I may be wrong, but wasn't the Skyraider the first aircraft to be able to lift and carry it's own weight in ordnance? Douglas built some great planes.
So are they painted to represent a Navy and an Air Force example? One is clearly Navy; even if it didn't say "Navy" on it, you could tell. But the other one looks more like a Skyraider in P-51 colors. Is that a different Navy scheme, or a USAF scheme? The only USAF ac I've ever seen were painted in SEA theatre camo. I also notice that that one looks like it has a window in the side of the fuselage. What's up with that? I know there were ASW versions that had a cabin where the fuel tank went.
Douglas A-1 Skyraider was designed with intent to replace the TBF Avenger and SB2C Helldiver with one aircraft. Skyraider just missed WW2. Used in Korea. Some were given to France. When US entered Vietnam War US had to buy back Skyraiders from France. The Skyraider was important because it could fly low and slow making it easier to observe and put ordnance on target for ground support. A-1 could loiter for hours while jets had short loiter time. Skyraider was also extremely rugged.
This lne would be an excellent choice for ground support in Afghanistan....it can carry huge amount of ordinance & can fly low & slow....Just like the M14, bring her back into action.....a true gunfighter....Semper Fi....
@Ca1861: Yes, you are correct, portions of this video were taken at Chino, CA and other portions were taken at Torrance airport and also at Gillespie Field near San Diego. Thanks!
I still think it amazing that a propellered plane designed and intended for use in WWII flew combat CAS during the jet age and finally retired in the late 60s, 70s.
I was in SEA '66/'67 Pleiku AB, 633 CAMRON, serviced the nav electronics on the A1-E. This bird was a beast, flew with holes in her, armed with either a couple 2k# bombs, or napalm, CBU's you name it the Spad carried it, dropped it, messed up allot of Charlie's plans. Brings back lots of memories looking at this footage.
@bosnmate820 They were also known for taking a great deal of damage and retuning home . This aircraft along with the Grummann Beacat pushed the envelope of piston engined aircraft to the end.
@bosnmate820 They were also known for taking a great deal of damage and retuning home . This aircraft along with the Grummann Bearcat pushed the envelope of piston engined aircraft to the end.
It was found during the Korean war that the jets had very little time to sight targets and ground support from propeller aircraft worked better. This is the reason the current A10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) is designed to fly so slowly, despite being a jet. Faster is not always better.
I gotta say Octane, your awesome vids give me the goose bumps. You've caught the sight and sounds of these monsters to perfection!. I think a lot about the brave guys who battled in these old birds, I take my hat off to 'em!. Bravo!
During night recovery ops three days before Christmas in 67 A guy stepped out of the "mail plane" on the old "FDR". (CVA-42) The guy thought it was wind down the deck but the last two Phantoms of a launch sequence were on the cats..His buddy held the door open, he stepped out and was blown through the prop of a Skyraider that was being turned up beside the island...Ill never forget that night as long as I live.
I knew a lot of guys in Nam who were happy to know they were in the area. They had an eight hour loiter time over target and packed a heck of a lot of ordinance. The jets came in zip, zoom, bam and they were gone. The Skyraiders could stick around an pound anything that moved for hours.
I like them but they must have the dirtiest exhaust in the world every time they go out all nice and shiny and comeback a blob of soot, great plane though excellent ground supporter
The Skyraider was the best prop driven plane the U.S. ever had out ranking the P-51-Mustang because of their weapons and ability to take punishment better than any other prop job ever built.
Who would have thought that this bird, which was originally designed as a dive bomber for the US Navy, wouldbe a very popular warbird at air shows because of it's roles in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
I used to see these planes take off in Vietnam from Ben Hoa Air Base. The ground vibrated from the powerful engine. The A-1 had unbelievable horsepower.
The A-1 plus the F-4 phantom made for impressive firepower even on today's standards and technology.
It is my understanding the A-1 has a greater bomb load capacity than the B-17
I used to see these planes take off in Vietnam from Ben Hoa Air Base. The ground vibrated from the powerful engine. The A-1 had unbelievable horsepower.
The A-1 plus the F-4 phantom made for impressive firepower even on today's standards and technology.
It is my understanding the A-1 has a greater bomb load capacity than the B-17
Is there any chance you have the unedited footage and can put it alllllll up for those of us who love the whole sequencing of sounds----unedited? That would be great to just sit and listen to...
The Flying Dump Truck!!! They could carry up to 8,000 lbs of deadly stuff on 15 hardpoints under the the wings and fuselage. That's roughly what a B-17 would carry in WWII during a short range mission! My dad was a "Sandy" pilot with the 602nd ACS in Vietnam around 1965-66. This aircraft brought him home safe! I love this plane.
@KevlarStrange No, these planes actually existed, and that does sound like a piston engine. They were introduced at the end of WW2 and were still being used in Vietnam for search & rescue.
@336kgf I see the confusion I must have been really tired that day. What I meant was the sound it was making during the pass sounded like the old FU-4 Corsair. I think the Japanese called it whistling death. Ive never heard an A-1 make that sound. I was just wondering.
So, here we have one of the great planes of US military history. All USA designed, funded and built. WHY, can't we build cars in this country the same way ? Hell, why can't we build ANYTHING like we use too.
