Douglas AD Skyraider

The Douglas Skyraider was design ed as a repl acem ent for th e Dougl as SBD Dauntless and by the time it wa s int roduced it looked like an anachronism. Whilst mi lit ary aeroplanes were getting sleeker and faster and w ere powered by jet engi nes, the Skyraider was a large, propellor-driven monoplane that looked ungainly. Looks can be deceiving and the Skyraid er was to earn the affec tion of its crews and of many of t he people it supporte d in the g round wars in Korea and Vietn am and in so me sma ller conflicts. It went on to serve in ten different air fo rces and for mor e th an twenty-five years, undertak ing roles as diverse as div ebom bing, airborne early wa rni ng . air-to -air refu elling, nuclea r st rike and casualty evacuati on.

Peter C. Smith has worked as both bo ok and magaz ine edi to r but has been a full -time histo rian and w riter fo r many years. He is t he author of many magazine art icles. seven collections of short sto ries and a novel. but is better known for his meticulously researched factual history books on aviation. m ilitary and naval top ics. As well as being extensively published in th e United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Peter's books have been translated into Chinese . German. Japanese, Italian and Swedish. His expertise is also called upon as a consu ltant for television docu me nta ries . Peter is a member of th e Society of Authors, Lo ndon and he received the Royal Ma ri ne Histor ical Socie ty Aw ard for 1987/88. Origi nally fr om Norfolk. Peter now lives in Bedfor d shir e.

W hat ga ve th e Skyraide r its repu tati on and lon gev ity w as it s exce lle nt load -ear ry ing capability. its range and endurance. and its adaptabi lity. Pow ered by a single 2.700hp Wrig ht Cyclone. t he Sky raider could carry a larger weapon load than many World War Two bombers. It served with distinction in Korea an d Vietnam with the United States Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps , and was used as an airborne early warning aeroplane by the Royal Navy. The Skyraider was also used by France and some smaller nations. such as South Vietnam, Chad, Laos and Cam bo dia . Dive-bombing hi stori an Peter C. Smith tell s th e full story of th e design. d evelopment and long operational use of th is ofte n underrated aerop lane. Using archive material and fi rst-hand accou nts. th is new addit io n to th e range of Crowood Av iation book s w ill appeal to anyone w ith an int erest in m il it ary aviation.

For details o f our other aviation titles, and a cop y of ou r catalogue. w rite to: The Crowood Press Ram sbury Marlbo rough Wiltshire SN82HR Co ver des ign by Annette Findlay

£29.95

Printed in Great Britain

,..... . . ".,-

• 11. ...

LA UNCH A SKYRAllJER! W HERE IS TH E ENEMY, Admi ral wan ts (0 sec! Wh,u will the o rde r he! 'Launch a Skvraidc r!'

Deck pitching o ut uf sigh t. Seaha wks an: sin ing t ight , Venoms wo n't fly toni ght ; 'Launch a Skvraider!'

Oft co rnes the plainnvc wail. 'How ca n we get the mail !' Press on through ice and ha il'La unc h a Skvmider!'

Ship gets herself a clout how will they son it Oll(! You bet your life they' ll sho ut 'Launc h a Skvrai dcr!' W hat keeps them on th e hoil! Hard work and skilful roil; Tak es a lo t of midn igh t o il to 'Launc h a Skvra idc r!' O ff when it 's foul o r fine, pit chblack or brigh t suns hine; Three cheers for 849, whe n tllI..' Y'Launc h a Skvmtdcr.' (By kind 1l\'nni.~silJlllJf Lr Cdr P.G.W. Morris. RN, '0' Fli/{ht , HMS Bulwark, /958)

,....

••

Dougla, AD

rsu er

Peter C. Smith

The Crowood Press

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c. Slmlh 1lic~lin lb u A Cdl..k'l."""' r

mhrn:nt eccurecv, its ability to lon er over me han kfu:1J ,tIlJ us ease of maintenance.

Brilish Ro yal Navv, the Vicrn.uuc....... A ir ATTrk.~ J... r Air. till' US Air Force, ,11ll1 the a ir forc es tlf C lInh. li.., G ,lhon and Chodl . hut alm ' ''''1 [rom II Itl jl...... ln 'klliti" n. rhc ~k~' ra i,k:t e..rncd more than its fair shan' of nickn..nw", over th e ye;m.: the 'Daunrles s-Il', in J...·!l·wnn· to ib (;1I1'k.II1.S f'n....k"\."l"~o r fwm the s ame ' Iahll'; [he · A hle, l \.~· hom It.'> fiN ,ll·S11.'1 l.ll ion AD; the ·Sp;....!·. I't.·GIII~· II wa.' .... . 01,1; ,11'1.1. I~ l" oJly. iJ,,'1 l11rinc u s I'n·t.:lshll\ ,1Il,l accuracv, [hl' ·A yin.c: DUlllp TnKk'.

