A1 skyraider

ToughOmbre · 07-01-2007, 04:43 PM

Grunts loved the "Spad" in Viet Nam. Could carry lots of ordnance and linger forever. A great attack aircraft.

Graeme · 07-01-2007, 05:46 PM

One of the most befitting tributes paid to the Skyraider appeared in an article of the Virginian-Pilot on June 22, 1967, by Robert C. Miller:

"SPAD" ONE OF TAXPAYERS'
NEW FRIENDS IN VIETNAM

The Fischer and Myers famous 'rescue' of 1966 will also immortalise the Skyraider.

renrich · 07-01-2007, 06:54 PM

I never said the AD was intended to be a dogfighter. Even I am not that stupid. I quote Ralph Linnekin in "Eighty Knots to Mach 2" At this time he was flying Bearcats. " For single engine aircraft, those AD-2s were large.....they were also light and surprisingly agile."" One sunny afternoon I was leading the second division of a flight of F8F-1Bs. The sky was suddenly filled with big blue airplanes....eight shiny new Skyraiders were swarming all over us." After the shock of that surprise attack, a melee ensued. I accelerated after an airplane that had just made a SUCCESSFUL run on me. I was closing nicely, almost in gunsight tracking range, when he pulled a hard turn--just what he was supposed to do. I followed suit, confident as always that my trusty Bearcat could out turn anything in the sky." "Then I saw a glimmer of red, followed by a lot of red, and found myself looking at the plan view of a big airplane that seemed to have come to a complete stop in midair. Closing like hell, all I could do was to level my wings and fly over him;collision avoidance was paramount. I badly overshot my intended target. Once past him, I rolled into a steep bank and pulled nearly 8 gs(limit load in the Bearcat) too late! Over the radio I heard rat tat tat, you're dead. My opponent had reversed his turn and slid on to my tail in a classic 6 o clock firing position." " What had made the difference in the maneuver was the huge barn door like DIVE BRAKES on the sides and bottom of the aft fuselage of the AD." The undersides of the dive brakes were painted red in those days apparently. I don't think the A4 was designed to be a dogfighter either but under certain circumstance it could be a tough opponent.

Lucky13 · 07-01-2007, 07:01 PM

I read somewhere, can't for my life remember where, about a radio communication between Marines I think in Korea and a Skyraider. When the Spad pilot had finished telling what they've loaded up, the guy in the other end asked.."what the hell are you, destroyers?!"

evangilder · 07-01-2007, 07:07 PM

Sorry, but I will take the word of a Skyraider pilot over the word of a Bearcat pilot. Skyraider Bob himself told me that they were NOT dive brakes, they were speed brakes.

Graeme · 07-01-2007, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evangilder

Sorry, but I will take the word of a Skyraider pilot over the word of a Bearcat pilot. Skyraider Bob himself told me that they were NOT dive brakes, they were speed brakes.

I'll go with speed brake/airbrake
From this AD/A-1 Skyraider cutaway, item No.126..port lateral airbrake.

FLYBOYJ · 07-01-2007, 07:58 PM

They're speed brakes. I know Skyraider Bob as well.

spadguy · 07-01-2007, 08:01 PM

It was developed to carry one 1000 pound bomb 1,000 miles from an aircraft carrier of the 2nd world war size.

It did that and so much more. It was a flying dump truck

spadguy · 07-01-2007, 08:05 PM

I flew the Skyraider for a few years including the AD-4, 4NL, 5, 5Q, 5N, 6,and 7 models. Those were dive brakes.

spadguy · 07-01-2007, 08:10 PM

In the movie "the longest day" those were Skyraiders (AD-6 or 7's)from Attack Squadron 85 that were flown by US Navy pilots deployed to the Med on a large carrier. I was not there but knew some who flew that mission.