Y2019 update: Most if not all of the Marana stored Skyhawks have now gone to museums and to restorers who intend to fly them. In regards to the Marana Skyhawks that were originally allocated for Malaysia: 34 single and 6 two seaters were delivered to Malaysia. And with the two seaters utilizing two each single seat cockpits; it is assumable that a total of 46 a/c were used in the creation of the 40 a/c delivered. 88 ordered minus 46 utilized leaves 42 Malaysia a/c untouched and left in the U.S.A and stored at Marana. Marana also had Skyhawks unrelated to the Malaysia deal stored there
Y2013: As some of you know I was at Marana last October and took a few Skyhawk photos. These are on the west side of the hangar. Gary Verver.
Former VC-2 Blue Falcons A-4L Skyhawk BuNo 148576, forward fuselage at Fighting Classics, Aircraft Restoration LTD, Marana Regional Airport, AZ, 16 October 2012. Gary Verver.
The one tail you can see in the background of the first photo is a bird from VA-205 in ATL...AF letters and their green symbol. ...probably a Lima model. Dave Dollarhide.
A few more Marana Skyhawk photos. These are on the east side & NE corner of the hangar. Gary Verver.
A few more Marana Skyhawk photos. These are on the east side & NE corner of the hangar. Gary Verver.
Y2004 Webmaster's Note: After investigation, some of earlier data proved incorrect; see the Civilian page and Malaysia page for final determinations.
First emails on the sittings of former Malaysian assigned Skyhawks.
22 FEB 2004: "The Avra Valley Airport (Marana Airport), just north of Tucson, has become home to a number of Skyhawks.They obviously came out of the boneyard at Davis-Monthan as they were still covered with spraylat." Pete Kate.
24 FEB 2004: "I went by the Marana Airport with my binoculars and was able to determine that there are 14 A-4L's there. I was able to read tail numbers on 4 of them and are as follows: 147793, 148307, 149620 and 148573. The spraylat protective coating from the boneyard has been removed from two or three of the Skyhawks." Pete Kate.
28 MAR 2004: "There are now about 12 to 14 Skyhawks at the Northwest/Marana airport near Tucson Arizona. They were moved from AMARC to there. I don't have any information on ownership or if they will come onto the market." Michael Blackstock. They are on the ramp next to: ATW Aviation Inc., 11700 W. Avra Valley Road #81, Marana, AZ 85653. Contact is Bill Muszala.
16 MAR 2004: "I will take some photos and send them to you. I live nearby." Michael Blackstock.
16 MAR 2004: "Well I talked to Bill Muszala at ATW Aviation about those Skyhawks. They are going to restore them! Bill evidently owns one already and has some information on his bird. He was happy that I had called him because they are very interested in the history of the aircraft in their possession. They have both A-4C's and L's. He and one other guy evidently have some information, and maybe the inventory cards, on their aircraft but would appreciate us confirming what they have. Maybe I shouldn't have but I told him I would help him all I could to find information on those A-4's but I think this is a good opportunity for the association. He said his aircraft had some markings on it and I told him to email me pictures and I would at the markings and see what I could tell. That is when he said they had lots of pictures of the aircraft they have and that they would try to start sending them tomorrow.
The BuNo.s are: 147793,145064,148307,148573,149575,148502,148446,149620,149591,148540,148316,149555,150581,148602,
145076,149502,147669,149500." [18 total] Joe Turpen.
29 MAR 2004: "This is BuNo 149555 belonging to BTW Aviation that Joe advised us of March 16." John Gabbard.
12 JUL 2004: "I purchased two of the Skyhawks from the Marana Airport. 148573 and 147793. A-4 L 147793 I will restore to flying condition first. The C 148573 will go on display at The National Warplane Museum in Elmira, NY for restoration at a later date. Could you please forward this e mail to all interested parties who may be able to help me with history and aircraft times. Such as air frame and engine times. I'm familiar with all the history from the Malaysia purchase around 1980 to present. If you wish ...I would be happy to give you the heads up! Also I will be recruiting volunteers to help with the cleaning and prep of 147793 and 148573 for their ferry flights!" Greg Shepard , Director of Acquisition, Restoration, Chief Pilot, Southwest Florida Defense Antiquities Museum Inc.
