First The Backstory -- Pics To Follow!

[rallymodeller]

Thought I'd post this -- had a lot of fun writing it while waiting for the intake paint to dry...

"Scooters in Canada": The CF-116 Skyhawk in Canadian Service

Purchased in 1966 to fill a requirement for a light attack aircraft first formulated by the RCAF in 1964, the Skyhawk was the winner in a competition that also included the Vought A-7 Corsair II and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter. Even though the RCAF (soon to become the CAF-Air) favoured the Corsair and Northrop offered both twin-engined reliability and a generous trade package with the F-5, both of these aircraft were relatively new and the RCAF -- still stinging from the CF-105 Arrow debacle -- wanted something "proven". In this, the Skyhawk was a clear winner. Already in service with the US Navy and performing combat flights over Vietnam, the Skyhawk combined simplicity, ruggedness and the ability to carry a large warload.

   When originally ordered, the RCAF committed to 25 ex- US Navy A-4Cs but soon the idea of making it more "Canadian" began to percolate through Defence headquarters. Instead, it was decided that Canada would purchase 5 surplus A-4C development and pattern aircraft and, with a combination of Douglas-designed upgrades and indigenous technologies Canada would develop her own Skyhawk variant.

   Douglas licensed production of the Skyhawk to Canadair, Ltd, based in Montreal (making Canada the only Skyhawk user to actually manufacture the aircraft other than the US). Work began immediately on the 100 Skyhawks that had been ordered. Among the updates incorporated in what was now known as the CF-116 were the J52 engine (as fitted to the A-4E), a Canadian Marconi moving map display and a Litton Systems ranging and mapping radar. Because of repackaging of the avionics and electronics suites, the distinctive dorsal hump fitted to US Navy aircraft was never used on Canadian examples. All Canadian aircraft also featured an A-4E-style wing with two hardpoints per side and a braking parachute. Minor modifications included simplification of the arrestor hook system (hydraulically assisted gravity drop), intake and windshield de-icing gear and a self-starter. Weapons choices included wiring for Sidewinder missiles and deletion of the Skyhawk's nuclear option. Lessons learned from Israeli experiences in the Six-Day War and US Navy operations in Southeast Asia were also incorporated into the new variant, adding flare launchers and wiring for optional ECM pods.

   The first aircraft entered service with the CAF's designated Skyhawk Operational Conversion Unit,  419 "Moose" squadron based at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta in April of 1968. 419 had already received two of the original development aircraft and pilots from that squadron had trained with the US Navy and it was 419 that was then tasked with the training of CAF pilots in the new attacker.

   Foreign interest in the Canadian variant was high, but with the US Navy selling off it's stocks of older Skyhawks the only new-build purchases were made by Norway over Northrop's offer of F-5E's. In 1978 Venezuela would purchase 25 surplus Canadian Skyhawks. When production ended in 1976, Canadair had produced 185 CAF-116's (96 single seat "A" models and 31 two-seat "B"s for the CAF, a further 44 total for the RNoAF plus 14 attrition replacement aircraft).

MID LIFE UPGRADES

In 1979 it was decided to update the remaining Skyhawk force, extending their service life at least until the end of the century. Among the most visible changes was a new squared-off vertical tail similar to that fitted to the A-4K as well as an A-4M-style canopy and windscreen providing increased birdstrike resistance and better pilot visibility. Also notable were new blisters for an internal EW suite similar to that fitted to CF-104s and new blade aerials for a comprehensive Plessey communications suite including a VHF air-to-ground mode allowing communications with ground troops. The cockpit was redesigned and updated with the centerpiece being a new CRT replacing the Moving Map Display as well as a new and updated Kaiser HUD, and the electronics were "modularized" with Line Replaceable Units, making the electronics suite more compact and efficient. The entire process, carried out by Canadair at their Mirabel facility, essentially remanufactured the entire aircraft. Skyhawks so modified were known as CF-116Cs and by 1984 had been performed on 61 of the remaining 67 CF-116A's, and a similar program had updated 22 of the remaining 26 CF-116B two-seaters.

