DOUGLAS A4 SKYHAWK LIGHT ATTACK AIRCRAFT SALES FILM 80624

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This Vietnam era sales film for the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk shows the versatile aircraft's development and unique characteristics. The late model A-4F is seen. This was a refinement of A-4E with extra avionics housed in a hump on the fuselage spine (this feature later retrofitted to A-4Es and some A-4Cs) and more powerful J52-P-8A engine with 9,300 lbf (41 kN) of thrust, later upgraded in service to J52-P-408 with 11,200 lbf (50 kN), 147 built. Some served with Blue Angels acrobatic team from 1973 to 1986. The film shows the A-4M at the 4 minute mark; but at the time of the film's release it may have not yet been in production.
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single seat carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later by McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the U.S. Navy's pre-1962 designation system.
The Skyhawk is a lightweight aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg) and has a top speed of more than 600 miles per hour (970 km/h). The aircraft's five hardpoints support a variety of missiles, bombs and other munitions and were capable of delivering nuclear weapons using a low altitude bombing system and a "loft" delivery technique. The A-4 was originally powered by the Wright J65 turbojet engine; from the A-4E onwards, the Pratt & Whitney J52 was used.
Skyhawks played key roles in the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Falklands War. Sixty years after the aircraft's first flight, some of the nearly 3,000 produced remain in service with several air arms around the world, including from the Brazilian Navy's aircraft carrier, São Paulo.
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 the flags of all nations that operated the A-4 painted on its fuselage sides.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[@EndTimeDreams]

In New Zealand we had fun with the scooter. The HMS Invincible came to NZ in 1983 after the Falklands. We sent out an air raid of Skyhawks to give them a good old kiwi welcome. We caught them totally by surprise, they didn't see us coming or pick us up on radar and were not able to scramble the Sea Harriers in time. Two Sea Harriers stayed at Ohakea for a week and did some ACM training alongside our Skyhawks. The Harrier pilots soon found out how good a dog fighter the A-4 was, we had radar and sidewinders. The Harrier pilots tried the viffing trick on us but our pilots were well aware of it and one A-4 dropped in behind a Harrier and got a guns kill. We got a nice upgrade in 1987 by Smith's Industries and got the F-16 Radar and other avionics. We were now able to use the Aim-9L, Maverick, Laser guided bomb, we also had jamming pods. This meant that we could now tangle with our Aussie cousins in the FA/-18 and even score kills against them. One time we did an exercise with the Aussies and attacked RAAF Tindal with x5 A-4's. We managed to fight our way into their airspace and shoot down 4 Hornets with no Skyhawk losses. With the right training, weapons, and avionics the Scooter is a fierce war fighter.

[@super1337bf3ordie]

shame its no match for the aamram or the f35 still a great plane also aesa radar kinda kills it aswell

[@drinksnapple8997]

Can't believe it. All I ever hear is Brits bragging about how they always "surprise" everyone, specially the "Yanks", and nobody surprises them because they're so smart and witty!

[@howegav]

Okay, you've convinced me. I'll buy one! "Honey, check our new hotrod"

[@allgood6760]

Awesome!... I miss them with our RNZAF 👍✈️🇳🇿

[@stevehammond9156]

Although I loved flying the Intruder, the Scooter was the most fun aircraft I ever flew. It was a little hotrod, especially with the Prowler engine installed. Slick, it gave the Scooter a 1:1 thrust to weight right off the end of the runway.

[@willb8684]

i love both those planes...

[@Skyhawks1979]

I always called the A-6 a "perfectly" good waste of two A-4 engines. LOL.

[@drinksnapple8997]

Imagine the A4S with the F404 engine!!!

[@stevehammond9156]

@@drinksnapple8997 It would not fit into the airframe and the aircraft would have maybe a 200 NM range.

[@drinksnapple8997]

@@stevehammond9156 Clearly you are not knowledgeable on the latter history of the type. Here, read the specs of the A4S (with the non-afterburning F404 engine). It was operational for over 30 years. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ST_Aerospace_A-4SU_Super_Skyhawk

[@scootergeorge9576]

I was an AD - worked on the A-4L, A-4E, A-4F, and TA-4J with VA-204 and VC-13 and VFC-13. Our A-4F "Super Fox" used the P-408 engine like the M. Two were former Blue Angels birds, repainted low visibility paint schemes. Clean, they could go supersonic in level flight.

[@nicholasmaude6906]

"Clean, they could go supersonic in level flight." - So in clean configuration it was capable of super-cruise flight?

[@juliusdream2683]

I love that little jet small but hard hitting. That and the F105 are two of my favorite Vietnam era birds. Tough went into the shit and blasted the hell out of our enemies.

[@johnnyallred3753]

Skyhawks for ever!.

[@UncleFester84]

Ok you convinced me, i'll take a single seater for me and a twin seater for taking around guests

[@madasmoore]

The A4Gs that went to the Royal Australian Navy were a pleasure to work on and served Australia well. The Royal New Zealand Air Force took them on after we retired our aged aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. The Skyhawk is always a magnificent machine to see flying.

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

Tough little plane, likely if well taken care of will pretty much last forever.

[@seavixen125]

And most of them are still flying

[@jbaroli]

Argentina still flies them in A4AR form. Pretty good plane but it is showing its age and difficulty to get parts.

[@daryllect6659]

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk: Heinemann’s Hotrod USMC VMA 141 '65 - '71 ooRAH!

