VMA-224 Scrap Book
A-4 Skyhawk
 Skyhawk Photos  
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The A-4 Skyhawk is a light-weight, delta winged, single-engined, carrier-capable attack aircraft designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. The Skyhawk  was  first flown on June 22, 1954, entered service in October of 1956, and was retired by the Marine Corps in 1998 and by the Navy in 2003.   2,960 aircraft were built with early  production  costs  of  $860,000 per  unit.  

The Skyhawk was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine and from the  A-4E  onwards by the Pratt & Whitney J52 engine. The Skyhawk's maximum take off weight was 24,500 pounds and had a top speed of more than 600 miles per hour.    With  five hardpoints,  the A-4 could support  a  variety  of missiles, bombs and other munitions and was capable of delivering nuclear weapons.  Internal  20 mm Colt cannons and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles were utilized for air-to-air defense.  

Skyhawks were  the  primary light  bomber 
used over North Vietnam by the Navy  and 
Marine Corps during the early years of the 
Vietnam War and carried out some of  the 
first air strikes by the US during the conflict.  
Three-hundred  and  sixty-two  (362) 
Skyhawks were lost during the  Vietnam 
War  war to all  causes. The first  combat 
loss of an A-4 occurred on August 5, 1964 
when a  Navy A-4 was  shot down  while 
attacking enemy torpedo  boats in  North 
Vietnam. The last A-4 loss in the Vietnam 
War  occurred  on  September 26, 1972, 
when a Marine Corps Skyhawk was hit by 
ground  fire  near  An Loc.

Skyhawks saw service with several countries around the world including Austraila, Argentinia, Brazile, Isreal and the Republic of Singapore.   A-4s would play a  key  role  in  the Yom Kippur War, and the Falklands War . 


McDonnell - Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
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If you like Skyhawk's as much as we do, Click Here to visit the A-4 Skyhawk Association website.