The A-1 "Spad" is a great airplane. It wasn't fast (about 350mph) but it was a real tank. It could carry more ordnance than a WW II B-17. It had 4x20mm wing cannon and very long range. It could deliver a variety of weapons including tactical nuclear bombs. It even destroyed a North Korean dam with torpedoes! One of the Douglas Ironworks classics and a true son of the Dauntless.
You will note that all Navy planes of the day used radial engines instead of the streamlined in-line engines of the P-51, ME109, and Spitfire look. That's because a radial engine could take damage and still fly while an in-line engine was pretty much toast. So, if you're flying over the water as the Navy did in the Pacific, you want to ensure that you have a platform that can take a beating yet still return to the ship. Beautiful sound, that big radial is!
@cottonclarksa The primary reason US Navy aircraft used radial engines was because they are air-cooled, not liquid-cooled, so they are more reliable after being slammed down on a carrier deck regularly, since all those cooling lines don't get knocked out of whack.
The Brits tried to turn the Spitfire into a carrier aircraft, but it wasn't terribly successful because the Merlin V-12's couldn't take that kind of knocking around without becoming a maintenance nightmare.
These were amazing piston powered attack aircraft that were used well into the jet age. Despite their slow speed they were able to take large amounts of battle damage and still return home after a mission. I'm fairly sure they were still in service until the mid seventees and were eventually replaced with the jet powered A-10.
The USAF continued to use the SPAD/A-1 into the early seventies, in the SAR support role in SEA. But she was retired in late 1972, and did not see any further operational or combat action after.
The Navy SPADs were replaced by the jet attack aircraft, the A-7 Corsair II, beginning in late 1967.
The Navy flew their last attack A-1 combat missions in SEA in early 1968, and the USAF in late 1972.
This is the most beautiful airplane ever built. But to realize that, you have to be alone and far from home, with bad guys looking for you, when the "Sandies" come motoring in to cover you.
Immidiately i thought about vietnam straving rounds after i look a second glimps, just a second gimps of this incredible aircraft pictures and clips....NAM...NAM...NAM...thats all of all veteran would even remember being supported and released of their horror of being surrounded by charlies.....thanks to this aircfract capabilities of branches high fly by straving and pounding with napalms.....NAPALMS...NAPALMS...NAPALMS' 1968.....so famous of an aircraft
As a Brit, I can't speak from having any real experience of these machines, but I've gone from not thinking much of them in my young and stupid days, (prop propelled plane in the jet age!!!!), to having a high regard for the type and for the men who flew them in action. As for it being ugly, it may not have the graceful looks of a Spitfire, say, but it looks 'right' somehow and sounds fantastic. A great classic warbird.
It really is a unique plane isnt it. It has alot of the ducting and little characteristics that most modern jets have yet its a plane... and a beast of one.
You should see the specs on the motors. Most 3350's went racing after the war and still do today.
filo6777 I love these planes too. I believe they were used in Nam by both the Americans and the South Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese type would have a red/yellow stripe design just behind the cockpit and wrapping around the fuselage. They were known as fireflies, Sandies, among other nicknames of which I can not think of right now but there were some more!! They could also carry napalm, and there guns were 20mm if I am not mistaken... You need to watch "Flight of the Intruder"
BTW. I saw one of these in pieces in a museum park in Saigon in 1993. It was obviously a south vietnamese one that had been shot down or crashed somehow. The interesting thing was the armour on the bottom side of the wing had to be like a 1/8 inch thick!!! I was stunned. How it flew I dont know. Would just shrug off 50 call fire and probably even 20mm from underneath unless it hit something critical (i.e. prop, cylinder). Amazing
Thanks for the additional info, and good to hear you aren't a Pakistani jihadi :)
And I think I read somewhere (Wikipedia?) that they kept producing these aircraft after jets became the norm, because they were so good for their purpose. What were they replaced with? The A-10 Warthog?
@DonTruman I dont know if they kept producing them, I think they probably stopped in the very early 50s when jets started to appear on carriers. Basically she was the primary carrier strike plane from late 1945 to probably 1955. They then went into storage. They were used in korea because the early jets were very susceptible to ground fire. Likewise they were recycled in 1965 as again in vietnam jets were too fast and didnt have enough loiter time over target or bombing accuracy.
@DonTruman ..... and they were also converted into all sort of subvariants for vietnam - 2 seat attack, 14 seat air ambulance, a simple AWACs with a radar on one wing, u name it. In ground attack it can carry masses of weapons and remain on station for ages and survive lots of ground fire. It was phased out around 1970 in US forces. Replaced in navy by A4 and corsair, and in the air force by the corsair until the A10 appeared in late 70s. A10 in part drew from this and the Stuka for inspiration
@DonTruman ... last usage I heard about was I think in Chad in the late 70s or around 1980. Chad used them to great effect against gimp Libyans that invaded. Sky-raiders just ignored the Libyan migs. They were ex-french navy skyraiders there I think. Most US ones given to south vietnam. Some even flew in communist vietnamese airforce after the war.
Only plane I know of that was test so pilot and most of the plane could survive a 50G impact landing.
In the 60s it was all about nukes and I saw one of these planes do a toss bomb using an inert nuke. He just made it out of the Immanuel to reverse course.
