Country of origin:

Untied States of America

Description:

Single-seat (A-4) / two-seat (TA-4), shipboard attack aircraft

Power Plant:

(A-4G)

One 9,300 lbst Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8A turbojet

Specifications:

History:

Now more than 65 years old, and after the completion of some 2,960 examples, the last being delivered in February 1979, the Skyhawk series proved to be one of the most versatile shipboard attack aircraft built, and was still in service with a few air forces at the turn of the century. Emanating from a requirement by the US Navy for a jet-powered replacement for the short-lived Douglas Skyshark, the design team, led by Edward Heinemann, produced a light-weight, single-engine, carrier-based, high-performance, daylight attack aircraft capable of being employed in the close-support, dive-bombing, and interdiction roles with either nuclear or conventional weapons.

The prototype, the XA4D-1 (serial 137812) made its first flight on 22 June 1954, and two years later the type entered service with the US Navy. On 15 October 1955 at Muroc (later Edwards Air Force Base), the A4D-1 established a new 500 km (311 miles) closed-course speed record of 1,118.5 km/h (695.13 mph).   Designed as a small aircraft with high load-carrying capability, the first three major production models were powered by the Wright J-65 turbojet, which was an Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire built under licence. The small wingspan did not require a wing-folding mechanism for carrier operations.

Development led to the A4D-5, with the Pratt & Whitney J-52 engine, which offered increased thrust, range, and load-carrying capability. It was also fitted with improved avionics. During 1961 the American armed forces changed the designations for aircraft. The A4D-1 became A-4A; the A4D-2 became A-4B; the A4D-2N became A-4C; and the A4D-5 became A-4E. A total of 499 Douglas A-4Es was built between 1961 and 1965. The next variant was the Douglas A-4F, the first of which was flown on 31 August 1966. This featured the installation of the Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8A engine of 9,400 lbst, and 146 aircraft were built.

In 1964 the US Navy required a two-seat operational trainer version, and the TA-4F was built. It differed from the single-seater by having its fuselage lengthened by 71.12 cm (28 in) to house a second cockpit. The first TA-4F was flown on 30 June 1965. A number of the 241 Douglas TA-4Fs built were later modified to TA-4J standard, which did not include a weapons launch capability and, due to the weight reduction, were fitted with the less powerful Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6 engine. The first TA-4J flew in May 1969.

The Douglas A-4L resulted from a modification program to raise A-4C variants in US Navy service up to A-4F standard. These were characterised by a dorsal avionics pack and only three wing stations. Some 100 were converted.

The last variant to be built was the Douglas A-4M. Developed specifically for the US Marine Corps, it had an up-rated Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408A of 11,200 lbst engine, a re-designed fin and in-flight refuelling probe, increased internal armament, and a brake parachute. The first A-4M flew on 10 April 1970.

On 26 July 1967 the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) took delivery of eight Douglas A-4G and two TA-4G aircraft, which were the first Skyhawks built solely for export. Virtually identical to the A-4E and TA-4F, the Skyhawks were serialled N13-154904 to N13-154910 [A-4G] and N13-154911 and N13-154912 [TA-4F]. VF-805 Squadron was regularly based on board ‘HMAS Melbourne’ and, when not deployed, the squadron was usually based at ‘HMAS Albatross’ at Nowra, NSW. VC-712 Squadron at Nowra served as a fighter ground-attack and fleet requirements trials-unit operating all the two-seaters and four single-seaters.

In 1971 an additional eight A-4Fs and two TA-4Fs were obtained from US Navy stocks and re-furbished. By early 1982, due to attrition, ten Skyhawks remained in service, comprising eight A-4Gs and two TA-4Gs. By mid 1982 ‘HMAS Melbourne’ had been withdrawn from operational service, the new Australian Labor Government cancelling plans for a new RAN carrier, and all Skyhawks were transferred to Nowra. Subsequently most were stored, but four were kept airworthy and operated by Squadron VC-724 for target towing and fleet support work.

The Skyhawk has also served with the RNZAF. Fourteen aircraft were obtained in 1970 to serve in the fighter/bomber role, consisting of ten A-4Ks (NZ6201 to NZ6210), and four two-seat TA-4Ks (NZ6251 to NZ6254). These aircraft arrived in Auckland on 14 May 1970 on board the ‘USS Okinawa’ and subsequently were attached to No 75 Squadron based at Ohakea.

