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Virtavia A-4 Skyhawk available

SpazSinbad said:
In those years c.1966-7, just as I joined the Basic Aircrew Training, some large groups of RAN FAA pilots were trained at NAS Pensacola, with traps on the LEXINGTON with the T-28C, before going to Helo Training and then return to NAS Nowra for Wessex 31 conversion. Later some went to Vietnam via Iroquois training. and then to EMU unit in South Vietnam. It was a time when the RAN FAA was regenerating fixed wing again; but also increasing overall helo numbers for the new role with the new [fixed wing] USN aircraft. After Vietnam service some Iroquois/Wessex pilots, who had trained in USofA, went on to A4G [& S-2E/G] flying. Earlier in the early to mid 1960s the RAN FAA had been winding down - getting rid of fixed wing, to being what it is today - a helo only force. The Oz trained certainly envied the T-28C trained at the time. Later RAN A4G pilots exchanged with VT squadrons along with LSO training etc.
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I was a little later in the timeline. I flew the T-34C in the training command, having missed the T-28.

Would have been fun though to fly that big radial engine!

Deacon
 
Deacon211 said:
That name sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it.

Technically, I was assigned to MAG-49 from May '90 to September '90. I had just finished TBS and had a six month wait for flight school to start. I had a great time in PA. In fact, I got married last year at the Black Bass Inn, north of New Hope just because of how much I have always loved that area.

Deacon
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Well Ed was the Tech Rep. for McDonnel Douglas fro VMA-131, I believe his counter part was a guy named Chip?.......also a retired MARINE. Was a cool unit. Ben hancock was a pilot thee and he wound up flying with the Blues for a season and then went back for another year to fill in for someone. I did alot of photography on the ramp with them and miss not having the Skyhawks around. thats why I have been praying for a decent skyhawk for FSX.


I know the Black Bass....nice place!
 
I emailed Virtavia tech support (including a copy of my purchase receipt email) to ask how I can obtain the FDE update when it is ready and I haven't received a reply. Does anyone know how we go about obtaining the update when it is released?
 
I'm positive they will make it knnown right here. If not...trust me I will. I've tested a couple new ones for them and I think its much better and when all testing is done they will put it out for the public. I do believe some of the issues will be addressed but some may go untouched. the FDE will be addressed that I know.
 
skyhawka4m said:
I am hoping and praying for a TA-4 from Virtavia myself. I may end up doing a couple NZ birds also.....love the three tone scheme myself.
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Be good to see a TA-4 , if you need any photo material give me a nudge or any other details , of four A4 books on the shelf one covers the the countries use

from 2nd August 2011
This is one for every one but only two in stock and only worth NZ65$ on special at Mighty Ape , mine arrived this morn and it is chocker full off information , even has a NZFF connected to Tim 'Timmo' Barnes who brother was a A4 driver and plonking one in the ocean in 2001 and his words on the ejection , the entirety from development to the end , the updates and final politics , Oh heap off photos and diagrams , only published this year very up to date B-)
A4SkyhawkBookCustom.jpg

Good quality book Hard Cover and a whooping 367 pages :cool:
 
Ian Warren said:
Be good to see a TA-4 , if you need any photo material give me a nudge or any other details , of four A4 books on the shelf one covers the the countries use

from 2nd August 2011
This is one for every one but only two in stock and only worth NZ65$ on special at Mighty Ape , mine arrived this morn and it is chocker full off information , even has a NZFF connected to Tim 'Timmo' Barnes who brother was a A4 driver and plonking one in the ocean in 2001 and his words on the ejection , the entirety from development to the end , the updates and final politics , Oh heap off photos and diagrams , only published this year very up to date B-)
A4SkyhawkBookCustom.jpg

Good quality book Hard Cover and a whooping 367 pages :cool:
Click to expand...


HMMMMM.....I know I won't do any of the "late" birds cause they had the squader off tail but I know they had humpbacks A-4K's that were very sharp looking and had rounded tails I believe. I have books upon books on the A-4...along with a folder of over 5000 interent images I've collected over the last 10+ years, and also a rather good kodachrome collection too.
 
TA-4K + A-4K in USA 1969

Don Simms and I exchanged a lot of information during his excellent book writing. Here is one example of the original TA-4K and A-4K under test in the USofA 1969.
 
Damn!!! Just noticed Iw as wrong...this is the scheme I was going to do but it too has the squarded off tail. I'm kinda picky about the plane being accurate......but....if I get enough people to say they don't mind that the tail is wrong, and its missing the large spine antenna...externally......I would give it a shot (keep it on my to do list).


By request my next up is VA-55, VA-192, and 2 or 3 VA-164 birds....another favorite unit for me because of LADY JESSIE.
 
Regarding updated FDE's; work is progressing but will take some time as there are 30-some-odd different aircraft that require updating and testing. Reports from my two SOH testors on the first 3 aircraft in the package have been very positive and those changes are being used as a template for the remaining aircraft upgrades. The side-slip issue has been resolved. Work continues.
 
