A-4 Skyhawk

On June 12th, 1952, the U.S. Navy issued a contract for a new fighter. Douglas Aircraft Company won the contract with their unconventional design. The A-4 was groundbreaking, smaller, cheaper and more simplistic than the fighters that came before, all while sacrificing almost nothing in performance. 

Two years after the contract was issued, the prototype for the A-4 took its maiden flight in 1954, breaking the world speed record at the time, reaching 695.16 mph. The aircraft could take off from any carrier, was easy to maintain, and had top-notch performance, making it the obvious choice for the Navy.  

  • Crew: 1

    Length: 39 ft 4 inches

    Wing Span: 27 ft 6 inches

    Height: 15 ft

    Empty Weight: 10,400 lbs

  • Maximum Speed: 673 mph

    Rate of Climb: 8,440 ft/min

    Cruise Speed: ~506 mph

    Service Ceiling: 42,250 ft

Our A-4

A military jet aircraft inside a hangar, with a canopy open, displaying the cockpit, and various equipment around it.

The Museum's Skyhawk was built at the Douglas plant in El Segundo, CA. It was number 337 of 638 A4D-2N's built. It is on loan from the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, FL.