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82-553: The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company , and later, McDonnell Douglas . It was originally designated A4D under the United States Navy 's pre-1962 designation system . The Skyhawk was developed during the early 1950s on behalf of the U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps as

164-464: A daknam (pet name) which is the name used by family and friends and a bhalonam which is their formal name. In England, some nicknames are traditionally associated with a person's surname. A man with the surname 'Clark' will be nicknamed 'Nobby': the surname 'Miller' will have the nickname 'Dusty' (alluding to the flour dust of a miller at work): the surname 'Adams' has the nickname 'Nabby'. There are several other nicknames linked traditionally with

246-639: A major non-NATO ally ). Ejection seats did not work and there were many other mechanical faults. In spite of this, A-4s were still active during the 1982 Falklands War . During the 1982 Falklands War , Argentina deployed 48 Skyhawks (26 A-4B, 12 A-4C and 10 A-4Q aircraft). Armed with unguided bombs and lacking any electronic or missile self-defense, the Skyhawk could not effectively dogfight with Fleet Air Arm (FAA) British Aerospace Sea Harriers . Despite this, Argentine Air Force Skyhawks conducted numerous bombing missions against Royal Navy vessels, sinking

328-644: A POW on 12 February 1973. The last A-4 loss in the Vietnam War occurred on 26 September 1972, when USMC pilot Captain James P. Walsh, USMC of VMA-211 , flying close air support from Bien Hoa Air Base , South Vietnam , was hit by ground fire during the Battle of An Lộc . Captain Walsh ejected safely and was the last U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner during the war. He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973. Although

410-436: A community, promote civic pride, and build community unity. Titles and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans. By contrast, older city nicknames may be critical: London

492-518: A compounding increase in weight in other areas to compensate, creating a demand for more powerful, heavier engines, larger wing and empennage area, and so on in a vicious circle. The A-4 pioneered the concept of "buddy" air-to-air refueling . This allows the aircraft to supply others of the same type, reducing the need for dedicated tanker aircraft—a particular advantage for small air arms or when operating in remote locations. This allows for greatly improved operational flexibility and reassurance against

574-468: A contract for the aircraft on 12 June 1952. On 22 June 1954, the XA4D-1 prototype performed its maiden flight ; it went on to set a world speed record of 695.163 mph on 15 October 1955. On 1 October 1956, the Skyhawk was introduced to operational service. The Skyhawk's five hardpoints support a variety of missiles, bombs, and other munitions. It is capable of carrying a bomb load equivalent to that of

656-403: A person and they are not always chosen by the recipient themselves. Some nicknames are derogatory name calls . A nickname can be a shortened or modified variation on a person's real name. A nickname may refer to the relationship with the person. This is a term of endearment . Many geographical places have titles, or alternative names, which have positive implications. Paris , for example,

738-439: A person's physical characteristics, such as 'Lofty' for a short person, 'Curly' for a bald man, or 'Bluey' for a redhead. In Chinese culture, nicknames are frequently used within a community among relatives, friends, and neighbours. A typical southern Chinese nickname often begins with a "阿" followed by another character, usually the last character of the person's given name. For example, Taiwanese politician Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁)

820-493: A person's surname, including Chalky White, Bunny Warren, Tug Wilson, and Spud Baker. Other English nicknames allude to a person's origins. A Scotsman may be nicknamed 'Jock', an Irishman 'Paddy' (alluding to Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland) or 'Mick' (alluding to the preponderance of Roman Catholicism in Ireland), and a Welshman may be nicknamed 'Taffy' (from Welsh Dafydd , David). Some nicknames referred ironically to

902-496: A rapid increase in drag. The wings of fast subsonic craft such as jet airliners tend to be swept in order to delay the onset of these shock waves. In theory, induced drag is at its minimum when the span wise distribution of lift is elliptical. A number of factors influence induced drag, however, and as a practical matter a wing of elliptical planform, like that of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter of World War II,

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984-481: A replacement for the propeller-driven Douglas A-1 (AD) Skyraider . The A-4 is by comparison, a compact, straightforward, and lightweight aircraft for the era. Its maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg) being roughly half of the Navy's weight specification. The Skyhawk has a short-span delta wing configuration, a tricycle undercarriage , and is powered by a single turbojet engine. The U.S. Navy issued

