Douglas A4D-3: 1957 all-weather attack Skyhawk

[overscan (PaulMM)]

The A4D-3 was a 1957 proposal for an all-weather attack version of the Skyhawk powered by an 8500 lb.s.t. Pratt & Whitney J52-P-2 turbojet. Four developmental aircraft were ordered, but the project was cancelled in favor of the A4D-2N, which was a more straightforward all-weather adaptation of the Skyhawk and was hence less expensive.

Source:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Filerawing_of_proposed_A4D-3_Skyhawk_all-weather_attack_variant_1957.jpg

 

[J.A.W.]

As a Kiwi schoolboy I witnessed the RNZAF progression from Vampire to Skyhawk,
- as they regularly flew over where I was living - so I've always had an appreciation for the adaptable
& practical little Douglas 'scooter'.

One of the few (& sensible) `50s tailed delta types ( along with Javelin, MiG 21, ~Lightning).
& later - the addition of canards to other deltas showed how useful/needful it was..

 

[Jos Heyman]

As far as I know 10 A4D-3s were ordered with serials 145147/145156.