A-4 Skyhawk Rival designs

Antonio

Antonio

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The A-4 skyhawk was a revolutionary design because Ed Heinemman's minimalistic approach to the subject but I have never found about the other and supposedly more classical rival designs.

Anybody can post information and pics?


Thanks,

Antonio
 
Re: A-4 Rival designs

pometablava said:
The A-4 skyhawk was a revolutionary design because Ed Heinemman's minimalistic approach to the subject but I have never found about the other and supposedly more classical rival designs.
Click to expand...

The A-4 apparently began as a Douglas funded fighter proposal. After a successful presentation to a group of admirals, the USN wrote an attack aircraft specification around the Douglas proposal. I'm not even sure that there were any "rival designs."
 
Re: A-4 Rival designs

Very interesting

Thanks a lot!
 
Additional info: A-4 Skyhawk was derivate of Douglas Model 640 made by Ed Heinemann. And one surprise - model 640 was designed to operate from submarine! It had folding wings and tail and was able to land on the water. Than thanks to telescopic crane was moved back to submarine. I did also a simplified 3 view, because it is a part of my still unpubilshed research about flying submarines and submersible fighters.
 

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Interesting that the Skyhawk had its origins as a "sub fighter"- during the Vietnam War as well as through the 1960s in other areas of operation US Navy ASW carriers operated Skyhawks in squadrons designated "VSF" or just sub fighter to some.
 
Tornado, from whatifmodelers forum posted drawings about this sub-fighter (altough he gives an wrong design number)

this is the link to see the drawings

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=11959
 
The drawings are by me...my 'nom de plume' on the whatifmodelers forum is Tornado!

They are a what-if colour scheme, the first based on what they probably would have looked like in serivce and the second a complete what-if Vietnam scheme for behind the lines recon.

I was just about to post these pictures here but since someone else has I'll let you all enjoy the link! ;D

I admit the design number is wrong, I think I got it from an internet source some time back. Indeed info I have found since comes from 'Strike From Beneath the Sea' by Terry Treadwell (ISBN 0-7524-3275-3). Little more than an internal view and a simple data panel with simple sketch.

What engine was to be used to power this fighter?
 
Dear Tornado/Hood ;)

The Douglas Attack Aircraft 640 was powered by one Westinghouse J34-WE-36: 3,400 lb (15 kN) thrust (two JATO for take off).

http://www.shanaberger.com/engines/J34.htm

The D-640 design was iniciated in the late 40's according to Ed Heinemman's own words and was cancelled in 1952.

Cheers
Antonio


Source:
'Submarines with wings' by Terry Treadwell (ISBN 0-85177-369-9)
 
Hi,

I heard that the Martin-283 was from rivals designs to A-4,can
anyone confirm this ?.
 
Here Some Picture i found on Submarine Aircraft Model 640
source : http://www.combatreform2.com/submarineaircraftcarriers.htm
 

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I don't know if it necessarily counts, but the A2D Skyshark was the original intended replacement for the Skyraider until canceled in favor of the Skyraider


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/a2d.htm


a2d-pic1.jpg
 
Douglas started studies for a T40 turboprop Skyrider but that studies shown that it was impossible to mach the cell with with such engine so a new cell (A2D) was developed.
 
It started out as a fighter? When?

I thought it started out as an attack proposal that the USN wanted, and Douglas managed to make it half the weight of the requirement...


KJ_Lesnick
 
At what point after the Model-640 was cancelled, did the design evolve into the A-4 (on paper, like before it flew)?


Kendra
 

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