1066-462: A result. Furthermore, skirmishes between IAF Skyhawks and Arab aircraft of various sorts frequently occurred. In May 1970, an Israeli Skyhawk piloted by Col. Ezra Dotan shot down two MiG-17s over south Lebanon (one with unguided rockets, the other with 30 mm cannon fire) even though the Skyhawk's head-up display had no "air-to-air mode". However, up to three Skyhawks were downed by Egyptian MiG-21s, plus two were downed by Soviet-piloted MiG-21s during

1148-424: A shorter span and, consequently a less efficient wing. Small, low-altitude general aviation planes typically have aspect ratios of six or seven; airliners of 12 or more; and high-performance sailplanes of 30 or more. At speeds above the critical Mach number, the airflow begins to become transonic , with local airflow in some places causing small sonic shock waves to form. This soon leads to the shock stall , causing

1230-420: A similar role flying from Australian, Argentinean, and Brazilian upgraded World War II surplus light ASW carriers, which were unable to operate most large modern fighters. Primary air-to-air armament consisted of the internal 20 mm (.79 in) Colt cannons and ability to carry an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on both underwing hardpoints, later additions of two more underwing hardpoints on some aircraft made for

1312-740: A single strike against rebels in Buenos Aires . The U.S. placed an embargo of spare parts in 1977 due to the Dirty War , backing the Humphrey-Kennedy amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1976, the Carter administration placed an embargo on the sale of arms and spare parts to Argentina and on the training of its military personnel (which was lifted in the 1990s under Carlos Menem 's presidency when Argentina became

1394-465: A total capacity of four AAMs. The first combat loss of an A-4 occurred on 5 August 1964, when Lieutenant junior grade Everett Alvarez , of VA-144 aboard USS  Constellation , was shot down while attacking enemy torpedo boats in North Vietnam . Alvarez safely ejected after being hit by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire, and became the first U.S. Naval POW of the war. He was released as

1476-605: A world speed record of 695.163 mph on 15 October 1955. The aircraft is of conventional post-World War II design, with a low-mounted delta wing , tricycle undercarriage , and a single turbojet engine in the rear fuselage, with two air intakes on the fuselage sides. The tail is of cruciform design , with the horizontal stabilizer mounted above the fuselage. Armament consisted of two 20 mm (.79 in caliber) Colt Mark 12 cannons , one in each wing root, with 100 rounds per gun (the A-4M Skyhawk II and types based on

1558-471: Is best for aeroplanes of less than 6,000 pounds gross weight. Nickname A nickname , in some circumstances also known as a sobriquet , is an informal substitute for the proper name of a person, place, or thing, used to express affection, playfulness, contempt, or a particular character trait. It is distinct from a pseudonym , stage name , or title , although the concepts can overlap. The compound word ekename , literally meaning "additional name",

1640-431: Is not necessarily the most efficient. The wings of jet airliners, which are highly optimized for efficiency, are far from elliptical in shape. The ratio of tip chord to root chord is called the taper ratio. Taper has the desirable effect of reducing the root bending stress by shifting the lift inboard, but it has been argued by some noted designers, including John Thorp and Karl Bergey, that an untapered rectangular planform

1722-489: Is related to the production of lift , and the profile drag , largely due to skin friction which is contributed to by the whole wing area. It is therefore desirable for a wing to have the least area compatible with the desired lift characteristics. This is best achieved with a high aspect ratio, and high-performance types often have this kind of wing. But other considerations such as light weight, structural stiffness, manoeuvrability, ground handling and so on often benefit from

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1804-434: Is sometimes referred as "阿扁" (A-Bian). In many Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, nicknames may also connote one's occupation or status. For example, the landlord might be known simply as Towkay ( simplified Chinese : 头家 ; traditional Chinese : 頭家 ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : thâu-ke ) Hokkien for "boss") to his tenants or workers while a bread seller would be called "Mianbao Shu" 面包叔 (literally, Uncle Bread). In

