WOW412 McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk

Description

The Skyhawk was designed by Ed Heinemann and built due to a demand by the navy for a jet powered replacement for its A-1 Skyraider. The result was an aircraft that weighed only half of the Navy’s weight specification. It had a wing so compact that it did not need to be folded for carrier stowage. The first 500 production examples cost an average of $860,000 each, less than the Navy’s one million dollar maximum. The diminutive Skyhawk soon received the nicknames “Scooter”, “Kiddiecar”, “Bantam Bomber”, “Tinker Toy Bomber”, and on account of its speed and nimble performance, “Heinemann’s Hot-Rod”. The XA4D-1 prototype set a world speed record of 695.163 mph on 15 October 1955.

Since its inception the Skyhawk has since become one of the most iconic aircraft of the 20th century and has been exported to several airforces around the world.
Skyhawks were the U.S. Navy’s primary light attack aircraft used over North Vietnam during the early years of the Vietnam War, they were later supplanted by the A-7 Corsair II in the U.S. Navy light attack role. Skyhawks carried out some of the first air strikes during the conflict and a Marine Skyhawk is believed to have dropped the last American bombs on the country. On 1 May 1967, an A-4C Skyhawk piloted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore R. Swartz aboard the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard, shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17 with an unguided Zuni rocket as the Skyhawk’s only air-to-air victory of the Vietnam War.

From 1956 on, Navy Skyhawks were the first aircraft to be deployed outside of the U.S. armed with the AIM-9 Sidewinder. On strike missions, which was the Skyhawk’s normal role, the air-to-air armament was for self-defense purposes.

Lightweight and safer to land on smaller decks, Skyhawks would later also play a similar role flying from Australian, Argentinean, and Brazilian upgraded World War II surplus light ASW carriers, which were unable to operate most large modern fighters. Primary air-to-air armament consisted of the internal 20 mm (.79 in) Colt cannons and ability to carry an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on both underwing hardpoints, later additions of two more underwing hardpoints on some aircraft made for a total capacity of four AAMs.

The first combat loss of an A-4 occurred on 5 August 1964, when Lt Everett Alvarez aboard USS Constellation, was shot down while attacking enemy torpedo boats in North Vietnam. Alvarez safely ejected after being hit by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire, and became the first US Naval POW of the war. He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973. The last A-4 loss in the Vietnam War occurred on 26 September 1972, when USMC pilot James P. Walsh, USMC, flying close air support, was hit by ground fire. Walsh ejected safely and was the last U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner during the war. He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973.

This all new 1/30 scale release represents a A-4E Skyhawk that served with the VMA-311 Tomcats during the Vietnam War and is loaded down with ordnance. VMA-311 served for nearly 8 years of operations in Vietnam, flying 54,625 combat sorties – June 1965 to January 1973.  Supporting operations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.  Including a four-day a total of 240 sorties, 5^th to 8^th May 1968, in support of the Marines during the Battle of Khe Sahn.

We only have 3 of these hand carved Mahogany warbirds priced at $750 plus postage. The K&C soldiers/dog and TG accessories/mat are shown for scale comparison purposes and are not included please note.