operate from short airfields close to the front lines. The McDonnell Douglas A-4M was
designed specifically for the Marine requirements and was chosen over the Ling-Temco
Vought A-7.
The new A-4M engine was an updated version of the J52 that was rated at 11,200 lb.s.t.
This was a huge 20 percent increase in power with only a 1 percent increase in the
engines weight. Douglas also added smokeless burner cans to reduce the amount of
visible exhaust and all this was done without increasing fuel consumption. A new
electrical power generator provided 60 percent more energy so a self-contained engine
starter was added.
The pilot was given a larger canopy that was three inches wider and greatly increased
his all round view.
A drag chute was provided to help with landing on short airstrips. A new re-fueling probe
that was canted out was added so it wouldn’t interfere with the target-acquisition system.
A new IFF antenna was needed so the A-4M tail was squared off. The new M model first
flew on April 10, 1970 and the last A-4 was accepted on February 27 1979. After 27
years of producing the Skyhawk this made it the longest production run of any U.S.
tactical aircraft up to that date. The total production of the A-4M variant was 160 aircraft.

In 1942 the 214 Marine Fighter Squadron was commissioned at Ewa Airfield on Oahu,
Hawaii. It started out full of misfits under the command of legendary Major Gregory
“Pappy” Boyington who had just finished flying with the AVG Flying Tigers. Considering
the demeanor of the crew the name “Blacksheep” seemed very appropriate so the 214
decided to use it as the name for the new group. The bar sinister black shield of
illegitimacy with a black sheep, a Corsair and a circle of stars their status and the manner
in which they were established. Pappy shaped his men into one of the most deadly
fighter team of the Pacific in WWII. The 214 was decommissioned for a short time after
WWII but was re-commissioned in 1948. The squadron fought in Korea where they
played a major part during the landings at Inchon. They also showed the same
excellence as the original team while in combat in Vietnam. The squadron flew 3971
combat sorties and 5274 combat flight hours in the first eight months of their tour of duty
in Vietnam. For the next several years the 214 were relocated several times and flew
several different aircraft types.
From 1971 to 1979 the 214 were stationed at 4 different locations, one being Iwakuni
Japan. The aircraft they flew during these years was the McDonnell Douglas A-4M
Skyhawk. It wasn’t until June 1989 that the Blacksheep retired the A-4M for the new AV-8
Night Attack Harrier.

The deployment of this aircraft:
Built as BuNo. 159489 C/N 14430 the aircraft was delivered to VMA-214 on August 3
1977 at MCAS Iwanuki, Japan.
May 16 1980 to VMA-211
June 5 1987 to VMA-214
July 24 1987 to VMA-311
July 31 1988 to VMA-214
June 13 1989 to VMA-211
January 1 1990 to MAG-42 (Marine Aircraft Group – Marine Reserves) Alameda NAS
June 30 1992 to MAG-42 that was re-designated MAG-46 Det B (Detachment Bravo)
Alameda NAS
August 7 1992 to MAG-49 Willow Grove NAS in Pennsylvania
June 7 1994 the aircraft was transferred as 3A0781 to AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance
And Regeneration Center) in Tucson Arizona. Here it was registered as AN3A0781. The
aircraft is listed as “Departed AMARC” so it could have gone for scrap or sent to a
museum or private collection.

This new site is being updated regularly and it will be much improved before too long. Please be patient, give it time, and check back regularly. Opportunities for community collaboration are in the works for a little further down the road.