This aircraft can carrry the same bomb load as a B-17 and has an icredible loiter time.a friend of the family flew them in vietnam known as sandy, which was search and rescue duty,holding the enemy at bay while they got a ch53 in to rescue downed pilots.This airplane came out right after ww2 to replace the tbm avenger.
I had a family member that was in Vietnam and said these planes gave a very good account of themselves. Prop plane or no it was awesome and its firepower and capability was unbelievable. Thank you for the great posts!
I noticed at 1:46 some large panels opening on the bottom and sides. I presume that's to slow down descent while dive-bombing? Do most dive bombers have that? Can't recall seeing it on other aircraft.
@DonTruman correct, dive brakes. Most dive bombers or specialised attack aircraft have them in one form or the other. The world war 2 stuka and Dauntless has big slotted flaps in the wings. Planes like the Phantom had them on the sides at the rear, the F18 has one on its back between the tails. Skyraider has one each side and one underneath, a bit unique. Its also not slotted from what I can see.
Thanks for the info. Based on your other comments, you seem to have studied military aircraft quite a lot.
But why the "Dumb Yankies" username, for someone who lives in Pakistan? And presuming you're one of the good guys in Pakistan (for example, those who supported Benazir Bhutto) we're allies in this fight against the Taliban and like-minded murderous totalitarian fanatics. So, how about directing insults towards them?
@DonTruman ha ha.... The pakistan location comes because some indian dudes were annoying me at one stage so i thought id annoy them back with comments and set my location to pakistan to rev em up a bit. The DumbYankies comes from a while back when a TV advertisment where I lived by the local arm of a US multi national was pulled because they deemed it racist but it meant nothing to us as all and upset us as international censorship. Im from an "allied" english speaking country dont worry :)
As a Brit my affection is for the Spitfire, Hurricane etc but I love old US warplanes, eg P51 Lightning, and old archive b & w film of the Pacific Theatre...givin the Japs a good kickin....
If the AA dont get you you will slip on the oil from a leaking skyraider,but they still flew.Just keep an eye out when they stopprd leaking,just like anyrthing else american.
Nothing fancy about these beasts. These planes are ugly, leaks oil all over the place, and very rugged. I absolutely love these airplane cause to me they have lots of attitude I compare them to the big bully on the block. I would rather fly one of these than a fancy jet. Thanks for posting :)
What a glorious, big, beautiful girl the mighty SPAD was - superbly functional, could carry a staggering amount of ordinance, incredible endurance of 10+ hours, take simply unbelieveable battle damage and was the last great single seat piston engined fighter bomber. I saw 3 of these magnificent beasts at Duxford yesterday at Flying Legends - a fitting tribute to one the greatest aircraft of all time. The roar of the R-3350 sends shivers down my spine everytime I hear the mighty SPAD thunder by.
OMG I worked on, got to fly in sometimes, as a Plane Captain on the AD-5Q version of the AD-1, what a beautiful airplane. VAW-13 1964-1967, I luv your video and have sent it to the whole squadron. Feel the power, smell the smoke ... you were truly sitting in the lap of the horsepower gawds!!!!
In Viet Nam they were known as "fireflies" "Sandies" "Gnats" and indeed they were tough. Especially known for carrying napalm and their 20mm guns for heavy airial assaults when supporting rescue operations of downed pilots. The Skyraiders were used by both American and South Vietnamese forces. And indeed they were replaced by the A-10 Warthog.
I've heard so many stories of how much damage this plane could take and still keep flying. One I remember how one pliot said how he flew the p-47 with a wing on one side and half a wing on the other.
Sandy!!
4shacks1house 2 days ago
Nothing at all about these aircraft is "ugly". Love the sound of a big radial fired up in anger!
jonesmbones 2 weeks ago 2
I may be wrong, but wasn't the Skyraider the first aircraft to be able to lift and carry it's own weight in ordnance? Douglas built some great planes.
WrathofWotan 2 weeks ago
... I love the sound of the clenched strength... warbirds from the finest
warbirds-power.de
ColaWhiski 1 month ago
So are they painted to represent a Navy and an Air Force example? One is clearly Navy; even if it didn't say "Navy" on it, you could tell. But the other one looks more like a Skyraider in P-51 colors. Is that a different Navy scheme, or a USAF scheme? The only USAF ac I've ever seen were painted in SEA theatre camo. I also notice that that one looks like it has a window in the side of the fuselage. What's up with that? I know there were ASW versions that had a cabin where the fuel tank went.
justforever96 1 month ago
Douglas A-1 Skyraider was designed with intent to replace the TBF Avenger and SB2C Helldiver with one aircraft. Skyraider just missed WW2. Used in Korea. Some were given to France. When US entered Vietnam War US had to buy back Skyraiders from France. The Skyraider was important because it could fly low and slow making it easier to observe and put ordnance on target for ground support. A-1 could loiter for hours while jets had short loiter time. Skyraider was also extremely rugged.
Anlushac11 1 month ago
nice
jmmurdy 1 month ago
This lne would be an excellent choice for ground support in Afghanistan....it can carry huge amount of ordinance & can fly low & slow....Just like the M14, bring her back into action.....a true gunfighter....Semper Fi....
