In June 2011, a crane accidentally dropped the Navy’s A-4 Skyhawk while putting it back on its pylon at Alameda Point’s “main gate.” People have various theories about what went wrong, but everyone close to the project would rather focus on the plane’s re-restoration and return.
On December 19, the fighter aircraft, on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, was placed back in its original spot—a fitting celebration to conclude the 2011 Centennial of Naval Aviation.
Built in April 1957, the plane was first delivered to the Stingers Squadron (VA-113) onboard the USS Shangri-La. It took one WestPac cruise in 1958 before becoming a “training bird” for new pilots. It arrived at the Alameda Naval Air Station in 1966 and flew 2,627 hours training pilots in Alameda. In 1969, it was hoisted on the pylon for display at the base’s main gate.
Attaching to pylon, photo by Frank Silva
In the following years other squadrons adopted the plane, repainting it each time to match their squadron’s colors. But no one realized the anchor bolts holding the plane in place were deteriorating until February 2008, when a major windstorm lifted the plane up, knocking it off its pylon.
A few Alameda residents, who are former Navy personnel, decided to repair the pylon and restore the plane to its original airworthy state (minus the engines and hydraulic lines). “There is a whole community outside the military and commercial aircraft field that focuses only on restoration,” says Tim Conner, a specialist in such work and an aviation aficionado.
Restoration crew, photo by Frank Silva
They raised funds, contacted technical sources, and spent over 4,200 volunteer hours to make the plane meet or exceed the original manufacturer’s specs. When the crane accident happened, it was a heart-wrenching experience for all concerned, as it caused more damage than the plane’s fall during the 2008 windstorm.
Hoisting jet back onto pylon, photo by Frank Silva
The crane company has since “made good on its promise tenfold” to fix the damage, said Conner. The plane was restored to “better than new” by many of the same folks who’d worked on it after the 2008 fall. United Aeronautical from North Hollywood provided parts; American Bus Repair (ABR), an Alameda Point company that paints buses and airplanes, again added the finishing touches. Photos of the work were taken every step of the way, and a binder commemorating the Skyhawk’s story will be sent to the Alameda Naval Air Museum.
Dick Rutter, the restoration’s leader and local Alameda Point historian, said the volunteers all feel a connection to the aircraft. “Today much of the military is pushed out to the margins where civilians see it from a distance. Military personnel used to be our neighbors, our friends. Working on the plane brings back memories of times in the Navy and the people who died.”
Restored and returned, photo by Frank Silva
The ceremony celebrating the plane’s restoration was cancelled after the crane accident in June, but it should be rescheduled soon. Alaero, a Las Vegas company that donated a crucial $1,000 hinge, said their donation came with one caveat—if there is a ceremony, they want to be invited. It’s time to send them an invitation.
Originally published in Alameda Sun
I on Alameda 
Hi, I am native Alamedan Ron Stanley. I almost wrecked my car last week when I passed through the main gate at the former Alameda Naval Air Station and saw old 312 dressed up in her VA-113 colors. I was the Assistant Maintenance Officer of the squadron when we received these brand new A4D-1’s in 1958. Bureau # 142200 was one of 14 that was assigned to our squadron. If the original aircraft log book still exists, my signature can be found on several pages as a verification of the installation of the many change and service orders that we implemented. I was on the 1958 West Pac cruise and still have the cruise book. On the first page of the Air Group section of the book is this exact A4D shown in flight with all the numbers and identification markings clearly visible. I am sorry that I wasn’t aware of the restoration effort as I would have been thrilled to participate in it. There is a minor correction that I would like to offer to the article that appeared in The Sun. When the new A4D-1’s were received, VA-113 was stationed at NAS Miramar in San Diego and the planes were flown in at that location. When the squadron deployed as a part of Carrier Air Group 11 (CAG-11) later in 1958 the planes were flown a short distance to North Island Naval Air Station and loaded aboard the Shangri-La (CVA-38) by Crane. Also the A4D-1’s were not originally fitted with in flight refueling probes, a change that took place at a later date.
Thank you for letting me relive a most important and exciting part of my life.
Sincerely,
Ron Stanley
Ron,
I’m am so happy I could be apart of you remembering a time when things were in their infancy. The refueling probe turned out to be more trouble to remove than just to leave it installed…we did consider removing it though….I would like to see your cruise book too !