Scooters Forever (A-4 Skyhawk Tribute Thread)

[Catmando]

That's some dissimilar form there. And both very clean airplanes. What's the story?

Here's the story:
The A-4 and the Albatross were part of a multi-plane flyover last month of old war birds over the Midway Museum. It was for an exclusive charity event dinner aboard the USS Midway Museum, honoring former POWs including John McCain.

The war birds are privately owned by different individuals, and staged out of Gillespie field. My daughter is riding in the Albatross that is in the video. She has some great photos, but I can't seem to upload them.

That A-4 is a highly modified, TA-4J. But it is a combination of three different models of A-4s merged together ... thus the bent probe. Its cockpit is state of the art glass, GPS, etc. It is the same A-4 as in post #616 previously.

 

[zipmartin]

Hey guys I am an ex RNZAF guy we had A4's for the longest time we even spent millions upgraqding them with hotas and huds. Then our idiot left wing government disbanded our military and left the airframes to rot outside for over 10 years till they were worthless. If you Americans can learn what can happen if leftists are put in charge for any time just look at New Zealand.

Sometime around the '87-'88 time frame, I attended an A-4 NATOPS Conference in Pensecola, the first one for the A-4 in a long time. Reps from AIRPAC, AIRLANT, NAVAIRESFOR, TRACOM, Marines, and a few others were in attendance. Among the few others in attendance were a couple of guys from RNZAF who got up and gave a slide presentation (before computers and PPt. for you youngsters) of what they had done with their A-4's with the HOTAS, HUD and radar. If I remember correctly, they had basically taken an F-16 radar and stuck it up front. We were amazed, excited, and had visions of our Navy saving lots of money and employing this concept for a cheap adversary, albeit, strictly sub-sonic, but still, a highly versatile and useable alternative to the F-18 or F-16 in certain scenarios, especially the close-in, visual knife fight, where the A-4 had already proven itself. The timing was not right though, as soon thereafter, BRAC and the federal budget cuts sadly killed any chance of keeping one of the all-time great aircraft alive.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Here are a couple photos I found.

 

[brownshoe]

Here's the story:
The A-4 and the Albatross were part of a multi-plane flyover last month of old war birds over the Midway Museum. It was for an exclusive charity event dinner aboard the USS Midway Museum, honoring former POWs including John McCain.

The war birds are privately owned by different individuals, and staged out of Gillespie field. My daughter is riding in the Albatross that is in the video. She has some great photos, but I can't seem to upload them.

That A-4 is a highly modified, TA-4J. But it is a combination of three different models of A-4s merged together ... thus the bent probe. Its cockpit is state of the art glass, GPS, etc. It is the same A-4 as in post #616 previously.

I sure would like to see those pictures your daughter took. Any chance you would email them to me? I’ll pass them along to BzB, Ron, Zip, The Chief and a few others.

I too have been having trouble posting pictures since John moved the forum. I used to able to post any picture I took with my camera, now the size we can post is more restrictive. John said he was looking at this, but I’ve not heard anything back from him yet, except he did tell me the maximum size we can post is 2500KB.

Steve

 

[Catmando]

I sure would like to see those pictures your daughter took. Any chance you would email them to me? I’ll pass them along to BzB, Ron, Zip, The Chief and a few others.

I too have been having trouble posting pictures since John moved the forum. I used to able to post any picture I took with my camera, now the size we can post is more restrictive. John said he was looking at this, but I’ve not heard anything back from him yet, except he did tell me the maximum size we can post is 2500KB.

Steve

It is not so much that I can't upload them. The fact is I can't do anything with the pics. The are somehow locked. I'll keep working on it, but I also think the owners do not really want the pictures out.

 

[brownshoe]

It is not so much that I can't upload them. The fact is I can't do anything with the pics. The are somehow locked. I'll keep working on it, but I also think the owners do not really want the pictures out.

Ahso!

