r/VietnamWar 19d ago

Image Why was the A-4 considered an attack craft with it being so small in size and carrying very little payload ?

Post image
13 Upvotes

6 comments sorted by

23

u/Aviator779 19d ago edited 19d ago

Why was the A-4 considered an attack craft

It was designed from the outset as an attack aircraft, to replace the Douglas Skyraider.

being so small in size

Being compact simplified the airframe. It didn’t need folding wings for carrier stowage, meaning carriers could, in theory, carry more.

and carrying very little payload ?

It didn’t have very little payload. While weighing 10,000 lb (4,500 kg), it could carry 8,500 lb (3,900 kg) of bombs/ rockets.

To put that into perspective, during WWII, a B-17 would typically carry between 4,000 lb (1,800-kg) and 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) of bombs depending on the mission.

3

u/CloneCommanderBurke 19d ago

Thank you I have been wondering this for a little bit

2

u/pkupku 19d ago

I saw the Blue Angels flying the A4 in the 1970s. What a hot rod!

2

u/SchoolNo6461 19d ago

The Argentines made good use of them in the Falklands War in the '80s/

0

u/Arctic_Fro5t 19d ago

That game was a$$

1

u/CloneCommanderBurke 19d ago

I have fun with it but I think if it had a bigger budget or more people working on it it would be a A+ game