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General
In 1952 a new tactical attack jet was requested by the U.S. Navy and Marines. The Douglas Aircraft Company designed the aircraft that fully met the expectation and performance requirements. The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk aircraft had greater range and payload, was suitable for use on aircraft carriers, and provided close-in support for ground forces. The aircraft proved its capabilities, and remained in U.S. service for more than 30 years. The A-4 Skyhawk popularity was a major success and was well received with many friendly allies. Thus, many A-4 Skyhawks were later refurbished and modified, and exported to foreign countries. The A-4 Skyhawks are still in U.S. military service today with limited quantities, and are mainly used for training purposes. A total of 2,960 Douglas A-4 Skyhawks were manufactured between 1954 and 1980.
Restoration
The restoration of the Douglas A-4B Skyhawk initially began in May of 2005 and is scheduled to be completed in late 2006, beginning 2007. The aircraft will be completely restored to its original 1968 appearance, when it served the attack squadron VA-46. It will, however, remain as a static display at the museum. Since May 2005, research has been conducted to collect as much information as possible on this particular aircraft. Tremendous assistance was provided from the Skyhawk Association in terms of historical data on deployment of the BuNo. 142741, technical data, and overall information on tactical markings and aircraft performance. Another very valuable resource is Dave Dollarhide, a retired USN Captain. Dave Dollarhide is a former pilot of the Douglas A-4B Skyhawk (BuNo. 142741), aircraft that is currently on display at the museum. Dave Dollarhide has participated in reviewing the documents on the Skyhawk, shared valuable information and stories, as well as pictures taken while serving in the Navy. The pictures included on this website came from Dave Dollarhide’s personal library. Furthermore, the “Exterior repainting and Remarking of a U.S. Navy Aircraft / Buno 142741” set of plans were designed and completed in October 2005. The plans contain ten sheets describing the aircraft markings in details and their locations. See plans below. Currently, the museum Staff is in the process of obtaining all parts necessary to restore the aircraft.
A4 Drawings