Authentic Skyraider Warbird Paint

[Ken]

I don't know who painted this bird for the late Jack Spanich, but this AD-4N looked every bit the part of an A-1H. What a nice job on the scheme.

Ken

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Douglas- ... 0689f0897d

... a tail hook would have been nice

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Douglas- ... 0689f0897d

[The Inspector]

If yer doin' a USAF 'Sandy' it ain't got no steenkin' tail hooky thingie, that's only on the blue models.

[Sabremech]

If yer doin a "Sandy" correctly, it does have a tailhook thingy ! It's not just a USN blue thing.
Here's a really good resource with some USAF Sandy's with a tailhook.
http://www.skyraider.org/skyassn/skysqd ... chor888015

David

[dc8jet]

Sandys have tail hooks too!

[Ken]

Absolutely right, gang. Not only did the USAF retain the tail hook, but it saved a number of lives during emergency landings and aborted takeoffs. The same can be said of the F-4, F-15, F-16, etc.

Ken

[Ken]

With the recent chit chat on the progress of the A-1H at NMUSAF, I decided to bump this awesome paint job.

Ken

[mustangdriver]

I really hope that the NMUSAF finds the history of their Sandy, and gets the markings right for it. A representative scheme is cool, but no match for the real deal

[Ken]

Can anyone speak to the A-1's main gear wheels? AD-4s, like this one, have spoked wheels while AD-6/7 have solid. The AD-5 (A-1E/G) seem to have a mix. What's the deal?

[51fixer]

Can anyone speak to the A-1's main gear wheels? AD-4s, like this one, have spoked wheels while AD-6/7 have solid. The AD-5 (A-1E/G) seem to have a mix. What's the deal?

The 6/7s and some 5s were run through programs to modify them and that put it in play carrying a lot more weight.
The solid wheels were stronger.
IIRC they were 2 piece bolt together wheels rather than the originals split rim type.

[Ken]

Were any parts salvaged from the wreckage?

[P51Mstg]

I remember seeing it at Detroit at a show there, just before it crashed. Cliff Robertson's Spit was there with Billings flying it, Art Scholl was looking to borrow a Pitts for the show. The good old days. Glen Lamont had the B-25s, Bob Byrne had a bunch of P-51s in his hangar next door.... One of the B-25s went to the Yankee Air Museum, a Mustang went to Jack Roush and an A-26 across the field went to Selfridge.

Mark H