A-4 Skyhawk

McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 'Skyhawk' is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed 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 McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D under the U.S. Navy's pre-1962 designation system.

The A-4 is a compact, light-weight design with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds (11,100 kg). With a top speed of more than 600 miles per hour (970 km/h), its performance is compromised by its small size. The aircraft's six hardpoints cater for a variety of missiles, bombs and other munitions. Power is provided by one 9,300-pound-force (41 kN) Pratt & Whitney J52. Skyhawks played key roles in the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Falklands War. Fifty 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 with the Brazilian Navy's aircraft carrier, São Paulo.

A-4E Skyhawk




Major upgrade, including new Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A engine with 8,400 lbf (37 kN)) of thrust, strengthened airframe with two more weapon pylons (for a total of five), improved avionics, with TACAN, Doppler navigation radar, radar altimeter, toss-bombing computer, and AJB-3A low-altitude bombing system.

A-4F Skyhawk


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.
 * Tech Level: 4
 * Damage Base: 14
 * Min./Max. Airspeed: 3/12
 * Maneuver (Loaded): 3 (4)
 * Aerobatic (Loaded): 0 (-1)
 * Defence (Loaded): 12 (11)
 * Climb Rate (Loaded): 0.5 (0.3)
 * Shallow/Steep/Power/Vertical Dives: 1/2/3/3
 * Operational Ceiling: 10
 * Stores External/Pylon/Internal: 4/0/0
 * Guns: 2x20mm Cannon
 * Cost: 256
 * Maintenance Cost: 31

A-4K Skyhawk


10 aircraft for Royal New Zealand Air Force. In the 1990s, these were upgraded under Project KAHU with new radar and avionics, provision for AGM-65 Maverick, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and GBU-16 Paveway II laser-guided bomb. The RNZAF also rebuilt an A-4C and 10 A-4Gs to A4K standard.

A-4P/Q Skyhawk


Remanufactured A-4Bs sold to Argentine Air Force/Navy known as A-4B by the Argentines.

A-4S Skyhawk


Remanufactured A-4C for Singapore Air Force. Potentially the A-4SU Super Skyhawk.
 * Tech Level: 5
 * Damage Base: 12
 * Min./Max. Airspeed: 3/12
 * Maneuver (Loaded): 2 (3)
 * Aerobatic (Loaded): 1 (0)
 * Defence (Loaded): 10 (10)
 * Climb Rate (Loaded): 0.8 (0.5)
 * Shallow/Steep/Power/Vertical Dives: 1/2/3/4
 * Operational Ceiling: 12
 * Stores External/Pylon/Internal: 4/1/0
 * Guns: 2x20mm Cannon
 * Cost: 400
 * Maintenance Cost: 40

Voodoo Scuttlebutt
"For the size they are great little bomb haulers. The fact remains that their lack of speed, and inability to take a hit, means they excel at bombing people who can't fight back." Anon