A-4 Skyhawk, Part "ONE"
(US.Navy A-4 & TA-4)

When I started taking pictures of military aircraft back in 1969-1970, most of the A-4 Skyhawks operated by "Sea-going" VA- squadrons had already been replaced by A-7s. So, I was not able to photograph any A-4s with the colorful markings of Sea-going VA squadrons unfortunately. So, I can only show you A-4 photos of VC-squadron or US-based A-4s together with the long-lived TA-4F/J of taining squadrons and VA/VF squadrons.
小生が本格的に写真を写し始めた1969-1970年には米海軍の空母からどんどんA-4が降ろされ、A-7に転換している時期でした。 よって、悲しいかな空母搭載VA所属のA-4の写真は"１枚も"有りません。もっと頻繁に厚木に通っていればまだ間に合ったんです がね。従って、以下に掲載させていただくUSNのスカイホークの写真はVC飛行隊のA-4と米本土をベースｽにしているA/TA-4のみです。 日本では馴染みの薄い赤白トレーナーカラーのTA-4Jですが、米本土では空軍基地や田舎のエアショーなどにも飛来する事が 多く、かなり良く目にする機種だったと思います。今はその役目をT-45（ゴスホーク）に引き継ぎましたが、小生はやっぱりTA-4J の方が百倍好きでした。

VC-5 (Checkertails)

The above picture shows A-4C of VC-5 in final approach to NAF.Atsugi in October 1970. At that time, I used black & white films only unfortunately, but it carried very colorful markings on the tail. The checker band on the tail was painted in orange and yellow. For some reasons, this A-4C did not have a modex # on the nose. At the beginning of the 1970's, VC-5 was stationed at NAF.Naha, Okinawa, operating F-8, A-4 and US-2, and they sometimes flew to Atsugi. VC-5 aircraft used to be VERY popular among Japanese aviation photographers due to its colorful checker tails. Noteworthy is an emergency air turbine in extended position at the root of right wing.
上の写真は小生がコダクロームを使い始める少し前の白黒時代の写真です。日本のマニアの皆様にはお馴染みのVC-5の機体 ですから、小生が余計な（且つ不充分な）説明をする必要は無いと思いますが、本機は何故かモデックス（25?）を付けていません。 時代を感じさせるＣ型の機械式ワイパーがしっかり写っています。又、緊急用ジェネレーター（右翼付根）が飛び出しています。

VC-7 (Tallyhoers)

These four photos were taken at the VC-7s flight line of NAS.Miramar, CA. in August 1975. At that time VC-7 operated A-4"C", A-4"L" and A-4"F" at the same time as shown above. Please note the A-4C "UH-02" on the photo at left carried a buddy in-flight refueling store under the centerline station. VC-7 also operated the TA-4J in the mid-1970's, but unfortunately I was not able to find any TA-4J on the VC-7 flight line at the time of my visit there.

VFC-13 (Saints)

Above photo shows an A-4F "ND-21" of VFC-13 displayed at El Toro airshow in California in May 1993. Command of VFC-13 shifted from Commander "Fleet Logistics Support Wing" to "CVWR-30" in October 1992 and changed the tail code from "UX" to "ND". VFC-13 was the only non-deployable squadron in CVWR-30 and was tasked with the adversary role. The unit became a Hornet squadron in August 1993.
上写真は1993年5月のMCAS.エルトロ（1999年閉鎖）でのエアショーで展示されたVFC-13のA-4Fです。 同隊は1992年10月に西海岸予備役航空団"CVWR-30"に編入され、テールコードを従来の"UX"から"ND"に変更されました。 そして、翌93年の8月にはF/A-18Aに機種改編をしていますので、この"ND"のテールコードを付けたVFC-13のA-4Fの写真は比較的珍しいものです。 その後、CVWR-30は1994年末に解散となり、同隊は東海岸の予備役航空団"CVWR-20"（テールコード"AF"）に移管されました。

Naval Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun)

The above two photos were taken at NAS.Miramar, CA in 1975. At that time, NFWS's A-4s did not carry their round-shaped insignia on the tail. On the above two photos, you can find the Top Gun's F-5E and T-38A in the background.
上２枚の写真はNAS.Miramarで1975年に写したNFWSのA-4Eです。この時点ではほとんどの機体（一部のF-5Eを除く）がNFWSの 円形インシグニアをまだ尾翼に付けていませんでした。上２枚の写真の背景にはNFWSのF-5Eの列線が見えます。そこに見える グレー系複座機はT-38Aです。

Carrier Training Wing ONE, VT-7 (coded "A")

These four photos show CTW-1 TA-4Js in typical red markings on the overall white scheme. Noteworthy on the top photo (A-729) are (1) MARINES'legend on base of fin, (2) a red fuselage stripe, (3) USS LEXINGTON stencilled in small black letters. A-766 and A-737 above were photographed at Meridian during the 1998 airshow, and these two were taxing in/out for the demo-flight during the airshow. Most likely the 1998 airshow was the last one for the TA-4J. Please see the photo at left. This was also taken at Meridian on the same airshow, and so many TA-4Js were lined up on the back ramp. They were going to retire sometime after this photography.

