Latest information on Skyhawk Restorations.
"Fighting Classics Restorations: Mike “Maj” McDougall’s restoration shop down at Marana Regional Airport, AZ. "Maj" put together the Pacific Aero Ventures TA-4J for Don Keating and is nearing completion of an A-4C (148597) for Mr. Fred Machado. Fred’s a Florida gentleman but is Argentinian; and the new A-4C is already in Argentine colors. He also recently acquired the Spangler/Carr A-4C (NX2262Z) bought just a while ago by the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Florida. That one, too, will be in Argentine colors soon. Both will be kept at Fighting Classics in Marana for the time being. We’ll give "Maj" and Fred a half credit for the second Charlie which "Maj" plans to have flying by the end of 2017. 1 ½ A-4C more."
Y2018: Don Westbrook is restoring the forward fuselage of BuNo 147673.
FYI on privately owned Skyhawks: IF a/c is certified "Experimental Research and Development", it is in the category used for contract services, but is not allowed to fly in air-shows due to TFR. (Temporary Flight Restricted). Warbirds flown in air-shows are certified as "Experimental Exhibition".
Pacific Aero Ventures LLC: Don Keating, restoration by Mike McDougal of Fighting Classics Restoration of BuNo. 158486 c/n 14291.Don also has parts for more TA-4F/Js: BuNo 153670, a TA-4F, S/N 13535, FAA Reg. N670TF, former VC-1 aircraft. BuNo 153685, a TA-4F, S/N 13550, FAA Reg. N685TF, former VC-1 aircraft. BuNo 155095, a TA-4J, S/N 13867, FAA Reg: N595TA, former VC-1 aircraft. BuNo 158104, a TA-4F, not Registered, former VT-7 aircraft. |
AVMATS is based in St. Louis MO.BuNo 156925 TA-4J Skyhawk N7051J was restored by Doug Matthews of Classic fighter.A privately owned military aircraft. Navy, BuNo 156925. The aircraft was completely inspected in 2007 and is 90% restored. The engine has been completely replaced with a new J52–P8B as of July 2005. From Bob Fredricks. UPDATE Fall 2022: AVMATS of St. Louis MO has purchased this restored a/c and also purchased an TA-4 from Top Aces/ATSI. |
Privately Owned Flying SkyhawksTotal known flyers as of Feb 2022: 14 Military, 27 Contract and 5 Private. See Argentina and Brazil pages for military flyers. Valiant Air Command War Bird Museum United Aeronautical Corporation. BuNo 158128, TA-4J. Youtube video BuNo 154312 TA-4J Restoral by Dr. Victor Dominguez and Son. Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4. Last station was MASDC, but before that it was VC-8 at NS Roosevelt Roads, PR. Contracting Companies (aka "Working Birds) |
A/C # A/C TYPE BUNO # RNZAF # |
Formerly reserved for Malaysia, these Skyhawks went up for sale to the civilian population for restoration to flying status, or to museums.145064: A-4C for restoration by Lonny Ferrin Houston TX. FAA N128AT canceled 2010. 145076: N129AT A-4L . 145128: N132AT went to A-4 LLC to fly as contract bird, but was lost. 145131: wing went on BuNo 149606 Skyhawk Ventures 147669: N135AT A-4L with Thomas Samuelson Delanson, NY. for restoration. 147671: N142AT A-4L. 147679: A-4L Greg Shephard for restoration. 147690: N143AT went to A-4L LLC to fly as a contract bird. 147696: N144AT A-4C BuNo 147696 with Michael Galante, Andover MN. 147754 A-4L: BuNo 147754 (N145AT) purchased for Southwest Florida Defense Antiquities Museum Inc. -- AND then restoral. 147761: N146AT went to A-4 LLC to fly as a contract bird. 147768: N147AT went to A-4 LLC to fly as a contract bird. 147793: 147793 N-148 AT Pic1 Raptor Aviation 147793 Pic2 Raptor Aviation 147793 Pic3 147793 Pic4 147793 Pic5Raptor Aviation 147815: N153AT formerly of Roberts Aviation, Hamilton Ohio. (Ian Roberts). 147836: N154AT went to A-4 LLC to fly as a contract bird. 148307 N156AT A-4L:"Pic1 at Marana; A-4L 148307 Pic2 at Marana. Greg Shephard? 30MAR18 status: facebook images of it in three parts apparently abandoned near Boise River near Caldwell Idaho. 148316: A-4L N157AT A-4L 148316 tail. Greg Shepard and then? 148446: N130AT went A-4L LLC to fly as a contract bird. 158486: put together by Air Capitol Warbirds. Cockpit section is 158486, wing is148602 and tail is 149540. 