A-4E Early

A-4E Early

A-4E Early

USA

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.0	8.7	9.3

Class:

SQUADRON

Strike aircraft

Naval aircraft

Research:400 000

Purchase:450 000

Show in game

Description

The A-4E Skyhawk Early is a squadron rank VI American jet attacker with a battle rating of 9.0 (AB), 8.7 (RB), and 9.3 (SB). It was introduced during Update "New Power".

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	1,066	1,057	12500	37.9	39.0	29.5	26.7	900
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1167	437	615	615	410	~8	~2

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 450	< 700	< 490	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic Mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Pratt & Whitney J52-P-64A		1	4,679 kg		296 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		12m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	40m fuel
900 kg	Axial-flow turbojet		5,419 kg	5,913 kg	6,530 kg	7,147 kg	11,113 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition	100%	WEP	12m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	40m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	3,470 kgf	N/A	0.64	0.59	0.53	0.49	0.31
Optimal	3,470 kgf (0 km/h)	N/A	0.64	0.59	0.53	0.49	0.31

Survivability and armour

• 2.54mm steel surrounding bottom half of the pilot
• 50mm bulletproof glass in front of the cockpit

The front half of the plane holds the pilot and a self-sealing fuel tank. The wings hold non self-sealing fuel tanks, and the back half of the plane holds the engine.

One single well-placed round from a ADEN (30 mm) cannon can completely cripple the plane by taking out the pilot or an engine. It is completely open to attack from the side and front although it can be armed with flares.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The A-4E Early is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons, wing-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)

Suspended armament

The A-4E Early can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 3 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannons (750 rpg = 2,250 total)
• 20 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (5,000 lb total)
• 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
• 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
• 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
• 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
• 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
• 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
• 5 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (5,000 lb total)
• 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
• 5 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
• 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
• 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
• 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
• 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 133 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
• 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 28 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
• 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
• 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,000 lb total)
• 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 3 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 95 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 20 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon (750 rpg)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Compressor		Flares	Mk81	AGM-12B Bullpup
II	New boosters		Airframe	Offensive 20 mm	Mk82	LAU-3/A
III	Wings repair	Engine		New 20 mm cannons	Mk83	LAU-10/A
IV	G-suit		Cover	Gun pod Mk 4 Mod 0	Mk84	AIM-9B

Pros and cons

Pros:

• One of the best CAS plane in the game, can be armed with 6 AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
• Has loadouts with AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles to either defend itself or play the role of a fighter
• Researchable flares are a good counter to SRAAM missiles it will face at its BR
• AGM-12B Bullpup is a tier I modification
• Can use its airspawn to help play the role of a fighter

Cons:

• Subsonic status
• Mediocre climb rate compared to planes it can face
• Gun pods and AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles are tier IV modifications

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] A-4E Skyhawk: Heinemann's Hot-Rod grows up

Squadron aircraft
USA	A-4E Early · F-117
Germany	Me 262 A-1a/U1 · ◌Hunter F.58
USSR	Su-22M3
Britain	Firecrest · Sea Harrier FRS.1
Japan	▄F-5E FCU
China	JF-17