,146
Inde/Jendence ( V 62) 104,107,125,12,129
/nrre/Jid (CV,-II) 39,43,10,110,114,116,
119,123,126,135,144
John F. Kennedy (CV 67) 5I, 73
Kearsage (CVS-33) 39,44,10,133
Kitt)'Hawk(CV63) 110,115,117, 11,121,
133, 138, 140
LexinglOn (CVS-16) 40,89,90, 106
Midway-class 10
Midway (CV 41) 65,100,106, III, 116, 125,
135,138,141,146
Oriskany (CV 34) 105,110, III, 116, 117,
119,127,129,136,142
Randolph (CVA-15) 56, I 7,109
Ranger(CV61) 41, 11,114,115,124,130,
131,133,134,139,144
Saratoga (CV 60) 41,56,104,107
Shangri-La (CV 3) 9,28,51,106,107, II
III
Ticonderoga (CVA 14) 27,36,67,110,114,
120, 132, 133, 13 , 139
Unired Slates (CVA 58) II
Valley Forge (CVA 45) 14
\'(/as/J (CV-18) 56,105
Yorktown (CVS-IO) 39,110,123,147
AirResearch Company 22, 25
alpha strikes 117,119,120,122,129,132,137,
13 , 140
Anri-Aircrafr Artillcry (AAA) 65,116,120,125,
131,13 ,139,142,145, ISO, 16
Argenrina 156
Comando dc Aviacion aval
Argcnrina 157-159
Fucrza Aerea Argenrina 156
ships
ARA General Belgrano 157
Veinrrino De Mayo I57
A Shau Val Icy 151
Australia 161
ships
HMA Melhollme 161, 163
HMAS Sydney 163
squadrons
724 squadron 161, 163
OS squadron 163
VC-724 163
VF-' 5 161,163
avionics
AAU-19 counrcr-drum airspced V<lriarion 49
AJB-3 LABS 32,45,49,57
AIMS rranspondcr 66
ALQ-45(V) homing warning sysrcm 65
190 191
LA -6 36, 123
LA -69 36, 123
EB 6 mm 172
Zuni 5,63,74,122,131-133,135,136,
139-142,144,14 ,149
Route Packages III, 112, 119, 120, 13 , 14 , 144
an Carlos Water 159
Shorr Airficid for Tactical upporr( AT) 143,
145,146,171
Singapore 170
Repuhlic of Singapore Air Force 170
squadrons
No. 141 171
No.142 171,172
No. 143 171, 172
No.145 171
squadrons (US)
Navy
RVAH-7 114
RVAH-3 94
VA-12 38,42,45,48,51,106,110,114,
141
VA-IS 43,106,10,114
VA-2Z 10,141
VA-23 44,57,65,67,125,135,138,141,
149
VA-34 31,106
VA-36 10,115,119,133
VA-43 90,101,102
VA-44 31,54,64,93,16
VA-45 101,102
VA-46 50
VA-55 10,110,113,133,139,145
VA-56 133
VA-64 127
VA-66 II
VA-72 27,36,51,64, II ,114,123,128,
129
VA-75 129
VA-76 114,140
VA- I 51
VA- 2 114
VA- 3 105,123
VA-86 104, 109, 114
VA-93 27,36,43,64,113,115,131
VA-94 46,50,57,108, liS, 131, 132, 137
VA-95 111,108,114
VA-106 106-108
VA-112 118,121
VA-113 28,142
VA-113Der.Q 39,108
VA-I22 102
VA-125 27,31,54,64,87,90,93,161,171
VA-126 90
VA-I27 54,91,94,101,103
VA-144 57,93,108,132,133
VA-145 133
VA-146 132,139
VA-147 114,139
VA-152 64
