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View File [Fictional] Douglas A-4D Skyhawk 'USAF' Douglas A-4D Skyhawk 'USAF' for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2 This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire A-4E to give a fictional USAF A-4D with markings for the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron ('The Silver Knights') in 1967 although the service years are a more generous 1964 to 1985. BACKSTORY During the Spring of 1961 the incoming Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara left no stone unturned in his search for efficiencies in procurement and operational costs and his attention soon turned to the successful Douglas A4D 'Skyhawk' programme. Douglas had already transformed their 'bantam bomber' by replacing the Curtiss-Wright J65 engine with the Pratt & Whitney J52-P6A engine and the forthcoming A4D-5 (A-4E) version was chosen as the baseline for a minimum-change version for the USAF. Designated A-4D (after the introduction of the tri-service designation system) the USAF Skyhawks saw extensive service at home and abroad and, in particular, served with distinction in Vietnam where they replaced a variety of tactical aircraft. INSTRUCTIONS 1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the A-4D folder into your Aircraft folder. 2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the A-4D folder into your main Decals folder. That's it! CREDITS Thanks to Third Wire for a great little game/sim. And thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community. Regards Spinners Version 2 - 17/02/19 Version 1 - 19/03/12 Submitter Spinners Submitted 03/19/2012 Category What If Hangar  

View File [Fictional] Douglas A-4D Skyhawk (Dhimar) Douglas A-4D Skyhawk for STRIKE FIGHTERS 2 This is a very simple mod of the stock Third Wire A-4E Skyhawk to give a flyable A-4D (Dhimar) in service with the Dhimari Air Force with markings for; No.6 Squadron - 'The Eagles' No.7 Squadron - 'The Rattlesnakes' BACKSTORY During the early to mid-1950's almost every US Navy aircraft programme hit some sort of propulsion trouble with either engines that were either down on thrust or simply so unreliable that they were a hazard to flight safety. Douglas were no exception and the SkyKnight and Skyray programmes were hit especially hard and the A4D Skyhawk programme initially didn't fare much better with the J65 down on thrust and the Pentagon bizarrely ordering that reconditioned Air Force J65's should be used for Skyhawk production. Ed Heinemann's wish to shoehorn the Rolls-Royce Avon into the Skyhawk fell apart when a production licence was granted to Westinghouse who then decided to only produce (with Navy funding but without telling Douglas ) a six-tenths scale version as the XJ64 giving less thrust than the J65! However, by 1955 the Navy BuWeps had decided to fund the promising Pratt & Whitney JT8, essentially a scaled-down JT3 or J57 and by 1957 the resultant J52 was running sweetly on the bench and Ed Heinemann could plan growth versions of his brilliant 'Bantam Bomber'. At about the same time the Navy were hinting that perhaps a more flexible machine was required than the high-altitude nuclear bomber of the original A4D requirement and the increased thrust of the J52 meant that two more stores pylons could be added and higher gross weights permitted. Douglas had planned to introduce the engine in the A4D-3 (A-4D) and A4D-5 (A-4E) variants but the US Navy cancelled the A4D-3 in 1959 and slowed the A4D-5 programme down. Douglas then looked at export opportunities resurrecting the A4D-3 designation to produce a multi-role fighter version later designated the A-4D which introduced the new J52 engine rated at 8,500lbs thrust plus a small and simple multi-mode radar. Oil-rich Dhimar became the launch customer ordering 60 A-4D's in 1961 and these were delivered in early 1963 initially to No.6 Squadron of the Dhimari Air Force who operated the type until 1982. INSTRUCTIONS 1. From the AIRCRAFT folder drag and drop the A-4Dh folder into your Aircraft folder. 2. From the DECALS folder drag and drop the A-4Dh folder into your Decals folder. That's it! CREDITS As always, thanks to Third Wire for a great little game/sim. Special thanks to salvatorestupido for the USN Aggressor skin used for the No.7 Squadron machine. And, finally, thanks to everyone in the wider Third Wire community. Regards Spinners Version 2 - November 5th, 2023 Submitter Spinners Submitted 08/22/2010 Category What If Hangar