Douglas A-1 Skyraider

The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly designated AD before the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations) is a single-seat attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company. It had an unusually long career, remaining in frontline service well into the Jet Age (when most piston-engine attack or fighter aircraft were replaced by jet powered aircraft); thus becoming known by some as an "anachronism". The aircraft was nicknamed "Spad", after the French World War I fighter.

Development of the Skyraider commenced during World War II as a carrier-compatible single-seat dive/torpedo bomber that was capable of long endurance missions and possessing relatively high performance for the era. Ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in July 1944, the XBT2D-1prototype performed its maiden flight on 18 March 1945. Various modifications were made to lighten the airframe to bolster its performance ahead of the Skyraider's entry to service in 1946. While procurement was initially slashed due to the end of World War II, numerous orders for the type were placed, resulting in production continuing through to 1957. The Skyraider was operated by various services, including the USN, the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the United States Air Force (USAF), the Royal Navy (RN), the French Air Force, and the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) amongst others.

Operationally, the Skyraider was principally used as a close air support aircraft; in this capacity, it was extensively used during both the Korean War and Vietnam War, as well as multiple other conflicts. In the Korean theatre, it possessed more endurance while carrying larger quantities of ordinance than any contemporary jet-powered aircraft. The Skyraider also frequently undertook interdiction missions. While not intended for the role, it was not defenseless in air-to-air engagements; on 16 June 1953, a Skyraider shot down a Soviet-built Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, this being the only documented Skyraider aerial victory of the conflict. During the Vietnam War, the type used cannon fire to shoot down two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 jet fighters of the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF). British Skyraiders were deployed during the Suez Crisis while France used its during the Algerian War. It remained in US service until the early 1970s, having been supplanted by newer jet-powered aircraft, such as the Grumman A-6 Intruder.