1886-560: Is still occasionally referred to as "The Smoke" in memory of its notorious "pea-souper" smogs (smoke-filled fogs) of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and Edinburgh was "Auld Reekie" for the same reason, as countless coal fires polluted its atmosphere. Besides or replacing the demonym , some places have collective nicknames for their inhabitants. Many examples of this practice are found in Wallonia and in Belgium in general, where such

1968-468: Is the "City of Light", Rome is the "Eternal City", Venice is "La Serenissima", and New Jersey is the "Garden State". These alternative names are often used to boost the status of such places, contrary to the usual role of a nickname. Many places or communities, particularly in the US, adopt titles because they can help in establishing a civic identity, help outsiders recognize a community or attract people to

2050-534: Is written after the full name followed by vulgo or between parenthesis (e.g. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, vulgo Pelé / Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé)) and Slovenian represents nicknames after a dash or hyphen (e.g., Franc Rozman – Stane ). The latter may cause confusion because it resembles an English convention sometimes used for married and maiden names . In Viking societies, many people had heiti , viðrnefni , or kenningarnöfn (Old Norse terms for nicknames) which were used in addition to, or instead of,

2132-616: The Blue Angels demonstration team, until McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets were available in the 1980s. The last U.S. Navy Skyhawks, TA-4J models belonging to the composite squadron VC-8, remained in military use for target towing, and as adversary aircraft, for combat training at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads . These aircraft were officially retired on 3 May 2003. Skyhawks were well loved by their crews for being tough and agile. These attributes, along with their low purchase and operating cost as well as easy maintenance, have contributed to

2214-504: The North American F-86 Sabres still in service in the 4th Air Brigade (Spanish: IV Brigada Aérea ). They were received as is and refurbished to flight status by Air Force technicians at Río Cuarto , Córdoba. The C model had five weapon pylons and could use AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles . The Argentine Naval Aviation also bought the Skyhawk known as A-4Q in the form of 16 A-4Bs in 1972, which unlike

2296-532: The Pratt & Whitney J52 engine was used instead. The Skyhawk was in production through to February 1979, by which point 2,960 aircraft had been delivered to a variety of operators. 555 aircraft alone were built as dedicated two-seat trainers . The Skyhawk saw active combat on several occasions. The U.S. Navy operated the type as its principal light attack aircraft during the Vietnam War , carrying out some of

2378-675: The Type 42 destroyer Coventry and inflicted a variety of damage on several others: Type 21 frigate Antelope (subsequently sunk during attempted disposal of unexploded bombs), RFA Sir Galahad (subsequently scuttled as a war grave), Type 42 Glasgow , Leander -class frigate Argonaut , Type 22 frigate Broadsword , and RFA Sir Tristram . Subsonic aircraft Although high speeds are usually desirable in an aircraft, supersonic flight requires much bigger engines, higher fuel consumption and more advanced materials than subsonic flight. A subsonic type therefore costs far less than

2460-399: The first air strikes by the U.S. during the conflict , and a Marine Skyhawk is believed to have dropped the last American bombs on the country. Notable naval aviators who flew the Skyhawk included Lieutenant Commanders Everett Alvarez, Jr. and John McCain , and Commander James Stockdale . On 1 May 1967, an A-4C Skyhawk piloted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore R. Swartz of VA-76 aboard

2542-703: The first air strikes by the U.S. during the conflict . The Skyhawk was the Israeli Air Force 's main ground attack aircraft during both the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War . In the Falklands War , Argentine Air Force Skyhawks bombed Royal Navy vessels, sinking the Type 42 destroyer Coventry and the Type 21 frigate Ardent . Kuwaiti Air Force Skyhawks saw action during Operation Desert Storm . In 2022, nearly seven decades after

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-705: The A-4 was developed for the IAF, the A-4H. This was an A-4E which featured improved avionics and the improved thrust J52-P-8A engine. Armament consisted of twin DEFA 30 mm cannon in place of the Colt Mk.12 20 mm cannons. Later modifications included the avionics hump and an extended tailpipe. The extended tailpipe gave greater protection against heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles. A total of 90 A-4Hs were delivered. In early 1973,

