GHQ Models Forums

Anyone know if GHQ plans on making the Skyhawk?
It had a long service life in a variety of Nations.
My Israeli force would love some air support!

The A-4 Skyhawk has been mentioned here many times on various folks' wish lists. I would love to see that and the A-6 Intruder for the Nam.

I would really like to see the A-4 at both 1/285 scale and 1/2400. Falklands campaign just isn't right without it.

Paul

I will place A-4 in the voting for favorite Micronauts. HUS4 (USS Roosevelt) carries A-6.

Don S.

Better add to that list;

F-4B Model Phantom w/ under slung 20mm gunpod, F-8 Crusader, A-7 Corsair II, F-5 Freedom Figther, B-57 Canberra, F-105 Thunderchief, and OV-10 Bronco.

The GHQ Phantom comes with a full bomb option. It's dandy for IDF air support

The current GHQ F-4E model is a great figure. The F-4B model I was relating to was the most available variant during the Vietnam Conflict. It served with all branches of the military. Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The F-4B looked more menacing when mounted a 20mm gunpod under the belly. The photo in the catalog is the F-4E painted in Navy colors which the E model never served with the Navy. The Isrealis also used B and D model F-4s for air support and SAM suppression(Wild Weasels). IN 67' during the 6 Day War. What lessons the Isrealis did over the Desert was also relayed and learned by the US and was applied during the Vietnam conflict.

Steel Arrows wrote: The Isrealis also used B and D model F-4s for air support and SAM suppression(Wild Weasels). IN 67' during the 6 Day War. What lessons the Isrealis did over the Desert was also relayed and learned by the US and was applied during the Vietnam conflict.

Steel Arrows, you sure about that?

Could be wrong about this ... lawd knows it's been known to happen before, but I don't think there were any Phantoms in Israeli service during the 1967 war. As in none. Zero. Zip.

As far as I understand it, the first IDF squadrons to operate the Phantom, the "Ahat" and "Patashim" Squadrons, only took possession of their first birds in September/October of 1969.

And while I don't know if they may have used B or D models later, the first birds they took were all F-4Es. They had insisted on the integral 20mm gun, and didn't want any without it.

In fact I believe the Israelis had requested Phantoms as early as 1965, but the US Government would not approve the sale. That's why they wound up with A-4 Skyhawks in the 1967 war ... it was their consolation prize when their request for Phantoms was turned down.

At least that's the way I understand it. Would be interested to see if I got it wrong.

I haven't read much about '67, but I seem to recall the IAF consisting of all French aircraft. The Skyhawk might have arrived after the war.

The Phantom in YK was used for everything. SAM suppression, air superiority, deep strategic bombing & tactical air support. Before YK, the IAF regarded the Phantom so highly that they would have preferred scrapping their Skyhawks & getting more Phantoms. Once they saw that the SAMs took them out just as easily as Skyhawks, that kind of cooled that idea.

But still, for a force that needs to be efficient, the Phantom offered it all. It could go farther, carry more bombs, & take down Migs.

In one of the recent books on YK, the author described one of the first successful SAM takeouts in the Sinai, enabling the IDF for a counterattack. The Phantoms came in just feet off the desert floor, then at a predetermined speed & location, pulled straigt up in a loop & released their bombs, lobbing them into the SAM batteries. No IAF casualties

Oh Steel, one more thing. The GHQ Phantom loaded with bombs looks mighty menacing!

Just out of interest, what types of aircraft did the IAF have in '67? Just Mirages?

I second the wish for a GHQ release of the Skyhawk btw.

They had placed an order up to 72 Mirage III. Not sure if all were present in the Israeli inventory though.

They also had the Dassulat Super Mystere, originally 18 of these but not sure if they had lost some up to the 1967 battles though.

The Nesher (Basically a Mirage 5) first flown May 19th, 1967 but not sure it was officially operational though.

Sean

This from "Born in Battle" vol.2 1978; great source, but is old:

Available in the '67 war:

72 MirageCJIII fighter-bombers in 3 squadrons
18 Super Mystere in 1 squadron
1 squadron of Mystere
1 squadron of Ouragan (fighter-bombers)
?# Vautour (light bomber)

Skyhawk was recieved after the 6 day war, & first combat action was in War of Attrition, 1969.

Like I said, there might be an update to this info out there

Sorry for the late reply! I do have a full time job like most people in this country.

Now then regarding the F-4B and Cs. I read an old Mac Donnell Douglas report which was dated in 1981. Where it stated that there were 15 F-4 B and C models were ordered by Israel bsck in 65 and were to be delivered in 67. There was an aircraft model magazine were it showed a photo of an F-4C painted in desert scheme on a tarmac(where exactly it was taken was a mystery and was a black and white photo). This magazine that I had more than 20 years ago but I had to dicard it due to the usual spring cleaning requirement of parents. There were also a few people whom I met during my life who were former aircraft maintanance personel who migrated to this country after the Wars have told me of F-4Cs in Israeli inventory at the time of 67 convflict. Now I know this sounds a little unusual to hear this info. But it is a known fact that our country have covertly aided and supported israel with intel regarding the status of Arab forces during that time.

Heck, if we gave them uranium, what's a few Phantoms