Skyraiders in Asia today

[Ken]

Recently I was googling around and found a photo of Roger Youngblood standing in front of an abandoned A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam. I believe the photo was taken in 1990. Youngblood was a Skyraider pilot during the war and also helped the four A-1s escape that were eventually to become Tallichet's imports.

Two questions: Has anyone seen this photo (because I can no longer locate it)? Does anyone know of the location or photos of any boneyard (not museum) A-1s in Asia today - any recent photos from travellers, etc?

Thanks,
Ken

[markcia]

I was there in 1995 and I can tell you that in the space of a year that a lot of the aircraft that were U/S and left abandoned by the NV airforce after "amalgamation" were ripped apart for the aluminum. I had a friend that had landed in Than Son Nyut (Saigon's airport) and he took a picture while landing of the C-130's and whatnot lined up the tarmac. When I got there a year and a half later they were gone. In that space was a new departure terminal.

There were hulks around but they were all in museums. I saw them one time trying to take a UH-1 through Saigon on a flatbed. The darn thing fell off the trailer on a turn around one of those traffic circles (It wasn't even tied down. Gravity was the only thing keeping it on the trailer) I almost felt like running up the the helicopter and asking it if it was okay... But that would have been suicide given the traffic so I just felt so bad I actually sat and drank with my wife's cousins that night... And I'm not a drinker...

Mark

[Versatile]

Back in the early 90's i saw a picture of a whole flight line of Skyraiders and the picture came from Thailand.irrc

[Ken]

Today I'm searching the web and came across a 2005 post from a guy who says there were 23 A-1s sitting on the ramp at Bien Hoa, Vietnam as recently as 1998. If there is any truth to this, we ought to rescue these birds before it becomes another Glacier Girl-sized event.

Truth or Viet-urban Legend?

[warbird1]

Today I'm searching the web and came across a 2005 post from a guy who says there were 23 A-1s sitting on the ramp at Bien Hoa, Vietnam as recently as 1998. If there is any truth to this, we ought to rescue these birds before it becomes another Glacier Girl-sized event.

Truth or Viet-urban Legend?

Depends on who the poster was. If it was this forum, and the poster was a certain member, that person was known to have fabricated stories. If it was him, then the story was not true.

[n5151ts]

Today I'm searching the web and came across a 2005 post from a guy who says there were 23 A-1s sitting on the ramp at Bien Hoa, Vietnam as recently as 1998. If there is any truth to this, we ought to rescue these birds before it becomes another Glacier Girl-sized event.

Truth or Viet-urban Legend?

there are some seleced dumps there that have parts and pieces and when they made the movie "air america" they built up a helio from one of those dumps.

[RickH]

The Skyraiders were supposed to be at NKP. The Helio built up for the Air America movie was in Thailand.

[Ken]

NKP is in Thailand.

[RickH]

My mistake, should have said the Skyraiders were supposed to be at Bien Hoa. I've seen pictures of at least one Skyraider out in a revetment and one in a hangar. The hangar has multiple shrapnel holes in the walls with sunlight streaming through. Supposed to 3350s still sealed in cans, too.

[warbird1]

My mistake, should have said the Skyraiders were supposed to be at Bien Hoa. I've seen pictures of at least one Skyraider out in a revetment and one in a hangar. The hangar has multiple shrapnel holes in the walls with sunlight streaming through. Supposed to 3350s still sealed in cans, too.

I've heard via second hand info, that all of the sealed 3350's in cans are about worthless now, as the cans had leaks in them. Moisture got in the engines and have corroded them to the point of not being worth recovering.

Just what I heard.

[n5151ts]

The Skyraiders were supposed to be at NKP. The Helio built up for the Air America movie was in Thailand.

[Ken]

I spent a month in Ubon, Thailand in 1994 for a joint exercise. My memory was fuzzy as to whether I saw an A-1 at the main gate there or if if I was remembering someone else's photo. Here is a aerial view:

http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&i ... 03304&z=18

This also reminded me of missions I flew out of Koke Kathiem - and after looking it up, I learned it is also called Lop Buri (see other recent thread on the Air America movie airplanes). Although I remember seeing a variety of warbirds there, what sticks out most in my memory is that Koke Kathiem seemed like their primary C-47 overhaul depot. I zoomed the next link to the portion of ramp where I believe most of that work was being done.

http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&i ... 03304&z=18

Finally, I got a clue and got this location for Bien Hoa. Sadly, I don't see any reason to believe there are any abandoned revetments - as this appears to be an active base. Next step is to compare an aerial view from the war to see where the A-1s normally parked. And then the following step is to buy a ticket for an Asian vacation and Skyraider hunt!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10.976944 ... 8&t=h&z=16

For those of you haven't seen it - Scramble is a great unclasified resource for foreign air forces and airfields:

http://www.scramble.nl/index.html

[bdk]

What is with this boat?

http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 04678&z=18

Any idea what these planes are?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10.976944 ... 03294&z=18

[51fixer]

What is with this boat?

I guess you found Noah's Ark!
Rich

[Bill Walker]

Very interesting!

You can get a better zoom in Google Earth. I think I see about 8 A-1s with wings folded in the nice rows parked in the big rectangular area. Some appear to be partly disassembled already.

Also, check out the 4 smaller planes parked at random just north east of the big area. One sure looks like an O-2!

Look at the end of the hanger row about 750 feet due north of the A-1s. Is that a partially dissassembled MiG-19, or maybe an F-100?

The only active aircraft appears to be an Antonov twin just rolling out to the end of 27L.

There are also some apparently parked helicopters about 1000 feet east of the (possible) A-1s, including one Kamov plus what may be a MiG-21, an F-5 and maybe one more A-1. Also found what could be 2 gate guardians about half a mile east-south-east of the big parking area: a shiney MiG-21 and maybe another F-5. All in all, a good start on a museum!