F...ece, thl' French

, al\·,IIIlIO. In Ihl'li~ht u f rhc 'o\"ay In which the SlYTaiJ cr was con sidered bv the-e rt'U.. plc, th e critics' \' i C \I,S on Ji ve born....·rs c a n rca.. . . m ahl y Ix- Ji ,mi :...~. ~t y thanks, as always. ~o fiN ro thc nu-n wh, }actuallv flew the air cran . 1111'Us i, the real siory anJ t hei r op in ions are th e oru-, th.u count. Th..,y arc Admi ral ~i r j"ho

Treachcr , KCR; Chuck Mulbnl"Y. US

Navv, RIJ; Charles R. Shuford, US Non'y, RIll; Lreurenam -Cornrnander L Willi alll 1)11, .., USN. RIJ. l.icurenanr -Comm.mder (P) Pl'rcy G .W. ~1t 'rri " RN. RIJ ; fr.'lll C. Kll",I!.:,,' r. USMC; and Ron M c~b..t cr s U SN. I w'lUlJ hke

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e xpress my J,:ra llt u
' lU hl a n..l ll\~

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help of Cu mm,tn,I.." till" Pen valuable and un reser ved

J. Riordan IV, USN,;1t

ta l.:"n . Idl ll>C' as,i , lance was vital to my re -c arch . Sim ibrl ~', I ad n, ,"1t..J~t.· 1I\C" "ul ~lanJill~ ha..:k· Ill~ I rt.·o .'in·,l from Ma rk L. E v 'm ~, Ili'I" -

nan. ,IT the Naval Avuuum Il i ~ l . ~'hrn rhe PaCific Watl·Tuptt.J in Dece rnb,..r

1941. n Il. ..... rhe J a~nt.."'< Aichr Dl A 'Val' l bnmh.-r that spcarhceded the a tta ch n.ima.k II' marl al Pear l Harbor, r on [),tr · Ilin mJ In thl' InJi,m Oc ean . \Vlwn the t i!hr-h e iall~' hll lle~hi r~.

Whll... ,m earned by o mi' de grdJ.:e underwat er h ns of the . nher - A mer ica n earners !-.'ft",u l)' mcrea .....-J. Tlus wi.....· vulnerable lo r--tX·,lo bom ber . and in "" reduce...1thl'u \ .ffl·n~I \·e car'" II)' rhat , ~ Ihi, way IIw hulk ,,( Ih,· J,lr ;mese hall ie - I.llt· 194-" marw 'iC;I~

inat ion llf r{,les, (I·en if Ihe resultant aircmft W;IS suhse· quently nOI fully cxploited. Fur \-driOU_' reasons, ot her airerall In're ih.k'l'lcd in co mhinl'J rllil's, incluJinJ.: JI\'e.homl>ing, Thl' ohsoletl' Brit ish na val blr[ane torpeJo ho mhc r lyres, Ih e Fa;rt'y T~R S\\wJfish anJ A lhacore, had always , il/ll!>inl-J their hllmhcr nil l' with lhat of fe(llnnaiss;mee. Roth t n~s Wl'rl' ..b o used ,II JI\'e h.1mlx-rs, with scant Sllcel'S-'. TIll" Fd1l\"1" BarmcuJa was a no t hl'r dt' sign th,ll pWl1u",".,J much as a Jive hnmhl'r hut W,IS NJI}' Jelayed ;lnJ, finally, pro w d in :II!t'· 'lU,l1~ , By 1940, Ihl' RA F had Hltnmarily '1!>,mJom-J the excellent f-! ,lwkt'r Hl'o le y munur lane Ji \'t" bomber. When the hank · ruptc\' uf their pre·war r O[iC;l'S hl'catnl' ,lrrarent in Ihe aftennath of Dunkirk ,' they lounJ themse lves usin/.: till' We slland 1I\.,11l<Jt.r artillery spoUer and th e lll->slll -!:>ay requin'llIl'nr n,l ,'nlr made Ihe ai rcraft ilion ' clllllp li· ( tN \J.'. Curtiss werl' find ing to their ell"t \lIlh Ihe SBlCl. hut forceJ DOlll,.:l as I ~nLlrl!e the wing area. Sll th al llll' ma in I nJml: I:ear could fold !:>ack int o il IIb!eaJ of the fuselage. This, in rurn . led f J reJesi)..'!l of Ihe wings with a negati ve Jlhl\lrnl. the c1 a s.~ ic al ' in vert I,d !.:u ll11m!!' share Ihat typified d i\'c h' lml-ets ,u, h ,1\ the Junkers Ju. 87 St uka and Vull~r VenJ;:cancc, and was ],uer hi IJenlll\· ,hl' massi\'e C h anc e- VOU!.:IH HU tl!o:hlet·hombcr. T he adoptiu n o f rhl' te,IIUtl: cnahled the unJ ercarr ia!.:e III I'e .hortet an,l thus more easily aCCllmmllJ HI'll in the inne r-win!.: sl'ct ion whel'l b.!\. inlll which (he wheel s h ydraulica lly rctMCtN.

As de.,ign work proc eeded . th e Navv h it [)ou.l:las with ve t anot he r lirnita rion . T h e XSB2[)· 1, unlike Jill' SBI\ was to [caturc fullv t;IIJ in g wings, tbe I uncr seerions f"I,Iing upward s ( , .65I k!.:) III l'lIl rt ~· con d ltiun, It t, ,,lk 1\ HIl,.:laSa I' ln!.: Iinll' tIl ""l·mb k· all 16.17 )lh (7,38 Ikg) h l,k·d ami 19.HOlh a ircraft lOllIl'l'l lh is d l'llIl·nl,.:ing ' I'l'cifi.:a· (1i.6H1k.l:) maximum weil,.:ht. which, as tiun ;Ill,l i{ W;IS nUl until 17 ~b rch 194 3 Ikill!ls ma rks vilTied from 2,200 III 2,800, TIll' first t('st nm fllr thi ~ mo n 'I ,'r was in MOlY 19 H , and, (oll ll w in~ its g" Ill' ral ad,,pt i" Jl int o the US ar meJ serv ices with till' hc..:inni ng llf Ihe Second W ,,rl,1 W ,lr, 1Ill' R-l 3SO was I'r, ,gre",iwly d" \TI" l'l',1 via S\'\'l'ral illcr,'a , ingly ,""" r h islical..., 1 lll:lrks III the -26 WD. Th is Wf\.~ th u u..:hl fa O\i f II"" dPslI n.

