Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!military From: adrian@cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk (Adrian Hurt) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Persian Gulf Combat Aircraft--The A-4 Skyhawk Message-ID: <1990Oct24.145313.14164@cbnews.att.com> Date: 24 Oct 90 14:53:13 GMT References: <1990Oct8.030359.11680@cbnews.att.com> <1990Oct8.220810.7180@cbnews.att.com> <1990Oct10.000352.29743@cbnews.att.com> <1990Oct11.050750.29021@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military-request@att.att.com Organization: Computer Science, Heriot-Watt U., Scotland Lines: 36 Approved: military@att.att.com From: Adrian Hurt In article <1990Oct11.050750.29021@cbnews.att.com> jabusch@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu (John Jabusch) writes: > >>From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) > >>The Skyhawk, unfortunately, is out of production. However, a comparable >>aircraft is still in production: current Harrier capabilities are roughly >>equivalent to the later Skyhawks, quite aside from the Harrier's more >>unusual abilities. > ... >Any pilot who's flown both the A-4 and the Harrier will argue with your >second point. The Harrier is far from being as agile at the Skyhawk, >and has a smaller payload. I can't compare the agility of the Skyhawk and the Harrier, except to say that I'd like to see a Skyhawk come to a stop, fly backwards a little, then continue forwards on its way. The old Harrier (known to America as the AV-8A) has a smaller payload than the late type Skyhawks, but is slightly faster. The Skyhawk has a longer range. However, Henry said "current Harrier", which I assume means the AV-8B, or Harrier GR 5 over here. That one can carry up to 9000 lbs of payload, about the same as the best Skyhawks, and is faster still. It's still a bit short on range, though; but in-flight refuelling can help overcome that problem. The Skyhawk is probably cheaper than the Harrier, but since when has that influenced anything? :-) "Keyboard? How quaint!" - M. Scott Adrian Hurt | JANET: adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian | ARPA: adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk