Description
The A-4 Skyhawk was designed by Ed Heinemann from the Douglas Aircraft Corporation and first flew in 1954. Designed as a lightweight single engine attack aircraft it was consider by many to be the most famous ever built in this category. The A-4 was the pioneer of the “buddy” air-to-air refueling concept where aircraft of the same type could transfer fuel from one to the other without the use of a dedicated tanker. . A total of 2,960 A-4 aircraft were produced with the USMC retiring the last one in 1996.
In late 1997 the RSAF Skyhawk training unit 143 was disbanded and its aircraft shipped to Cazaus Air Base in southwestern France. In 1998 the RSAF 150 Squadron was formed as the new training facility equipped with the A-4SU Super Skyhawks. The Cazaus AB would give the RSAF the ability to train and practice in areas over the Atlantic Ocean. On June 18 and 19, 2011 an air show was held at Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base and the RSAF 150 Squadron took part by sending two of its a-4SUs, number 27 and 33.