PItrun 2 II a &Ide . . .. u--.I '1.-w llf IJIoo ",b. J«I airplane deplctH la ..... we 1 With l be u · ~ l&adtnl ~at ahown 1n doUec1 l1na. Pl ~

3 b 0 teIp p~ ..... 0 ' Ut. ~ d._

"I'U~ 4 II a tl'ODt eln'Ulona1 'I'1e.. of &he a' f. p t.,a deplck
landlnl leU the not MlnI 5hown In the Utmde:1 IIOOItlan b, dotted linn. P'lc1In S 15 a bottom ptan Vie.. 0 1 the &lrpla.ne

lll l'Urbt , "Tbe Ul&n. K. HE1N£NANN,

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vktiPd. tn P\aUlM 1 and 2.

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." l. AST rtlAr'oTI' _ A ...; ~:W ('ONCI: I'T IS BORN

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Skvraidcr. They

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for

r.. ,IS t.1 IIll'U !--I'IS, thl· re \H' re uni versall y in f,,\'our of till· tll"W ;mcf;lfl. 1111:ir r,Hin g.. cou lJ Ix!--ndly "ulll llla ri:...J Ih lb :

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T h e End o f the War

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In [unc 194 '>, th e jirst rf\lh 'I ~'f'\-~ were

,.JJ5O.lI R-3J50.8 R·3J50·8 R-3J50-24W R-3350-24W R·J350 14W A-J350-14W A·3J50-24W R·3350-24W R-3350-24W R-JJ50 -24W R-JJ50·24W R-JJ50-24W R·JJ50·24W R-3J50-24W R-JJ50-24W R·J350·]4W R-3350-24W R·J3S0·24W R-J350.24W R-J350.24W R-3J50.24W R- J350-26W R-J350.24W

accepted mm the Navv. However, aero,

"'''''''' ')In «ceeuests

\. Addmonal coc kp u and attc r-compartmcnt liglning.

FtlllowinJ.: t he out conu- Ilf rh c-c fir "l ma ls, on '> 1\\;1)' 1\)4'> . till' N;I\'Y Depa rt mcnt _sign l'J :1 Le tt er 1,1 In te nt fo r Douglas II I produc e .m inu!al ur.lcr o( '> 4S BTZ !) -l [) i1ul\1 les.s -ll s, Il l' itll'IlI:ll111 ,111.1 lib tl'a m ha,1 co nw u]' trum p... ! Thl' "rdl'r wa s a filfi ng rew ,lr,1 f"r an olll ..t;m .ling tl'am cff" n. :111,1 ,ll'''lTH',lly "l"c un~, l th l' firm's future.

the P,Klt"i.: Ocean, events wen- unfolJ ini: t ha t wuulJ thwart an)' premat ure t."Xf'l"Ct,lnons 1'1' h.llgmi: lA.lugla" order h. ,h. M,~t f'l"l.pll' h,IJ expec ted rh.., wa r W CI -rmnuc at It·:bt mto 1\)46, anJ r rohpcr. (""·rallon 'Olvrnpic' wa, ht.'ing gl';Ifl.J III' tor, and a [anat ical anJ dcr crnnnc...1resi, · ranee hy till' Jal"l1lt:st· of rhcir horne i..bn.l.. was expected. However, the ,!r" r r ing of rill' atomic h Imh .. o n the cuic of 11 if< l'-hiIll:l ,md N 'lka"ak i, t he dl,..pcrutc "ul'r 1y I'u "itio n of the Jap:l!leS\·. Whll "l' flld supI'lies ha d been ( UI off 0)' suhl1l:lfIne sinkin g.. 01 tlu-ir rankers, a nd th e fnc t Iha t rhc S,"'il't U n ion had iJ.:n"n"t.i ib treat )' ,,1,1i}!arion.. an.l launched huge land atmc ks ..e re"".. II " Fa r Ea..le rn h -rdc r-, - allll ll"st· f..cror.. ..:.'m!--II11" ! h' "'ring about a -uddcn and unexpt"(w,1 e'l rly e n,1 In rbc PaCIfic War. Pn 14 A UI",'u, t 1\)·Fi. the hi\".. -tancd to come home. Wekome Ihi .. rum, ,f even ts W,I.., II'> etn-ct on uuhturv fl'-!Ultl·ml·n b ,lnJ '''rrll.'rv w ' 1.. r n 'lIl..:lahll'. Almo-t immcdi. Ud~·. lh,· Na\"- not ifit.J [).lUgl.l-' Ih ,lI It w.e rv...lu( UlI: II.. 111111:11 order hi \77 ;urc r.lfl. In a ,horl lulc. vvvn Ih l' rcqurrcmcm wcm by th e h lrJ, :m.l t he order w, . .. further

,I..

reduced. to a mere 277 aucran.

