Our latest Skyhawk Illustrated is an A-4C with an intense operational life which, transiting through Vietnam and AMARC, nearly made it into the Malaysian Air Force and, when its history seemed to be near the end, was rescued and restored as a flying display aircraft… ultimately being painted in Argentinian Navy colours!
Our specimen had an interesting operational career after departing the Palmdale factory (California) on delivery to the United States Navy (USN) on 09/10/1962 wearing Bureau of Aeronautics Number 149606.
Withdrawn from use in 08/1971, it was assigned to the Military Aircraft Storage & Disposition Center (Arizona), and remained stored there until 07/1983, when it was one of the Skyhawks acquired by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) for conversion to the A-4PTM variant, though it was never actually transferred to that country.
From an unused batch of fuselages originally reserved for the TUDM, Porter Spangler acquired several A-4C components to reassemble one and put it in flight condition for air shows, painting it in VA-86 “Sidewinders” colours with its original Bu No and buzz number AE-402 while the squadron was deployed aboard USS “America”.
What he built is actually a “Frankenhawk” (like Dr. Frankenstein’s creation in Mary Shelly’s novel) comprising the front section from our subject aircraft (Bu No 149606), the wing section from Bu No 145131 and the tail section from Bu No 148576 and, lacking ailerons, landing gear, gear doors, flaps or slats on the wing, they were purchased separately from other A-4 parts owners.
We decided to refer to the new aircraft as an afterlife of c/n 12931 because a Skyhawk’s construction number plate is usually riveted (and associated) to the forward fuselage, even though the Federal Aviation Administration registered it in the experimental airworthiness class associated to ad-hoc construction number “60-12377”, ostensibly associating it to the wing, rather than the nose, section of the airframe.
Once completely rebuilt by Valiant Air Command War Bird Museum (VAC) and Skyhawk Ventures LLC, it was registered NX2262Z, started taxiing tests in 05/2010 and got airborne for the first time on 08/04/2011, participating in several air show for the following six years.
Argentine businessman Federico Andrés “Fred” Machado acquired it in 2017 through his Fort Lauderdale (Florida) based company, South Aviation, and had it reformed and repainted to replicate Argentine Navy A-4Q 0658/3-A-305, one of the aircraft involved in the sinking of HMS Ardent in San Carlos Water on 05/21/1982.
Since 2021, when its owner was arrested on drug traffic and money laundering charges, the aircraft is being offered for sale for little under US $795,000.
Variants:
A4D-2N (08/1962), A-4C (redesignated 09/1962), A-4PTM (circa 1983).
Identities:
BuNo 149606 (1962); 3A0345 (08/1971), M32-13 (not taken up, 07/1983); NX2262Z (07/13/2011).
Owners and operators:
- VA-216 at NAS Lemoore, California, “NP600” (1962), “NP680” (1964) and NAS Cubi Point, Phillippines (1965), VA-192, on board USS Bon Homme Richard and at NAS Atsugi, Japan (1965), VA-93, on board USS Independence, “NG304” (1966), VA-55 at NAS Lemoore (1966), VA-22 at NAS Lemoore (1967), VA-112 at NAS Lemoore (1967), VA-125 at NAS Lemoore (1967), VA-873 NAS Alameda, California (1968), VA-125 at NAS Lemoore (1968) and VC-1 at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, “UA45” (1969).
- MASDC (Military Aircraft Storage & Disposition Center), Arizona (08/1971).
- TUDM (ntu, 07/1983).
- Skyhawk Ventures, Winter Park (Florida, 2011) and South Aviation, Fort Lauderdale (Florida, 2017)
Fate:
Confirmed in flying condition as of 10/24/2022 and reported for sale, according to data from Fighting Classics Aircraft Restoration.
Internet references: Forgotten Jets, Ron Picciani, Skyhawk Association, Jetphotos, xuxinyi1000 , AirHistory, Gerry Barron.
