"If I could have stick time in any U.S. military aircraft, the one I'd want the stick time in is the A-4 Skyhawk."
And what a sensitive stick it is, in both roll and pitch. The max roll rate was 720 degrees per second. That is right, one complete aileron roll in half a second. You could make your own head spin.
As NFO's in VT-86 our last segment of training was in the TA-4. A couple airways flights then about 15 flights in the SEABREEZE MOA doing some tactical maneuvering, Tac Turns, In place, cross turns etc. in formation then you had enough gas for 2-3 Basic Fighter Maneuver (ACM Light) engagements. These flights were graded but were meant to move you from that student mentality to being part of a crew. We called all the maneuvers from the backseat (like if you saw you were overshooting call a hi-yo yo) and even knowing what was going on I still got my head bounced off the canopy a few times. I'm not a big guy and both of my shoulder nearly touched the canopy rail in the A-4.
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