McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk

1954

Back to the Virtual Aircraft Museum
  FIGHTER-BOMBER, ATTACKVirtual Aircraft Museum / USA / McDonnell Douglas  

McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk

Designed originally to provide the US Navy and Marine Corps with a simple low-cost lightweight attack and ground support aircraft, the Skyhawk was based on experience gained during the Korean War. Since the initial requirement called for operation by the US Navy, special design consideration was given to providing low-speed control and stability during take-off and landing, added strength for catapult launch and arrested landings, and dimensions that would permit it to negotiate standard aircraft carrier lifts without the complexity of folding wings.

Construction of the XA-4A (originally XA4D-1) prototype Skyhawk began in September 1953 and the first flight of this aircraft, powered by a Wright J65-W-2 engine (32 kN), took place 22 June 1954. A total of 2,960 A-4 Skyhawks was built. The last one was built in 1979.

A4D-1 Skyhawk (1956)

Specification 
 CREW1
 ENGINE1 x P+W J-52-P-8A, 41.4kN
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight11110 kg24493 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan8.4 m28 ft 7 in
  Length12.6 m41 ft 4 in
  Height4.6 m15 ft 1 in
  Wing area24.2 m2260.49 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed1100 km/h684 mph
  Range w/max.fuel3200 km1988 miles
 ARMAMENT2 x 20mm machine-guns, bombs, missiles, torpedos

3-View 
McDonnell Douglas A-4 SkyhawkA three-view drawing (1000 x 474)

Comments1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120
Louis Roath, e-mail, 25.02.2011 16:02

I started with the A-4E with VMA-332 at Cherry Point (1965), from there to Vietnam joining VMA-214 flying the A-4C. Back to Cherry Point and the TA-4F with VMAT-203. I did fly an A-4A one time on a maintenance test flight in Pensacola. I once flew a "C Model" through a tree in Vietnam at 450 knots and it brought me home. Not only a fun airplane, but pretty dam tough.

reply

Joe DeMarco, e-mail, 23.02.2011 16:10

Retiered Marine A4 Mechanic, VMA-133, H&HS-12, and VMA-134. I also had the honor of flying back seat in the TA4-J (300 hours). She was tough to work on but when she flew there was no better feeling.

reply

uncle-mac, e-mail, 11.02.2011 22:31

Forgot, A4s from coast to coast in the ferry comand. A4As to Ds did not take off well on a hot day. A4Es were a diferent bird. A4 one day, F8 the nex, and a A1 the next, Any right seat the next and back to an A4 to get back to North Island

reply

uncle-mac, e-mail, 11.02.2011 21:51

Flew the A4B /C at Pt Mugu along with the F8 and F1 and the T-bird. Most fun was taking Frank Mz out for practice before he became a Blue, #4 Where did he go? and where did class 7-57 go? This was in the early 60's.

reply

Ron Bowden, e-mail, 24.01.2011 23:55

I worked on every model A4, from A thru E, at El Toro, Iwakuni, Viet Nam, and Los Alimitos. It was a good plane from a mechanical stand point - hydraulics was my MOS. After nine years in the Corps, I used that training in the civilian world as an industrial Hydraulics Mechanic.

reply

Paul E,. Nichols, e-mail, 24.01.2011 07:56

McDonnell Aircraft or McDonnell Douglas never had anything to do with this aircraft. It should be in the Douglas File.
We often reffered to this aircraft as Ed Heineman's Hot Rod.
I attended a lecture given by William Balhouse and Ed Heineman discussing the optimazation of size for a fighter. Balhouse bragged how they were going to use a computer to do it. Heineman say they had done it already the old fashioned way. Thus the A-4 was born. That lecture was in 1954.

reply

Greg "Bug" Stevenson, e-mail, 16.01.2011 09:03

USMC '79-'92. 1600 hours of mostly A-4 time: TA-4 Js and Fs, A-4 Fs,Super Fs, and Mikes, and the OA-4 at HAMS 12 in Iwakuni... VMAT-102, VMA-311, and VMA-133. Great Airplane! Second the thought about the little jet being designed primarily to carry an atomic weapon. Mr Heinemann
told us this personally at a squadron dinner in his honor in 1984. Best Blue Angel airshow bird, ever!

reply

Gary D McMillan, e-mail, 16.12.2010 19:23

I worked on the TA4J at NAS Kingville with VT-21 in the mid 70's, Flew backseat on rescue flights to fix down a /c. In the late 80's at Nas Dallas, was asigned to OMD,we had 4 A4's. We went to Top Gun and played the bad guys. In 1990 we aquired 4 A4M's from the USMC and dehumped them and made them into the 'Mighty Mike', light and very fast.That was agreat time and agood place to retire.

reply

AOC James F Shaw, e-mail, 12.12.2010 02:59

Worked with the TA4 at Nas Pensacola (VT-4) Great A /C for an Ordnanceman. Remember the great times we went to MCAS Yuma for Pilot Training on Weapons. 1979-81

reply

Bill Doody, e-mail, 04.12.2010 19:33

Flew the A4D - 1 in VA - 12 out of Cecil Field in Jacksonville Florida.After flying the F7U - 3 Cutlass our squadron welcomed the Skyhawk in June 1957 with some wide smiles and relief.

