The story
Designed as World War II ended, the Skyraider arrived just as jets took over, and it outlasted most of them anyway. Slow, tough and able to carry a staggering load on fifteen pylons, it could loiter over a battlefield for hours, which made it the escort pilots wanted when a rescue helicopter went in. It flew combat in Korea and Vietnam. A small number still fly as warbirds.
In 1965 a Navy Skyraider, a propeller plane, shot down a MiG-17 jet over Vietnam.
Quick answers
How do you identify a A-1 Skyraider?
A huge radial nose, a big bubble canopy, straight wings covered in weapon pylons and a tall, square tail. Bigger and blockier than any WWII fighter.
What does a A-1 Skyraider sound like?
A huge 18-cylinder radial: a deep, rough, heavy-metal roar that shakes the airshow fence.
How fast is the A-1 Skyraider?
Top speed is 280 kts.
How many people does the A-1 Skyraider carry?
Typical configuration: Single pilot (some versions carried crew).
How far can the A-1 Skyraider fly?
Range is about 1,140 nmi.
How big is the A-1 Skyraider?
It is 38 ft 10 in long and 50 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the A-1 Skyraider first fly?
Its first flight was in 1945.
How many A-1 Skyraiders have been built?
3,180 built.
What do crews call the A-1 Skyraider?
The Spad.
How rare is a A-1 Skyraider in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first A-1 Skyraider catch is worth 250 points.