The AD- I a nd the AD-I Q \~/ith ti ll" ,!d k re nt prioruic " I till' I'" , t· wa r Iwr i, ..1 [lint' \\'a ~ a slowill j.,' duwn , ;mJ tI\l' llrgl'IKY and hard w" rk (If I ll'llle1l1,llm 's Il':llll n' l..... ,el'med to ha n · hee n a w,l,tl',l dl ~ ,rt . [I w.... a time l~ 'r re\' aluation ,m .! ..h..nge . A .. ra n o ( thai prO':l'S', in

RIcin dl.l ra.:tl'rNic.. - V~' ~Jf,J Pl·rt",'rmanCt' - \ '~ good \'(.'a n ' -I,II c1l.1r.lC reri ..lLcs - Excdkllf ~ lml'ltnfY uf mamtt:"nan c t:" - Excdlmr On'r" l1- Tfw ~s r dit'l~ bomn..'T .:n'T resll'" (.It rh..' c,'nfTe N\, tl'\"l· r;· lIl1 n~ w;. .. """11.. . ( 1. "'ut tilt: all e rall,lIl .. (, .lk J jo r \\"l·re minllna l. Till" f" I· 1,'Wlllg Challl.!l'" \Wrl' rl'C' ,"ll1ll·nde J :

I . A .ld irl,'nal, 'xygen f'l r tbe I'il "t , 2, A dd iti"n:ll heali ng j"r the ril,,1.

ear ly Skytaider XBT20·1 IBuNo09109) on the ramp al El Segundo. Sin O'i go AerGspace M useum

26

.••

~

Ftt.ruary 1946. the Nay" announce l rh.n tht Daumless-H was to Ix· rcnanu 1 rho BTlD SkyraiJ cr, This was an ot her ~l a.l:l· in

an l'\'olving pr ocess: the earlier rccom eeodancoe and studie-, (in-Illy J.:dlloJ inltl scceprance for the combirung of ,hl' .1In--

and rcqedo-boml-er rblt'S. hastcnc...l "'"the nMJ for economy as m uch a, " y war CX!X" renee. The new J esi!-rn;u ion wa-, 'A' l~ 'r Ansck. in [me with the A mw A ir Force . and thus, in Arril1946. rhc IH Zt)·' \\"a_'

redesignated "''1' the Navy Departmen t ;1" thtA[).1 anJrhcA D- IQ. The following month , Mar 1946 , saw a few XBT2D· 1s in thei r n vw gUi'l' 1'I.·gin· rung inlensified service tr ials at Nnva l Ai r Station, Alameda. C ahfomia. till' I'm:ific Aa-( Air Headq uart er s. 11 11." ll " "l,:l' was more ru ~eJ than ;II Patux ent River, and rhissoon shOWN up the Ilcgali n- a" \\'l'll as the poIiitive aSf't:cb uf lh .... clllph ;l, b o n h~hlCM in rhe SkyraiJ n \ dl.·,i s:n . A ll hol~ crurof pote n tially J ;lm.ls:illS: un Jcr· CiU1iage and wing:-skin failure' we r\.· 11n sh'lweJ up fauhs sinuLn to thost seen in the PWIOIHlC." . N onl)' on e !M ,lUI i"n lhe AD-I mU!-t l--e made ~I mn"'t' r, h' 'f'l'"full ~' 'Ilthout sacrifICing an~' ti ilS rll1~ ["
A.

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"'*'" 100 01 110_ ........

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I . TIlat lhe XBT 2[). I airc raft, WIt h exisl' inl.: lmtru menr arion an d Iwn Jlint.: ch aracll'ristics, was, 'llnsali ..fac((lry (,Ir illstr Ullll'1H fligh t, parr icularl y for till' instrulIlen l l1 ight relluired ti' r G C A ol....·rati,lIl, ·. Exc"'rt al st;llIing spl.'eds, aik'n .n (" nl llli ("rce ,> \w rt· Sll lit.:h t that Iht· y f;lill.J 10 giw the pi!.ll J"... "ll 1,...al'oJ ..oJ ,_ "''' ,11"""", " , ..J. Al mllht. r ,I.". ".-e'ef""..J ,., k,·t1' '' Il••h· I,~ohl hanJ I", ,lIun" n.'l"'Il,he InJ 'CO'h ".

;I'

TIll' ,,·ptlrl fd t th,ll Ihe ,l"O\'\' dl'fiCil'llC il'S m rhe ,,,,i,llion I'" H,,·

rq.aU1Illl 1l. Jr,.,~'fl arr.ml....·m'·nt. The "T2 1)· 1 ~\II"A",lUC~lcf"'t" rbe .....(. An .... ;Irl..·' m...l,·1. ~ JI\'~

RTD Dive Rum"':' UnJ" f ,,,-"nl,,, . men' Junnll peace 11I1l.,. i'''1 ,,_. " ' """ 'rlan ' , Illm .ingl... -plac... "'(I'I"n,·. "';" .li" ·" nlln,,,',l 11\

lhe Douglas

1iI",.,noIlhc BTl[).

