A-4 Skyhawk

On June 22, it was 70 years since the launch of the A-4 Skyhawk carrier-based attack aircraft, created by the American company Douglas Aircraft.

On that day in 1954, the first prototype of the aircraft took to the skies at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The aircraft was developed at the request of the US Navy to replace the piston-powered Douglas AD Skyraider attack aircraft. The new jet aircraft was designed to be based on both modern American aircraft carriers and older, relatively small ones. As a result, the designers managed to create a compact attack aircraft that did not even require wing folding to be stored in the hangar. At the same time, its combat load was not inferior to the rather bulky Skyraider.

Serial production of the Skyhawk continued until 1979, with a total of 2,960 units produced. There are at least 40 variants of the aircraft. The most common was the A-4E, which was equipped with a single Pratt-Whitney J52-P-6A turbojet engine with a thrust of 3855 kgf. The aircraft had a length of 12.23 m, a wingspan of 8.38 m, a maximum takeoff weight of 11113 kg, a ferry range of over 4000 km, and a top speed of 1083 km/h. Air refueling was also possible. Armament included two 20-mm cannons, and guided and unguided missiles, bombs (including nuclear ones) with a total weight of up to 3900 kg could be suspended on five external hardpoints.

Deliveries of Skyhawks to the US Navy and Marine Corps began in late 1956. Additionally, aircraft of this family were received by Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Israel, Canada, Kuwait, Malaysia, Germany, New Zealand, and Singapore. Outside the US, these attack aircraft served both in the navy and air force. Only in Australia, Argentina, and Brazil were they operated from aircraft carriers, and even then in small numbers. In foreign countries, Skyhawks mainly flew from land-based airfields, and in Germany, they were used exclusively as target tugs. Several dozen aircraft are still in service: in Argentina and Brazil, they continue to serve in the armed forces, while in the US and Canada, they are used by civilian organizations for training, research, etc.

Reliable and maneuverable, the Skyhawk earned the respect of its pilots, although the light attack aircraft still lacked combat survivability. These machines saw significant combat, most notably in Vietnam. Their history also includes other conflicts, among them the Arab-Israeli wars. Notably, in 1982, during the war in the South Atlantic, Argentina used its A-4s against the United Kingdom, one of the main allies of the United States.