The U.S. Navy’s A4 Skyhawk Was the Stuff of Legend
The A-4 was meant to be small, yet it was required to pack a punch.
In the 1950s, in the coldest days of the Cold War, the United States Navy put out calls to its defense-industrial base to design a light attack aircraft that could operate from smaller, post-World War II aircraft carriers. The Douglas Aircraft Company (now owned by Boeing) answered the Navy’s call by building the A-4 Skyhawk.
Ed Heinemann, the lead designer for the A-4 Skyhawk, encapsulated the Skyhawk’s ethos with Leonardo Da Vinci’s phrase, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Indeed, the Skyhawk was designed to emphasize simplicity. In so doing, Douglas created a warplane that was lighter than others, cheaper to build, and easier (and cheaper) to maintain. These were key elements in maintaining America’s competitive edge in the Cold War.
The A-4 was meant to be small, yet it was required to pack a punch. It had to be small to fit on the tight decks of escort carriers belonging to the U.S. Navy. So, the A-4s had a delta-wing configuration that provided excellent lift and minimal drag. Thus, these birds could perform short takeoffs and landings reliably, a key feature of any plane assigned to carrier service. More importantly, the Skyhawk could carry a heavy armament load considering its relatively light weight.
The A-4 Rises
Early models of the A-4 Skyhawk came with two 20mm cannons. These systems were ultimately removed in later versions to cut down on weight and add space for more external ordnance. As for the A-4’s external armaments, these birds came equipped with a multitude of weapons that made them such a lethal—and beloved—warplane in the Navy.
Skyhawks could field general purpose bombs, such as the 250-pound Mk 81, the 500-pound Mk 82, the 1000-pound Mk 83, and the 2,000-pound Mk 84 bombs. These birds carried cluster munitions, too. They brought CBU-24s, CBU-58s, and CBU-87s, for what’s known as “area effect.” And they could be equipped with so-called “Snakeye Bombs”—Mk 82 bombs with retarding fins for low-level attacks. These specialized Mk 82s enhanced pilot safety by allowing them to release bombs closer to the target while staying well outside the blast radius.
Oh, and during Vietnam, the A-4 Skyhawks gained fame (or infamy among the North Vietnamese) for their ability to light up enemy formations with Napalm canisters.
These warbirds carried an assortment of lethal missiles, too. For air-to-air combat, the A-4 Skyhawk could pop off AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for self-defense. These birds came equipped with a healthy array of air-to-ground missiles, considering it was a light attack aircraft. The AGM-12 Bullpup was an early guided missile used in the Vietnam War. AGM-45 Shrike was an anti-radar missile used for suppressing enemy air defenses (SEAD). There was a TV-guided glide bomb known as the AGM-62 Walleye. Toward the end of the Skyhawk’s lifespan, they were introduced to the AGM-65 Maverick for precision strikes.
These planes were loaded with unguided rockets, normally Zuni five-inch rockets which could be mounted in pods, offering flexibility for Close-Air Support (CAS) missions.
An A-4 Skyhawk was nuclear-capable, too. Specifically, these birds could carry the B43, B57, and B61 series gravity bombs, reflecting just how serious the Cold War was. Though the Cold War is sometimes romanticized today, the A-4 Skyhawk is a reminder of what was really at stake beneath all the technological sophistication and airy ideologizing. The very existence of humanity was at stake, given the prevalence of nuclear weapons in just about everything—even light attack warplanes, like the A-4 Skyhawk.
A single Pratt & Whitney J65 engine powered this craft, though future models came equipped with more powerful Pratt & Whitney J52 engines. These planes had a top speed of around 700 miles per hour, making it fast enough for its primary role as a ground-attack aircraft, but agile enough for aerial combat. It was a truly versatile plane.
The Combat History of the A-4 Skyhawk
The A-4’s combat history began during the Vietnam War, where it was a favorite of many pilots. But the A-4 was not immune to North Vietnamese air defenses. A handful of pilots, such as U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Everett Alvarez, were shot down over the unfriendly skies of Vietnam. Alvarez had the unfortunate distinction of being one of the longest-held POWs in Vietnam, spending eight years in captivity and only returning to the United States in 1973.
Washington exported the A-4 Skyhawk, too. And the plane had an impressive service record in foreign militaries as much as it did in the U.S. Navy. One of the most famous Skyhawk missions came during the Falklands War, where Argentine A-4 Skyhawks attacked British Royal Navy forces and sank the HMS Coventry. The Falklands War put the United States in a difficult position, as both Argentina and the United Kingdom were its allies, and Washington’s reluctance to cut its military ties with Buenos Aires raised the ire of London.
By the late twentieth century, the Pentagon began phasing the A-4 Skyhawk out of service, with its final flight before retirement taking place in 1999. Although it has been retired for 25 years, its legacy continues, as many regional air forces without the vast resources of the United States continue to utilize these planes. What’s more, the A-4 Skyhawk is used as a training plane.
A-4 Skyhawks lived up to their designer’s dream of simplicity achieving the ultimate form of sophistication. In fact, its overall design, carrier service, and the aerial combat tactics developed over the years for the plane have all informed other, newer American warplanes. This plane deserves a place in the pantheon of great American aircraft.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest, and a contributor at Popular Mechanics, consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