@ Mal that is great to hear , would'nt take much to put a squared tail on and a larger aerial WINK WINK ;) ..... :icon_lol:

@ A4Man , I would'nt worry about that little mistake .... some people here in Baa Baa land :sheep: say what !- the A4K had a hump :eek: ... :icon_lol:
 
Ian Warren said:
@ Mal that is great to hear , would'nt take much to put a squared tail on and a larger aerial WINK WINK ;) ..... :icon_lol:

@ A4Man , I would'nt worry about that little mistake .... some people here in Baa Baa land :sheep: say what !- the A4K had a hump :eek: ... :icon_lol:
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I agree MAL998...wink wink....lol ! A square tail and a maverick load!
 
skyhawka4m said:
Well Ed was the Tech Rep. for McDonnel Douglas fro VMA-131, I believe his counter part was a guy named Chip?.......also a retired MARINE. Was a cool unit. Ben hancock was a pilot thee and he wound up flying with the Blues for a season and then went back for another year to fill in for someone. I did alot of photography on the ramp with them and miss not having the Skyhawks around. thats why I have been praying for a decent skyhawk for FSX.


I know the Black Bass....nice place!
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Yeah, great bunch of guys, and fantastic pilots! I lament the slow disappearance of the reserves.

Ed sounds so familiar, but I just can't remember his face. It's been awhile.

Deacon
 
Deacon211 said:
Yeah, great bunch of guys, and fantastic pilots! I lament the slow disappearance of the reserves.

Ed sounds so familiar, but I just can't remember his face. It's been awhile.

Deacon
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LOL....Ed is VERY short...we actually used to call him the micro MARINE who worked on Scooters. I sure do miss them. I witnessd alot with the unit over many years. I saw one CO end his career, retirement and was able to photogrpah the entire day for him. Including his getting ready for this final flight....prepping the plane...and then his arrival back and them the hose down and bucket dump on him. One funny thing that happen, when he came in for the overhead on down wind he rolled the jet and the tower asked if he was ok....he rplied that it was a functional check....upon landing....we noted that he lost a panel from one side of his jet during the flight. I will have to dig those pictures up.


This is the jet I helped to paint.

View attachment 78886
 
Ah, that's awesome! I somehow managed to miss the high vis days in the fleet. I came in after the bright markings of the 70s-80s and was just finishing up my decade of active duty when they started bringing in the hero repaints for the COs jet in the late 90s.

My airplanes were all very bland...except for the ones that were orange and white! ;-)

Deacon
 
SpazSinbad said:
Last of the RED HOT Scooters! (Gary Campbell)
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Thats actually another jet that the Museum has on display and never flew in this paint. I honestly don't care for this paint mainly because of the style they used on the lettering and such. Sadly this plane has gone untouched and is slowly fading awy. Seems the museum has its priorities in the wrong places these days. gary is a very talented painted and has done this and maynother aircraft and nose arts.
 
THUNDERWORKS A-4s - Any recent news?

Bit off topic I know but just curious if anyone has any more recent info than late 2011 news on their website about 'Thunderworks' and their A-4s as seen here:

http://www.thunder-works.com/features.htm TIA.
_______________________

Just to keep things on track - within about 8 hours a 1GB PDF with embedded videos about the RNZAF A-4K/KAHU will be available as a 4 part RAR/EXE file here:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=cbcd63d6340707e6&id=CBCD63D6340707E6!1338

Name of the file will be "RNZAF_A4K_from_A4G-FAA_Scrapbook_16jan2013_1,500pp+Videos.pdf" when reassembled.

Folder name is: 'RNZAF_A-4K_PDF_16_Jan_2013'
 
One required book for both of you chaps A4man and SpazSinbad ... SUPERB!
Its good to here they are working on the Flight Dynamics .. that would interesting to check .. one other book to sit beside SKYHAWK is this
SCOOTERCustom.jpg

it has quiet a few detail and charts that i use with the A2A Accu-feel , still not a NATOPS but that is coming to me shortly buy our resident Ex-RNZAF Skyhawk cockpit builder SeanG over here at NZFF .. that what he dose in the weekend .. his day job is building these http://www.pacificsimulators.com/ Lucky Bugger.
 
Sadly I have not got around to Tommy's book but have most others - I think. What version of NATOPS is coming your way?

The relevant info is in my scanned from an original NATOPS for the A-4E/F/G available online for free as indicated in an earlier post but replicated here again:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=cbcd...#cid=CBCD63D6340707E6&id=CBCD63D6340707E6!116

It is in a PDF file named "A4E-F-G_NATOPS_manual.pdf" (63Mb) in the 'Documents Various' folder.

A larger but same content PDF seems to have got lost in the main file system so it will be uploaded again to the named folder above.

File name is "_A4G_NATOPS_Text_Searchable+Bookmarks.pdf" (139Mb) same number of pages just higher quality with addons as indicated. File should be there soon enough.
 
SpazSinbad said:
Sadly I have not got around to Tommy's book but have most others - I think. What version of NATOPS is coming your way?
Click to expand...
Sean mentioned it also covers the TA variant but i'm guessing it very much the same but has a few other A4 goodies to go with . A thought , did you recall the Golden Skyhawk or opportunity to see it .. first painted 1986 but debuted at the 1987 Wigram airshow and repeated at the NZCH Intl Singapore to Christchurch air-race of the same year , I painted the RAZBAM TA but never completed it .. should complete it .
 
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