See This A-4E Skyhawk Jet? It Took a Hit from a Deadly SA-2 Missile (And Survived)

Dario Leone

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How? 

Taken on Apr. 25, 1967 the pictures in this post shows LTJG Al Crebo’s VA-212 A-4E Skyhawk, Navy BUNO 151102, after it had a close encounter with an SA-2 over North Vietnam.

Noteworthy LTJG Al Crebo wasn’t able to get his stricken A-4E back aboard USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31) but it did keep flying long enough for him to get back out over the water and for pictures to be taken.

As told by Tommy H Thomason in his book Scooter! The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Story, on a strike launched on Apr. 25, 1967 from Bon Homme Richard to destroy an ammunition depot near Haiphong, his A-4E Skyhawk was tagged by an SA-2 as he rolled in for his bomb run. The detonation blew off his rudder, the top of the vertical fin, and several access doors as well as taking out both hydraulic systems and knocking the horizontal stabilizer askew. There were large holes in the aft fuselage and the wings.