Once again its TBT, but this week were going to do something a little different. In celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday, instead of featuring a fighter jet were going to feature an attack jet. So here it is....TBT attack jet pron, featuring the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk! The Skyhawk was [is?] a single engine, single seat, light attack aircraft that was originally developed for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, first entering service in 1956. Skyhawks were small, lightweight aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds and has a top speed of more than 600 miles per hour. They could deliver just about any ordinance in the system. The A-4s were the U.S. Navys primary light attack aircraft used over North Vietnam during the early years of the Vietnam War. Later in the war they were replaced in frontline service by the A-7D Corsair II. For the Marines it was a different story. They kept the A-4 in service as their primary light attack aircraft until it was replaced by the AV-8 Harrier in the 1980s. But that doesnt mean that the Skyhawks were gone from Navy service. Besides serving with Navy reserve squadrons, the nimble, maneuverable aircraft, became the aircraft of the famous Blue Angels for many years. They were also adapted to play the role of enemy aircraft at the Navys Top Gun fighter school. Skyhawks remained in service, in one form or another, with the USMC until 1999 and the Navy until 2003. Skyhawks were also a vital part of the Israeli Air Force for many years. They were also used by Argentina in the Falklands War. A modernized version of the Skyhawk is still serving with the Brazilian Navy, where its known as the AF-1. The A-4 was designed to be an attack plane. But it was so quick, agile, and maneuverable, that a skilled pilot could often out fly a fighter in a Skyhawk. With a service life that spanned decades, the A-4 Skyhawk was a classic.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 01:39:37 +0000
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