"There I was" stories from a Vietnam era A-4 Driver

[brownshoe]

Looks like you could use some help servicing those Scooters Steve! I trained on A4's if that's any help.

AE 606

Naw, we just need to explain to BzB about "Skeeter" it'll take awhile.

 

[A4sForever]

I forgot about Zip (sorry). But yeah... Skeeterman makes five.

Steve

ACTUALLY ... come to think about it; there's others ... CATMANDO and at least one other -- the A-6 guy who was in Rosey Roads for a while ... just to name a few that immediately come to mind ...

BUT: were they "really" eek A-4 drivers ... ?? Or were they just "wannabe's" ... "wishful thinkers" ... and just passin' through that "snug" little cockpit ...

I think we all know the answer to that one ...

 

[brownshoe]

Skyhawk... what an airplane.

Steve

 

[MasterBates]

I know IntruderDriver flew TA4s as an IP out of Meridian, but I think his fleet time was strictly of the -6 variety both as a BN and Pilot.

 

[Catmando]

ACTUALLY ... come to think about it; there's others ... CATMANDO ............
BUT: were they "really" eek A-4 drivers ... ?? Or were they just "wannabe's" ... "wishful thinkers" ... and just passin' through that "snug" little cockpit ...

I think we all know the answer to that one ...

Hey A4s. You need to crank in some more mils in that gunsight of yours :icon_smil. You are either missing wide, or shooting blanks.

Me, an A-4 "wannabe" or "wishful thinker" Au Contraire!

Actually, I am a member of the Skyhawk Association (but do need to re-up my dues )

While I flew F-9s in Advanced, I later came back and bagged alot in one of these (pictured below) for a couple of years, including a bunch of traps. I also flew this one under the bag in the instrument RAG, VF-126.

And this one was almost my personal Scooter for a couple of years - a J-65, NA-4C #145062. [And talk about tangling with a prop, I once got really slow, flaps down to watch a couple of old biplanes do a tail chase..... as I got really close, a Stearman jumped me. Indeed, a Stearman can turn well inside an A-4! ]

 

[H60Gunner]

No, three... "rondebmar."

Steve

Well, glad to have ALL of you guys here sharing stories. I am one who is in a constant state of learning, and wisdom from the wise is one subject I take seriously.

 

[A4sForever]

Hey A4s. You need to crank in some more mils in that gunsight of yours ....

110 mils worked very well as a "go-to" setting ...

Bitch.

 

[A4sForever]

Hey A4s..... You are .... shooting blanks.

Now ... that's just "hurtful" ... just 'cause the ex-wife, a.k.a. the Daughter of Satan ... wanted me to undergo the "procedure" @ Ft. Sam Houston ...

 

[exhelodrvr]

Hey, I got about 30 hours in an A-4 simulator one year when I was having a hard time getting enough flight hours to make my mins. Does that count?

I got pretty good at instrument approaches in it. Never could get the darn thing to hover, though.

 

[rondebmar]

Its late...join up with you guys tomorrow! :sleep_125:sleep_125

 

[A4sForever]

Hey, I got about 30 hours in an A-4 simulator one year when I was having a hard time getting enough flight hours to make my mins. Does that count?

Three guesses ... or do you really only need one ???

 

[BusyBee604]

A-4 BugHawk

Well, glad to have ALL of you guys here sharing stories. I am one who is in a constant state of learning, and wisdom from the wise is one subject I take seriously.

A couple of pics of my A-4 BugHawk: I tried to post the pics here but the attachments were as close as I could get.
BugHawk has a REAL A-4 probe, chrome -plated tailhook & CA lic. plate A4 HAWK! VA-127 line & fuel pits - NAS Lemoore CA - 1974.

 

[blackbart22]

The Connie cruise of '67 was when I arrived on board. I do have a few hours in A-4's, just passing through as it were. Convinced the Ops O at China Lake that I had to check out in A-4's to chase BQM-34's. Got a few hours in NA-4E 148613. Charlie wings and echo fuselage. Strange aircraft.

 

[BusyBee604]

YooHoo...anyone home? No action over here for a while & I get bored talking to meself lol.
If any of you A-4 devotees interested, I'd be happy to discuss my involvement with the Navy's first air-to-ground (semi-smart) guided missile system, Bullpup A/B (AGM-12A/B). Had a long & very happy relationship with the "puppy dogs" back in the day.
If any of you board veterans feel that this might be an OPSEC problem, just let me know.
Also, I have lots of thoughts re: aviation Greens, one of my favoritist uniforms.

Meantime, I'll be in the holding pattern over at NTWS. (LOS HIM HAR DFD 2 - FLY THE BALL, #^%@*&!) BzB

 

[MasterBates]

There be multiple threads for Aviation Greens!

Click the links in my signature and they will take you there.

<---------------The Aviation Green guy