Training Wing TWO (coded "B")

The above two photos were taken at NAF.El Centro, CA on 17MAR90. It was an Airshow day on Saturday and I drove from my home to El Centro with a friend of mine. We got to El Centro fairly early in the morning and we started walking toward Blue Angeles C-130 parked far away from the public area. No one stopped us, actually there was no one at all but two of us on the long flight line of El Centro. So, we were able to take photos of each and every aircraft parked on the flight line, and many of then were TA-4Js with tail code A, B and C. So, some TA-4J photos I took at El Centro at that occasion are used on this page.
上の２枚はTW-2のTA-4Jですが、いずれもNAF.El Centroのエアショー初日（17MAR90土曜日）の朝に写しました。展示エリアの遥か遠く にロービジのBlue AngelesのKC-130が駐機していました。地元の友人とあそこまで歩いて写真を撮りに行こう、と言うことになり 二人で歩き始めました。特にフェンスも無く展示エリアを出て沢山の外来機が駐機するランプをずっと歩いてKC-130まで行き着きましたが その途中で外来機１機１機を全て写しました。その時写したのが上の写真であり、このﾍﾟｰｼﾞの他のTA-4Jの写真にもEl Centroの 写真を使いました。上段のB-118の写真をご覧ください。右奥の遠景に並んでいる飛行機群が地上展示エリアですが、そこからここ まで歩いて来ました。上のB-121でもランプに人っ子一人いないのがわかります。無人のランプで好き放題撮りまくった２時間でした。 地元マニアと一緒でないと、この様なワザは考えられません。飛行機の説明が無くてスミマセン。

Training Wing THREE (coded "C")

I took this photo at transient line of NAS Moffett Field, CA. in August 1975. As part of the special markings for TW-3's CO. two orange mechanical nuts were on the fin cap, and the segments of the rudder were multi-colored for the commander. For some reasons(I forgot) I did not have permission to step into the flight line at that time, so I was not able to take photos of the "sunny-side" of this colorful a/c unfortunately. But still was so excited to see this a/c on the transient line. A couple of A-4Cs of VMA-133 can be seen in the background of the above photo.
上の写真はTW-2のCO機で、プラモ界ではデカールも発売されている程人気が高かった美しいマーキングです。尾翼の先端にはダブルナッツの 語源になった（ボルト/ナットの）ナットが黒い影付きのｵﾚﾝｼﾞ色で記入されています。上の写真はNAS.Moffett Fieldの外来機ランプで撮影 したのですが、この時は何故か列線内への立入り許可が取れていなかった為、列線内に踏み込んで日の当たっている側を撮れなかった ことが悔やまれます。それでも本機が一番手前に駐機していたことは不幸中の幸いでした。上写真の背景左側にはVMA-133のA-4C２機 が駐機しています。

The above three pictures show TA-4Js of the Training Wing Three (coded "C"), which I photographed at El Centro on Airshow Day 17MAR90. The top one (C-401) was a CO's a/c of VT-24. The tail code "C" was stencilled in white on the tail. Also the modex "401" was specially stencilled in orange-red on the nose and "01" was stencilled also in orange-red at the top of the rudder. The middle photo above of "C-453" was camouglaged in Green-Brown-Tan. This is the only photo of the camouglaged TA-4 assigned to the Training Wing in my album. The bottom photo of the C-403 was in standard colors and markings of the TW-3.
上３枚の写真はいずれもTW-3（テールコード"C"）所属のTA-4Jです。一番上の写真はVT-24の隊長機で、テールコードが一般機の黒では なく白で描かれています。同様にmodexの"401"もオレンジで機首に記入されており、下２桁の"01"がこれもオレンジでラダーの先端に 書かれています。中段の写真（C-453)は珍しく３色の迷彩塗装を施しています。テールコードの"C"は黒です。タンクはどうやらロービジ グレーのタンクを付けているようです。一番下の"C-403"はありふれた一般的なカラーとマーキングで、今ひとつ面白みが有りません。

VF-126 (Fighting Sea Hawks)

These three photos show TA-4J of VF-126 photographed at NAS.Miramar in 1975. The top one is a double-nuts(NJ-600) TA-4J of RADM.L.A.Snead II, COMFITAEWWINGPAC, which has additional color of yellow shadows around the modex "600", "NAVY" legend on the fin,"NJ" tail code and "00" on top of the rudder. Noteworthy additionally are two white stars on the fuselage band. At the time of my photograpy, this a/c was parked fairly close to Miramar Base Op, so T-28B of Miramar base flight and the tower are seen in the background of the top photo. VF-126 used to operate camouflaged A/TA-4s in various colours and patters during the 1980's, but I did not find any of them when I visited Miramar in 1975.

VA-127 (Cylons)

The above A-4F was assigned to VA-127 photographed on the Miramar flight line. VA-127 operated mainly TA-4F/J two seaters at NAS Lemoore.
上の写真はミラマーに飛来したVA-127のA-4Fです。VA-127は所属機の大半がTA-4F/Jであり単座機の写真は比較的珍しいと思います。 本機の塗装は基本的に同隊のTA-4と同じですが、テールコードの下の鳥のシルエットは単座機だけのマークだと思います。

These three photos show TA-4J/F of VA-126. The bottom photo at left shows TA-4F and the remainning two above are TA-4Js. The modex # of the top photo is "701", and it should mean that this TA-4 was a CO's a/c of VA-127, but unfortunately its colors and markings are exactly the same as the ones of other TA-4J/Fs within the sqdn. I took the photo in the middle (NJ-710) on the transient line at NAS.Miramar and its color scheme was light gull grey upper surfaces and white under surfaces. However, majority of the TA-4J/F were painted overall white in the mid-1970's.

VF-43 (Challengers)

The above photo shows TA-4J of VF-43 parking on the transient line of NAS.Miramar in 1975. The tail code "AD" and the modex # "312" were painted in black with GOLD shadow. The last four digit of the BuNo."4292" was painted in black outlined in white immediately below the tail code on the fin. The photo at left shows the unit insignia of VF-43 on the nose.

Naval Air Reserve Unit Alameda

These two photos show TA-4J of NARU Alameda photographed in 1975. Note small black letters of "6G2" just aft to its red cap on the right wing tank. Left wing tank did not have red cap nor "6G2" letterings (see photo at left). San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge is seen in the far background on the above photo.