The Douglas AD Skyraider

The AD Skyraider

The prototype of the Skyraider was first flown on 18 March 1945. Designed as a robust, multi-role attack aircraft for the US Navy, the carrier-based Skyraider was able to carry a wide variety of weapons on its numerous wing hardpoints. The Skyraider first saw combat in the Korean War, where its long loiter time and heavy load-hauling capability gave it a distinct utility advantage over the jet aircraft of the time. The squadron flew several versions of the Skyraider including the the AD-1, AD-2, AD-3, AD-4, and AD-6 from 1951 - 1957.

Basic Stats (AD-1):
Wingspan: 50 feet
Length: 39 feet 3 inches
Height: 15 feet 8 inches
Weight: 18,398 pounds
Power plant: One 2,700-horsepower Wright R-3350 engine
Speed: More than 300 mph
Ceiling: 23,800 feet
Accommodation: One crew
Armament: Four 20 mm cannons and a 2,000-pound bomb load, or an assortment of bombs, rockets, mines, grenades, flares and gun pods