What is an A-4 Skyhawk?

An A-4 Skyhawk is a light attack bomber that was used by the U.S. military from the late 1950s to its retirement on May 3, 2003. The plane was first used in combat during the Vietnam war on Aug. 4, 1964, for raids in North Vietnam.

The A-4 Skyhawk bomber was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company and designed by Ed Heinemann. Only 2,960 units of the bomber were constructed. Modified versions of the plane remain in active use by some countries, including Israel, Argentina and Singapore. A standard A-4 can be manned by a single pilot, but some variants, such as the TA-4F, are customized to fit two crew members.