February 27, 1979: The longest production run of any Douglas-designed aircraft ended when the Navy took delivery of the last A-4 Skyhawk. The A-4 had been in continuous production since 1954 with a total of 2,960 aircraft built in 17 different models.

Another successful attack aircraft from the Ed Heinemann team at Douglas was the A-4 Skyhawk. Designed for carrier operations, the Skyhawk was America’s smallest combat jet. Known as “Heinemann’s Hot Rod,” “Scooter,” and the “Mighty Midget,” it reversed the trend toward bigger and more complex aircraft in favor of durability and reliability. The A-4D first flew on June 22, 1954, demonstrating combinations of high performance and lightweight, with speed and maneuverability never before seen in an attack jet.