A-4 in tow | The Museum of Flying

Douglas A4M 'Skyhawk' -wm (1)The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a compact, light-weight, carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The aircraft has a wing so compact that it does not need to be folded for carrier stowage. The aircraft’s five hardpoints support a variety of missiles, bombs and other munitions.

The A-4 is of conventional post-World War II design, with a low-mounted delta wing, tricycle undercarriage, and a single turbojet engine in the rear fuselage, with two air intakes on the fuselage sides. The tail has the horizontal stabilizer mounted above the fuselage.

The A-4 pioneered the concept of “buddy” air-to-air refueling. This allows the aircraft to supply others of the same type, eliminating the need of dedicated tanker aircraft. The A-4’s nimble performance also made it suitable for the Blue Angels demonstration team.A-4 | The Museum of Flying

About this Aircraft

This aircraft was an A-4M variant and is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The aircraft was modified to represent the Blue Angels by removing the avionics pod and camera bomb targeting system.

Specifications

General
  • Length: 40 ft 3 in (12.22 m)
  • Wingspan: 26 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
  • Height: 15 ft (4.57 m)
  • Empty weight: 10,450 lb (4,750 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 24,500 lb (11,136 kg)
Performance
  • Max speed: 585 kn (673 mph, 1,077 km/h)
  • Range: 1,700 nmi (2,000 mi, 3,220 km)
  • Service ceiling: 42,250 ft (12,880 m)