2706-429: The A-4, but significantly larger and heavier. The Navy operated the A-4 in both Regular Navy and Naval Reserve light attack squadrons (VA). Although the A-4's use as a training and adversary aircraft would continue well into the 1990s, the Navy began removing the aircraft from its frontline attack squadrons in 1967, with the last ones (Super Foxes of VA-55/212/164) being retired in 1976. The Marine Corps would not take

2788-529: The A-4M have 200 rounds per gun), plus a large variety of bombs, rockets, and missiles carried on a hardpoint under the fuselage centerline and hardpoints under each wing (originally one per wing, later two). The short-span delta wing did not require the complexity of wingtip folding, saving an estimated 200 pounds (91 kg). Its spars were machined from a single forging that spanned across both wingtips. The leading edge slats were designed to drop automatically at

2870-496: The Air Force's A-4Ps, were powered by 8,400 lbf (40 kN) J-65-W-20 engines and fitted to use Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. They were received in 1972 to be used mainly from the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo by the 3rd Fighter/Attack Squadron (Spanish: 3ra Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque ). The first combat use of Argentina's Skyhawks took place amid a military revolt during December 1975, performing

2952-652: The Commanding Officer of the air station. The aircraft were instrumental in training and development of ACM for Naval Air Reserve fighter squadrons VF-201 and VF-202 flying the F-4 Phantom II and later the Grumman F-14 Tomcat . The unit also completed several missions involving target towing to NAS Key West, Florida; NAS Kingsville , Texas, and deployments to NAS Miramar, California and NAS Fallon, Nevada for adversary support. The detachment

3034-591: The Skyhawk remained in Navy service, however, finding a new lease on life with the advent of "adversary training", where the nimble A-4 was used as a stand-in for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 in dissimilar air combat training (DACT). It served in that role at TOPGUN until 1999. The A-4's nimble performance also made it suitable to replace the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II when the Navy downsized its aircraft for

3116-499: The Skyhawk's air brakes were used as improvised chaff dispensers. Improvements in tactics, such as the adoption of toss-bombing attacks, were also adopted in the latter part of the conflict. ACIG.org claims that at least nine Skyhawks were downed by MiG-21 and MiG-17 fighters during the Yom Kippur War. Formal Israeli sources claim only five IAF aircraft of any type were shot down in air-to-air duels. A special version of

3198-635: The U.S. Navy's replacement, the LTV A-7 Corsair II , instead keeping Skyhawks in service with both Regular Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve attack squadrons (VMA), and ordering the new A-4M model. The last USMC Skyhawk was delivered in 1979, and they were used until the mid-1980s before they were replaced by the equally small, but more versatile STOVL AV-8 Harrier II . VMA-131 , Marine Aircraft Group 49 (the Diamondbacks) retired its last four OA-4Ms on 22 June 1994. Trainer versions of

3280-458: The War of Attrition. During the Yom Kippur War, IAF Skyhawks carried out numerous bombing missions, flying a considerable proportion of the tactical sorties made throughout the conflict. The vast majority of losses incurred were from surface to air missiles (SAMs); as many of 30 IAF aircraft were lost in a single day while resisting Egyptian and Syrian advances. To counter the radar-guided SAM threat,

3362-597: The World War II-era Boeing B-17 bomber, and can deliver nuclear weapons using a low-altitude bombing system and a "loft" delivery technique. Furthermore, it pioneered the concept of "buddy" air-to-air refueling , enabling an aircraft to supply others and reduce the need for dedicated aerial tankers . The Skyhawk was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine; from the A-4E onwards,

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-542: The Yom Kippur War, and no loss of aircraft was reported on that date. During the 1982 Lebanon War , an Israeli A-4 piloted by Aharon Achiaz was shot down over Lebanon by a SA-7 on 6 June 1982. Israel reported this was one of its only two fixed-wing aircraft shot down over the Beqaa Valley during air battles spanning from 6 June 1982 to 11 June 1982 where 150 aircraft took part, including the battle on 9 June 1982 known as Operation Mole Cricket 19 . In October 2008, it

3526-604: The adversary role, the A-4 remained a viable threat surrogate until it was retired by VF-43 in 1993 and shortly thereafter by VFC-12. The last A-4 fleet operators were VC-8, which retired its Skyhawks in 2003. The A-4M was also operated by the Operations Maintenance Detachment (OMD) in an adversary role based at NAS Dallas , Texas for the Naval Air Reserve. Many of the aviators that flew the four jets were attached to NAS Dallas, including

