A-1 Skyraider

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Image:Skyraider AD-4N.jpg The Douglas AD (later A-1) Skyraider, nicknamed the "SPAD" after early American fighter ace Eddie Rickenbacker's mount of choice, was a US single-seat attack bomber of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, a propeller-driven anachronism in the jet age with a remarkably long and successful career.

1 Development
2 Service
3 Production and variants
- 3.1 Operators
4 Specifications (A-1H Skyraider)
5 External links
6 Related content

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Development

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The Skyraider was originally designed in the 1940s by Ed Heinemann of the Douglas Aircraft Company, as a simpler alternative to the XBTD-1. At the time of the first prototype's flight on 18 March 1945, it was the largest production single-seater aircraft. The low-wing monoplane design started with a Wright R-3350 radial engine, later upgraded multiple times. Its distinctive feature was the presence of seven hardpoints on each wing, enabling it to carry a tremendous amount of ordnance for its size.

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Service

Although the Skyraider entered production too late for active service in World War II, it turned out to be of great value in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as its weapon load and 10-hour flying time far surpassed the jets that were available.

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One of the Skyraider's most famous roles was as the "Sandy" helicopter escort. In one incident an A-1 pilot landed under fire to rescue another downed A-1 pilot. Late in the Vietnam war, A-1 roles were taken over by the subsonic A-37 Dragonfly and A-7 Corsair II. Most press accounts credit the Stuka and Sturmovik for inspiration for the AX / A-10 Thunderbolt II dedicated close air support mission in Europe, but it was really the Skyraider in Vietnam which pioneered the concept of tough, survivable aircraft with long loiter times and large ordnance loads. An A-1 was even credited with downing a MiG-17 that happened to fly across its gunsight.

In addition to serving during Korea and Vietnam as an attack aircraft, it was modified into the first airborne early warning aircraft to see service off aircraft carriers. It served in this function in the USN and Royal Navy, being replaced by the E-1 Tracer and Fairey Gannet respectively in those services.

USAF Major Bernard F. Fisher piloted a A-1E on the March 10, 1966 mission that won him the Medal of Honor.

USAF Lieutenant Colonel William A.Jones, III piloted a A-1H on the September 1 1968 mission that won him the Medal of Honor, where despite numerous hits to his aircraft and suffering serious burns, he returned to his base and reported the position of a downed flight crew member.

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Production and variants

Production ended in 1957 with a total of 3,180 built. However, in 1962 the existing Skyraiders were redesignated A-1D through A-1J and later used by both the USAF and the Navy in the Vietnam War.

The Skyraider went through seven versions, starting with the AD-1, then AD-2 and AD-3 with various minor improvements, then the AD-4 with a more powerful R-3350-26WA engine. The AD-5 was significantly widened, allowing two crew to sit side-by-side (this was not the first multiple-crew variant, the AD-1Q being a two-seater and the AD-3N a three-seater); it also came in a 4-seat night-attack version, the AD-5N. The AD-6 was an improved AD-4B with improved low-level bombing equipment, and the final production version AD-7 was upgraded to a R-3350-26WB engine.

XBT2D-1 - Single-seat dive-bomber, torpedo-bomber prototype for the US Navy.
XBT2D-1N - Three-seat night attack prototypes. Only three aircraft built.
XBT2D-1P - Photographic reconnaissance prototype. Only one built.
XBT2D-1Q - Two-seat electronics countermeasures prototype. One aircraft only.
AD-1 - The AD-1 was the first production model. 242 built. (statistics in table)
AD-1Q - Two-seat electronic countermeasures version of the AD-1. 35 built.
AD-1U - AD-1 with radar countermeasures and tow target equipment, no armament and no water injection equipment.
XAD-1W - Three-seat airborne early warning prototype. AD-3W prototype, one aircraft only.
XAD-2 or BT2D-2 - Upgraded attack aircraft, one prototype only.
AD-2 - Improved model, powered by 2,700 hp (2,000 kW) Wright R-3350-26W engine. 156 built.
AD-2D - Unofficial designation for AD-2s used as remote-control aircraft, to collect and gather radioactive material in the air after nuclear tests.
AD-2N - Equipped for night attack
AD-2Q - Two-seat electronics countermeasures version of the AD-2. 21 built.
AD-2QU - AD-2 with radar countermeasures and target towing equipment, no armament and no water injection equipment. One aircraft only.
AD-2W - Airborne early warning equipment.
XAD-2 - Similar to XBT2D-1 except engine, increased fuel capacity.
AD-3 - Proposed turboprop version, never built.
AD-3 - Stronger fuselage, improved landing gear, new canopy design. 125 built.
AD-3S - Anti-submarine warfare model, only two prototypes were built.
AD-3N - Three-seat night attack version. 15 built.
AD-3Q - Electronics countermeasures version, countermeasures equipment relocated for better crew comfort. 23 built.
AD-3QU - Target towing aircraft, but most were delivered as the AD-3Q.
AD-3W - Airborne early warning version. 31 built.
XAD-3E - AD-3W modified for ASW with Aeroproducts propellor
AD-4 - Strengthened landing gear, improved radar, G-2 compass, anti-G suit provisions, four 20 mm cannon and 14 Aero rocket launchers, capable of carrying up to 50 lb (23 kg) of bombs. 372 built.
AD-4B - Specialised version designed to carry nuclear weapons, also armed with four 20mm cannon. 165 built plus 28 conversions.
AD-4L - Equipped for winter operations in Korea. 63 conversions.
AD-4N - Three-seat night attack version. 307 built.
AD-4NA - Designation of 100 AD-4Ns without their night-attack equipment, but fitted with four 20mm cannon, for service in Korea as ground-attack aircraft.
AD-4NL - version of the AD-4N. 36 conversions.
AD-4Q - Two-seat electronic countermeasures version of the AD-4. 39 built.
AD-4W - Three-seat airborne early warning version. 168 built.
Skyraider AEW. Mk 1 - 50 AD-4Ws were transferred to the Royal Navy.
AD-5 (A-1E) - Side by side seating for pilot and co-pilot, plus dive brakes. 212 built.
AD-5N (A-1G) - Four-seat night attack version, with radar countermeasures. 239 built.
AD-5Q (EA-1F) - Four-seat electronics countermeasures version. 54 conversions.
AD-5S - One prototype to test MAD anti-submarine equipment.
AD-5W (EA-1E) - Four-seat airborne early warning version.
AD-6 (A-1H) - Single-seat attack aircraft with three dive brakes, centerline station stressed for 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) of ordnances, 30 inches (760 mm) in diameter, combination 14/30 inch (360/760 mm) bomb ejector and low/high altitude bomb director. 713 built.
AD-7 (A-1J) - The final production model, powered by a R3350-26WB engine, with structural improvements to increase wing fatigue life. 72 built.
UA-1E - Utility version of the AD-5.