Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Ideas and Inspiration

[elmayerle]

Just something to excite a few people:

Any chance of getting scans/copies of the whole report/brochure?

[KiwiZac]

Seconded! I have a Tamiya 1/100 Scooter that needs a new purpose.

[GTX_Admin]

Here's a RNZAF Scheme that will fool the experts if you were to model it:

[Volkodav]

Just stopping ashore while HMNZS Southland (former HMS Victorious) is in port.

[finsrin]

Like to see a F404 powered Skyhawk show its stuff at air show.
Flying clean and light and such !

[GTX_Admin]

Just stopping ashore while HMNZS Southland (former HMS Victorious) is in port.

I was thinking HMNZS New Zealand - last of the Malta class.  I do like the idea of Kiwi ship based Skyhawks hough...

[GTX_Admin]

Like to see a F404 powered Skyhawk show its stuff at air show.
Flying clean and light and such !

Here are a couple of videos for you - just look up A-4SU on the web and you can find more:

https://youtu.be/9uKGrovVDnc
https://youtu.be/8P-sUomqn5M

Supposedly the modernised A-4SU and TA-4SU versions with the F404 turbofan engine had 29% more thrust, which resulted in a 30% reduction in takeoff time as well as an increase in usable payload, range and maximum speed. The maximum speed at sea level was 610 knots (1,130 km/h; 700 mph), and maximum cruise speed at 30,000 feet (9,100 m) is 446 knots (826 km/h; 513 mph).

It would be interesting to combine the SU upgrade with the Project Kahu one and maybe some more things to derive a Ultra Skyhawk for the 21st Century.

[Volkodav]

Just stopping ashore while HMNZS Southland (former HMS Victorious) is in port.

I was thinking HMNZS New Zealand - last of the Malta class.  I do like the idea of Kiwi ship based Skyhawks hough...

NZ provided a stack of personnel to the UK who ended up in the British Pacific Fleet in WWII, post war NZ actually had more people trained and experienced in carrier operations than Australia did, many ending up in the RAN as they introduced their carriers.  It would have cost more than NZ was prepared to pay but they were very well set up to introduce their own ship.

[KiwiZac]

Someone at AMI recently modelled the RAN/RNZAF hybrid scheme, while I'm not a fan of the camo the model looked great.

[Daryl J.]

How about a cruise missile?  Everything forward of the intakes is dedicated to a large firecracker and its navigation.

[GTX_Admin]

Works for me

[Old Wombat]

Works for me

Yep, about all they're good for, really.



(Excuse me while I find somewhere to hide while FAAMAN, scooter & Scooterman empty their Colts in my general direction! )

[GTX_Admin]

Well, they also make good target drones...


...move over in that foxhole!

[GTX_Admin]

Said QA-4 Target Drone might look a little like this:

[kengeorge]

The QA-4 Drone idea, air launched from B-52 wing pylons,
OR as a pair of Parasite fighters, with modded tails?
OR use the B-52 as a stand-off mothership for instant sunshine carrying scooters,
Maybe unmanned (UCAV) scooters
Got an A-4 Blank to mess around with. Hmmm.......
I know, Heresy you shout. My excuse is its late here and I haven't had any chocolate tonight to suppress the madness.
I blame Greg for the last picture giving me ideas.
Carry on sir.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Might be better off using the B-36 as your mother ship.

[GTX_Admin]

I blame Greg for the last picture giving me ideas.

Who? Me? But I'm innocent...

[Weaver]

Works for me

Yep, about all they're good for, really.



(Excuse me while I find somewhere to hide while FAAMAN, scooter & Scooterman empty their Colts in my general direction! )

Relax, they'll probably jam...

[ChernayaAkula]

Here I am, thinking I'm oh-so-clever, then going through the thread I find this:

Aéronavale A-4(FN) with Agave radar in nose and Exocet missile on centreline.

  Anyway, here's the profile.



Parts are to scale. I'm kinda partial to Aeronavale colours, but I guess this might also work in Argentinian colours. 

[GTX_Admin]

Nice art

[M.A.D]

Now, if we were doing something from back in the sixties, I could see a dry Avon as an alternative on a commonality basis (say, in joint service along side Hunters).

That sounds very interesting....was there much difference in size and weight to the Pratt & Whitney J52 and RR Avon?

M.A.D

[GTX_Admin]

P&W J52s (variants used in A-4):

Thrust: 8500 - 11200 lb Dry thrust depending upon variant
Length: 118.9 inches
Diameter: 30.2 - 32.1 inches depending upon variant (latter more powerful models had greater diameter)
Weight: 2056 - 2318 lb dry depending upon variant (latter more powerful variants being heavier too)

RR Avon (aiming for roughly comparable models in terms of thrust):

Thrust: 7500 - 11250 lb Dry thrust depending upon variant (lower one is the Avon RA.7 Mk.26 as used in CAC Sabre whilst higher is the Avon RA.24R Mk 200 series as used in Scimitar and latter model Canberras)
Length: 126.9 inches for more powerful versions
Diameter: 40.2 inches for more powerful versions
Weight: at least 2,869 lb dry (hard to find exact number for this)

Either way, I think the RR Avon would have had trouble fitting into the J52 space plus it would have most likely been lower performing.

[elmayerle]

Dry Avon would have to be a substitute for the J65/Sapphire for an operator who wanted common logistics support for other aircraft, already serving, aircraft powered by the Avon.

[M.A.D]

Thank you gentleman. I was looking at commonality when it came to the ADF!

M.A.D

[Volkodav]

As this is a whiff site, why not a dry RB106?