Small, nimble and simply built, the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk served the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from 1956 onward for nearly 40 years. Built as a nuclear-attack capable light bomber, Skyhawks incurred the highest losses of any Navy aircraft during the Vietnam War. Although diminutive, the 'Scooter' was popular, nimble and responsive - and it could carry up to 9,900 lbs of bombs, rockets and missiles. The first A-4s used in Vietnam were predominantly the A-4C model which was soon followed by A-4Es and A-4Fs, both of which featured five ordnance hard points (vs three on the earlier models). The newer A-4F variant debuted in late 1967 and was recognizable due to the conspicuous avionics hump on the plane's spine. As an everyday participant in ground attack missions over both North and South Vietnam, A-4s made up 37 percent of U.S. Navy aircraft losses and 36 percent for the U.S. Marines. The subsonic Skyhawk proved more effective at delivering its ordnance accurately, often in close proximity to friendly troops, than faster aircraft like the F-4 Phantom, F-100 Super Sabre and the F-8 Crusader.

Photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills but check out the well proportioned models with detailed ordnance packages and landing gear.

While the surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers), the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene. The models may still have some powder and oil-like agent on them that needs to be removed by washing in warm water with a drop of detergent in it.

NOTE: While we currently maintain limited inventories of most items, some items may be "printed on demand", which usually requires 10-15 business days from order to shipment.