148500: A-4C Skyhawk N159AT to Illinois Aviation Museum in Bolingbrook, IL. or SWFDAM in Fl. 148502: N203AT A-4C RAF Group 45 Llc Box 1476, Ocala FL. from Michael Blackstock 1968. 148509: A-4C Skyhawk N204AT In compound 19Jul02. Eventually went to 'Warriors and Warbirds Inc. and is now on display there at Monroe NC. 148540: A-4C to Greg Shephard?, researching. 148573: A-4C N250AT Greg Shepard to National Warplane Musuem to be restored at a later date. 148576: tail went on 149606 148581: N207AT went to A-4L LLC to fly as a contract bird. Y2019 with United Aeronautical. 148590: forward fuselage at Marana 148597:A-4C N214AT Douglas C/N 12790, being restored by Mike McDougall in AZ. WAS ? Pampa Aircraft Leasing LLC Dover DL. Contact FL: Fred Machado.? 08/02/2017 FAA registered as 12790 for AIRCRAFT GUARANTY CORP TRUSTEE in Texas. 148600: A-4L Douglas 12793 Watkins residence? 148602: N215AT wing used on restoration N518TA BuNo 158486 TA-4J cockpit. Still has nose. Don Keating. 149500: N218AT A-4L with A-4 LCC, Anaheim CA. flying as a contract bird. 149502: N219AT A-4L Landstreet Investment Corp, Dallas TX. ? or A-4LLC ? 149540: formerly reserved for Malaysia parts, N220AT tail was used for A-4J restoration N518TA BuNo 158416. Don Keating still has cockpit. 149550: A-4C N224AT Purchased by David Miles of United Kingdom, for restoration. 149555: : A-4L N225AT to aviation Technologies Fort Myers FL. 149555 Pic1 149555 Pic2 149555 Pic3 149555 Pic4 149555 Pic5 149555 Pic6 149555 Pic7 149555 Pic8 149575: 149575: N226AT SW Florida Defense Antiquities Museum FL. 149581: A-4C N227AT Purchased by J.P. Parizon of France, for restoration to museum. Forward fuselage section of Skyhawk BuNo 149581 as it awaits transportation to France. Tail section of Skyhawk BuNo 149581 as it awaits transportation to France. Photos Greg Shephard via Joe Turpen. 149591: N228AT with A-4 LCC, Anaheim CA. flying as a contract bird.. 149595: 3A304 ND-314 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12920 N229AT Greg Shephard restore to fly. 149606: restoration, tail is from 148576 and wing is from 145131 to Titusville Museum. 149620: N233AT A-4L A4 INC Idaho Falls, ID Aero Mark 149636: N230AT A-4C Charles / Judith Nichols Baldwin Park, CA. or Nichols Chino CA A-4C. 149653: 3A740 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 12978 19Jul02. 150581: N235AT to Museum in Ontario OR. 150585: Marana 150593: Marana 47 Skyhawks on this list. Original Malaysian contract undelivered = 48 ? |
Skyhawks last sited 07 NOV 2015 at what we believe to be Bill Maszala’s storage facility, ATW Aviation, Inc., in Marana, AZ.Grp1: Eight Skyhawks, one without wings. And four T-Bird cockpits. Skyhawks that were in the disposition yard(s) other than former Malaysian birds.151050: 3A741 14 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 13220 19Jul02 151064: 3A739 10 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 13234 For Torrance Aero Museum, Fullerton, CA. 152012:3A646 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk13400 11Mar02 19Jul02 17Aug02 152070: 3A792 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk13458 11Mar02 19Jul02 17Aug02 ; 158146: Forward fuselage former VT-7 A-722 T-Bird. 158486: put together by Air Capitol Warbirds. Cockpit section is 158486, wing is 148602 and tail is 149540. 158540: GV had it listed. Cockpits for FunMike Hoover is working on an early Skyhawk cockpit. PIC1 AOA panel question from Mike: Here are more pictures of a panel I found inside about where your knees would be when sitting in the seat. And the other is on the outside showing a panel from what I found was only on the A model. Other models have it but its a bigger size. Skyhawk cockpit. PIC1 John Slezak has some cockpits in his garage, check out the photos below. Pieces and PartsAviation Services Pt. Suba Manggala 158481: 2007: "The BuNo is 158481, Gabby got me the historical data on the airframe, where it was assigned, hrs, ldgs and such. Was accepted 2 Aug of 1972. I am in the process of selling the TA-4 section ......." John Slezak. [Front cockpit section only ]. Pic1; Pic2; Pic3; Pic4; Pic5; Pic6; Pic7; Pic8. Sonoma, CA. Skyhawk pieces/parts: including tail for 153683 at Sonoma, CA. 153683-Sonoma CA Skyhawk Pieces. On 06/14/2011 11:06 AM, David Duarte wrote: By poking around I stumbled on to your (web) site much the same as I stumbled on to a 1 1/2 acre yard in the heart of the vineyards in Sonoma California. The yard holds a very large collection of A4's in various stacks and groups of parts. canopies , tail sections, landing gear, wing sections etc. all neatly stacked as if waiting for a buyer. The location is on the corner of the roads Denmark and 8th in Sonoma. This location sounds urban by the names but it is out in the middle of the vineyard boonnies. I pass by the site often and have spoken to the apparent owner/guardian. He was cordial and polite but not very informative. I do not know if the collection is available for sale but I have seen that the inventory has changed over the years. The ship's names and units are still readable on the sides of the fuselages. The Lexington and another ship maybe the Kitty Hawk were visible on a few of the tail sections . On the next trip I'll take notes and pictures and send them on to this site if anyone is interested. 38degrees 16 minutes 41.52secs North x122degrees 26 minutes 11.89 secs West. |
Airworthy Skyhawk Summary:
* = data on this site. 27JUL19
A-4L
*147690: N143AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC
*147761: N146AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC, formerly A-4 LCC
*147768: N147AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC
*148446: N130AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC
*148581: N207AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC
*149500: N218AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC
*149591: N228AT Skyhawk Ventures LLC *149606: Skyhawk Ventures LLC.
TA-4J
*152853: N250WL TOP ACES
*153500: N251 TOP ACES
*153524: N245CF Collings Foundation
*153672: N252WL TOP ACES
*154306 Teton Aviation Support Services (Dr. Rich Sigden) TA-4J painted in OA-4 Marine colors. Update: Fall 2022.
*158128: N128TA United Aeronautical Corporation.
*158486: Pacific Aero Ventures LCC, Bellevue, Washington.
TA-4K
*157914: NZ6251, now N140EM
*157915: NZ6252, now N141EM
A-4K
*157904: NZ6212, now Draken N142EM
*154905: NZ6213, now Draken N143EM
*154908: NZ6214, now Draken N144EM
*155052: NZ6215, now Draken N145EM
*155063: NZ6217, now Draken N146EM
*155069: NZ6218, now DrakenN147EM
A-4N
*158730: C-FGZR-337 TOP ACES
*159051: C-FGZD-367 TOP ACES
*159078: BAE Systems now Draken N437FS
*159523: N263WL TOP ACES
*159530: N268WL BAE Systems now Draken N268WL
*159533: C-FGZH-531 TOP ACES
*159534: C-FGZM-532 TOP ACES
*159536: C-FGZG-534 TOP ACES
*159542: BAE Systems now Draken N432FS
*159544: C-FGZS-542 TOP ACES
*159545: N262WL BAE Systems now Draken N262WL
*159805: BAE Systems now Draken N431FS
*159815: BAE Systems now Draken N434FS
*159823: C-FGZE-495 TOP ACES
Fate Unknown and/or too sad to talk about
A-4 at Planet Ranch, AZ used during testing there. 2018 fate unknown. Gary Verver
1985-1987: Advanced Aero Enterprises A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 142191, N44AV, parked on the line. Photo from W. Mutza. Fatal crash 4 June 1987 - Raymond Guy Neely (40) former USMC pilot was killed Thursday when his A-4 crashed 75 miles north of Los Angeles while filming a commercial at California City, CA for Japanese television. Milwaukee Journal, Friday, June 5, 1987. The airplane entered a shallow descent and rolled into inverted flight. The left wing struck the ground, while inverted, and the airplane began to cartwheel. NTSB
Variant: A-4B; Custodian: Yanks Air Museum; BuNo: 142892; Location: Yanks Air Museum; Date: 19 August 2006; Contact: G. Verver; Photo Credit: Jim Winchester; Description: A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142892, Yanks Air Museum, 19 August 2006. Pic1; Pic2:; Pic3
Have knowledge of the status of these A/C? Contact webmaster@a4skyhawk.org
BuNo 142892: FEB 1996 - burned out former NAF China Lake A-4B Skyhawk BuNo 142892, Survivability Lab., China Lake, Copyright photo by Joe Cupido.
