Video sponsored by Airmodels.net airmodels.net/?aff=57 Maintenance Chief Ben Sly gives us a tour of the A-4 Skyhawk's and what it takes to maintain them. #skyhawk #a-4 #scooter #hotrod #warbird #jet #fighter #military
My first command as a Navy AE was at Navy Fighter Weapons School working in the line shack as an AEAA PC. A4s were the aggressor birds. It was always fun climbing into the intakes to check the fan blades for FOD. Hot days in Southern Cali back in the early 90s. Fond memories that will last the rest of my life. Very fun bird to work around and with.
Definitely need more mechanic talks!!! Pilot interviews are ok but true maintainers want to know about the plane itself. We have a love/hate relationship with pilots because they break stuff. It's pretty much a hate relationship with engineers lol. Very long time F-16 crew chief here & love it dearly but I enjoy seeing how other planes work. Thanks for the vid!!
I was at an air show in Rode Island and the Blue Angels were the stars of the show. They had an open cockpit F-14 A on the line (one of the few after they discovered black market parts going to Iran) and the Angels crew chief came over. They shut down the display and gave him carte blanche on the plane. He was like a kid in a candy store - you could see the love for his craft.
I had no idea about this place. Glad to see the Scooter is alive and well. I should stop in and see these guys. I was a TA-4J jet engine mechanic (ADJ) in VT-22 from 1970 - 1972. May they could use some help :)
Thanks. This brought back some Marine Corps memories when i was in VMA-133 at Alameda, CA. I'm an A-4 trained mech. Served 1988-1992. Then our unit closed.
Very cool. I was a AE that worked on TA4J, A4E out of NAS Miramar VF126. 1970-73. Plane Captain, line trouble shooter, check crew. Loved my job. Salute to all my fellow A4 crews!
I was with VF-126 from 1972-1975. Was an ADJ. It was a long time ago. I probably had I beer or to with you. Retired as a reservist in 1995 as an AD1. Hope your life has gone well. I am great.
I was an ADJ-3 engine mechanic when assigned to VA-204 "River Rattlers" at NAS Memphis. They flew the A-4L. Previous experience was with the P-2 and P-3 with VP-65. What a change! First time I say the saw their Scooters take off I asked what was wrong. As soon as the pilot advanced the throttle to military power for takeoff, the aircraft started spewing oil vapor. I figured internal carbon seals were shot. But was told that was normal. We had more problems with the CSD than with the AC generators. And on trips to high power after engine or fuel control changes we would first loosen the exhaust nozzle clamps and tap the nozzle open with a rubber mallet. Then, with engine stabilized the cockpit man would signal up, 2 for two turns tighter or whatever on the clamps. And I do not recall ever puling an engine to do a fuel control change. Hell, the book says you pull the engine for dang near anything. Another issue with the J-65 was the starter probe. There was a sheer fitting inside that would, well...sheer and need replacement. Line crew usually had a few probes waiting parts. Later worked on the A-4F with VFC-13. That J-52-P408 was a real screamer. Sitting on the port wing, engine at military, inside the "Hush House" tweaking the fuel control was a trip. That's enough. Better stop before I get to heavy into sea stories. One question. Any of your birds have orange snakes painted on the hump or drop tanks?
Nobody knows and aircraft like the crew-chief/maintainer. Great to see a maintainer get some time to tell the story of how such high performance/maintenance aircraft make the transition from a museum piece to flight status! I was a crew chief on F-15's for 19 years and A-10's for 3 more years.
As an 8 year A-4 line mech/trouble shooter, I loved the Scooter. Easy to work on but had its quirks depending on how hard it was pushed. Doing ACM, I’ve had aircraft return with broken flap hinges, bent slat tracks, cracked wing structure. Fluid leaks were the least of our problems.
You should watch some videos from Snort Snodgrass if you haven't already. Pulling fuses, unauthorized flap selection, over stressing, blatantly admitting he shouldn't have gotten away with what he did to those planes. But his father was a Grumman guy and he grew up listening to the test pilots talking about what the plane could do.
Loved the story! Was with VT-7 1978 thru 1981. Airframes and hydraulics, also troubleshooter, plane captain, and high and low power qualifications. When the lotto hits you will be getting a call! Also got a number of rides, form and weapons hops. Absolutely a bad ass aircraft!
I worked on A4J's in a training squadron back in the 70's. They are great planes, and I was lucky enough to go flying in the backseat on many sorties with the instructor taking student pilots out and running them through their paces. This guy is quite knowledgeable for having to learn about these birds through just the manuals. Great job and interview. If I had the money, time, and licensing, I'd own a couple of these planes and fly them on a regular basis. Just really great planes to fly.
Keep the mechanics talks coming! I worked on A4-F's and A4-M's as a hydraulics mech. In one squadron I was with, if you cracked a fitting, it was made into a necklace with safety wire which you had to wear around your neck for a week (I still have mine). I have fond memories (total sarcasm) of standing on a tool box in the Hell Hole and changing out an aileron power pack. I'm sure that the air around that hangar area is still blue from the language I used.
