A-4 Skyhawks

[O.P.]

A couple of years ago, maybe not even that long, I saw two different people selling A-4 skyhawks on Barnstormers. One was in Oklahoma and had pictures of a large line of spraylatted A-4's and I think the ad said there were 30+ available, make an offer. The other ad was simular to that one. All of a sudden, they were gone. I have not been able to find a trace of these since.

My questions are these. Did they get sold? It seems odd that tens and tens of aircraft suddenly got sold to anyone but a scrapper.

Is there some kind of post 911 rule or law that has been enacted that stopped the sale of these aircraft?

I got the feeling that I could afford to buy one of these as a project. I remember seeing individual A-4's for sale at the 20k or less range around the same time. All at once, every single one of them is gone......

I don't know about the Barnstormers ads (and anyone trying to sell you "all the ex-Argentine ones" was trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge as they are all accounted for on sticks or in museums around the country - although one has been under restoration in Houston for some years). Air Capitol Warbirds did have a site promoting their A-4 restorations but that seems to have gone.
There appears to be no '9/11' rule on the subject . Wheras the A-4s actually IN D-M can't be sold to civilians, the ones in the Dross Metals yard outside, which were bought (by Grumman?) for Malaysia but never refurbished HAVE been sold in the last few months. The 35 aircraft have been redistributed as so:

11 to Ace Aerospace Industries of Jacksonville (who seem to be based at the former NAS Cecil)
14 to Merle Maine Enterprises in Ontario, Oregon (including one not believed to have been at DMI)
2 to Lonny D Ferrin in Houston
2 to David H Vroom in Tuscon
6 to Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC).

Some of the Merle Maine ones (at least) have been seen at Avra Valley.
Any more info welcome!

Jim

[O.P.]

Thanks for the info! This is more than I've been able to figure out for months!

Col: I think the DoD step in and put at stop to these two big sales.

I hope the DoD can find it in their hearts to re-release the aircraft. Maybe they can still be sold in ones and twos?

Captain: 14 to Merle Maine Enterprises in Ontario, Oregon

I was thinking about Elk hunting in Pendleton this fall. I can leave a day early and head over to Ontario first and take a look.

Thanks Again! If you guys hear anything else, I'm all ears.