3608-406: The air cause the air to flow away from areas of high dynamic pressure to areas of lower dynamic pressure, leaving the static pressure and density of the surrounding air constant. At high subsonic speeds, compressibility effects begin to appear. The propeller is one of the most efficient sources of thrust available and is common on subsonic aeroplanes and airships . Sometimes it is enclosed in

3690-467: The aircraft with, but was initially limited, refusing to supply cluster bombs or napalm . The Skyhawk became the first U.S. warplane to be offered to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), marking the point where the U.S took over France as Israel's chief military supplier. Deliveries began after the Six-Day War, and A-4s soon formed the backbone of the IAF's ground-attack force. In IAF service, the Skyhawk

3772-614: The aircraft's first flight in 1954, a number of Skyhawks remain in service with the Argentine Air Force and the Brazilian Naval Aviation . The Skyhawk was designed by Douglas Aircraft's Ed Heinemann in response to a United States Navy call for a jet-powered attack aircraft to replace the piston-powered Douglas AD Skyraider (later redesignated A-1 Skyraider). Heinemann opted for a design that would minimize its size, weight, and complexity. The result

3854-411: The appropriate speed by gravity and air pressure, saving weight and space by omitting actuation motors and switches. Similarly the main undercarriage did not penetrate the main wing spar, designed so that when retracted only the wheel itself was inside the wing and the undercarriage struts were housed in a fairing below the wing. Thus the wing structure was lighter with the same overall strength. The rudder

3936-439: The bearer's first and last names (e.g., Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower and Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks ). It is also common for the nickname to be identified after a comma following the full real name or later in the body of the text, such as in an obituary (e.g., Frankie Frisch, "The Fordham Flash" ). Any middle name is generally omitted, especially in speech. Like English, German uses (German-style) quotation marks between

4018-533: The border with Jordan . In the late 1960s and 1970s, IAF Skyhawks were the primary ground attack aircraft in the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War . During July 1969, in response to Egyptian shelling of Israeli positions in the Sinai Peninsula , air strikes were conducted against Egyptian missile sites. On 6 February 1970, Skyhawks attacked the Egyptian port of Gardaka , sinking a minelayer as

4100-483: The carrier USS  Bon Homme Richard , shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17 with an unguided Zuni rocket , serving as the Skyhawk's only air-to-air victory of the Vietnam War. From 1956 onwards, Navy Skyhawks were the first aircraft to be deployed outside of the U.S. armed with the AIM-9 Sidewinder. On strike missions, the Skyhawk's normal role, air-to-air armaments were used for self-defense. In

4182-424: The context of information technology, nickname is a common synonym for the screen name or handle of a user . In computer networks it has become a common practice for every person to also have one or more nicknames for pseudonymity , to avoid ambiguity , or simply because the natural name or technical address would be too long to type or take too much space on the screen . Nicknames are usually applied to

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4264-531: The early to mid-1960s, standard U.S. Navy A-4B Skyhawk squadrons were assigned to provide fighter protection for anti-submarine warfare aircraft operating from some Essex -class anti-submarine warfare carriers; these aircraft retained their ground- and sea-attack capabilities. The A-4B lacked an air-to-air radar, and it required visual identification of targets and guidance from either ships or an airborne Grumman E-1 Tracer AEW aircraft. Lightweight and safer to land on smaller decks, Skyhawks would later also play

4346-410: The equivalent supersonic design, has greater range and causes less harm to the environment. The less harsh subsonic environment also allows a much wider range of aircraft types, such as balloons , airships and rotorcraft , allowing them to fill a much wider range of roles. Subsonic flight is characterised aerodynamically by incompressible flow, where dynamic pressure changes due to motion through

4428-754: The establishment of the Navy Fighter Weapons School ( TOPGUN ) in 1969, the availability of Skyhawks in both the Instrument RAGs and Composite Squadrons at the master jet bases presented a ready resource of the nimble Skyhawks that had become the TOPGUN preferred surrogate for the MiG-17. At the time, the F-4 Phantom was just beginning to be exploited to its full potential as a fighter and had not performed as well as expected against