[@DoRC]

The slide whistle during the ejection cracked me up.

[@ronbishop1068]

a remarkable and very capable jet, thanks for posting this

[@Taipan303]

About time got a larger cockpit, sick of smashing my knees every time I eject 🚀

[@iaidagger8278]

My favorite aeroplano with a close second F4U-5 Corsair and third the De Havilland Mosquito light bomber,l must say though that if we incorporarte the F16 to our Argentine Air Force it might be THE BEST OF THEM ALL!!😊😊❤❤❤

[@VMA225]

Brilliant !!!

[@wyattbrown8992]

nice little plane

[@mebeasensei]

We had these in our navy's Fleet Air Arm and they flew off the HMAS Melbourne. Maybe we got rid of them too soon.

[@michaelmccutcheon8500]

I played in marine band for the ceremony of the last a4 built at md in 79 it was blue with flags on the side and went to chery polnt

[@Skyhawks1979]

That aircraft, an A-4M affectionately known as the "Easter Pig" by us maintainers for its colored paint job and reputation for being difficult to maintain in flying status because of it allegedly being built with "leftover parts" is currently in the Marine Corps Aviation museum at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. It still wears the paint job with the flags. I entered the Marine Corps as an A-4 Avionics Technician the same week this aircraft was delivered to the Corps in February, 1979.

[@Skyhawks1979]

Would you be Kevin's brother?

[@wyattbrown8992]

I saw the A-4 the last few years it was in service with Marines in late 70s

[@SCscoutguy]

The Marine Corps used the OA-4M's until the mid 90's. In fact they were still buying brand new Skyhawks up until 1979.

[@Skyhawks1979]

@@SCscoutguy I worked on OA-4M's at both Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (H&MS) 32 at Cherry Point and H&MS-12 in Iwakuni, Japan. I believe only 32 of that model were ever built. It was somewhat of an oddball. It had most of the avionics package of the A-4M but was powered by the smaller J-52-P8B if I recall. Heavier and slow.

[@d.howerton9273]

Bring'em back powered by the GE 404 non afterburning turbofan engine and upgraded avionics along with an updated version of the F-20 Tigershark...also powered by the GE 404 turbofan engine and afterburner.

[@aaronquak2139]

Singapore's A-4SU Super Skyhawks were indeed powered by non-afterburning de-rated F404s, producing c. 10,700 ft.lbs thrust, extending range and speed. They were also uniquely fitted with two 30mm ADEN cannon in place of the two 20mm Colt Mk.12 cannon.

[@streetrace442]

The Israeli Air Force made some unique modifications to the A-4s exhaust to help hide its radar signature. The Marine reserves had the A-4M at NAS Cecil Field.

[@Skyhawks1979]

I was in that squadron from 1980-1984. VMA-142 "Flying Gators". During my time there we operated the A-4F "Super Fox". It was a lighter weight "F" model with the bigger thrust J-52-P-408 engine. It was the real hot rod of the series. It is the model the Blue Angles flew as well.

[@wardogangsta3992]

Just out of curiosity do you guys have a sales video for the F-4E Phantom II

[@CommentDweller]

when they dropped their bombs I looked out for a "target destroyed." I officially think my brain is fried lol

[@Br4m76]

Our AF, the Indonesian AF (TNI AU), has ever had these things before we grounded it in 2012. we bought it from Israel.

[@chrishelm2975]

My Uncle flew over 300 hops off the Constellation over Hanoi in the 155 silver foxes KIA 12-22- 67 . RIP

[@TheSpeedy197]

my fav jet aircraft A4 Skyhawk

[@anthonyenos2835]

I wonder what the profit margins were on the A4 Skyhawk.How much did the commissions were on each sale......

[@MAxAMILLIoN757]

Here from DCS 😔

[@biukucanoe]

should have supplied these to S Vietnam VNAF not just F-5 and A-37. Afghan and Phillipines AF could use modernized versons too

[@scootergeorge9576]

They also got the A-1 which was a great close support aircraft.

[@JimRedHawk]

Considering how things turned out in Nam, it is good they did not have any A-4’s.

[@scootergeorge9576]

@@JimRedHawk - Considering they were flying into the most heavily defended airspace over Hanoi, there was bound top be losses. For close air support over the south, not nearly so much.

[@JimRedHawk]

I think you missed my point or I misstated it. 😁 If we had given the south A-4’s, the north would have captured them in the end.

[@scootergeorge9576]

@@JimRedHawk - And that would have been bad. Got your point. : )

[@anthonyenos9857]

I would like to see x35 vs A4 skyhawk with no modern Avionics stick and rudder only.And no stealth lets see who the real champion is.

[@stevehammond9156]

It would still be apples and oranges. The F-35 is capable of supersonic flight and has maneuverability that can turn circles around the old Scooter. It would be like comparing a 1950's Corvette to a 2017 Corvette.

[@joshandkorinna]

Well the F-35 can't fly without modern avionics, soooo.... It literally needs a fly by wire system to keep it in the air. That's not a bad thing either. Love the A-4 but the F-35 would wipe the floor with the A-4. This is like comparing a musket to a modern assault rifle.

[@anthonyenos9857]

I'd sure like to collect Royalties on that aircraft it's probably made it's owners hundred of million of dollars.In profits. ...

[@mrchap402]

Yee haw Jester's dead!