Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk

This aircraft was one of the last active Skyhawks in service. Her last flight was April 8th, 2003, flying from NAS Roosevelt Roads, VC-8, Puerto Rico, to Alaska Airlines maintenance facility, Oakland, CA and was subsequently towed to the USS Hornet Museum.

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single turbojet-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D under the US Navy's pre-1962 designation system.

The A-4 Skyhawk was introduced to a training role in the two-seat TA-4J configuration replacing the TF-9J Cougar as the advanced jet trainer The TA-4J served as the advanced jet trainer in white and orange markings for decades until being replaced by the T-45 Goshawk. Additional TA-4J Skyhawks were assigned to Instrument Training RAGs at all the Navy master jet bases under RCVW-12 and RCVW-4.