I served with the Marines for 8 years, most of my time was spent at MAG-13 at El toro from 1980 thru 1988. Worked on LOTS of A-4s and some F-4s. I had the opportunity to meet and get to know Pappy before he passed. Hung out with 214 quite a bit. Also spent time at Kaneohe Bay Hawaii with the OA-4M squadrons. Loved to deploy and watch the a-4s wreak havoc at wargames and so on. What a great, long life and stellar career the Scooters had.

I was stationed at El Toro when the Sgt who was an A-4 plane captain "borrowed" the A-4.......at night and flew for about a half hour. He made a perfect landing, and did no harm to the a/c. Fact is the Scooter is an extremely easy a/c to fly evidently. Although the individual had set records in gliders and so forth. The A-4 was also the smallest carrier born attack a/c that could carry a nuke. But for the record we NEVER practiced loading nukes at E.T.!! The visibility from the cockpit was spectacular. The nose swooping down gave an awesome forward, unobstructed view. It was like sitting in a BF-109 tho, extremely small. But everything was easily reached and the compactness made you feel as tho you were the hand in a glove.

And the Blue Angels mostly say the A-4 was the best performer they flew...........