@@gregbuck701 Former USMC A-4 Super Fox and TA-4F/J Avionics tech here. Our "headache" was the tacan blower motor. I swear at the factory a mechanic held it up and the factory built the rest of the aircraft around it.
@@scootergeorge9576 I/we always helped out the ADs,...tail and all. But up on "high power" we'd be maxed out with the ac running.......fun fun times. I'll never forget the first time my buddy who was a AD threw a bucket of walnuts down the intake and didnt tell me.
I was in the Navy air squadron VAQ-33 out of N.A.S., Norfolk, Va., from 1971-75. We had 4 of the A-4's along with 4 ERA-3B's, 2 F-4 Phantoms and one Super Constellation. I became a Plane Captain for our ERA-3B's. I remember that the Plane Captains for our A-4's seemed to always be soaked in hydraulic oil from doing their daily's and post flight servicing on their A-4's. I would give them a hand now & then, but I didn't much care for getting hydraulic fluid all over me...!! And yep, there was always hydraulic fluid on the ramp under those birds...messy..!! I'm glad that I didn't choose to be a Plane Captain on those leaky birds..LOL..!! I called the A-4's the mosquito because that's what they reminded me of. I didn't learn just how versatile and maneuverable the A-4's were until not too many years ago when I was looking stuff up here on RU-vid. I was fortunate to have been in a squadron that had these A-4's and the magnificent F-4 Phantom and "my" favorite ERA-3B Skywarrior. Each of our A-3's seemed to have it's own personality and characteristics and I got to recognize each of them as different children that I took care of.
Me too, learned on them in AE school in Jacksonville in 1973 and then again in Top Gun, was there during the movie, I remmember working late on number 55 so it could be in the movie the next day.
Brings back so many memories of my plane captain and avionics tech days down in Key West with VF-45. I had no idea you are right up in Denison. I’m in Aubrey.
I worked on T-A4fs in the Marines in the late 60s. Because I was a small guy, I once had to crawl up between the engine and the fuselage to install a thermocouple to the engine that registered heat for the pilot. If I couldn’t do it the mechanics would have had to take the plane apart, which they did to change the engine. I got to fly in the back seat after going to school. Had to do the altitude chamber and get blown up in a mock ejection seat with a quarter charge. I could probably still work on the electrical system.
When I was in VA-127 the west coast A-4F RAG, I got to climb up the tail pipe to hook up the jetcal probes. Every time I had to go in, the airplane had just landed and towed into the hangar bay. It was hot and reeked of barbecued kerosene. You had to be careful on the way out, because if you pulled on the cable and broke the thermocouple, you were in deep kimchee.
Just saw this video awesome. Showed it to my dad who flew an A4 off the USS Saratoga CV60 / VA34 Would love to bring him to your place for a tour. He’s 84 now
I would love to bring my grandpa to you he worked on A-4’s in Vietnam he was a crew chief he had a run up and taxi license and never got one shot down sadly when it was coming home it got shot down long after he worked on it last never got to see his plane again
Hell yeah man! Not many of us can say we worked on A4s! I'm probably one of the youngest people working on them now unfortunately. Man u are spot on with everything in this video. U know ur stuff thats for sure! Hello from FIGHTING CLASSICS in Tucson Arizona!!! I love the Skyhawk with the j65 but man do I ever hate cleaning the damned then after a flight!!!!
I was on vacation about 15 years ago from the east coast and stumbled into Mesa. They had a museum with flying war birds but I was only there for 1 day and the guy i needed to see wasn't around. Thanks for all you guys do and I hope to make it back one day for that flight.
Grew up at NAS Lemoore in the Mid -1960’s watching A1H , A4C(without the hump), and the early A7A’s. The A4C mounted on a pylon near the gate there never fly in the Vietnam War. I know, because it was there in 1964 when my father arrived for duty.
Those OA-4's were an odd duck. I worked on them at H&MS-12 in Iwakuni 1980-81 then A-4F Super Foxes at VMA-142 "Flying Gators" in Cecil Field FL. Love the A-4.
I worked on them fir a short while with VC-12 at NAS Oceana during the 1980s. I was actually with VF-32 (F-14s) but I liked the A4 so much on my off time I would walk across hanger 200 VF-32 side to VC-12 side and tinker with the Scooter.
I was with VA-192 at NAS Lemoore, Calif. and VA -45 NAS Cecil Field, Fl. Both A-4 Squadrons. Love them scooters. The Blue Angels Flew them for a few years before the F-4's and then the F/A-18's.
Blues had F4 before A4 and should have kept A4 but it was an interim until the F18 became more numerous. Navy had pretty much phased out A4 with only VT and VFC squadrons flying them along with Top Gun.
