Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly designated AD before the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations) is an American single-seat attack aircraft in service from 1946 to the early 1980s, which served during the Korean War and Vietnam War. The Skyraider had an unusually long career, remaining in front-line service well into the Jet Age (when most piston-engine attack or fighter aircraft were replaced by jet aircraft); thus becoming known by some as an "anachronism". The aircraft was nicknamed "Spad", after the French World War I fighter.

The piston-engined, propeller-driven Skyraider was designed during World War II to meet United States Navy requirements for a carrier-based, single-seat, long-range, high performance dive/torpedo bomber, to follow on from earlier aircraft such as the Douglas SBD Dauntless, the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver and the Grumman TBF Avenger. Designed by Ed Heinemann of the Douglas Aircraft Company, prototypes were ordered on 6 July 1944 as the XBT2D-1. The XBT2D-1 made its first flight on 18 March 1945, and the USN began evaluation of the aircraft at the Naval Air Test Center (NATC) in April 1945. In December 1946, after a designation change to AD-1, delivery of the first production aircraft to a fleet squadron was made to VA-19A

The low-wing monoplane design started with a Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engine which was later upgraded several times. The aircraft had distinctive large straight wings with seven hardpoints apiece. The Skyraider had excellent maneuverability at low speed, and carried a large amount of ordnance over a considerable combat radius. It had a long loiter time for its size, compared to much heavier subsonic or supersonic jets. The aircraft was optimized for ground attack and was armored against ground fire in key locations, unlike faster fighters adapted to carry bombs, such as the Vought F4U Corsair or North American P-51 Mustang, which were retired by U.S. forces before the 1960s.

Douglas Aircraft

Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"
A-1 (A1D) Skyraider First Flight 18 March 1945
Produced 1945–1957

General Info

Crew: 1 Length: 38 ft 10 in (11.84 m) Wingspan: 50 ft 0.25 in (15.2464 m) Height: 15 ft 8.25 in (4.7816 m) Wing area: (37.192 m²)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 11,968 lb (5,429 kg)
Gross weight: 18,106 lb (8,213 kg)
Fuel capacity: 380 US gal (320 imp gal; 1,400 L) internal tanks
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-3350-26WA Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 2,700 hp (2,000 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 322 mph (518 km/h, 280 kn) at (5,500 m)
Cruise speed: (319 km/h,
Range: 1,316 mi (2,118 km,)
Service ceiling: (8,700 m)
Rate of climb: 2,850 ft/min (14.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 46.6 lb/sq ft (228 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.149 hp/lb (0.245 kW/kg)

Armament

- Guns: 4x 20 mm AN/M3 cannon with 200 rounds per gun
- Hardpoints: 15 external hardpoints with a capacity of 8,000 lb (3,600 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
  - Other: bombs, torpedoes, mine dispensers, unguided rockets, and gun pods

Special Links Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider A-1 (A1D) Skyraider First Flight 18 March 1945

Links to Youtube & Others

The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a replacement for the service's existing fleet of Aermacchi MB-326s.

Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"

The Skyraider was produced too late for use in World War II, but became the backbone of United States Navy aircraft carrier in the Korean War

Youtube Link

On 26 July 1954, two Douglas Skyraiders from the aircraft carriers USS Philippine Sea and Hornet shot down two Chinese PLAAF Lavochkin fighters off the coast of Hainan Island.

Douglas aircraft Company
A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"
First Flight 18 March 1945
Produced 1945–1957

Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"

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History
Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"
A-1 (A1D) Skyraider First Flight 18 March 1945 Produced 1945–1957

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Douglas A-1 (A1D) Skyraider "The Spad"
A-1 (A1D) Skyraider First Flight 18 March 1945 Produced 1945–1957