A single-seat subsonic carrier-capable attack aircraft developed in the early 1950s, the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was used extensively by the US Navy and US Marines. A relatively lightweight aircraft the Skyhawk had a top speed of more than 670mph powered by the Pratt & Whitney J52 engine. Twenty-five years after the aircraft first took flight in 1954, the last of the 2,960 A-4s were produced (through February 1979). Nicknamed the "Scooter" by its pilots, it also saw service with the Argentine Air Force and Brazilian Naval Aviation. Of particular note, the A-4 Skyhawk was the first aircraft to drop ordinance in the Vietnam War occurring on August 5,1964. In 1967, past US senator John McCain, while serving on the USS Oriskany, was an A-4 pilot when he was shot down over Vietnam and became a POW. Some sharp-eyed viewers may recall that in the original motion picture "Top Gun," flight instructor "Viper" was flying an A-4 Skyhawk while dogfighting Maverick's F-14 Tomcat.
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