   But the upgrades weren't done. As the "C" program was winding down, Singapore gained attention by replacing the J52 engine in two of it's A-4S fighters with the F-404 turbofan in a non-afterburning form. To the CAF this seemed almost too logical -- after all, the F404 already powered Canada's CF-18s and the adoption of a common engine would ease logistics in the future. Canadair was directed by the Canadian Department of National Defence HQ to investigate the Singaporean program. A team of CAF and Canadair personnel visited RSAF Tengah to see the A-4S-1 for itself. They found the change in the little fighter to be no less than astonishing. Early in 1989, on the strong recommendation of the team, the decision was made to once again send the Skyhawks to Mirabel, this time for a new powerplant. Installation of the F404 was relatively simple, since airframe strengthening had already been performed at the time of the MLU and the installation details had already been hammered out by McDonnell-Douglas and Singapore Aircraft Industries (SAI). Turnover was rapid, and the new engine was powering each of the C models by 1993.  As of the time of this writing, the Skyhawk continues to serve with three squadrons (419, 433 and 434) as well as AETE and is slated to do so well into the 21st century.

The model I'm doing is one of the CF-116C+ reengined beasties. It'll be in the same wraparound grey-green that the CF-5 appeared in through the Eighties. Pics of the build soon -- I've almost got the fuselage done...

[rallymodeller]

First couple of pics. Nothing too special right now. I'm using the Hobbycraft A-4M kit, which handily includes the standard non-humped fuselage and vert. tail base, as well as craploads of optional antennas. The lump on the spine (which will eventually be an ADF loop cover) is a much-modified 1/72 P-51 droptank. The pilot is the standard Monogram chap.



And underneath:



Stores will be 2x 400 gal drop tanks, the kit-included TER with six Snakeyes (also kit included) and either Sidewinders or Mavericks on the outboard pylons (if I can find the Mavs). Markings will be for 434 Sqn, decals a combination of the Leading Edge CF-104 sheet for the no-white low-vis roundels and such and the same company's CT-133 sheet for the Bluenose tail flash.  

[Rafael]

Venezuelan Canadair-made Skyhawk???
Tempting thought!!!
In any livery or flag, this aircraft of yours is a stunner from the start!!
Rafa

[Archibald]

Seems its  scooter week      

[Radish]

Nice indeed.

[dragon]

Venezuelan Canadair-made Skyhawk???
Tempting thought!!!
In any livery or flag, this aircraft of yours is a stunner from the start!!
Rafa

Why not?  Rafael, remember the Venezuelan Air Force purchased its F-5s from the Canandians in the early 1970s by President Rafael Caldera.  They were purchased used from the Canadian Government (who promptly got in trouble with the US Government over this used plane sale).  Many of these ex-Canuck F-5s are still flying in FAV (I refuse to use that new AMV monicker) service.  Besides, you have to admit that just about any plane looks good in the current FAV camo. B)  

[rallymodeller]

Venezuelan Canadair-made Skyhawk???
Tempting thought!!!
In any livery or flag, this aircraft of yours is a stunner from the start!!
Rafa

Why not?  Rafael, remember the Venezuelan Air Force purchased its F-5s from the Canandians in the early 1970s by President Rafael Caldera.  They were purchased used from the Canadian Government (who promptly got in trouble with the US Government over this used plane sale).  Many of these ex-Canuck F-5s are still flying in FAV (I refuse to use that new AMV monicker) service.  Besides, you have to admit that just about any plane looks good in the current FAV camo. B)

Well, the FAV CF-5s weren't exactly "used" per se -- and therin lies the tale. The CF-5's that were sent to Venezuela were ordered by the gov't, paid for by the gov't,  assigned serials by the CAF, but their only flight was from the Canadair plant outside Montreal to CFB North Bay where they were put straight into storage. Thus for all intents and purposes they were brand-new aircraft -- some with just a little over an hour of flight time on them. The US probably wouldn't have had a problem if they had been high-ish time planes but since they were pretty much new...