Displayed from 1990 in the grey camouflage colours in which it finished its service life with the Navy Fighter Weapons School at NAS Miramar, this A-4 was later painted in VA-163 marks with blue trim when first suspended in the entrance atrium of the National Museum of Naval Aviation

Photographer unknown

At this time it was NAS Miramar.

TOPGUN 54, an ancient A-4E, on short final to 24R at NAS Miramar

Since April 1997, this dark green adversary is preserved at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola (FL). The aircraft received VA-163 colourscheme in the museum.

1962: TOS USN as A4D-5 and assigned to VA-125, NAS Lemoore, CA. 7/62: Redesignated A-4E. 1969: VA-44, NAS Cecil Field, FL. 1970: VF-126 (an aggressor squadron), NAS Miramar, CA. 1972: Navy Fighter Weapons School, Miramar for the duration of its active career. Ca.2/90: Flown to the Naval Aviation Museum. It is currently marked as the aircraft John McCain was shot down over Vietnam.

The green A-4E of the Naval Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) Top Gun, seen here while landing at its homebase NAS Miramar (CA), can now be found in a standard naval grey/white color scheme as AH-303 in Pensacola museum.

This A-4, in the colours of VA-163, hanging in the foyer is the first aircraft one sees when entering the magnificent National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.