douglasskyhawk

VX-5 Vampires A4D-2N Skyhawk BuNo 145066, XE-2, in-flight, circa 1962.

Heinemann beside the prototype XA4D Skyhawk with a production AD Skyraider (his design) behind

Douglas A4D-2 142417 Skyhawk VX-4 ‘Vanguards/Evaluators’ tail code XF side number 41 Carrying two ASM-N-7A/AGM-12B Bullpup air to ground manually radio guided missiles on wing stations. A4D-2 142417 was accepted by the US Navy on January 22 1958 and went straight to VX-4 on January 22 1958 as a weapons test platform. Then spent two years with test units VX-4 & VX-5 from California bases It then joined Florida based US Navy Sixth Fleet front line squadrons VA-172 ‘Blue Bolts’ in between deployments - from August 1960 then VA-44 training squadron from December 1960. Joining VA-106 ‘Gladiators’ in July 1961 A4D-2 142417 sailed aboard USS Shangri-La from February 7 to August 28, 1962 for a Mediterranean patrol with VA-106 as Modex 304 of Carrier Air Group Ten (CVG-10) code AK: USS Randolph (CVS-15), USS Shangri La CV-38 and USS Independence, CV-62 met together in the summer of 1962 to be the largest gathering of US Naval Warships in the Mediterranean since the latter days of World War Two. The role of the Skyhawk was to attack enemy forces with nuclear weapons. After November 1962 all US Navy aircraft designations were simplified, A4D-2 became A-4B. A-4B 142417 flew from 1963 as a Naval Reserve trainer from bases in New York State, Tennessee and Florida until November 1969 when Struck Off Charge in February 1970 – probably scrapped in Pensacola Florida. Above intro compiled from information courtesy the ‘A-4 Skyhawk Association’ Picture of A4D-2 142417 very similar to contributor SDASM ‘Flickr’ pic except much lighter and more natural: www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A4D.html www.millionmonkeytheater.com/a4dpics/142417.jpg Wrongly dated picture of A4D-2 142417 similar to the contributor SDASM ‘Flickr’ pic: a4skyhawk.org/content/142417-vx-4-official-us-navy-photo-370 A-4B 142417 VX-4 Modex: XE-41 October 3, 1963 Official U.S. Navy photo VX-4 A-4B Skyhawk XE-41 in flight with two Bullpup missiles 1958 picture with A4D-2 142417 included and an AGM-12B Bullpup: a4skyhawk.org/content/142417-vx-4-information-services-ma... A4D-2 142417 VX-4 Modex: XE-41 1958 Photo Credit: Information Services, Martin Co., Baltimore Div. VX-4 A-4B Skyhawk 142417, XF-41, and VX-4 A-4B 142675, XF-42. The 11 - foot, nearly 600 –pound AGM-12/ASM-N-7 BULLPUP in the foreground will have two more stabilizing wings added in the rear, and two more control vanes added to the nose during installation Part of a 1959 image with A4D-2 142417 of VX-5 included: a4skyhawk.org/content/142417-vx-5-official-us-navy-ron-er... A4D-2 142417 VX-5 Modex: XE-10 China Lake, CA Date: 1959 official U.S. Navy from Ron Erbland. Vampires squadron photo, Skyhawks l-r: BuNo 142417, XE-10; BuNo 142095, XE-9; BuNo 142792, XE-8; BuNo 142122, XE-6; and BuNo 142121, XE-7. AD-5N Skyraiders in the back row are XE-21 and XE-22 1959 picture with A4D-2 142417 and an FJ-4B Fury – both of VX-4: a4skyhawk.org/content/142417-vx-4-naval-aviation-news-371 A4D-2 142417 VX-4 Modex: XE-41 circa 1959 Photo Credit: Naval Aviation News left side in-flight view of Evaluators Skyhawk BuNo 142417, XE-41, with two Bullpup missiles information with VX-4 FJ-4B Fury BuNo 143495, XF-11 A 1959 VX-5 squadron line up image with A4D-2 142417 included: www.chinalakealumni.org/1959/1959mo.htm VX-5 Vampires, at left: L-R front row: A4D-2 Skyhawks BuNo's 142417, XE-10; BuNo 142095, XE-9; BuNo 142792, XE-8; BuNo 142122, XE-6; and BuNo 142121, XE-7. L-R back row AD-5N Skyraiders BuNo 132598, XE-21, and BuNo 132498, XE-22. Center A3D-2 Skywarrior BuNo 142654, XE-15. At right: L-R front row: FJ-4B Furys BuNo's 139555, XE-4; BuNo 139549, XE-1; BuNo 143493, XE-5; & BuNo 139554, XE-3. L-R back row AD-7 Skyraider BuNo 142011, XE-14; F9F-8 Cougar BuNo 141228, XE-11; and FJ-4B Fury BuNo's 143494, XE-2. Photo from Ron Erbland A picture of A4D-2 142417 may also be viewed in this viewable/downloadable PDF document - and by using the heading counter; on page 41 of 91: www.scribd.com/doc/78713120/Naval-Fighters-49-Douglas-A-4... Caption reads; A4D-2 142417 on 16 1959 at NAS Point Mugu, CA. (William Swisher) Aviation spotters internet website recording CVA-38 USS Shangri La April 1962 Malta port visit with A4D-2 142417 of VA-106 ‘Gladiators’ as Modex 304 when part of Carrier Air Group Ten (CVG-10) code AK: www.aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/NavalAviation/US... Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk, VA-106, 142417/AK-304 CVG-10 (AK) CVA-38 USS SHANGRI-LA February 7 – August 28, 1962 (Med)