We took the A4D aboard the USS Ranger CVA 61 in October of '57 and our Skipper Marshall " Pete" Deputy was the first pilot of an operational jet squadron to land aboard.Event celebrated with a big cake. CDR Deputy also was awared the Navy Cross in WW ll.

reply

john D. Henry, USMC, Retired m, e-mail, 02.12.2010 17:47

I was fortunate to have served in Marine A4 squadrons from early 1962 on. I was in VMA-331 at MCAS, Beaufort and later aboard the USS Independence in 70-71. I was with VMA-223 at Chu Lai, South Viet Nam in 66-67. The A4 was a great ordnance platform and not too difficult to maintain. A real work horse airplane. It was the Marine Corps top air to ground attack aircraft during it's time. Marine Naval Aviators who were fortunate enough to log alot of time in this aircraft absolutely loved it. I am sure the A4 could be of great benefit again during the present war in the middle East. A4s forever. Semper Fi.

reply

Mike Jindra ("Buzzard"), e-mail, 18.11.2010 04:35

Flew A-4s (TA-4J & F, A-4E & Fs &M, and the OA-4M) in VT-21, VMAT-102, VMA-331, and H&MS-32. To the best of my knowledge, H&MS-32 was the first squadron of OA-4Ms i the Corps. Got a chance to put my experience as a FAC / ALO / S-3Air for BLT 2 /6 to good use as a "Fast FAC" / TAC(A) shortly after returning to 2nd MAW from 2nd MarDiv in the Med ... when H&MS-32 received its first OA-4Ms. Really miss flying "the fastest tricycle in the West". A-4s Forever! [Still have my T-shirt.] Ron Rhoads, I think we were at MCAS Yuma about the same time. Likewise, Steve Sanford. Semper Fi! to you both ... and to all the other aviators who slipped the surly bonds ... aviating, navigating, and communicating without a "helper". :-)

reply

Old Corps, e-mail, 02.11.2010 06:22

Spent a tour in I Corps RVN with First Marines, underneath these fast movers and the Phantoms. They kept our butts from getting overrun several times. They were like our guardian angels, coming in hot overhead, laying 20mm and HEAT on Charles' party. A big oo-rah to the drivers - you saved a lot of Marines, for sure. Thanks much.
Semper Fi.

reply

Bob Whitehurst, e-mail, 28.10.2010 00:50

The only jet that the pilot ever strapped on to his back rather than the other way around! 2000+ hours in the scooter, then lots of A7 time, but never lost total loyalty to the great A4!

reply

Bear Hildebrandt, e-mail, 27.10.2010 22:19

The mighty SKYHAWK will always be my favorite aircraft.I was lucky enough to accumulate over 3600 hours flying the A-4 in fleet squadrons, as an instructor in the training command, as an instrument guy in VA-45 and as a station puke begging flights at VC-8 in Roosy Roads. What a great bird !

reply

cash, e-mail, 26.10.2010 19:59

your design description wrong. ed heiemann designed the A4 over the weekend at his kitchen table to give the navy a true atomic weapon capibility, viz., for the A4 to carry the Mark 7 weapon. that's why the A4 had the high spindley landing gear to clear the MK 7 diameter.

reply

Ted (Bear) Langworthy, e-mail, 25.10.2010 05:15

Made 3 full cruises,Saratoga(Med),Enterprise(Nam),America(Med),from 63-67. Over 1700 hrs. and the first Naval Aviator to make over 500 carrier traps in one squadron and one tour. I trusted my life to the "Scooter" and she never let me down. The only marriage,so far, that did not end with a divorce!!

reply

Carl Volinski, e-mail, 22.10.2010 20:06

I flew the A-4 C,E,F,M and TA-4 over a seven year period and flew with VMA-211 out of Chu Lai. Was also in VMA-214, the Blacksheep squadron a couple different times and met Pappy Boyington and had him sign the book. What a great little aircraft it was.

reply

DAVID L. CLEVENGER, e-mail, 18.10.2010 20:27

I WAS ATTACH TO VA-36 (ROADRUNNERS) AT CECIL FIELD FLA. 65 THEY HAD THE A4C-SKYHAWK. ONE OF THE BEST LITTLE AIRCRAFT I'VE EVER SEEN ALTHOUGH YOU NEVER HEAR OR SEE ANYTHINGB ABOUT IT. I WENT WITH THE A4 ON THE USS ENTERPRISE TO VIETNAM. SHE WAS A GREAT PLANE.

reply

John Lyons, e-mail, 14.10.2010 04:23

Attached to VA-155 1960-1963 as an AE we had (A4D-2s at the time then the nomenclature to A4Es). Even though I had all the schools for AE I preferred the action on the Flight Deck (and Flight Line at Moffett and then one of the first at LeMoore). 2 full cruises on CVA 43, Coral Sea. Spent many happy hours on, in and around the scooters. Plane captain and crew leader. I think I actually was required to spend 2 months in the shop prior to ending my enlistment. hey wanted to get a few hours of work from me for all the schooling! After college I tried to get into Naval Aviation, passed everything but was 3 months too old. Was offered back seater type work (this was 1969. Back seat in a F4?? No way! Became Comm. Instr. CFI I later, but no fun compared to the A4 pilots!

reply

1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120

Do you have any comments?

Name    E-mail


COMPANY
PROFILE


All the World's Rotorcraft


All rhe World's Rotorcraft AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com