Video showing second clip from Lt Col Joachim Linke's film.   This clip shows a Douglas A-4H Skyhawk, believed to be ex-Israeli Air Force, taking off at GAF Wittmundhaven to act as a target towing aircraft for Phantom gunnery training over the North Sea during the visit of ex-members of 101 SU on 7th May 2008. Douglas A-4 Skyhawk In 1950 having abandoned the XA2D Skyshark as a potential replaceement for the Skyraider, the Douglas Aircraft Company began studies for a turbojet-powered shipboard attack aircraft capable of delivering nuclear weapons and performing a wide variety of conventional attack missions.   The result was the XA4D-1 Skyhawk, the prototype of which flew on 22 June 1954.   The prototype was, in fact, one of four pre-production aircraft which were ordered by the US Navy for evaluation, the normal practice of ordering two experimental aircraft and a static test machine having been waived in this case.   The first of 165 production A4D-1 Skyhawks were delivered to Attack Squadron VA-27 on 27 September 1956 and were replaced on the production line by the A4D-2, production of which ran to 542 examples.   Plans had been made to re-engine the Skyhawk with the Pratt & Whitney J52-P-2 turbojet as the A4D-3, but this variant was cancelled, and the next Skyhawk to appear was the A4D-2N, which had a lengthened nose to accommodate terrain-clearance radar.   The variant also featured a rocket-boosted low-level ejection seat.   Deliveries to the US Navy were to begin in 1959 and ended in 1962. after a total of 638 aircraft had been built. The 1,000th production Skyhawk was delivered in February 1961, and in July that year another variant the A4D-5 (which was later redesignated A-4E), made its appearance, with an uprated engone, greater offensive load and a 27 per cent range increase.   Cockpit refinements included a Douglas Escapac zero-height, zero-speed rocket-powered ejection sea.   Five hundred were built.   The next variant, the A-4F. was an attack bomber with a J52-P-8A turbojet, heavily armoured cockpit and updated avionics housed in a 'hump' aft of the cockpit. Production was completed in 1968 after 146 machines had been built. The TA-4F was a tandem two-seat trainer, and the A-4G and TA-4G similar aircraft supplied to the Royal Australian Navy.   The A-4H was a variant supplied to Israel, the TA-4J was a simplified version of the TA-4F for the US Naval Air Advanced Training Command with most of the weapons delivery systems deleted.   Deliveries to the US Navy began in June 1969.   The A-4K was a variant for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which took delivery of ten aircraft in 1970, and the A-4M was developed for the USMC.   The Marine Corps received an initial batch of 50 A4Ms, which were similar to the A4F but with an grated engine.   The A4L was a modified A4C (A4D-2N), also with an uprated engine and avionics 'hump'. During the 1960s the Skyhawk equipped some 40 USN and USMC squadrons, and saw extensive action during the Vietnam War.   About 40 per cent of Israel's Skyhawks were lost during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, but this attrition was made good by the delivery of A-4N Skyhawk IIs, a light attack version.   The A-4Y was an updated A-4M for the USMC.   The 2,900th Skyhawk was delivered in 1977, and 2,960 were built in total.   Skyhawks were supplied to Singapore and Argentina, the latter using them during the Falklands War of 1982.   Skyhawks were also delivered to the Royal Australian Navy, which took delivery of 16 A-4E/Fs and four TA-4s.   In RAN service the aircraft were designated A-4G and were modified to suit Australian requirements. Specifications apply to the Douglas A-4E Skyhawk. Crew: 1; Powerplant: one 3,855kg (8,5001b) thrust Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6 turbojet engine; Performance: max speed 1,102km/h (685mph); range 1,480km (920 miles); service ceiling 14,935m (49,000ft); Dimensions: wingspan 8.38m (27ft 6in); length 12.21m (40ft 1in); height 4.62m (15ft tin);Weight: 11,113kg (24,5001b) loaded; Armament: two 20mm (0.79in) cannon; 3,719kg (8,2001b) of external ordnance. (Thanks to "The Encyclopedia of Aircraft" by Robert Jackson). There is sound with this clip.   This clip runs for 11 secs. (Thanks to Lt Col Joachim Linke for original film.)