A4 Skyhawk
The A4 Skyhawk was the first Navy carrier attack aircraft in the Vietnam War. It can carry a variety of weapons. More than 50 years after it was designed, three foreign air forces still use the A4. This aircraft has been painted in colors of the Blue Angels, the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. The Blue Angels used the A4 for 13 years, longer than any other aircraft. This type of plane was flown by Blue Angel pilot and Lexington native Mike Nord.The McDonald Douglas Skyhawk A4 is a lightweight jet that was designed for use by the Navy and Marines for close air support of ground troops. It was the primary Navy carrier attack aircraft during the Vietnam War. It could carry many kinds of ordinances, such as bombs, rockets, guns, and cannons. The A4 was manufactured for 15 years, starting in 1954. It was also flown by many foreign countries and was the Argentinean Air Force's primary aircraft in the Falkland war with England.
The aircraft here has been painted in the Blue Angel colors as their flight demonstration team from 1974 until 1986 used the A4. The honorary pilot's name on this aircraft is Mike Nord, a native of Louisville, Ky. Mike graduated from the University of Kentucky. He received his Navy Wings in 1971 and reported to the Blue Angels in 1977. He was the Blue Angels' narrator during the 1978 season and flew as part of the team in 1989 and 1980.
The A4 Skyhawk was powered by a single engine producing 7700 lbs. of thrust. Its Maximum level airspeed with 4000 lb of armament was 645 mph (subsonic).
This Skyhawk was originally built as an A4D2N in 1960, was redesignated as an A4C in 1962, and was converted to an A4L, with the large avionics hump, in 1970. The aircraft came from NAS Memphis, where it had been on display for about eight years since being retired, and she arrived in Lexington in the autumn of 1988 before the museum as such was even established. The museum acquired its current home in 1995, and the aircraft was stored in a hangar until then, being pulled out for various functions or airshows.)
In March or April of 1989, museum volunteers drove a 15passenger van to Pensacola and returned with two Navy and two Marine personnel from the Blue Angels paint team, along with half a ton of equipment. The paint crew stayed in Lexington for eight days prepping and painting the aircraft in Blue Angels colors. The avionics hump was removed to make it more closely resemble an A4F, but the aircraft retains its straight refueling probe. It has neither the normal 20mm guns nor the tube for the boarding ladder unique to Blue Angels Skyhawks. To reduce maintenance, the normally brightly polished aluminum areas are painted silver.
Although it retains its proper BuNo, the aircraft is otherwise painted to represent the #4 aircraft flown by LCDR Mike Nord in 1980. As I understand it, Mike is from Lexington and flew Blue Angels #7 in 1978, #3 in 1979, and #4 in the 1980 show seasons.
Note: This A4A was not flown by the Blue Angels. Tom Bispo (Blue Angel 64ཽ)