Hobby Master Archive

Developed to replace the A-1 Skyraider the A-4 Skyhawk was extremely lightweight maneuverable inexpensive and didn’t need folding wings. One of the upgrades saw 499 A-4E’s built, some received a lighter weight 8,500 lb thrust engine and some late production planes had the 9,300 lb thrust engines as well as an upper fuselage “hump back” avionics pod added. All had one hard point added under each wing, re-designed center fuselage, air intakes, and airframe strengthening with bomb and navigation upgrades. Because of all the missions and tonnage of weapons delivered the A-4 was dubbed “The Workhorse of Vietnam”, this is “The Little Plane That Could”. Eight A-4E’s were sold to Royal Australian Navy.