Gladiator0719 1 month ago
@Gladiator0719 Not saying you're wrong, but what's wrong with the A-10? Overkill?
justforever96 1 month ago
Last of a great era in avionics.
amurican35 2 months ago
Dear santa!
drmysko2 2 months ago
Excellent video. Absolute beast of an aircraft!
GarethNIreland 3 months ago
Nice Video. We shared it on our facebook page, WhatAboutAircraft.
PlaneFred 3 months ago
Comment removed
PlaneFred 3 months ago
Love it! LOVE IT!
BCAD01 3 months ago
Very good looking airplane
KeskinTRS 3 months ago
Was this @ Chino? Thought I recognized Cucamonga Peak in the background @ :55.
Great video what an aircraft.
Besides US, the UK used A1 as an AEW platform for their carriers, the French used them (I think).
Ca1861 4 months ago
@Ca1861: Yes, you are correct, portions of this video were taken at Chino, CA and other portions were taken at Torrance airport and also at Gillespie Field near San Diego. Thanks!
octane130 4 months ago
They sound incredible! Like 100 harleys all in sync! That sound and cologne that smells like av gas...that's heaven!!
bigncornfed 4 months ago
5 people are Viet Cong
Spacegoat92 4 months ago 2
Is that Gillespe Field?
dagda825 4 months ago
"Sandy!" If you were a downed pilot in Viet Nam, there was no better sight to see (other tham the Jolly Green sent to pick you up!)
killingamps 5 months ago
I still think it amazing that a propellered plane designed and intended for use in WWII flew combat CAS during the jet age and finally retired in the late 60s, 70s.
Warmaker01 5 months ago in playlist More videos from octane130
They worked great in Nam and help a lot of marines!
richjan1972 5 months ago
I was in SEA '66/'67 Pleiku AB, 633 CAMRON, serviced the nav electronics on the A1-E. This bird was a beast, flew with holes in her, armed with either a couple 2k# bombs, or napalm, CBU's you name it the Spad carried it, dropped it, messed up allot of Charlie's plans. Brings back lots of memories looking at this footage.
bpp325 5 months ago
Bea-U-Ti-Ful .... Great video with great sound.
RoninTXBR549 6 months ago
Payload....it's all about the payload!!
drongo41 6 months ago
thanks for this post. What a beautiful airplane. Smoked some gooks in The Nam too.
TheJcreg 7 months ago
q hermosoo q es!!!!! :)))
Doyl91 7 months ago
!st piston engined plane with a Mig "kill"
thestalicho 7 months ago
She's a beast! Beautiful airplane, as long as you realize her role.
panzerrat 7 months ago
Ive cleaned the skyraider at the museum i voulneteer at quite a few times so Ive flown it it 4 times its an unforgettable experience
SgtGrant23 7 months ago
My dad worked on these workhorses during Korea. They did a lot of damage on their missions. They carried more than their own weight in armament!
bosnmate820 7 months ago
@bosnmate820 They were also known for taking a great deal of damage and retuning home . This aircraft along with the Grummann Beacat pushed the envelope of piston engined aircraft to the end.
jeffrey19621 7 months ago
@bosnmate820 They were also known for taking a great deal of damage and retuning home . This aircraft along with the Grummann Bearcat pushed the envelope of piston engined aircraft to the end.
jeffrey19621 7 months ago
Man,I love that sound! What a bird!
CPfromGermany 7 months ago
theses were one of if not the last propeller attack plane used by the usa during vietnam for sure they were great for dropping napalm
ncktbs 7 months ago
It was found during the Korean war that the jets had very little time to sight targets and ground support from propeller aircraft worked better. This is the reason the current A10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) is designed to fly so slowly, despite being a jet. Faster is not always better.
oddyty 7 months ago
I gotta say Octane, your awesome vids give me the goose bumps. You've caught the sight and sounds of these monsters to perfection!. I think a lot about the brave guys who battled in these old birds, I take my hat off to 'em!. Bravo!
thelaptopguyoz 8 months ago
During night recovery ops three days before Christmas in 67 A guy stepped out of the "mail plane" on the old "FDR". (CVA-42) The guy thought it was wind down the deck but the last two Phantoms of a launch sequence were on the cats..His buddy held the door open, he stepped out and was blown through the prop of a Skyraider that was being turned up beside the island...Ill never forget that night as long as I live.
Slx5ubax 8 months ago
Woulda sucked bein' a VC and have one of these beasts drop outta the sky on ya. Good lord!
barrybolton 8 months ago
I knew a lot of guys in Nam who were happy to know they were in the area. They had an eight hour loiter time over target and packed a heck of a lot of ordinance. The jets came in zip, zoom, bam and they were gone. The Skyraiders could stick around an pound anything that moved for hours.
oldview2 8 months ago
All right. How many busloads of children do I need to sell to get ahold of one?
panzerrat 8 months ago
before the a10
jbyrd0861 8 months ago
If I remember correctly one of these things shot down a mig that got in front of it.
They could carry and AMAZING amount of payload/bombs.
scootkh 8 months ago
I like them but they must have the dirtiest exhaust in the world every time they go out all nice and shiny and comeback a blob of soot, great plane though excellent ground supporter
trackend 8 months ago
The Skyraider was the best prop driven plane the U.S. ever had out ranking the P-51-Mustang because of their weapons and ability to take punishment better than any other prop job ever built.
philmoretfudpucket
philmoretfudpucket 8 months ago
Who would have thought that this bird, which was originally designed as a dive bomber for the US Navy, wouldbe a very popular warbird at air shows because of it's roles in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
greatsharkman 9 months ago
Skyraiders give me a chubby!!!
