Flightdeck Friday – Video Edition: AD Skyraider

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Truly, the accolades written in praise of Douglas’ wonderously rugged and lethal AD Skyraider, affectionately known as the SPAD, exceed the thousands.  With roots in the latter days of WW2 (via the XBTD-2), the SPAD saw actrion in Korea, Vietnam and numerous fronts in the Cold War as a delivery system for nukes via the Sandblower missions.

Noisy, dirty, and slow, they were the workhorse of the airwings, hauling staggering bombloads over the beach while the first generation jets left the deck with their token loads.  Besides attack, the SPAD performed a wide range of missions, like the aircraft it replaced (the TBF/M Avenger) including AEW and COD duties.  But perhaps the one mission they were most noted for was RESCAP.  Hanging around, down low, searching out the enemy while the rescue helo was inbound to pick up the downed flier.  How many aviators in Vietnam looked up through the jungle canopy to behold the helo while the SPADs were busy pounding the snot out of those who would capture them and bring down their rescue bird?  To them, next to the helo, the sight and sound of the nearby SPADs had to be nothing short of angelic.

 

So look below the fold for a special treat – not one or two but a series of videos on this weeks subject – the Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider.

 

Part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5