Well, maybe we can call in an airstrike to change some minds. (They're probably some great photos. I'd like to see 'em.)

Steve

 

[zipmartin]

......and radar. If I remember correctly, they had basically taken an F-16 radar and stuck it up front.

Went back and found Heyjoe's post #279 on this thread that confirms they had a derivative of the F-16 radar.

 

[BusyBee604]

Here's a few photos of a 1:24 mahogany model of BzB 604 I ordered several months ago. Received the photos today for final approval prior to shipping it to me. Looks great to me, just one minor lettering glitch to smooth out, so should receive it in a week or two. It cost an arm, a leg & two fingers...[but], it's a personal thing I've wanted for years!
BzB

 

[eas7888]

I'm afraid to ask how much it costs, so I'll just say that it looks great!

 

[MasterBates]

Looks awesome BzB!

 

[blackbart22]

Guess it was on the '67 cruise that the helo guys painted their version of the "City of ******" on their birds. Looks like your name on NK 614 on that cruise.

 

[Ronl]

Hi Everyone,

I just joined the forum. It looks excellent. I have two questions for ex Scooter drivers. First, when you climbed into the cockpit, did you step on the seat or try to avoid doing so? If you didn't step on the seat, what was the reason? Secondly, I notice that some single seat Scooters had a restraining strap that was connected to the canopy on the starboard side of the cockpit. Where was the strap stowed and was it used all the time? Did all single seat variants use the canopy strap? Finally, does anyone have any pictures showing the strap and where is was stowed?

Thanks in advance, guys.

Ron

 

[Catmando]

Hi Everyone,

I just joined the forum. It looks excellent. I have two questions for ex Scooter drivers. First, when you climbed into the cockpit, did you step on the seat or try to avoid doing so? If you didn't step on the seat, what was the reason? Secondly, I notice that some single seat Scooters had a restraining strap that was connected to the canopy on the starboard side of the cockpit. Where was the strap stowed and was it used all the time? Did all single seat variants use the canopy strap? Finally, does anyone have any pictures showing the strap and where is was stowed?

Thanks in advance, guys.

Ron

BzB and others can answer better. But for me.............

I always hated to step on the seat, but always did. I don't think their was anywhere else to step.

I don't remember having to mess with the strap in my A-4C. I think it may have folded in half by itself as I closed the canopy.

I don't remember ever having to stow it. And sadly I have no pictures.

 

[zipmartin]

BzB and others can answer better. But for me.............

I always hated to step on the seat, but always did. I don't think their was anywhere else to step.

I don't remember having to mess with the strap in my A-4C. I think it may have folded in half by itself as I closed the canopy.

I don't remember ever having to stow it. And sadly I have no pictures.

I could get into the cockpit of our -E's & -F's without stepping on the seat by gingerly supporting myself via the front windshield rail and the top of the ejection seat. This way if my boots were wet I wouldn't get the seat pad wet. But I couldn't get out without stepping on the seat.

"NAVAIR 01-40AVC-1 (A-4E/F NATOPS)
Section I Part 2
Page 1-41
CANOPY RESTRAINT STRAP
In aircraft reworked per A-4 AFC 339 a canopy restraint strap is installed. The canopy restraint strap is used to prevent damage to the canopy hinges or actuating mechanism when warm weather operations require opening of the canopy for cockpit cooling during ground operation of aircraft. A canopy restraint strap pouch attached to the map case is provided for restraint strap stowage. When the restraint strap loop is attached to the right-hand canopy latching hook, the canopy is held just short of the open position. The restraint strap must be disengaged from the canopy latching hook and stowed in the pouch prior to closing and locking the canopy."

 

[Ronl]

Thanks for the great information, guys. Much appreciated! Zipmartin, does the Navair ops manual have any drawings or diagrams showing where the pouch was located that you might be able to scan and either post or e-mail me? Let me know and I will provide you with my e-mail address. Or, does anyone have any cockpit pictures showing the strap or pouch?

Thanks again.