McDonnell Douglas OA-4M Skyhawk

Shown here are Members of Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32) service a McDonnell Douglas OA-4M Skyhawk (BuNo 154306) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 24 May 1990. 154306 had been built as a TA-4F trainer and been converted to a forward observation aircraft in 1979. 23 TA-4Fs were converted. The modifications included a ground control bombing system, a KY-28 secure voice system, a canted midair refuelling probe, extra cockpit side armor plating, an APN-194 altimeter, and ARC-159 radio and ARC-114 VHF radio. Perhaps the most visible change was the fitting of the dorsal electronics hump. Correctly the aircraft should have been designated OA-4F, as they were converted from TA-4F aircraft and not from A-4M aircraft. Aircraft BuNo 154306 was retired to the AMARC as 3A0600 on 24 April 1991. US defense visual information system photo DM-SN-93-01023