 Pilot, Copilot, Navigator, Radioman, Bombadier, Gunner all in one seat. |  Control Stick Grip |
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Why the pre-flight!
05/03/2014 Dave Dollarhide wrote: The "serrated switch" (which I've circled in the attached photo) operated a mechanical lock for the gear handle. The ordies would use this switch all the time to put the airplane in "air" mode when checking out weapons release systems....one hand to move the serrated switch, the other to raise the handle. Of course, when they did that, there would be no hydraulic pressure and the gear pins would be installed, but sometimes they would forget and leave it up. It was one big reason to check that the gear handle was down during preflight...lesson that was reinforced with me one morning....love those gear pins and so did my PC! Hide
Single Seat co*ckpits
Left Instrument Panel
White flap lever looks like half of a plastic clothes peg. At moment it looks like the lever is selected for half flap. You can see the "Stop" position label and the "UP position Label. I guess the "Down" label is hidden. Those printed labels were not very sticky and would come off after some time. Contributed to the "FOD" factor in the co*ckpit
A-4L Throttle Assembly: Tony Yaeger, an aviation parts collector, sent the Association some photos asking for an id on the below throttle assembly. The results of the investigation are:
The Alfa and Bravo had a protected "Air Start" Switch, but not in the configuration shown here.
The Charlie had the "Air Start" Switch but the presence of a "Spoiler" Switch rules out the Charlie.
The "Comm - Mike" Switch configuration rules out the Mike and the T Birds.
The presence of an "Air Start" Switch rules out the Echo and Foxtrot. And there is no "Nose Wheel Steering" Switch, that also rules out the Foxtrot.
Since the Lima was a reworked Charlie, with spoilers retrofitted, this throttle fits the criteria for a A-4Lima.
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RNZAF A-4K Skyhawk Kahu Throttle Quadrant. RNZAF Official photo via Don Simms.
Main Instrument Panel
Early A4D Instrument Panel Layouts.
| A4D-1 BuN 137814 very clean, uncluttered, co*ckpit instrument panel. Gary Verver - Douglas photo. | A-4A BuNo 142168 Captain Hook from museum at Forbes Field. | A-4B | 142809 A-4BInst Panel | |
| A-4C from "Flybear". | 1990: A-4P BuNo 148438 C-302 | A-4L unknown from Gary Verver | A-4L unknown from Gary Verver |
A-4K "Kahu" co*ckpit Comparison. The upgraded co*ckpit replaces many of the gauges with two display units, and adds a new HUD (Heads-Up-Display). Original A-4G co*ckpit on the left, upgrade is on the right. Credit Thompson.
Right Instrument panel
| A-4 co*ckpit |
Two Seaters
TA-4J 152853 co*ckpit from Bud Southworth, Webmaster Emeritus.
Take a tour of the co*ckpit with Bryan Remer, former VA-22 Scooter Driver who lives in Oakland, CA.
Left side close-up view of Redtails Skyhawk. BuNo 158137, GF-00, by providing photographer and former VA-22 Driver Byran Remer.
Close-up upper co*ckpit view of Redtails Skyhawk BuNo 158137, GF-00, on display at the USS Hornet museum with Byran Remer.
| co*ckpit 1 | co*ckpit 2 | co*ckpit 3 | co*ckpits - Aft |
| Inst-Panel 1 | Inst-Panel 2 | Inst-Panel 3 | Left Console 1 |
| Left Console 2 | Left Console 3 | Right Console 1 | Right Console 2 |
Left Instrument Panels
| TA-4J 158137 Forward Left Console | TA-4J 158137 Aft Left Console | TA-4J 158137 Aft Left Console |
T-Bird Main Instrument Panels
| Early ARBS | TA-4F 152853 close-up view of ATSI Skyhawk BuNo 152853, N250WL, instrument panel G Meter. Bud Southworth Meza AZ. 22FEB02 | TA-4JFront co*ckpit | TA-4JRear co*ckpit | TA-4K Back Seat. Pat Leggett 1970. |
| TA-4F 154332 ARBS. Gary Verver 19JAN72 at China Lake. | TA-4F 154332. Gary Verver at China Lake 1971. | TA-4F 154332 ARBS. Gary Verver 01AUG72 at China Lake. | OA-4F 2nd seat | TA-4J 158137 |
| TA-4J 158137 | TA-4J 158137 | TA-4J 152853 Front Seat | RNZAF TA-4K Skyhawk front seat Kahu instrument panel drawing, 1988. RNZAF Official photo courtesy of Phil Thompson. | RNZAF TA-4K Skyhawk rear seat Kahu instrument panel drawing, 1988. RNZAF Official photo courtesy of Phil Thompson. |
T-Bird Right Instrument panel
| TA-4J 158137 | TA-4J 158137 | TA-4F 154332 at China Lake, Gary Verver | TA-4J 152853 ARBS Bud Southworth, close-up ATSI Skyhawk BuNo 152853, N250WL, at Williams Gateway Field. |
Egress System Details
Single Seat co*ckpits
| Lightweight Seat | TA-4J 152853Rear Seat | Canopy ejection initiator on RNZAF A-4K Skyhawk. | Behind the seat of an unknown RNZAF A-4K Skyhawk. | Safety pin location behind the ejection seat of an unknown RNZAF A-4K. |
Two seat egress
If the back seat is occupied obviously it must fire first, or the front seat guy will fry the back-seater.
Crew egress and survival equipment.
Seawater Activated Release System
SEAWARS 1 Close-up view of the Seawater Activated Release System (SEAWARS) on parachute harnesses, 1978. R.L. Lawson. | SEAWARS 2 View of testing of the Seawater Activated Release System (SEAWARS) on parachute harnesses, 1982. R.L. Lawson. | SEAWARS 3 Close up view of the Seawater Activated Release System (SEAWARS) on parachute harnesses, 1982. R.L. Lawson. | Demonstrating parachute descent life raft deployment, 1990. RNZAF Official photo via Don Simms. |
RNZAF A-4 Skyhawk pilot ejection seat training, October 1969, USA. Official U.S. Navy photo.
Leaving the office the hard way!
Do this and the seat becomes a hazard rather than a help.
Other Details
In a Skyhawk Driver's Office, you may find various magical tools that he would use to ensure a successful flight. This is a "Flight Prediction Wheel". If used properly it predicted a successful end to the flight. If used improperly................. well let's not talk about such unpleasant things.
From Youthly Puresome
What they can do while in the co*ckpit.
