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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas A4D/A-4 Skyhawk
    Latest Model:TA-4A Skyhawk
    Last Military Serial:139947 USN
    Construction Number:11312
    Compressed ID:Douglas TA-4A sn 139947 USN cn 1131...
    Latest Owner or Location:Military Aircraft Preservation Society (MAPS) Air Museum, Akron-Canton Airport, North Canton, Ohio

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    Dates

    Event

    1956

    Constructed as an A4D-1.

    11 December 1956

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 139947.

    19 December 1956

    Transferred to Attack Squadron 93 (VA-93), Blue Blazers, NAS Alameda, CA.

    From 16 September 1957 to 25 April 1958

    Base of operations changed.
    Deployed aboard USS Ticonderoga to western Pacific.

    23 December 1958

    Transferred to Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) Champions, NAS Miramar, CA.

    27 May 1959

    Transferred to VA-112 Broncos, NAS Miramar, CA.

    23 March 1960

    Transferred to VA-126 Nulli Secundus, NAS Miramar, CA.

    1 August 1961

    Transferred to VA-125 Rough Riders, NAS Lemoore, CA.

    9 July 1962

    Transferred to Naval Air Reserve Training, NAS Los Alamitos, CA.

    18 September 1962

    Redesignated as A-4A.

    May 1963

    Withdrawn from use.
    To storage facility, Litchfield Park, AZ.

    December 1965

    Transferred to MASDC, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

    March 1966

    Transferred to NAS Alameda, CA.

    June 1966

    Transferred to Naval Air Rework Facility, NAS Alameda, CA.

    June 1966

    Transferred to Naval Air Reserve Training, NAS Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN.

    January 1968

    Redesignated as TA-4A.

    September 1968

    Transferred to Naval Air Reserve Training, NAS Memphis, TN.

    June 1987

    Transferred to Non-Destructive Inspection School, Chanute AFB, IL.

    Markings Applied: Lucy, Blue Angels, 6
    Aircraft marked as A-4F with Blue Angels 1973-1986. Lucy on nose commemorates the director of Rantoul Armed Services YMCA Lucy Goff.

    All USAF fighter types displayed at Chanute, which were of the same type used by the Thunderbirds, were marked as Thunderbird Aircraft because base commander used to be Thunderbirds commander. Because of this, the Navy unit marked the A-4A as a Blue Angel. None of the aircraft actually flew in those teams.

    10 June 1988

    Placed on display.
    Static display, Chanute AFB, Thunderbird Air Park.

    1993

    To Chanute Air Museum, Chanute AFB (formerly), Rantoul, IL.
    View the Location Dossier

    6 April 2012


    Photographer: John Meneely
    Notes: Chanute Air Museum, Rantoul, IL, USA

    20 April 2013


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    31 October 2015

    Chanute Air Museum closed. Aircraft remained at museum buildings and ramp until moved to other locations.

    By June 2016

    To Military Aircraft Preservation Society (MAPS) Air Museum, Akron-Canton Airport, North Canton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     U.S. Military Out of Service 2019/2020 by Andy Marden
    Internet Sources
     Chanute Air Museum
    Individual Contributors
     Glenn Chatfield
    Mike Henniger
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