Overview
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was designed by Ed Heinemann to be as small, light and simple as possible. Its wings were so short that they did not need to fold for carrier lifts, and it weighed about half of what the US Navy had asked for.
Nicknamed "Heinemann's Hot Rod", it was a key attack jet in the Vietnam War, flew with Israel in the 1973 war and with Argentina in the 1982 Falklands conflict. It was produced for 26 years, and the Blue Angels display team flew it from 1974 to 1986. Specifications are for the A-4F.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 12.22 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8.38 m |
| Height | 4.57 m |
| Wing area | 24.2 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 4,750 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 11,136 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 1,083 km/h |
|---|---|
| Ferry range | 3,220 km |
| Combat radius | 625 km |
| Service ceiling | 12,880 m |
| Rate of climb | 43.0 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 1 |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints | 5 |
Powerplant
| Engines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8A |
| Thrust (each) | 41.0 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Armament
- 2 × 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannons
- About 4,500 kg of bombs, rockets and missiles on 5 hardpoints
Photos
Photo 1: Chris Lofting / Wikimedia Commons · GFDL 1.2
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