TIm miJZht he cOl\siJ a l-J a tritlc J isinl-:l'n uous, for the hulk IIf Ihe Jesij.,rn pcno d l~ 'r tht BID actually to ok place J un nl-: till" wa r sears, However. Heinemann\ subseque nt ccamen rs were certamlv m O;,1 pt'"lnl· nl . T1w BID. hk", nun" "1:1",, r,,,,,,,,"nK" ..k.-.,I.'I" mmn. JoJ 1'10II c",",,,, m ,""" m"n,' j"",,,,r·s J t...:k cllulJ h.. rcJ uct.J l-y 8ft (2 .,H m ); th is w(lulJ aJ J an extr.1 22 naul ical mil l's I a r'·,ho'l.l"k E:Ukk.l..........J un lL",l Ul!: fo' d qu;ollU· 1\ ' , . x"X:' '''rrLno.-.., Tho.....~mrr"'" J"'lw ..... h ' .........1'\ R'a"''l\;IH.. I~ " Ih,. "," leul." ['1•.,..: ' .,nJ. ,I dnl, h", ,:. ,,,, lhe' I,,,,' . ,...... It I' ...."'. I..h .. 1'1:''''' , .. 515.((',.". .20.00 J'T he, rlanr' .",.1 e' ~aulie

Then ' w ,I~ ,Ill. IIher factor III wh ich the Ou ullLas ream rook i::re,u pn..[c , and wh ich allow ed them Itl make further wt·i!.:ht " ....." ...."' IJ h......,::'n·n _1,..·lll· nt'\'(:r h."t' n a sil!m ficalll (,I("lo r with 111\""1 J llwnw arJ vi, ion anj.:le of fifll't'n J q,en, h' ..",· ·t -rn.J m "f'f',,_hl11j!lhe 1..1l...·I. ......, Ih.. rr m .•IT.ml. nlrm "'11,",,"11 " ",,",I> I\ulel han' Sl'l' ll it q uit l' likl' 111;1\ , "lrhllllgh hl' p,li,1 a ful ""llll' trihut l' II I tIll' hl'lp j,l l\"l'n '" him hy tn,lIly BlIAl'r " m cc rs: ~I .." "f

,,11. r1l" ud, w-,- ,!I,),,'l h,,,'"

,'n,', n,,·\, "11'1"'[\",1 'IS l hr"u~h"u t ,11\,1).:,,,',, 'IS '·"Il,id,·,,,[,k I.....·,!.>'" t" mn " ,'.U,·:

N,l Ie,s" than lour ,Iitt"l'rl'nt fY\'l'S 01 dive br,lkl's \\'('rl' cllllsi d l·ro.: d hy thl' l1.'ltglas ;1I1d BliAer en ginl'l'rs, ,h f"Il"I1".": I. 2. 3. 4.

rl'\'l'rsihll' I'H'I",lll'r; wing-m lluntl'd "LlIl l'el hr;lkes; lu"c1agl'-lllulInll'd hr,lkl's; raTolchull' gl·'lr.

TIll' rl'vt.·rsihll' pWlw lll'TI'\,fion w\luld IM\'(· 1.....· 1·11 highly laVI'llTl'1, a., il IMd nil Iwighl or drag dt"n:1 '1l1 llll' airlr;IllW. 11ller "y'I"'IIl. III o,..In hi " " la in s,Ui' (,KII'ry "ti..-k t~ lT(e, . With rill' aJ'll' tioll of h"m 'ly!," a,' r,...lyn.uni ..· h" l;l1l(e;" cOlllhin..'\1 wilh a , h"rl l'!l-\':'1I1r d l'lr,l. Ir"c-co nlro l l"nJ.:ltu.lin..1, r:lhility \\'a~ illlr rllH·d.

III vr r III' ML\"T 0 1 TIlE IlM "Tl LSS-lI

Heinemann con..d '·R,.1 Ilw t win rn ,h.

cov..·UIlJ,:. 11Ic-ral-c ovc rcd comrol -urtacc....

lcm-, .'1 lateral .Illd , lin'( lI" na l ..tahilll \'. and the .., .......- i.II..,,1H'llI n , I I~ I( tllr"••1 (4,578ke ), 1. ~ I,iL...I \H'lCh t ,II I \ .500Il'> (6, IZ4kg).• 11\..1 maximum wt'iehl at 175 001l'> UJ:h ,II tXJ Jt.,.'Tt'l~ wuc 19ft 4 i(in (5.9Zm), When Ih,: win~ we re

unf lkk-J anJ srn:aJ , rc-Adr f'lf t;lh·... >tf, Im'r I..,:kl-J mto place ...,' 1m' ri1o(. whu

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..,

• 11. .. .

TlI l: S KYR Allll:k n!'SC k lllf:!J

This ru r·vie w s hOI 01pre se rved fr en ch $kyr..ide r F·AZDP (below/ shows tI1 . win g jury , lruts th•• SUpPO" tI1. lolded wing a nd ("ghf/ cioH up of c.. nopr . r. ... M HlSCoo.:k

c h ~'l l;\ h:llh lk· that n:lrdnu s from this rnodificanon wac rh al lht·....· wen: ..Ii~hdr li,e:hllT rh.m t he convenuonal tvpe . Co ntrol.. ,mJ ' r n n.c: 1n a l ran ge. rhc main fuel tank could l-c sllPl'll'mentl'..! I-.y ,Isinj.:k, Mdrk 12

Fuel Sys te m T Ill' ma in fuscl a g" flld M11'I'h' was conl a in ed in a Illzengl' -sbapl'd l;ln k 1,'Ca ll'd ;lhlft th..: p il,'I's s\'a t. T hi s I;mk h a,l a 223· l-:all"n ca pacit y ( la ll'r incr..:asl'd in tl1l'

43

\,xt l'rnal luel tan k , with a ..:a r aci ty " f an ad,li rh.na l 150 ~a llllll.s, which cll ulJ he (;1[t ied lin till' cl'll l ra l, l:l'n t rl' -Iusl'!agt' harJ pllinl , and h y two r.,tnk 8 w in~-mount ed \,xt l'rna l fud tanks, tlf 300 j.:allll1l Cllp;lCiry, 1lI0lJllt..:J lln tl1l' tllldl'r\vin g st al ion s.

