First Flight:
The prototype of the A4D (later redesignated A-4) Skyhawk made its maiden flight on June 22, 1954.
“Heinemann’s Hot Rod”:
As U.S. forces fought the Korean War, famed Douglas Aircraft Company engineer Ed Heinemann was concerned about the increasing weight and corresponding cost of jet fighters. He set our to reverse that trend by designing a lightweight fighter that maximized performance. When he presented it to the U.S. Navy, he received word that the sea service was already pursuing other fighter designs, but there might be a future for a jet-powered light attack airplane. In just two weeks time, he had modified his proposal and received authorization from the Navy to proceed with a formal design.
Saving weight wherever possible, Douglas engineers created a compact and maneuverable aircraft that could carry an array of ordnance. It was also fast, with LT Gordon Grey establishing a 500-kilometer closed-circuit world’s record with and average speed of 695.163 M.P.H. These attributes inspired the nicknames “Heinemann’s Hot Rod,” “Scooter,” and “Tinker Toy,” the latter because of the airplane’s small size.
Design:
The A-4 incorporated a small delta wing that eliminated the need for a heavy wing-folding mechanism for improved storage on board aircraft carriers. Additionally, engineers reduced the number of cockpit components and redesigned the pilot ejection system in order to reduce weight. Other measures included elimination of a heavy duty battery in favor of a fuselage- stored wind-driven generator, the removal of a back-up hydraulic system through use of gravity-dropped landing gear, and installation of a simplified air conditioning system that was one third the weight of those then available.
Vietnam Workhorse:
A-4s participated in the first strikes of the Vietnam War in response to attacks against American destroyers in the Tonkin Gulf in August 1964. In the skies over Vietnam, Skyhawks logged more combat missions than any other naval aircraft, including notable strikes against bridges and power plants in North Vietnam and close air support of troops engaged in ground combat in South Vietnam. Among those who flew the aircraft was Lieutenant Commander Michael Estocin, who during a flight on April 20, 1967, neutralized three surface-to-air missile sites in a strike over Haiphong, North Vietnam, and subsequently made a fiery carrier landing in his badly damaged A-4. Shot down five days later, he received the Medal of Honor posthumously.
All told, 195 carrier-based Skyhawks fell to enemy fire during the Vietnam War. Among the pilots forced to eject from them and taken prisoner were Medal of Honor recipient Commander (later Vice Admiral) James B. Stockdale and Lieutenant Commander (later Senator) John S. McCain, III.
Lengthy Service:
The final Skyhawk rolled off the assembly line in February 1979, the last of nearly 3,ooo built. In addition to front-line service, A-4s equipped the Blue Angels during the period 1974-1986 and served as adversary aircraft at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). Two-seat versions trained thousands of Naval Aviators and export versions operated with six foreign air forces.
The Museum’s Aircraft:
Four examples of the A-4E/F Skyhawk displayed in the museum “fly” in diamond formation as centerpieces of the Blue Angel Atrium. Three of the four actually flew flight demonstrations with the team. All four aircraft flew multiple combat tours with Navy and Marine Corps squadrons during the Vietnam War. An A-4E displayed at the museum entrance honors the Vietnam-era VA-163 Saints and VA-164 Ghost Riders. It once flew as an adversary at TOPGUN.