4510-740: The first A-4Es were flown in Vietnam in early 1965, the A-4Cs continued to be used until late 1970. On 1 June 1965, the Chu Lai Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) was officially opened with the arrival of eight Skyhawks from Cubi Point , Philippine Islands. The group landed with the aid of arresting cables, refueled and took off with the aid of JATO , with fuel and bombs to support Marine combat units. The Skyhawks were from Marine Attack Squadron VMA-225 and VMA-311 . Lieutenant commander Michael J. Estocin of Attack Squadron 192

4592-525: The first and last names (e.g., Andreas Nikolaus “Niki“ Lauda ). Other languages may use other conventions; for example, Italian writes the nickname after the full name followed by detto "called" (e.g., Salvatore Schillaci detto Totò ), in Spanish the nickname is written in formal contexts at the end in quotes following alias (e.g. Alfonso Tostado, alias «el Abulense» ), in Portuguese the nickname

4674-637: The first batch of Skyhawks. During the Yom Kippur War, the Skyhawk order of battle was reinforced with TA-4F and TA-4J models. In January 2003, the IAF selected RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. to upgrade its A-4 trainer fleet with weapon delivery, navigation and training systems. Integration of a multifunction and Head-up Display produced an advanced Lead in fighter trainer for the IAF's future fighter pilots. According to acig.org, Syria claimed that two Israeli Skyhawks were downed by Syrian MiG-23s over northern Lebanon on 26 April 1981. However, official IAF statistics do not list any downing of Israeli warplanes since

4756-544: The first name. In some circumstances, the giving of a nickname had a special status in Viking society in that it created a relationship between the name maker and the recipient of the nickname, to the extent that the creation of a nickname also often entailed a formal ceremony and an exchange of gifts known in Old Norse as nafnfestr ('fastening a name'). In Bengali society, for example, people will often have two names:

4838-529: The flags of all nations that operated the A-4 painted on its fuselage sides. The Skyhawk proved to be a relatively common United States Navy aircraft export. Due to its small size, it could be operated from older, smaller World War II-era aircraft carriers still used by smaller navies during the 1960s. These older ships were often unable to accommodate newer Navy fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader , which were faster and more capable than

4920-409: The form of a ducted fan . At higher subsonic speeds and at high altitudes , such as attained by most airliners , the turbojet or turbofan becomes necessary. Pure jets such as the turbojet and ramjet are inefficient at subsonic speeds and not often used. The span and area of a wing are both important to the lift characteristics. They are related by the aspect ratio , which is the ratio of

5002-517: The hands of a well trained aviator made it ideal to teach fleet aviators the finer points of DACT. The squadrons eventually began to display vivid threat type paint schemes signifying their transition into the primary role of Adversary training. To better perform the Adversary role, single-seat A-4E and F models were introduced to the role, but the ultimate adversary Skyhawk was the Super Fox, which

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5084-612: The improved A-4N Skyhawk for Israel entered service, based on the A-4M models used by the U.S. Marine Corps. The different model Skyhawks carried out bombing missions in the Yom Kippur War, and a considerable proportion of the tactical sorties. They also attacked in Operation Peace for the Galilee, and one of them shot down a Syrian MiG-17. The IAF also operated two-seat models, for operations as well as advanced training and retraining. The first training models arrived in 1967, with

5166-432: The leaking tank caught fire, creating a massive conflagration that burned for hours , killing 134 sailors, and injuring 161. During the conflict, 362 A-4/TA-4F Skyhawks were lost due to all causes. The U.S. Navy lost 271 A-4s, the U.S. Marine Corps lost 81 A-4s and 10 TA-4Fs. A total of 32 A-4s were lost to surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and one A-4 was lost in aerial combat to a MiG-17 on 25 April 1967. The Skyhawk, in

5248-436: The loss or malfunction of tanker aircraft, though this procedure reduces the effective combat force on board the carrier. A designated supply A-4 would mount a center-mounted "buddy store", a large external fuel tank with a hose reel in the aft section and an extensible drogue refueling bucket. This aircraft was fueled up without armament and launched first. Attack aircraft were armed to the maximum and were given as much fuel as