At the 1988 Bicentennial Air Show at RAAF Richmond, NSW the RNZAF aerobatic team ‘Kiwi Red’ was equipped with the Douglas A-4.

Republic of Singapore Air Force A-4S Skyhawks have also visited this region for exercises and aviatio events.

The Australian Government made a decision that all fixed-wing flying with the RAN (other than the HS-748s) would cease operation from 30 June 1984 and the Skyhawks were withdrawn from use and stored. During the following months negotiations between the Australian and New Zealand Governments were concluded. All ten survivors were flown to New Zealand where they were re-furbished and basically brought up to A-4K standard similar to those already in RNZAF service, becoming NZ6211 to NZ6218 [A-4G]; and NZ6255 to NZ6256 [TA-4G].

Subsequently a second strike unit was formed at Ohakea as No 2 Squadron using these aircraft, this unit also becoming responsible for Skyhawk conversion training. One (NZ6256), a TA-4K (ex 154912), in 1987 was painted in an RNZAF fiftieth anniversary golden colour scheme. Total RNZAF Skyhawk complement at this stage was 17.

In the late 1980s the Australian Department of Defence called for tenders for aircraft to meet a requirement for an aircraft for fleet support, one tender being received for the operation of a flight of six RNZAF Skyhawks, and these were based at ‘HMAS Albatross’ at Nowra for some years thereafter.

In 1999 the then New Zealand Government made a decision to lease 28 General Dynamics F-16s to replace the Skyhawks with the New Zealand squadrons, these aircraft having previously been built for the Pakistan Air Force but having never been delivered. However, there was a change of Government in New Zealand and the contract was cancelled. The New Zealand Government then, as a cost cutting measure, grounded the Skyhawks and Macchi MB-339s, placing the aircraft in storage and offering them on the world market for sale.

In late 2005 the New Zealand Government announced the surviving 17 Skyhawks and 17 MB-339s had been sold to Tactical Air Services in the United States to be used to train pilots in high-performance aircraft for the US and its allies.  However, by late 2008 none of the aircraft had left New Zealand and the contract fell through. Eventually, after years in storage, a couple were retained for museums and the others were exported to the United States.

Other Skyhawks have been seen in this region. One (A-4B – serial 142871 – c/n 11933) was obtained from US stores for the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Nowra. This was painted as an RAN aircraft (A-4G – N13-154906 – code 888) and placed on display. Another, an ex-US Navy A-4L (BuNo 149516) was obtained by the RNZAF Museum on permanent loan from the USN, has been painted as NZ6207 and has been placed on display at Wigram. The forward fuselage of another (ex-USN TA-4J) was purchased by the RNZAF in 1984, for a period being used for student training at Woodbourne before transferred to the RNZAF Museum at Wigram.

In addition a salt-water damaged TA-4 airframe was taken on charge, ex US Navy, and used by the Airframe Reconditioning Squadron at Woodbourne for training and spare parts. The fuselage of an ex US Navy aerobatic team A-4F was also put to similar use in late 1986.

Units of the Singapore Air Force equipped with Skyhawks regularly visited Australia for exercises with the RAAF whilst the Skyhawks remained in service, being based at Williamtown, NSW on these occasions.

In late 2011 the New Zealand Government announced it was disposing of the Skyhawks, with two to go to the RNZAF Museum; one to MOTAT in Auckland; one to the Ashburton Museum; one to Classic Fighters at Tauranga; one to NZ Warbirds at Ardmore; one to the Wanaka Fighter Museum; one to the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka and one to the RAN Museum at Nowra, the latter TA-4G (ex N13-154911) being delivered in April 2012 by RAAF C-17.

The remaining eight aircraft were sold to JDI Holdings, an American company, along with spare engines and spare parts, this company proposing to restore them to airworthiness. After arriving in the United States Draken International restored the airframes to airworthiness, describing them as “the New Zealand Skyhawks are the finest aircraft of their type ever built”.

On 18 August 2016 ex-RNZAF Skyhawk TA-4K NZ6251, then operating as N140EM from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, whilst approaching to land following a mission during Exercise Red Flag 16-4 suffered an in-flight emergency and crashed north of the air base, the pilot ejecting from the aircraft.