ScanBits

     OA-4M a fairly rare and interesting conversion of the TA-4F Skyhawk. Ultimaely 23 TA-4Fs were converted into OA-4M Fast FAC aircraft. This aircraft TA-4F 154307 transited El Paso, TX on a ferry flight to NARF Pensacola on February 29, 1980. It was fresh from MCAS Yuma in the colors of VMAT-102.        On August 23, 1980 nearly 6 months later 154307 again transited El Paso, TX this time as an OA-4M freshly painted in the (then new) TPS (Tactical Paint Scheme) complete with the rough finish that would show foot prints on the wing from crew access. All photos taken by me.

     Loening Aeronautical Engineering is one of the post WWI names in aviation when numerous companies joined the market to build aircraft for United States armed forces. Nicknamed "Flying Shoehorns" Loening developed several amphibious aircraft for the US Army and Navy.      The OL-1 was the first of this series specific to the US Navy and was developed from the US Army Air Service OA-1 Amphibian. The OL-1 only succeeded in the production of two aircraft. The US Navy BuNo's for the OL-1s were A-6879 and A-6880. Fortunate for aviation lovers photos of both aircraft are available in the US National Archives Record Group 80G. The following images are a few from the RG-80G collection at NARA II. RG-80G-3740 Loening OL-1 A-6879 Left Side 19250504      The two aircraft have some significant differences starting with the vertical fin and rudder. 6879 having a raked fin and rudder combination, 6880 having a rectangular vertical fin and a balanced rudder assembly. 688