02 AUG 2004: ".... There are not 17 planes there but 11 trucked to Marana. Two C's were moved from DM to Marana along with 9 L's. One C and one L have been taken apart and trucked to their owners. ATW Aviation at Marana is awaiting instructions from me and other owners on what we want to do with the planes. Merle Main will take his other plane to Oregon like his first one, and mine will either be rebuilt at ATW on location or taken apart and shipped to Texas where I will assemble a crew to restore my planes. I need at least 2 planes in the Air by February in 2005 for a contract and another plane for an additional contract in June '05. The first contract needs a total of 4 A-4's asap and I can't build up 4 at the same time at the same location in time to make all the deadlines. It will be tough with two different groups restoring the planes to pristine condition, but it's the only choice I have if I am to have a chance of making the schedule.
I am looking for A-4 mechs and personnel that might want to have a good time for 3-5 years. I literally had the pick of the liter so to speak and have included two of them: Buno's: 149446 VA-12 & 149591 VMA 142 if you would like to show photos at the Marana site since there is nothing showing for Marana. The group photo is of the 10 remaining planes. The disassembled plane in foreground is going to Planes of Fame, Chino this week. I will try and keep you up to date on the restorations and other planes." Bob Schneider, Hawkins, Texas
29-MAR-04: "Those aircraft originally left AMARC back in 1983. They were supposed to be for the Malaysian Air Force but got no further than the Aircraft Restoration and Marketing yard next to the base in Tucson. They were allocated civil registration numbers enclosed in a fenced compound and that is as far as they got for 21 years. They were caught up in a failed deal and legal problems but it appears that all has been resolved now." Chris - The AMARC Experience" Web Site
Y2004: "The Marana aircraft are part of the batch of Malaysian aircraft that have been at AMR in Tucson for so many years. Mark Daniels and Victor Miller of Aero Group sold 17 of the 34 aircraft that have been in storage for so long. Balance of the aircraft are still at AMR." Rick Harris.
15 AUG 2004: "BuNo.148540 does indeed appear to be incorrect. The aircraft that was miss-identified I believe is really BuNo.149540." David Weber.
Original report summary, with a few BuNo errors.
Y2002: DMI or Dross Metals as it was more usually referred to is now called ARM, Aircraft Restoration and Marketing.
BuNo AMARC Side Variant Douglas FAA Location Last Seen Went to:
145064 3A323 5G-8 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12310 N128AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
145076 3A477 QP-109 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12322 N129AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
145128 3A503 JE-04 12374 N132AT In compound 19Jul02
147671 3A474 MB-11 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12435 N142AT In compound 19Jul02
147669 3A 460 LZ-10 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12433 N135AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
147690 3A463 QP Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12454 N143AT In compound 19Jul02
147696 3A303 AG Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12460 N144AT In compound 19Jul02
147726 3A406 12490 14Jun02
147754 3A504 JE-05 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12518 N145AT In compound 19Jul02
147761 3A484 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12525 N146AT In compound 19Jul02
147768 3A461 AF-310 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12532 N147AT In compound 19Jul02
147793 3A 465 QP-102 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12557 N148AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
147815 3A483 MF-3 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12579 N153AT In compound 19Jul02
147836 3A508 JE-10 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12600 N154AT In compound 19Jul02
148307 3A 502 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12617 N156AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
148316 3A 411 AF Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12626 N157AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
148446 3A 468 MB-12 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12639 N130AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
148500 3A310 UA Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12693 N159AT In compound 19Jul02
148502 3A 295 4B-05 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12695 N203AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
148509 3A341 5L-5 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12702 N204AT In compound 19Jul02
148573 3A 332 ND-502 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12766 N250AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
148581 3A492 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12774 N207AT In compound 19Jul02
148597 3A340 JE-07 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12790 N214AT In compound 19Jul02
148602 3A 476 QP-104 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12795 N215AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149500 3A 464 MB-1 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12825 N218AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149502 3A 412 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12827 N219AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149540 3A 488 JY Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12865 N220AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149550 3A403 ND-313 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12875 N224AT In compound 19Jul02
149555 3A 456 QP-109 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12880 N225AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149575 3A 355 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12900 N226AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149581 3A 314 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12906 N227AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149591 3A 493 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12916 N228AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149595 3A304 ND-314 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12920 N229AT In compound 19Jul02
149620 3A 486 MB-10 Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 12945 N233AT In compound 19Jul02 To ATW Aviation, Marana/Avra Valley Airport, AZ. 13DEC04
149636 3A338 5L-3 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12961 N230AT In compound 19Jul02
149653 3A740 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 12978 19Jul02
150581 3A346 Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 12992 N235AT In compound 19Jul02
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