5spdstang 9 months ago
It seems to me that these warbirds are perfectly capable for use today, as the need arrises.
centurion180ad 9 months ago
God Bless the Sandy, an amazing weapons platform
ac130ugunship 9 months ago
A-10´s Grandfather. Beautifull!!
GrossMeisterFuchs 9 months ago
I used to see these planes take off in Vietnam from Ben Hoa Air Base. The ground vibrated from the powerful engine. The A-1 had unbelievable horsepower.
The A-1 plus the F-4 phantom made for impressive firepower even on today's standards and technology.
It is my understanding the A-1 has a greater bomb load capacity than the B-17
jdh91741 10 months ago
I used to see these planes take off in Vietnam from Ben Hoa Air Base. The ground vibrated from the powerful engine. The A-1 had unbelievable horsepower.
The A-1 plus the F-4 phantom made for impressive firepower even on today's standards and technology.
It is my understanding the A-1 has a greater bomb load capacity than the B-17
jdh91741 10 months ago
You might be interested to know that the Skyraider actually had some mig 17 and mig 19 kills in Vietnam, not bad for a prop job.
JRSchmuke 10 months ago
Is there any chance you have the unedited footage and can put it alllllll up for those of us who love the whole sequencing of sounds----unedited? That would be great to just sit and listen to...
anonymoususerindenve 10 months ago
Comment removed
timbali01 10 months ago
The Flying Dump Truck!!! They could carry up to 8,000 lbs of deadly stuff on 15 hardpoints under the the wings and fuselage. That's roughly what a B-17 would carry in WWII during a short range mission! My dad was a "Sandy" pilot with the 602nd ACS in Vietnam around 1965-66. This aircraft brought him home safe! I love this plane.
timbali01 10 months ago
@timbali01, have you ever seen the pic of an A1 loaded with toilets? Psywar at its best.
McBrannon1000 10 months ago
@McBrannon1000 Early Biological Warfare Tactics!
timbali01 10 months ago
I'd sell a bus load of children into slavery of an AD-1. 'Nuf said.
panzerrat 10 months ago
they kida sound like the Fu4 is this a fake
KevlarStrange 10 months ago
@KevlarStrange No, these planes actually existed, and that does sound like a piston engine. They were introduced at the end of WW2 and were still being used in Vietnam for search & rescue.
336kgf 10 months ago
@336kgf I see the confusion I must have been really tired that day. What I meant was the sound it was making during the pass sounded like the old FU-4 Corsair. I think the Japanese called it whistling death. Ive never heard an A-1 make that sound. I was just wondering.
KevlarStrange 10 months ago
@KevlarStrange HAHA-it's cool. We've all had those days.
336kgf 10 months ago
So, here we have one of the great planes of US military history. All USA designed, funded and built. WHY, can't we build cars in this country the same way ? Hell, why can't we build ANYTHING like we use too.
Postie218 10 months ago
Yeah, NAPALM RAIDER!
dynaflow74 11 months ago
Awesome aircraft, would be like riding a motorbike in the rain, you always had a chance to jump out under "air brake"
Nzuser1 11 months ago
aww aint it cute i could just eat it up (says the b2)
The2323full 11 months ago
@stupidrider53 Search and Destroy
tyrbolo 11 months ago
These planes where made to takeoff in 14 inches of mud.
FLY172M 1 year ago
How was I listening to Guy Mitchell and then I got here??
FalconAlpaca 1 year ago
The A-1 "Spad" is a great airplane. It wasn't fast (about 350mph) but it was a real tank. It could carry more ordnance than a WW II B-17. It had 4x20mm wing cannon and very long range. It could deliver a variety of weapons including tactical nuclear bombs. It even destroyed a North Korean dam with torpedoes! One of the Douglas Ironworks classics and a true son of the Dauntless.
lwilde 1 year ago
You will note that all Navy planes of the day used radial engines instead of the streamlined in-line engines of the P-51, ME109, and Spitfire look. That's because a radial engine could take damage and still fly while an in-line engine was pretty much toast. So, if you're flying over the water as the Navy did in the Pacific, you want to ensure that you have a platform that can take a beating yet still return to the ship. Beautiful sound, that big radial is!
cottonclarksa 1 year ago
@cottonclarksa The primary reason US Navy aircraft used radial engines was because they are air-cooled, not liquid-cooled, so they are more reliable after being slammed down on a carrier deck regularly, since all those cooling lines don't get knocked out of whack.
The Brits tried to turn the Spitfire into a carrier aircraft, but it wasn't terribly successful because the Merlin V-12's couldn't take that kind of knocking around without becoming a maintenance nightmare.
jamiegottagunATyahoo 1 year ago
God made oil to be burned by man.
jhofmann33 1 year ago
and the lord said "Let there be music" So the radial engine was invented.
Avatar230594 1 year ago
@Avatar230594 musta been the lord of heavy metal.
