Description
Book SynopsisThe magnificent Douglas A-4 Skyhawk served with the Royal Australian Navy from 1968 until 1984 with two squadrons: VF805 and VC724. VF805 was the front-line fighter unit that served aboard the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, while VC724 was shore-based at Naval Air Station Nowra for training and support.
Table of ContentsForeword Preface and Acknowledgments Glossary Chapter 1 1945–67: Role, Testing and Purchases Chapter 2 1967–68: Initial Instructor Training Chapter 3 1968–69: The Skyhawk goes to sea Chapter 4 Flight deck engineering Chapter 5 1970: Exercise Bersatu Padu Chapter 6 1971: Training and growing the A-4 fleet Chapter 7 1972: A very busy year Chapter 8 1973: The first losses Chapter 9 1974: Tragedy Chapter 10 1975: Rimpac 75 Chapter 11 1976: OFS and VC724 Chapter 12 Support People Chapter 13 1977: Spithead Review Chapter 14 1978: Rimpac 78 and Sandgroper 78 Chapter 15 1979: Three losses in a year Chapter 16 1980: The beginning of the end Chapter 17 1981: The year that wasn’t Chapter 18 1982–1984: The end of RAN fixed-wing aviation Chapter 19 The Skyhawk squadrons Chapter 20 The pilots and their aircraft Chapter 21 Tributes Chapter 22 The case for carrier-based fighters Annex A Contributors Annex B The Sundowners Song Index of Names