Derelict: A-4C 145074 in rough shape. Photo from Watkins.
28 JUL 1997:
A-4A 139938 & A-4B 145000 ex U.S. Navy (Fuselage & wings on a truck) Both aircraft came from NAS Memphis, TN., and are on their way to Consolidated UAC-Aeronautics in Tucson, Arizona, fate unknown.
A-4B 145000 ex U.S. Navy (Fuselage & wings on a truck) going to Consolidated UAC-Aeronautics in Tucson, Arizona, fate unknown. Photos by Jan Hendriksen. Perhaps parts for BuNu 158128 TA-4J N-182TA ?
BuNo 147834 abandoned at Ft. Meade Florida, former Florida Aviation Museum Area A-4C Skyhawk BuNo 147834 painted to replicate VA-153 Blue Tail Flies BuNo 148592 (shot down by AAA on 20 October 1966) was on display at the Florida Military Aviation Museum. That musuem no longer operates.
Pre-2007
JUN 2007; JUN 2007; JUN 2007; JUN 2007; JUN 2007
Kissimmee FL: A-4s located at the now-defunct Flying Tiger Warbird Restoration Museum in Kissimmee, FL. The museum went out of business in 2005, suffering from hurricane damage.
Derelict BuNo 139922 at Kissimmee from Colin Wells
Information on the BuNo's of these derelicts would be appreciated , see "Airliners.net".
Photo of a Skyhawk located at Tom Reilly's Flying Tiger Warbird Restoration Museum in Kissimmee, FL.
Tom Bispo
After study of three separate photos (two from Tom B and the one in the ref'd website), my guess is that the 147720 BuNo is a bummer. The bird shows a flush engine air intake and no apparent fueling probe, which makes it an A model, to which someone has created a "composite" by adding an avionics hump.
CHook
AND What happend to this one formerly at Kissimmee?
A-4A dressed up as A-4L?
Aircraft: A-4A ?
Custodian: ?
BuNo:
Modex:
Location:
Date:
Photo credit: "Boom" Powell
Contact: "Boom"
Description: Cindy White and unknown Skyhawk at the Flying Tiger Warbird Museum in Kissimmee, FL. said to be constructed from several different airframes.
This museum shut down aprox. Y2005 after hurricane damage.
Where is it now?
Subject: VA-44 A-4C on RR Flatcar
From: wilfred
Date: 05/28/2015 09:34 PM
To: "sa-a4-research@darw.it"
Good Evening,
I just won this slide off of E-bay this evening (I do not have
the actual slide in hand yet, just a scan I saved).
The listing had minimal listing only that it was an "aircraft fuselage on a flatcar in Lowell, MA in 1970." I contacted the seller and they knew nothing more than their husband took the picture because he happened upon it and thought it was interesting!
My research brought me to your page (and a few others) but I could not find anything specific.
The slide was taken either on the Boston and Maine RR or the Penn Central RR (former New Haven) in Lowell but it doesn't really tell us which way the flat is going.
Looking at the picture I can see tail damage like it may have had a hard landing crumbling the fuselage near the exhaust. I also noticed near the exhaust it is stenciled "A-4C." I know "AD" on the tail is for VF/VA-44 out of Florida which was inactivated in May 1970.
Could this be from an accident earlier than 1969-70 and it only got around to being scrapped/disposed of because VA-44's inactivation and no other unit wanting it on their property books and/or the outgoing commander of VA-44 getting it scrapped as a way of getting it off the property books easier.
I just thought it was interesting that it was in Massachusetts and since it is most likely potentially scrap that it was "loaded with care." Any ideas? (I think that the buyer could have been a northern scrap yard).
[Webmaster: BuNo 145084 A-4C stricken on 29APR1969. Last service assignment was 23 OCT1967 with VA-44 at NAS Cecil Field FL. Wilfred Roberge 5/28/2015]
Marana Airport AZ Grp1 on 07NOV2015.
Marana Airport AZ Grp2 on 07NOV2015.