SCARREDMIND 1 year ago
@SCARREDMIND nah just normal God. Heavy metal isn't evil it's the craftsmenship of angels with misunderstood lyrics
Avatar230594 1 year ago
Even today, after they are out of service, the Spad is an awesome aircraft. You did not want to be on the ground under one of these
fourfortyroadrunner 1 year ago
this turbo charge?
yonek2008 1 year ago 2
@yonek2008: The Wright R-3350 engine has a mechanically driven supercharger rather than an exhaust-driven turbocharger.
octane130 1 year ago 4
@octane130 A blower.
TheAmericanRifleman 1 year ago
This plane has the same bomb load capacity as a Boeing B 17... can you believe????
MultiDekard 1 year ago
Fantasic Indeed Fly Safe.
TheJimbo19477 1 year ago
typical smokey skyraider start up! love it
SgtGrant23 1 year ago
Kick ass airplane! Love it.
VonStierlitz 1 year ago
This was the last USN plane to not need a catapult to be launched. Beautiful bird.
336kgf 1 year ago
@336kgf Could an A-1 get back on deck without arrestor gear?
centurion180ad 1 year ago
@centurion180ad I doubt it, but if it could happen that would be cool.
336kgf 1 year ago
These were amazing piston powered attack aircraft that were used well into the jet age. Despite their slow speed they were able to take large amounts of battle damage and still return home after a mission. I'm fairly sure they were still in service until the mid seventees and were eventually replaced with the jet powered A-10.
4agzeddy 1 year ago 5
@4agzeddy The SPADS ended up being replaced (on carriers at least) by the A6 Intruder and the A7D Corsair II.
tallguy3708 6 months ago
@4agzeddy
The USAF continued to use the SPAD/A-1 into the early seventies, in the SAR support role in SEA. But she was retired in late 1972, and did not see any further operational or combat action after.
The Navy SPADs were replaced by the jet attack aircraft, the A-7 Corsair II, beginning in late 1967.
The Navy flew their last attack A-1 combat missions in SEA in early 1968, and the USAF in late 1972.
drillsgtvee 6 months ago
@drillsgtvee Cheers for the corrective info,
4agzeddy 6 months ago
awsome air plane
gtofan2005 1 year ago
wonderful plane. always got a kick at the tail design. just awsome and beautiful
glynamus 1 year ago
Beautiful old beast. I'm almost certain it was the last avgas plane to serve on an American aircraft carrier. Those old Wright R-3350s sound so good.
gblpst81 1 year ago
This is the most beautiful airplane ever built. But to realize that, you have to be alone and far from home, with bad guys looking for you, when the "Sandies" come motoring in to cover you.
LawnDart055 1 year ago
Reminds me of the last part of the movie The bridges at Toko Ri...If they would had had more fuel &/or ammo, Brubaker would have been saved!!!
sbchelldiver 1 year ago
Awesome to watch!!!!
oldironfred 1 year ago
Hell yeah!
airborne373 1 year ago
Great video. The thing that you don't realize until you see one in person is how HUGE a Skyraider is. They're just monstrous.
Moose6340 1 year ago
... is there a better sound of the engines???
warbirs-power.de
ColaWhiski 1 year ago
As a Viet Nam era vet, I agree--SPADS ROCK!! & rinavanity, if it looks right there is a high probability that it IS right!!
mrfarmerjimbob 1 year ago
Immidiately i thought about vietnam straving rounds after i look a second glimps, just a second gimps of this incredible aircraft pictures and clips....NAM...NAM...NAM...thats all of all veteran would even remember being supported and released of their horror of being surrounded by charlies.....thanks to this aircfract capabilities of branches high fly by straving and pounding with napalms.....NAPALMS...NAPALMS...NAPALMS' 1968.....so famous of an aircraft
tomicalover 1 year ago
SPAD!!! Rules.
1339LARS 1 year ago
As a Brit, I can't speak from having any real experience of these machines, but I've gone from not thinking much of them in my young and stupid days, (prop propelled plane in the jet age!!!!), to having a high regard for the type and for the men who flew them in action. As for it being ugly, it may not have the graceful looks of a Spitfire, say, but it looks 'right' somehow and sounds fantastic. A great classic warbird.
rinavanity 1 year ago 24
@rinavanity If I remember correctly, they were one of the first planes to inspire the phrase "Ugly but well-hung".
BrianBinOR 10 months ago
@rinavanity
It really is a unique plane isnt it. It has alot of the ducting and little characteristics that most modern jets have yet its a plane... and a beast of one.
You should see the specs on the motors. Most 3350's went racing after the war and still do today.
sultros 9 months ago
My dad scored a mig 17 in one.
Any time the haters want, they can come to warbirds freehost (wbfree) and receive pepperidge to thier airframes for free.
Icepacalapse 1 year ago
BAD ASS!!!!!!!!!
minipilot22 1 year ago
filo6777 I love these planes too. I believe they were used in Nam by both the Americans and the South Vietnamese. The South Vietnamese type would have a red/yellow stripe design just behind the cockpit and wrapping around the fuselage. They were known as fireflies, Sandies, among other nicknames of which I can not think of right now but there were some more!! They could also carry napalm, and there guns were 20mm if I am not mistaken... You need to watch "Flight of the Intruder"
F15Eaglejet1 1 year ago
@F15Eaglejet1 indeed they were used in the viet nam conflict ,
wlh1usa 1 year ago
The mighty Sandy ... still alive!!!
filo6777 1 year ago
awesome, it would have been awesome to see a squadren of these flying in formation
brent1ish 1 year ago
Best prop plane our military ever had.