5330-494: The nose of the aircraft which could be repaired in less than an hour. The Navy issued a contract for the type on 12 June 1952, and the first prototype first flew from Edwards Air Force Base , California on 22 June 1954. Deliveries to Navy ( VA-72 ) and Marine Corps ( VMA-224 ) squadrons commenced in late 1956. The Skyhawk remained in production until 1979, with 2,960 aircraft built, including 555 two-seat trainers . The last production A-4, an A-4M of Marine squadron VMA-331 had

5412-480: The popularity of the A-4 with American and international armed forces. Besides the U.S., at least three other nations have used Skyhawks in combat (Argentina, Israel, and Kuwait). Skyhawks were the U.S. Navy's primary light attack aircraft used over North Vietnam during the early years of the Vietnam War ; later supplanted by the A-7 Corsair II in the U.S. Navy light attack role. Skyhawks carried out some of

5494-781: The remaining A-4s were to be fully phased out beginning by 2014 as the IAF accepts delivery of Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master jets. Skyhawks were last used in combat operations in the Israeli air force in 2012, when they dropped leaflets over Gaza. In July 2013, Israel began a program called Teuza (boldness) for the purpose of turning some military bases into sales lots for obsolete IDF equipment. Older models that are not suited for Israel's modern high-tech forces will be sold off, or sold for scrap if there are no buyers. Skyhawks are among those being offered. On 13 December 2015, all remaining IAF Skyhawks were retired from service. The retirement ceremony took place at Hatzerim IDF base. Argentina

5576-426: The smaller North Vietnamese MiG-17 and MiG-21 opponents. TOPGUN introduced the notion of dissimilar air combat training (DACT) using modified A-4E/Fs. Modified aircraft, called "Mongoose", lost the dorsal hump, the 20 mm cannon with their ammo systems, and the external stores, although sometimes the centerline station was kept. The slats were fixed. The small size of the Skyhawk and superb low speed handling in

5658-412: The span, measured from tip to tip, to the average chord , measured from leading edge to trailing edge. The aerodynamic efficiency of a wing is described by its lift/drag ratio , with a wing giving high lift for little drag being the most efficient. A higher aspect ratio gives a higher lift/drag ratio and so is more efficient. The drag of a wing consists of two components: the induced drag , which

5740-517: The starboard side of the aircraft nose. They could then sortie with both full armament and fuel loads. The A-4 was rarely used for refueling in U.S. service after the KA-3 Skywarrior tanker became available aboard the larger carriers. The A-4 was also designed to be able to make an emergency landing, in the event of a hydraulic failure, on the two drop tanks nearly always carried by these aircraft. Such landings resulted in only minor damage to

5822-1223: The time period when Naval Aviation still had a great number of propeller-driven aircraft and also provided annual instrument training and check rides for Naval Aviators . The assigned TA-4J models were installed with collapsible hoods so the aviator under training had to demonstrate instrument flying skills without any outside reference. These units were VF-126 at NAS Miramar , California; VA-127 (later VFA-127; NAS FALLON, NV) at NAS Lemoore, California; VF-43 at NAS Oceana , Virginia; and VA-45 (later VF-45) at NAS Cecil Field , Florida until its later move to NAS Key West , Florida. Additional single-seat Skyhawks were also assigned to composite squadrons (VC) worldwide to provide training and other services to deployed units. These included VC-1 at NAS Barbers Point , Hawaii; VC-7 at NAS Miramar , California; VC-5 at NAS Cubi Point , Philippines ; VC-8 at NS Roosevelt Roads , Puerto Rico; VC-10 at NAVBASE Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , and Naval Reserve squadrons VC-12 (later VFC-12) at NAS Oceana , Virginia and VC-13 (later VFC-13) at NAS Miramar, California until its later move to NAS Fallon , Nevada. With renewed emphasis on Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) training brought on with

5904-557: The two-seat TA-4J configuration, was introduced to a training role replacing the TF-9J Cougar . The TA-4J served as the advanced jet trainer in white and orange markings for decades until being replaced by the T-45 Goshawk . Additional TA-4Js were assigned to Instrument Training RAGs at all the Navy master jet bases under RCVW-12 and RCVW-4. The Instrument RAGs initially provided jet transition training for Naval Aviators during

