Spinners

Douglas A-4E Skyhawk 'VPAF' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2 This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire A-4E to create a fictional Skyhawk in service with the Vietnam People's Air Force in the 1975 to 1990 timeline. BACKSTORY The building up of the Vietnamese Air Force during 1970 and 1971 as part of President Nixon's 'Vietnamization' process saw it become the world's sixth largest air force and in August 1971 it's capability was given a boost by the transfer of 40 A-4E aircraft flown by USN pilots from carriers positioned around Dixie station who delivered them to Bien Hoa airbase near Saigon. Bien Hoa was itself being handed over to the Vietnamese Air Force at that time but a US presence was maintained to help with the handover of the aircraft and a four-month conversion course for air and ground crew commenced alongside the establishment of the two squadrons chosen to fly the Skyhawks. During early 1972 the Skyhawks saw limited action until late March when they were pitched against the North's 'Spring Offensive' but they were hampered by the poor weather under which the North stormed forward and with the switch to strategic attacks on the North by the USAF the Skyhawks were withdrawn as Linebacker 1, and the more concentrated and effective Linebacker 2, took centre-stage until the bombing was finally halted and an uneasy ceasefire was introduced after the Kissinger-Tho Peace Accord. During 1974 the drastic reduction in financial assistance from the US began to hurt the Vietnamese Air Force who retired many aircraft to flyable storage condition including the remaining Skyhawks and with limited funds they preferred to reactivate the elderly A-1 Skyraiders for close air support when skirmishes between NVA and ARVN forces began to become more frequent. NVA advances during late 1974 had been slow but steady but the North had continued to build up their forces until they were unleashed in early January 1975 and advanced quickly to capture Ban Me Thuot and the nearby military airfield where the mothballed Skyhawks were discovered although at least six were damaged by NVA shelling. Like many Vietnamese Air Force aircraft the Skyhawks were pressed into service with the Vietnam People's Air Force who were quick to show the aircraft in service for propaganda purposes but who also found the Skyhawk to be a useful attack aircraft and used the type in the border conflict with the Khmer Rouge forces of Cambodia (Democratic Kampuchea) and the invasion of Cambodia in December 1978 quickly followed by attacks against invading Chinese forces in February 1979. These actions and the deteriorating spares situation led to the grounding of the remaining Skyhawks in the early 1980's but it is believed that spares were soon obtained covertly to keep them in service until 1990. INSTRUCTIONS 1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the A-4E_VPAF folder into your Aircraft folder. 2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the A-4E_VPAF folder into your main Decals folder. 3. From the WEAPONS folder drag and drop the FAB500_M62 folder into your main Weapons folder. CREDITS Thanks to Third Wire for the continuous improvement of a great little game/sim. Thanks to the creator of the FAB500_M62 bomb - I just wanted something different compared to the stock FAB's. And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community. Regards Spinners Version 1 - 05/04/13