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.

A-1E (AF Serial No. 52-132649) following combat damage in Vietnam in 1967, prior to restoration and preservation by the National Museum of the United States Air Force A-1G at Hurlburt Field Douglas Skyraider parked at airport ramp.

Dec 15, 2017 · The A-1 Skyraider was the world’s biggest, most powerful prop-driven, single-seat combat aircraft, able to lift truly freakish weapons loads.

Aug 25, 2022 · On June 16, 1953, Marine Corps pilots Major George H. Linnemeier and CWO Vernon S. Kramer shot down a Soviet-built Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, making it the only documented Skyraider victory of the Korean War. During the entirety of the war, AD Skyraiders were only flown by U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps pilots.

Jun 27, 2017 · Too late for World War II, their A-1 Skyraider—the last tail-wheeled airplane in the Navy inventory—was the world’s biggest, most powerful prop-driven, single-seat combat aircraft, able to lift truly freakish weapons loads, greater than that of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.

Feb 27, 2025 · Designed as a cost-effective, crewed aircraft, the Skyraider II is built for adaptability across the full spectrum of conflict. It will provide close air support, precision strike, and armed...

The airplane that became the AD (later redesignated A-1) Skyraider evolved from a Navy decision in 1943 to combine the World War II dive-bombing and torpedo missions in one aircraft. Built...

Dec 17, 2020 · Described as a “ flying anachronism,” the single-seat Douglas A-1 Skyraider–affectionately known as the Spads, after the French wood-and-wire World War I fighter–proved that a...

Aug 9, 2020 · The Skyraider entered service in 1946. Unlike many piston engine aircraft developed during World War II and not ready for service during the war the Skyraider had a long postwar career. When production ended in 1957, Douglas had built 3,180 Skyraiders. There were 8 major models and 37 versions.

Though the Skyraider was produced too late to take part in World War II, it became the backbone of naval air attack forces in Korea, with the first AD’s going into action from USS Valley Forge....