.....

,

" ".~

~ l(.II.

rill:

.~

t..: YIlAIll I.W IlI.~OWll:l )

(Left) l ooking forwa rd a long the sta rboard lus elage s how ing engine exhau st dela il on the Royal Navy AEW-t IAD-4WI WT 121 Skyraide r at the Fleet Air Arm Mus e um, RNAS Yeovilton. Pate, C Sm,th {Abo ve} Undersid e detail on th e Royal Na vy AEW-t lAD-4W) WT t21 Skyraider al lhe Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovillon . Pate, C Smnh

Undercarria ge A, anot her pl" y I" ' I" Td producuun. till' tir, ' IWll I'rp'''l y!,,'' 1I','r,' tilt ",l wnh till' main llI1;1[

in ,I hlll·ke l scut wu h an

armourccl Iwa-lresr. IIn.ln ;. clear-blown

'bubble' ca n.. py, which

~l i, 1

back

rear-

ward, (.If 'K":l'" ; I n,l l't.:re ~,. The arm, .urnl wm,l,hldJ h;I.1 the M,lrk 20 MuJ. .. a,IJII,t;ll--k' rdlt'l'II' r I.:un .sit.:lu IIh 'lInfl·,1 ce n trallv on 'I ,rr"nl.: 'IIrr"n .mu , which W,I' h ,ltl'J '!t"r Ih\' main inurumenr p ane l. TIll' I:tll'L.l' il ~ 1 1. k· W,h dl't:tr iC;lII\' " re r,' ll,J 1--,. tIlean, (If cnhcr au inn-rna] handle m.. llnh..J o n the port , i.It, 01 rho ril..t'- c•..:krlt . wlnch ;II ..., I' Kh·,1 it . , 'r from " 111' 1,11" hy mc.m-, .. I ,. ' tnlr ll" t " ,,:n/CI · , WHl·h on the port "I,ll'. A, ,~ rv ult .. t lu.. own cvcwuuc..... ol~'rvauou-, wllh IIw tll't.'! III rill' war zorw, H"lIll'lIl,i1111 h,JJ 1ll~1'l l'll lln;\ ~ l l1l l'b l l l'll ;1Ilt.! ":!I'.1ll1.J-Ur olCL. r il. wllh l'lHl'h,N" rl.tn.J ,

,,'"..w..,.

.._~

pCJl '.

1*'I'I

8.

_1Irt'IQ CClr'l._ 8Cl...... ",o_cr>

"

0•

..-_""'9'...... _ _

~-

on r il,.! o'lll rarl hi l i !~'. A IS dl't.:n'l' ;mt.:!c " t pilot vision. both (i-onl it -, 1;,il lIfl' ,

Armament

tH"'.... were '...lllll'l.....-J wnh )1I, t thr........ h lllih rack-, I~ 'r carlv IIL,II" r l\ >J.:rl....- ion II'a, 'o("'n m,I.I..., It. 1I1l:l",' ,I.....• rill' nl''''' ai r, Tal, \ w 'lr " n....:.IIl'·,in/.: C. II',Klt". Evcnt u.illv, no I , than t im-en ,'xI,'nu l hanl point -, \H'rl' cnq-l.sccd. (,111;lr,1 "ut h >;lI,I). Thl''''''' tlu th >;lr.l st;IJ an,1. m vttcc t, r""'lric t~ it [ot her than th e thr c....· 1.0001h Mt> ; bomb-, :!HI " Clfrll'r. TIl1,·. "" 1"" ,.,lly Il,,·n tll:hl ttlm, "n.l,,·.' :N..',· a'th'n W,I' "·'IUI ·'J. W..· tm',l tn ",·rt..·... t I'm a1"';111"1'\ ['f< )\'c,k ,1c'xl'c1I"n! "",bol,,\, "",I,h,' ,Ion' b,ah·, Wer.· ",·r.,. ~, ", l. A",,,n,l 1(;0 ,,1 ,I"".. ., "w" ll"mul:" , "",,1. T h"I' ""'1", "lid , I,,· m'>lIWIll"I\' ,d,'",,· w'", "1,,,,I,,wll'l,,dllt,,1

H, .w did I Ill' S k~'ra i d,' r c, .mparc with these typcs! TIl1-,,1-1.,. chc h':Il,·,,~ all [l'r,~,·lkr-dfl\',·nl,h."