HUTCHtopher 1 year ago
@HUTCHtopher it was a bad azz bird but not the only one ,the p-61 was very powerful as well
wlh1usa 1 year ago
makes my weiner hard!
RoadCaptainEntertain 1 year ago
sounds like a jet.
ShhhhhhhhEeeeeeeeeWhoooooRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
eternal4ever 1 year ago
BTW. I saw one of these in pieces in a museum park in Saigon in 1993. It was obviously a south vietnamese one that had been shot down or crashed somehow. The interesting thing was the armour on the bottom side of the wing had to be like a 1/8 inch thick!!! I was stunned. How it flew I dont know. Would just shrug off 50 call fire and probably even 20mm from underneath unless it hit something critical (i.e. prop, cylinder). Amazing
DumbYankies 1 year ago
@DumbYankies
Thanks for the additional info, and good to hear you aren't a Pakistani jihadi :)
And I think I read somewhere (Wikipedia?) that they kept producing these aircraft after jets became the norm, because they were so good for their purpose. What were they replaced with? The A-10 Warthog?
DonTruman 1 year ago
@DonTruman I dont know if they kept producing them, I think they probably stopped in the very early 50s when jets started to appear on carriers. Basically she was the primary carrier strike plane from late 1945 to probably 1955. They then went into storage. They were used in korea because the early jets were very susceptible to ground fire. Likewise they were recycled in 1965 as again in vietnam jets were too fast and didnt have enough loiter time over target or bombing accuracy.
DumbYankies 1 year ago
@DonTruman ..... and they were also converted into all sort of subvariants for vietnam - 2 seat attack, 14 seat air ambulance, a simple AWACs with a radar on one wing, u name it. In ground attack it can carry masses of weapons and remain on station for ages and survive lots of ground fire. It was phased out around 1970 in US forces. Replaced in navy by A4 and corsair, and in the air force by the corsair until the A10 appeared in late 70s. A10 in part drew from this and the Stuka for inspiration
DumbYankies 1 year ago
@DonTruman ... last usage I heard about was I think in Chad in the late 70s or around 1980. Chad used them to great effect against gimp Libyans that invaded. Sky-raiders just ignored the Libyan migs. They were ex-french navy skyraiders there I think. Most US ones given to south vietnam. Some even flew in communist vietnamese airforce after the war.
Only plane I know of that was test so pilot and most of the plane could survive a 50G impact landing.
DumbYankies 1 year ago
In the 60s it was all about nukes and I saw one of these planes do a toss bomb using an inert nuke. He just made it out of the Immanuel to reverse course.
ctman2 1 year ago
First comes the A-1 then comes the A-10.
1bearcatf8f 1 year ago
The torque on the Sandy's engine was so good that they could launch this plane from a carrier without using the catapult. That's a damn good plane.
336kgf 1 year ago
fantastic sound
warbirds-power.de
ColaWhiski 1 year ago
This aircraft can carrry the same bomb load as a B-17 and has an icredible loiter time.a friend of the family flew them in vietnam known as sandy, which was search and rescue duty,holding the enemy at bay while they got a ch53 in to rescue downed pilots.This airplane came out right after ww2 to replace the tbm avenger.
ThePolyweave 1 year ago
I had a family member that was in Vietnam and said these planes gave a very good account of themselves. Prop plane or no it was awesome and its firepower and capability was unbelievable. Thank you for the great posts!
queballed 1 year ago
Great plane, and good description of it.
I noticed at 1:46 some large panels opening on the bottom and sides. I presume that's to slow down descent while dive-bombing? Do most dive bombers have that? Can't recall seeing it on other aircraft.
DonTruman 1 year ago
@DonTruman correct, dive brakes. Most dive bombers or specialised attack aircraft have them in one form or the other. The world war 2 stuka and Dauntless has big slotted flaps in the wings. Planes like the Phantom had them on the sides at the rear, the F18 has one on its back between the tails. Skyraider has one each side and one underneath, a bit unique. Its also not slotted from what I can see.
DumbYankies 1 year ago
@DumbYankies
Thanks for the info. Based on your other comments, you seem to have studied military aircraft quite a lot.
But why the "Dumb Yankies" username, for someone who lives in Pakistan? And presuming you're one of the good guys in Pakistan (for example, those who supported Benazir Bhutto) we're allies in this fight against the Taliban and like-minded murderous totalitarian fanatics. So, how about directing insults towards them?
DonTruman 1 year ago
@DonTruman ha ha.... The pakistan location comes because some indian dudes were annoying me at one stage so i thought id annoy them back with comments and set my location to pakistan to rev em up a bit. The DumbYankies comes from a while back when a TV advertisment where I lived by the local arm of a US multi national was pulled because they deemed it racist but it meant nothing to us as all and upset us as international censorship. Im from an "allied" english speaking country dont worry :)
DumbYankies 1 year ago
Were they flown from carriers often in Vietnam?
mistersmith6000 1 year ago
Landing runway 27R @ Gillespie Field (KSEE), basically in my back yard. These guys come out every year and it's always great.
