Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:25 pm
USAF PHOTOS/N: 52-139778 of the 602nd Special Operations Squadron over Vietnam in June 1970.
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:24 pm
A few interesting features of this photo:
- no stars & bars insignia on fuselage or wings
- undersides black
- prop tips possibly yellow in lieu of the more common red/white stripes
- no ordnance yet expended
- I believe this is a "standard Sandy load", CBU, 7.62 minigun on the left stub, rockets, centerline gas bag, etc.
- The airplane was performance limited while loaded; photo likely snapped from the hoist door of an HH-3 or HH-53 during a SAR escort (looks like the top of an external tank in the extreme lower right of the photo.)
The 602nd was disbanded at NKP in 1970 but often sat SAR alert at Da Nang. There's a fair chance that the islands visible in the photo are just offshore southeast of Da Nang.
USAF Skyraiders ROCK!
Ken
- no stars & bars insignia on fuselage or wings
- undersides black
- prop tips possibly yellow in lieu of the more common red/white stripes
- no ordnance yet expended
- I believe this is a "standard Sandy load", CBU, 7.62 minigun on the left stub, rockets, centerline gas bag, etc.
- The airplane was performance limited while loaded; photo likely snapped from the hoist door of an HH-3 or HH-53 during a SAR escort (looks like the top of an external tank in the extreme lower right of the photo.)
The 602nd was disbanded at NKP in 1970 but often sat SAR alert at Da Nang. There's a fair chance that the islands visible in the photo are just offshore southeast of Da Nang.
USAF Skyraiders ROCK!
Ken
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:13 am
USAF PHOTODESCRIPTION: Douglas A-1E and A-1H/J Skyraiders at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
USAF PHOTODESCRIPTION: A Douglas A-1J Skyraider (USN BuNo. 142063) named "The Hasler" of the 602nd Special Operations Squadron (USAF) over South Vietnam in 1968/69. I LOVE THAT WELL WORN LOOK.
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:47 pm
Wonder if the NKP ramp photo is 66 or 67 timeframe? No two letter tail codes on any of the A-1s and a fair number of E/G models. Although there were E/G models at the end, their numbers seemed to dwindle after 1970.
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:21 pm
Can you guys imagine what this thing would have done to Japanese ships in WWII if it had replaced the Dauntless as planned? My god, one bird would've wiped out a whole ship....and probably done fairly well vs the defending aircraft also per a friend in Texas who recently took a ride in one down there during a partial aerobatic routine....
Mark
Mark
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:08 pm
a dirty spad is a beautiful spad!!
Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:45 am
tom d. friedman wrote:a dirty spad is a beautiful spad!!
Hear, hear!
She's a beauty in what ever 'dress' she appears in
Re: Douglas A-1H Skyraider
Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:27 am
Anyone got that old Bob Stevens cartoon of the fighter jocks looking over at a couple biplanes and going "That's just those guys from Nakhon.."