Douglas
A-4A Skyhawk
|
| Wingspan | 27 ft. 6 in. | | Length | 40 ft. 3 3/4 in. | | Height | 15 ft. 0 in. | | Weight | 10,465 lbs. empty; 24,500 lbs maximum take-off | | Engine | one Pratt & Whitney J65-W-4 turbojet; 7,700 lbs.
thrust | | Speed | 670 MPH maximum at sea level | | Range | 340 miles with 4,000 lbs bombload | | Armament | Two 20mm cannon; 5,000 lbs external ordnance | | Crew | 1 | |
The A-4 was developed in the early 1950s as a single-seat, carrier-based,
all-weather attack aircraft to replace the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider
in service with the United States Navy. The Skyhawk saw extensive
service in Vietnam with the Navy and Marine Corps. It also entered
the inventories of several U.S. allies. Douglas built only 146
A-model Skyhawk aircraft.
This A-4A (BuAerNo 139947) was received by Naval Unit Chanute
in June 1987 for use in Nondestructive Inspection School. The
aircraft was later refurbished and dedicated in Chanute's Thunderbird
Airpark on 10 June 1988. It was named "Lucy," in honor
of Mrs. Lucy Goff, past Director of Rantoul Armed Services YMCA
and a member of the Chanute Heritage Program's Friends Hall
of Fame.
This aircraft is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum
from the National Museum of the United States Airforce.
This aircraft is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum
from the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
Visit the Skyhawk
Association website to learn more about the "finest
little attack aircraft ever built. | |