QuickBurn70 1 year ago
although this plane looked out of place on a carrier these are still some bad ass planes.
gtofan2005 1 year ago
As a Brit my affection is for the Spitfire, Hurricane etc but I love old US warplanes, eg P51 Lightning, and old archive b & w film of the Pacific Theatre...givin the Japs a good kickin....
latenightpilgrim 1 year ago
@latenightpilgrim Well said. We should have bombed those slimy, little yellow nips back to the stone age.
ErieBoy62 1 year ago
radial engines - orgasm
rockgodstu 1 year ago
Radial engine - orgasm
rockgodstu 1 year ago
Never could understand how those folding wings can lock in the downward position by themselves and still maintain full structural integrity...
macanix 1 year ago
10 missiles, two bombs plus guns. Whew!
KutWrite 1 year ago
They still fly those in the Philippines. PI air force just junked their last F5's
No longer a jet age force.
infowarguy 1 year ago
props look like they are going really ssssslllooooowwwww but actually going very fast.
halowraith1 1 year ago
If the AA dont get you you will slip on the oil from a leaking skyraider,but they still flew.Just keep an eye out when they stopprd leaking,just like anyrthing else american.
liftwaffe 1 year ago
Ive cleaned 1 several times ive lost count of how many times ive cleaned an ad-5, i n return ive got 2 fly in it 2 times
SgtGrant23 1 year ago
Nothing fancy about these beasts. These planes are ugly, leaks oil all over the place, and very rugged. I absolutely love these airplane cause to me they have lots of attitude I compare them to the big bully on the block. I would rather fly one of these than a fancy jet. Thanks for posting :)
alex3373 1 year ago
@alex3373 Ugly my ass.
MisterWillie060 1 year ago
@MisterWillie060 I meant it in a good way. to call these airplanes "pretty" or "beautifull" would be an insult.
alex3373 1 year ago
fantastic sound... great machines. Thank you
warbirds-power.de
ColaWhiski 1 year ago
Variou Nick names
Dauntless II (after the SBD Dauntless, rarely used)
Able Dog (after AD Attack-Douglas )
Spad (As Spads flew so long, it was like a WW1 a/c!)
Sandy (Rescue AD's, used as escorts)
Fat Face (Modified Anti-sub aircraft, side by side seating, and Anti sub)
Guppy(Modifed With belly added radar, looked like a pregnant guppy)
Skyraider, USAF/USN offical name
There were others
usmctanks1 1 year ago
How could anyone think this plane is ugly ... it's absolutely beautiful to the eyes and ears
320k 1 year ago
Did you know that this plane first flew in early 1945?
This is early 40's tech, and it's just plain awesome!
NoLongerFooled 1 year ago
They didn't need a catapult to launch from a carrier. These beauties still rock.
336kgf 1 year ago
What a glorious, big, beautiful girl the mighty SPAD was - superbly functional, could carry a staggering amount of ordinance, incredible endurance of 10+ hours, take simply unbelieveable battle damage and was the last great single seat piston engined fighter bomber. I saw 3 of these magnificent beasts at Duxford yesterday at Flying Legends - a fitting tribute to one the greatest aircraft of all time. The roar of the R-3350 sends shivers down my spine everytime I hear the mighty SPAD thunder by.
Wanobi99 1 year ago
i love the sound of radial engines
denelbh 1 year ago
OMG I worked on, got to fly in sometimes, as a Plane Captain on the AD-5Q version of the AD-1, what a beautiful airplane. VAW-13 1964-1967, I luv your video and have sent it to the whole squadron. Feel the power, smell the smoke ... you were truly sitting in the lap of the horsepower gawds!!!!
SmittyUSN1 1 year ago
I love the 3350...
canals22 1 year ago
it's a thank !!
druisteen2 1 year ago
In Viet Nam they were known as "fireflies" "Sandies" "Gnats" and indeed they were tough. Especially known for carrying napalm and their 20mm guns for heavy airial assaults when supporting rescue operations of downed pilots. The Skyraiders were used by both American and South Vietnamese forces. And indeed they were replaced by the A-10 Warthog.
F15Eaglejet1 1 year ago
one mean, tough, napalm dropping machine!
nemodapimpfish 1 year ago
I've heard so many stories of how much damage this plane could take and still keep flying. One I remember how one pliot said how he flew the p-47 with a wing on one side and half a wing on the other.
Guttswolf27 1 year ago
i don't mind if they fly over my area the whole through, I just love the roar of the engines!
melodyfare 1 year ago
Sure was nice to have these loitering in the area when "Charlie" showed up excellent weapons platform.
Sure do miss the sound of those engines.
RoadCaptainEntertain 1 year ago
@lapispinoza They were first flown in 1945, went out of service a few years after Veitnam.
Tabby266 1 year ago
Not many aircraft can carry a pay load that weighs more than the plane does. Love this thing.
mrnipplechopps 1 year ago
Thats excactly how a warplane should sound. love it!
420wizzard 1 year ago
I Love the Spad
Btt52M 1 year ago
Some Skyraider models can carry more payload than a B-17. Pretty impressive.
greenfruitface 1 year ago
imagine this baby if it had flew during the years of WWII
lolpranksta 1 year ago
@lolpranksta : a lot of them would have been shot down.
iip47c 1 year ago