5695q I remember in 1966 while at NAS Lemoore the Blues were there during an air show and was flying F-11's Then they went to the F-4's in 1969 then went to the A-4's in 1974 and kept them until 1986 then getting the F/A-18's. I might add that I was also Stationed at Nas Pensacola (VT-4) where we Shared the Hanger with the Blues at Sherman Field. Go to the Naval Air Museum NAS Pensacola Website and you can see a photo of the Blues A-4's hanging from the ceiling in their famous diamond flight formation. Or go to the Blue Angels Website and see the history of the team.
As a kid growing up in San Diego one of the first airshows I was taken to the Blues had F11's. The first show I remember with the F4 was NAS North Islands 50th anniversary, both the Blues and Thunderbirds were flying Phantoms until the early 70's. The phantom went away because of fuel usage and type phase out but there was no suitable replacement from current aircraft, F14 was deemed to big and maintenance hungry although they should have had one as a demonstrator painted in Blues colors, A4 was chosen because they were plentiful, cheap to operate and maneuverable. They put on a good show. @@jimw5227
Jim, I was a Golden Dragon AO from 1966-1970. Did 2 WestPac cruises in Ticonderoga and 1 in Oriskany during that time. We flew the A-4E & F models. Best wishes.
My lifelong dream of my own private air force will have to wait. I've always liked what are euphemistically called "legacy systems." They don't make them like they used to.
I agree, I really wish I had been old enough to have seen the Blues in the A4 but I was born in 81. Needless to say I grew up with "Touch the Sky" and "Blue Angels in Razor Sharp" constantly in my families VCR.
@@KillerKev1961 When I was with VA-127, the Blue Angels came to our hangar and took the six best A-4Fs we had for their training aircraft and left their six beat to a frazzle dogs for us to rework.
Awesome video! Really shows the quirks and features of the A-4. Really curious about the engine removal, though, I heard somewhere that it was easy (?). I'm sure it doesn't feel that way for the guy actually doing it haha
It was easy! There were six, I think, bolts that held the tail on, four around the top and two in the aft hell hole. Disconnect the clamp that attached the tail pipe to the engine, a few control cables and the tail was ready to pull. The engine was next, a few canon plugs and, I think, a bolt on each side and the engine was ready to slide out after a jig on rails was slid under it. Did quite a few between 1967 and 1969, three Vietnam cruises. Fly Navy!
wonderful! As a guy who worked on A-4 avionics for 4 years, this was a lot of fun! Getting those poor boneyard aircraft back up to flying status is a heck of an achievement! The info about trimming the engine with the turkey feathers is new to me too, since I worked on aircraft with the J52 engine. Any chance you need an assistant for few weeks?? It might be fun to turn a wrench (or fix wires) on a Skyhawk again. :-)
What form or outfit is this guy associated with? Lots of Skyhawks and parts does he work with Discovery or Draken or? EDIT: Never comment before watching the whole video I thought that looked like a Draken paint scheme. A-4LLC you guys need a shit hot CAD jockey I'm local to DFW. Creo power user with 25 years experience, strong with Solidworks and comfortable with AutoCAD. 0?
Wonder how many accidental HOT STARTS happen since going away from a huffer cart and battery cart. At the 11:42 minute mark the engine would probably be a pain in thee A$$ to check the turbine wheel for a hot start or even a hung start for that matter. I'll stick with PT6 LOL
i think the ms fittings are a curse,i am surprized they use them on a plane.The fittings dont seal so of course you tighten them some more and crack the fitting
Fantastico! Ed Heinemann's bantam bomber or the Scooter! Under the skin. FYI: the J65 was the US license built Armstrong Siddeley Sap-fire from the early 50's. Can't think of any UK aircraft that used it offhand. Don't think it had a good rep. This side of the pond anyway. You guys probably had the money to turn it into a half decent design anyways. From what I heard she was a high maintenance gal! Great to flirt with in a bar once a week but could be tiring in a marriage. Just to use some some silly metaphors! The USN were married to her. And loved her. And (correct me if I'm wrong) the late Sen. McCain was shot down in one. Once, long ago. Any ex USN personnel wanna give me some hate, go ahead. So long as it's intelligent abuse. In my defence I do like you ex Colonials and the Scooter.
A-4's... What great airplanes. Too bad when NATO adopted the F-104G's they didn't split the buy with A-4's. Would have saved a lot of pilots. And done a better job of air-too-ground
This shop has a squadron's worth of tactical jets. OK, not all are flyable, and I assume that all tactical systems have been removed. making them civilian registry airframes.
@@ErikJohnston bro i was not being a troll haha i could send u one. its only when the person your interviewing turns away from the camera. or a plane is overhead. .. I actually really enjoy your videos. Please keep them coming, especially the in depth the walkarounds
complexgrafix Man I’m sorry, I’ve had a few jack wagons say that lately just be asses. Haha I’ve actually got a lapel mic now but I shot these A-4 videos around a year ago
