Coldshooter
Member
Based on some comments in other threads I hope some of you will enjoy this on the A1. Many other links on the site.
Douglas A-1 Skyraider - YouTube
Douglas A-1 Skyraider - YouTube
A1s in Air Force Ops
- Thread starter Coldshooter
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
mwtdvm
Member
A-1's and A10's
Both are "obsolete" but if you are on the ground and they are "visiting" no hole on the ground you can dig is big enough.
Yea, the "state of the art" adversaries can defeat them but that is a small percentage of conflicts where they can be used.
Retrotech isn't a bad idea!!! Neither is excess!
Massacre at Béziers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Both are "obsolete" but if you are on the ground and they are "visiting" no hole on the ground you can dig is big enough.
Yea, the "state of the art" adversaries can defeat them but that is a small percentage of conflicts where they can be used.
Retrotech isn't a bad idea!!! Neither is excess!
Massacre at Béziers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I know pilots that have flown Skyraiders in Combat.
I think this is one place that the ASAF, and the US Military as a whole has dropped the ball.
The propeller COIN aircraft and even the A 10 should be reserected.
No other airplane can protect troops on the ground as well as they can.
Same goes for the "Puff" type airplanes.
The resistance of the Air Force Against Propeller planes is foolish IMHO.
In any conflict where you have air superiority, a "slow and go hang around [loiter] forever prop job" is worth its weight in Gold IMHO.
The Marines should have them, and the ban on the Army having fixed wing armed aircraft should be changed.
Give the Army the "Puffs, and the A-1's. Then they can handle their own ground support.
I think this is one place that the ASAF, and the US Military as a whole has dropped the ball.
The propeller COIN aircraft and even the A 10 should be reserected.
No other airplane can protect troops on the ground as well as they can.
Same goes for the "Puff" type airplanes.
The resistance of the Air Force Against Propeller planes is foolish IMHO.
In any conflict where you have air superiority, a "slow and go hang around [loiter] forever prop job" is worth its weight in Gold IMHO.
The Marines should have them, and the ban on the Army having fixed wing armed aircraft should be changed.
Give the Army the "Puffs, and the A-1's. Then they can handle their own ground support.
"back in the day" i got to see several of them work over areas near me, sometimes real near me. they could stay on station forever it seemed and carry a butt load of mixed goodies. SANDY was their callsign and they assisted the AF S&R helos in picking up downed pilots. the VNAF has some too, but the USAF ones from Thialand were far more proficient. brings back some memories. lee
jdh
US Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2006
- Messages
- 1,697
- Reaction score
- 1,160
"Flight of the Intruder" did a good job of depicting A1s doing what they did best.
Over heard a PJ at an airshow once make the comment "There would be a lot less of us around today if they had not been there" as he looked over an A1 on display.
Over heard a PJ at an airshow once make the comment "There would be a lot less of us around today if they had not been there" as he looked over an A1 on display.
Vulcan Bob
Member
I found it facinating that the Skyraider could haul more weight in bombs than a B-17 could. And yes one did drop a kitchen sink on an enemy position!
GMAN
Member
A-1 Skyraider
For anyone who is interested in A-1's, or any military aviation history, here is an excellent account of the A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam written by an Air Force pilot. The story is riveting, a mission to mission log of combat missions.
A-1 Skyraider Combat Journal Table of Contents
For anyone who is interested in A-1's, or any military aviation history, here is an excellent account of the A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam written by an Air Force pilot. The story is riveting, a mission to mission log of combat missions.
A-1 Skyraider Combat Journal Table of Contents
Buffalo Nichols
US Veteran
Thanks for the memories. I was a recip engine mech at the start of my 28 year career. The A1 was the first aircraft I did an engine runup on. Needless to say an 18 year kid was very impressed with the that much power. My instructor had me do the start and let it warm up at idle, then he had me run it up to get the manifold air pressure up to field barometric pressure. That is were you match the manifold pressure inside the intake side to about 30 PSI. Pretty much take off rpm. Well long story short my feet slipped of the rudder/brake pedals. He wasn't ready and the left main mount rope tie down failed, we started turning to the right towards the next plane in line. WOW what a ride, instructor got it stopped and we shut the engine down. I still have teeth marks in my left cheek from that butt chewing.