111,·,,', Excel-

len' 1", J,,'c , '" gh,j.. h."nhn~, II "'." .,hl,· h' carrv .,1""",\ 1,. ,,1, It 1 huf" rd addL',1 oru- more pcrnncn t rema rk , L'tlIph asi: inJ.: chat, no matter how J.:' '' 1aJ.mli: 2.91l:l'hr{6.11M-trJ

11I.lTlt.°n.;I! illdl' '' N ' rtoJet'l." Ih l' tWin H e anJ Ihr

.. rwm 19XB. The r w pl ..... devem u..llv Il.J ,.. the dcveloprn... nt ,.f lin- XAZD- I

Sk~"

-harL TIm UUIll.' 19-45) r w jc d ~ 1;lrtCJ \lUI a' ;1 ~lmrl.: rc....I,-~icn of rill' S kyrai,k' r airframe h i tak e ,hl' IWW p owcrplom . l-u t rJri,lly' evol ved

m l n ;j

com plete new

W.:I, n·, uhin J.! in u 2l,%(ll h

1',,,.

(J 0.4 1il g)

anac k r brw P< ,\\w.,.l hy th e 5, 100..... hl' XT40· A -6 l'llg illl'. T his gaw ;l .,ign ilk; lllt increase III pcrtorm.uu'c over ,he Shr,li,k'r, l-ut ti l l' ,' l1c ilW \\,,\, ..:on tin ua lly !,t'lll-ll·Ill'llic. a n.! till' I'ro jl'C( wax linall y ahoUlJ, 'm" I. The A()·l J Clm,lh (296mrh); al alwu.k 5,'.i8£\m ( 18.'IC(lttl lIilun,lh (l97mr h) Rate of l:hmb 6Il9lmlh (Z.Zf,(lft/mml Cc ilin!;l8.075flI1l6500fr) R" f1k~ Z.405lm ( 1.4%m;l...,.) Cnme~

mil (BuN,,,,, 12272lJ- I2185l). Of th~......·• AD·3 (RuN,) I 2285 l) W:I' flll eJ wllh tht 2.7lX'h r R· HN·,!hWA l·l\J,:im·. :mJ

_AD-lN (BliND122922) s ee n . ' ttle Paln e nt River Air Test Ce nler on 21 November 1949. Na1lGNl1 ArclwK. ,,",MD

65

15.25m

..

.,..." "." • 11.11.

EXI'I;IUM~.' TS . MIIIlIHC"110~~ M

W IMPROVEME' TS

CTl'ilir~'. Not surpri~i n.L:lv, plan- were s"OIl bein~ rut ti'n\'ar,1 hv l-oth 1 \ 'lId .l~ and Ill\.' Na\'v r" combine h.'lh rt,k·s mto un .. .ur -

AI'S IIJA r.l>.br, which rt."-Illirt'J a rc lt·~il.'tl . .'J rime, il was al"" expected 1,1 han' been msrrumcnt l'alll'l. Tlu-v were "I... , t luir J"i....1 tilt' lasr! Th .., convcnuonnl Wri,L:hl R·

with 1'·1 aUl
AD-18

Th ..· US Nnvv l-ccarnc• !och·d m .. l-iner wf(k'l\l.'1lwlll.J III ,Ill' m.nn fll......lot l.~ ,I Tt',1 t~,r

thl' rok', Tll..·)" IH'rl' l"'l llIr r'l :d wuh thl' Murk 51 ccnm--Imc Ill, ln,uk.""" l'Jl"':h'T

r;1\;t.. ":;11"" ' -

blc -' hl1nhlll).:', wnh

the weapon bo.'m!.: 1,-1,h....1"UI ;In,1over the aircraft, u~inl: the ... 'mhlll'lIh'n ot rhc A,'rri.lL:l's. T.1,l Force 77 ...nle....1 on I Juh' lor I!ll' \n"1 KO"',1Il C'Ia,t anJ rlu- ,Irl',. "It 1\,'1ll.:),IIll.:, (l'm(,,rcl,J h) ,1' 11.:11.111" lin the

be tween

CI ,mm,m,!\'1 N;l\':l! Force, Far E.l'I , which ,'Xll'lhk..J it-,

hid:

( '1 :-':,'}'1: ,'u,I>... ,;o.... \, ... V__ !nlm under the umer"1 foredK k, en AD illaunc hed from the USS Phlllppme Se. {cy..u~ oft Korea. 1951. AD-48s lrom VA·lI S and VA -65 ope rate d 'r om the PIlIIIPPIIle SA. Befofe sai hng from San Diego, Calilofnil , on 5 July 1950, s he hId emba rlt~ VA·U5 .. JIlIrl of her Air Group 11 IevG·11I. Betw een 26 March a nd 2 April 1951, s he IIiurNlallcltd evG ·11 in J apan . and emba llced in Iheir place three F4U-48 Corsai r ~s, IS w elt as tile VA-6S Skyraide rs, alt Irom CYG·2, w hich had previously operJtltd fro",!h e USS Valley Forge (CV-45I, Rola nd W Bah ' V18 Man,n Bowman

75

I" " """ll": ""l.

I"

t

'n \,........ . ~ 11..: ,.",,,111 "'·,.'n,",u ,,~ !..:••".lIl "t, '".. ,. l l,l:h...., T'f ""'''\ ", h: ~""n ,,' r,ul 1""lItr, In \",,,m ll (~ " u rn.!,,,,,. "" """"" th o.' , ,,,'

1.1,,\

""""lI" ,

.on,1

A I l1')4S o n ~ [ulv. Ill\' (i....' al lal'k, wenlaunched. TIll' R\'CI Air A nn ha..! IIll'

,,,

,,... ,, ,,. ~

~ l(.II.

