Diecast Aircraft Information

MetalWings Diecast Aircraft Reference by Dauntless Aviation

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA1427
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk "MIG-17 Killer"
BuNo 148609, VA-76, USS Bon Homme Richard,
1st May, 1967

True 1/72 scale
Professionally painted
Great attention to detail
All markings are Tampoed (pad applied)
Option to display the model on a stand that is provided
Model can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positions
Optional armament has been provided
Canopy displays open or closed
Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic
Highly collectable

Designed to replace the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider the Skyhawk first flew in 1954. Its small
size was a radical departure from the normal “Big” thinking of the time. The USN first took
delivery in late 1956 with the USMC receiving theirs 3 months later. Over the years many
nicknames were used, “Tinker Toy”, “Heinemann’s Hotrod” (the designer was Ed
Heinemann), with the E and F models labeled the “Camel” because of the electronics
hump along the dorsal. Probably the most well known nickname used for the 2,960 A-4’s
that were produced is “Scooter”.

Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 148609 c/n 12802 was delivered to VA-64 in 1961. After
spending time with VA-64 and VA72 148609 was assigned to VA-76 “Spirits” in 1964 as
NP-685. VA-76 was deployed to Vietnam on board the USS Bon Homme Richard when
on May 1, 1967 LCDR Ted "T.R." Swartz flying 148609 shot down a MiG-17 over
North Vietnam with an unguided Zuni missile making this the only time a Skyhawk scored
an air-to-air victory during the Vietnam War. 148609 was lost in June 1972 after a mid-air
collision.

Specifications McDonnell Douglas A-4C
Crew – 1 Pilot

Dimensions
Length – 40ft 3in
Wingspan – 27ft 6in
Height – 14ft 11in

Weight
Empty – 10,450 lbs
Loaded – 18,300 lbs
Gross – 24,500 lbs

Performance
Powerplant – 1 x Wright J-65-W-20 non-afterburning turbojet, 8,200 lbs. of thrust
Maximum Speed – 673 mph
Combat Radius – 1,000 miles
Ferry Range – 2,130 miles
Service Ceiling – 42,250 ft
Maximum Rate of Climb – 8,440 ft/min

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