Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the first flight of the XA4D-1 Skyhawk. More info at this link.

And here, to commemorate this day on Military Nuts, is a sampling of photos of the RSAF's Skyhawks, past to present








(Last Photo Copyright Andrew Bates 2002)

Where was the A-4S (ex-A-4B) taken?

Those are ex A4C not A4B. A4B got a sharper and smaller nose.

if you look at one of the pic, there is a C-17 in the background the T-Tail. The KC-135, C5 and C-141 have conventional tail.

And next to it are three C-135 I think.

PLAB US detachment???

Joe Black is right. 607 is an ex-A-4B converted to an A-4S. The A-4S has an even longer nose than the current A-4SUs (which use the A-4C nose) to accomodate the Doppler set which was then abandoned on the A4S-1 onwards.

A good article on the history of the Skyhawk in Singapore service can be found here

Both C-5 and C-141 have T-tails like the C-17. But yes, the pic with the Black Knights Super Skyhawk shows a C-17, as well as (from left to right) a P-3 Orion, a KC-135 and an RAF Nimrod.

Pic was taken at Asian Aerospace 2000

Joe Black, thats the A-4S on display at the RSAF museum at Paya Lebar

thanks for clarifying...
:)

That is Changi Airport where the Black Knights are taking off for the AA2000 air display.

That A-4B is taken at the RSAF museum.


Opps didn't see viper's reply.

Anyone seen any reference of a RSAF A4S with radomes in front of their main landing gear fairings?

A SEAD version perhaps?

I seen it on a taxiway in Tengah many many years ago.

Happy birthday to Shyhawk ;)

Happy Birthday Skyhawks. Ah, A/Cs 957 & 904, I still remember you babes. I don't like 957, looks kinda old sometimes, but I seem to always not able to snag that aircraft. Sigh. :P

hornet145, you flew those babes? How was the cockpit space, I kept reading reports that they are so cramp, kinda like the old generation migs.

Well they ARE old hornet145, the first A-4C flew in 1958. And some of our TA-4SUs are ex A-4Bs, which make them even older.

Joe Black, I never flew one of those, but I've sat in both the front and rear cockpits, are they are indeed very cramped.

BTW, heres a pic of an A-4C serving with VA-12 of the US Navy in 1970 during the Vietnam War, which eventually ended up with the RSAF as 975 (showed up at the 2001 RSAF Open House)

I knew one guy from puma who was not able to go to fast jet training although selected as he was too tall for the skyhawk, his head brush against the canopy. so he end up being sent to helos for training.

a few were doing the ndp fly past yesterday, usual bomb burst follow by f-16. notice 2 falcons had center tank and one had wing tanks.

Flew??? No, I fix them. Judging from my nick, most AF guys will know I'm from 145 Sqn "Hornet". The cockpit is very small. But I'm 1.86m tall, so its understandable. I've never sat in a mig b4 so no comments. I'm now a civilian, ORD in 1998.

Hi Viper52, I know its old. What I mean is that I never seems to maintain A/C 957 when it comes back from ST after a major overhaul. Whenever it comes to me, it's already very worn out and due for phase servicing or overhaul. To any AF guys here, what's the most number of waves you've launched in one day using the same aircraft. For my case, 5 waves.

Hope those aren't classified info.

Regards :D