5986-424: Was allowable by maximum takeoff weight limits, which was far less than a full tank. It was SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to launch one Skyhawk as a tanker per launch-recovery cycle. In combat, 2-3 Skyhawk tankers were launched, especially if several groups of aircraft were attacking a heavily defended target. Once airborne, they topped off their fuel tanks from the tanker using the A-4's fixed refueling probe on

6068-487: Was an aircraft that weighed only half of the Navy's weight specification. It had a wing so compact that it did not need to be folded for carrier stowage. The first 500 production examples cost an average of $ 860,000 each, less than the Navy's one million dollar maximum. The diminutive Skyhawk soon received the nicknames "Scooter", "Kiddiecar", "Bantam Bomber", "Tinker Toy Bomber", and, on account of its speed and nimble performance, "Heinemann's Hot-Rod". The XA4D-1 prototype set

6150-498: Was attested as early as 1303. This word was derived from the Old English word eac , meaning "also", related to eacian , meaning "to increase". By the 15th century, the misdivision of the syllables of the phrase "an ekename" led to its rephrasing as "a nekename". Though the spelling has changed, the meaning of the word has remained relatively stable ever since. English nicknames are generally represented in quotes between

6232-437: Was constructed of a single panel reinforced with external ribs. The aircraft's turbojet engine was accessed for service or replacement by removing the aft section of the fuselage and sliding out the engine. This obviated the need for access doors with their hinges and latches further reducing weight and complexity. This is the opposite of what can often happen in aircraft design where a small weight increase in one area leads to

6314-405: Was decided that, due to maintenance issues, the Skyhawk fleet would be withdrawn and replaced by more modern aircraft, able to perform equally well in the training role and, if required, close support and interdiction missions on the battlefield. Some of Israel's A-4s were later exported to Indonesia . The Skyhawks have been replaced by F-16s in combat roles but are still used for pilot training. All

6396-513: Was equipped with the uprated J52-P-408 engine. This variant had entered service in 1974 with VA-55/VA-164/VA-212 on the final USS Hancock cruise and had been the variant that the Blue Angels had selected in 1973. The surplus of former USMC Skyhawks resulted in A-4M versions being used by both VF-126 and TOPGUN. Even though the A-4 was augmented by the F-5E , F-21 (Kfir) , F-16 , and F/A-18 in

6478-850: Was named as the Ayit ( Hebrew : עיט for Eagle ). The aircraft had a relatively low cost, a quarter of what a Phantom II cost, while carrying half of its payload. Israel purchased 217 A-4s, plus another 46 that were transferred from U.S. units in Operation Nickel Grass to compensate for large losses during the Yom Kippur War. The first deliveries took place in December 1967. Skyhawks promptly began to replace Dassault Ouragan and Dassault Mystère IV in IAF service, providing greater speed, range, and lift capacity in comparison to these older types. The first combat mission took place on 15 February 1968, attacking artillery and military bases along

6560-598: Was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while flying surface-to-air missile (SAM) suppression during coordinated strikes against targets in Haiphong , North Vietnam , on 20 April and 26 April 1967. On 29 July 1967, the aircraft carrier USS  Forrestal was conducting combat operations in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War . A Zuni rocket misfired, striking an external tank on an A-4. Fuel from

6642-513: Was the first foreign user of the Skyhawk and had nearly 130 A-4s delivered since 1965. The Argentine Air Force received 25 A-4Bs in 1966 and another 25 in 1970, all refurbished in the United States by Lockheed Service Co. prior to their delivery as A-4P , although they were still locally known as A-4B . They had three weapon pylons and served in the 5th Air Brigade (Spanish: V Brigada Aérea ). During 1976, 25 A-4Cs were ordered to replace

6724-496: Was under the operational command of the Commander Fleet Logistics Support Wing (CFLSW), also based at NAS Dallas. Israel was the largest export customer for the Skyhawk. The first Israeli request for the type was issued in 1964; it would not be until February 1966 that the U.S. agreed to supply Skyhawks under certain conditions. The U.S. gradually provided numerous conventional munitions to arm

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