Scooters Forever (A-4 Skyhawk Tribute Thread)

[ryan1234]

Latest word about the remaining Kiwi A-4Ks is that they have been purchased by Draken and will be used for contract work. Five single seaters and three two-holers in the deal.
http://a4skyhawk.org/content/draken-international-inc
and
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/07/2937280/draken-international-purchases.html

The A-4s aren't the only things joining the stable... 25 MiG-21s, quite a few MB339s... in addition to the L-39s, 2 MiG-17s, and a T-33... great times.

 

[Homer J]

Don't remember where I ran across this one.

 

[flaps]

the wreckage from an OCS classmate's a-4 recovered.

the reference to okinawa seems to be in error. otherwise, a good article.

http://www.stripes.com/news/marine-salvage-crew-tests-skills-remove-decades-old-wreckage-1.49990

 

[707guy]

The A-4s aren't the only things joining the stable... 25 MiG-21s, quite a few MB339s... in addition to the L-39s, 2 MiG-17s, and a T-33... great times.

25 MiG-21s? Wow...

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

 

[MIDNJAC]

Cool saw the Draken booth, didn't realize they were going to give ATAC such a run for their money

 

[ryan1234]

Cool saw the Draken booth, didn't realize they were going to give ATAC such a run for their money

You should see the bar in the hangar

 

[MIDNJAC]

25 MiG-21s? Wow...

Correction, 28 MIG-21BIS from Poland. Not the full Bison upgrade, but most of it (radar, RWR). That was straight from the Horse's mouth this afternoon, aka CAPT Snodgrass. He also said the MIG's and A-4's would be full up at the merge, vs ATAC's 180 limit. Baller

 

[Flash]

Correction, 28 MIG-21BIS from Poland. Not the full Bison upgrade, but most of it (radar, RWR). That was straight from the Horse's mouth this afternoon, aka CAPT Snodgrass. He also said the MIG's and A-4's would be full up at the merge, vs ATAC's 180 limit. Baller

I going to hazard a guess that most will be parts birds/hangar queens, that is a lot of tactical aircraft for a private company to maintain especially very old ones of eastern-bloc vintage. Pretty ambitious for a brand new company.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I going to hazard a guess that most will be parts birds/hangar queens, that is a lot of tactical aircraft for a private company to maintain especially very old ones of eastern-bloc vintage. Pretty ambitious for a brand new company.

Fair enough, but even a third of that would be a pretty aggressive red presentation, especially when coupled with their MIG-17's and the A-4's with APG-66's and other gear

 

[Flash]

Fair enough, but even a third of that would be a pretty aggressive red presentation, especially when coupled with their MIG-17's and the A-4's with APG-66's and other gear

I think the Skyhawks are a good investment but I question the value and utility of the MiGs a little bit, we aren't fighting the Vietnam War anymore. It seems like that they are making a good marketing pitch and creating a little buzz with such large purchases but I question as an outsider to this sort of thing if they can deliver. I guess it is my wary nature and experience dealing with government contractors. I wish them the best but beware of government contractors promising wonderful products, delivered on-time and under budget of course!

 

[ryan1234]

I think the Skyhawks are a good investment but I question the value and utility of the MiGs a little bit, we aren't fighting the Vietnam War anymore. It seems like that they are making a good marketing pitch and creating a little buzz with such large purchases but I question as an outsider to this sort of thing if they can deliver. I guess it is my wary nature and experience dealing with government contractors. I wish them the best but beware of government contractors promising wonderful products, delivered on-time and under budget of course!

This is a little different than most previous types. The MiGs do have value, it's not all red-aggressor type stuff. The MB-339s will also play an important role as well in the air to ground arena. They have some very impressive capabilities that previous organizations simply did not have.

 

[Flash]

This is a little different than most previous types. The MiGs do have value, it's not all red-aggressor type stuff. The MB-339s will also play an important role as well in the air to ground arena. They have some very impressive capabilities that previous organizations simply did not have.

They might have some impressive capabilities in the future, even their own website makes it clear that they don't have much actually flying yet. I'll believe it when I see the birds in the air.

 

[scoolbubba]

killjoy

 

[Flash]

killjoy

I do my best.......