VA-153 134,135
VA-153Der.R 39,10
VA-ISS 134
VA-163 105,116,127-129,135
VA-164 65,93,110,127-129,145
VA-165 93
VA-I72 55,110,114
VA-I92 51,67,132
VA-195 64,93,120
VA-203 64, 72, 73
INDEX
VA-204 64,66,72
VA-205 64, 72
VA-209 64, 72
VA-212 10, II ,134,140,142,145
VA-216 41,134,142
VA-303 64
VA-304 64
VA-305 64
VA-776 64
VA-831 64
VA- 73 64
VAH-4 114
VAQ 33,96-9
VAQ-34 98
VC-I 94,99,100,103
VC-2 94, 100
VC-5 94, 100
VC-7 94,100
VC-8 71,94,98,100
VC-IO 94,97,98
VC-12 100,103
VC-1387,103
VF-31 41
VF-43 70,94
VF-45 68, 7 , 94
VF-51 133
VF-IOI 102,103
VF-IOI Der. KW 103
VF-121 100
VF-126 67,70,71, 5,94,101,102
VF-127 67,71
VF-142 133
VF-143 133
VF-171 68,71,103
VF-171 KW 103
VFA-126 102
VFA-127 71,102, I
VFC-12 70,103
VFC-13 70, 100, 103
VFP-62 56
VSF-I 39, liS
VSF-3 39,10, liS, 116
VSF-76 100
VSF-86 100
VT-4 94
VT-7 84,89,90,94
VT-21 89,90, 92, 94
VT-2Z 89,92,94,99
VT-24 89,94
VT-25 89,94
VT-86 89,94,95
VX-5 62, 77, 124
Marine Corps
H&MS-II 93,151
H&MS-12 93,96
H&M -13 93, lSI
H&M -15 146,147
H&M -15 Der. 39
H&MS-24 7
H&M -31 ,100
H&M -32 95,96
VMA-41 I
VMA-121 1,107,146
VMA-124 72, I
VMA-131 26,27,59,79, I, 3
VMA-132 74
VMA-133 I
VMA-142 72
VMA-211 34,36,45,63, I, 3, 145-147,
15 152
VMA-214 1,145-147
792
VMA-2Z3 146,147,151,151
V IA-2Z3 Ocr. T 39, 74, I
V IA-2Z4 27, 1,146
V IA-2Z5 51,53, 1,145-147
V IA-242 107
V -IA-311 34, 1,145-147,151,152
VMA-322 I
VMA-324 77, 2, I 7
VMA-331 I, 2,107
VMA-332 52, 1,10
VMA-343 I
VMA-533 107
VMA-543 72,
VMAT-101 54
VMAT-102 22,54,74,1,92,93
VMAT-103 81
VMGR-152 146
VMGR-352 146
VMT-102 I
VMT-203 54,81
sugar scoop fairing 26
Super Echo 57
Super Fox 101
tah-pole rudder 26, 40
Tam Da Bridge 131,137
Task Force 77 I 10, 1I I, I 16, 121, 138, 142, 144,
148
TaskForce79 157
Tet Offensive 144, 150
Thanh Hoa Bridge 43, III, 119, 120, 13 -39,
142, 144
thermal shields 31,35
three-panel windshield 26, 30
Tonkin Gulf 132-33
Top Gun 67,70-72, 5, 100
towed decoys
AQM-37A supersonic target 9
RQM-14 98
TBU-2ZB 99
TDU-IO I 3
TraCom 89
CNATRA 89
TraCom 3 9
TW 9
TW-I 89
TW-2 89
TW-3 89
TW-4 89
TW-5 89
TW-6 89
Triple Ejection Rack (TER) 124,12,129,142,
172
US ships
U S Maddox 132, 133
USS elll Jersey 146, 151
S Pueblo 64, 144
USS Tumer Joy 132, 133
Whitcomb Btxlies 56
wing drop phenomenon 23, 26
VAL competition 59,62,65, 72
vortex generators 23, 26, 75
Yankee tation 104,111,112,116,117,119,
124,131,144
Yom Kippur War 164,166