the a4 skyhawk
There Gone!
Service Number |
Side # |
When Disposed |
Comment |
| N13-154903 | 882 |
12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
|---|---|---|---|
| N13-154904 | 883 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154905 | 884 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154906 | 885 | 21 Oct 80 | Ditched |
| N13-154907 | 886 | 23 Sep 79 | Rolled over side Melbourne |
| N13-154908 | 887 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154909 | 888 | 23 May 79 | Ditched |
| N13-154910 | 889 | 08 Nov 73 | Ditched |
| N13-155051 | 870 | 23 Jan 75 | Crashed near Braidwood |
| N13-155052 | 871 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-1545055 | 872 | 17 Jul 75 | Mid air crash Beecroft |
| N13-155060 | 873 | 05 Jun 73 | Ditched near Newcastle |
| N13-155061 | 874 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-155062 | 875 | 02 Oct 80 | Ditched off Melbourne |
| N13-155063 | 876 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-155069 | 877 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154911 | 880 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154912 | 881 | 12 Jul 82 | Sold to RNZAF |
| N13-154647 | 878 |
24 Aug 80 | Crashed at Nowra |
| N13-154648 | 879 |
16 May 74 | Ditched north of Nowra |
Some Facts About The Skyhawk
| Type: |
Carrier-borne light attack fighter bomber |
|---|---|
| Crew: |
A4G - One TA-4G (trainer) - Two |
| Ordered: |
1966 |
| First Delivered: |
22 Nov 1967 |
| Weight: |
10,100 (empty) 24,500 (loaded) |
| Engine: |
One Pratt & Whitney J52-P8A, 9,300 lbs thrust |
| Armament: |
Guns: 2 x 20mm cannon (100 rounds per gun) Bombs - Missiles - Rockets |
Manufacturer: |
McDonnell Douglas |
| Nicknames: |
The Scoter Heinemann's Hot Rod Tinker Toy Bomber |
|---|---|
Number purchased: |
20 |
Last Delivered: |
8 July 1971 |
| Dimensions |
Wing Span: 27 ft 6 in Length: 44 ft Height: 15 ft |
| Performance: |
Ceiling: 40,000 ft Speed: 657.6 kts Range: 2000 miles (ferry) |
The Engine
The J52-P8A Engine, built by Pratt & Whitney (a division of United Aircraft) is a continuous flow, gas turbine engine utilising a split 12 stage axial flow compressor, a nine unit can-annular combustion chamber and a split 2 stage turbine. The engine id composed of 3 major sections:
-
The compressor section or cold section,
-
The turbine section or hot section, and
-
The accessory section.
The multi stage axial flow compressor consists of a 5 stage low pressure unit and a 7 stage high pressure unit. The low pressure unit is connected by a through shaft to the second stage turbine unit. The high pressure unit is connected by a hollow shaft to the first stage turbine rotor.
The R.P.M of the high pressure unit is governed by the engine fuel control, whereas the R.P.M of the low pressure unit is completly independent and is entirely a function of the pressure drop across the turbines,
The J52 is a thrust rated engine i.e. it is set up or trimmed to develop a specific thrust at the high power setting rather that a maximum R.P.M.