COMBAT OVER KOREA - TIll ' US N"'i)' EXPERIENCE I

hunour of maki ng t he first str ike, wit h t welve Elirl'y Frrctlv a nd nine roc kcr- urrnc...1 Suj-crmannc s..'afirl'~ hl..'ing bunc hed. They h it han J.:ars anJ inst allat io ns on I b eju airfield, a nd 1I1l'n t urned to t he railways a nd hriclJ.:l'~ as th ei r sccc ,ndary tar get s. Many hit ~ wen- SCI ' rl.....1am] IIll' Yall returned 1\' t he Tn· Iltll{lh at 08 1S. WI ll'n th e V(ilk.') Fl1r~('\ tum tl' srrih' came, he r ~ lr i k i ng force - 16 CharKl,-Vllllght F4U Cors airs uf VF·';4, each wit h l~i ght Sm rockcrs, and t he 12 A I) Sk~' rai,ll'r~ "fVA -iS nnclcr th e command of Liel ltl..'l};]ll( ·("A,rnrn;Ill,ler N.!} Hodson W, I~ [aunched at (l61."lO, E;o. UIlI' old "'mlt'ships in full conuniss u In ,It thi s per iod , :mJ also haJ a t lr/..", »nd growing num be r of 1S,l\.T() n I II c ruisers I 11 thl' St'l'l"J/H[ clas.' built. Aga inst th ese. unri l guidlJ tactical ato mic weapons could he developed. the tllTJX',ln wns still the mn't dtect ivc c, nmrer-mcasurc. Thus it carne about tha t the Skvraidc r was fmullv seen, for th e only time in h istory,

An AD·1 ot VA·l95 unfold s ils w ings aboa rd the carrier USS Princet on lCV-31l oH Ihe Koreen eeest

preparatory to a strike mission.

The Ar my

[lO W

McDonnell Douglas, Long Beach

turned to the Navy for

help. A request was scm to th l' comrmmder of Task Force 77, Rear Admiral Ralp h A. Otsnc, f,lr h is .urcratt ro try and dest roy at least tW,1 of rb c vital sluice gntcs, to lessen rhc poten tia l da nge r of furt her flooding. O peratin g wit h th is task force was till;' attack carrier USS Princeloll (C V37 ), commanded hy Capta in W illia m 0, Gallery. Ah.lur r,on of tht, 1I11-wllhd r;l.....ing UN flOOps were rruJe lr"m ::X""ll Itl Kow on. They ctllmeJ Iht-

CO\IIIAT OVI-ll KOllh\

s.,,,,,,,,

Ordnance ••ptnditur. Kore. - Prine.tOll April l9S1

2.lDJGP l.lDJGP

""GP 2SOGP

100GP "" 08 2llI Frag Napalm tanks

Thdeoor M. 13 rc peeoes Rockets 6 5 AlAR Rockets 5 0 HVAR Mk6 Rocke ts 5 0 ITlQlOl Rockets 3 5 headMk 8 Rockels 3 25 mo tor fuse rockelSMk 149 20mm carmon ammo ~calmg

.....'"'" No

3.883

•

4,54D

1.552 57.540 8 835 1.338 2.170 4 4

i.JJ8 165.592 m,750

Je,.tnlt.:ll,l1l " I tW,1 eucmv 1--;1IT;1I.:\'"" fll'U !:Un " mr l,Kc nw n h anJ GIU......J an e- nmated .k"'(t r l u~ c,N Mlt i,.... am lOnt: II,,· ...n"IIW\ ctr.unJ f..rce-. a ~ well u-, ,1..·~tro~· Illt: t~ ltlr "~' >In"llh''', \ ,Ol5 WIU hm' ah \\"l' Seoul. Twlllll. 'n· ...m·my artl ll~T)· ril'n...Wl'rl' "h.J flUI. ", well ;1' Iwdl"l' InICk- ;.. \0.1 Sln.1r). Sll\;ll1l'r \'l'hidl~, allli ;\ "'n ,ll.'t., n~h ~.J . Ph,ltl' lhj!hb ctln·Il.J rill' ;Ul'; l~ WCSl uf ~OWl>n an.! ntlfth of r)·llnL,\·;IIlC. After rerll'ni,hmg ;Ic-,lin, PTlnt't'flnl Il'h'\"l''ll furd'M:r no.lflh tll t~ ,1I"ll' IIr l >n Wh;ll thl' ph,,. 1q;r.qfL~ h;.J rl·wak.J an,llau!llhl...1a n", h · ('f 24 AD ~tri k('uIJ U'l' up their whole ' I,oc k "f A Ds wu h nine rn onrh- ! In rhc 1II.:hl nt Ih i_~ cr isi-, pcunt , and wuh rhc AD-4 produc uon line .Ill'" III fina ll~' Clll"" in 19SI, Lil'U1 cn.uu -C omnumdcr H ank S Ut'rstl', II, tilt' BuAl'r AD ('r" Jl'c I O flin'r. Maruu- CUfT'S Major Ken Reusser, of rhc Butl',111Armament ,Ii\' isi, III (wlu I had been Ihl' Jri \"inl! force in J.!1·1l1111.: an extra IWO 2(1m lll cannon mro till' Spus sfTl·nl!l h. TIll' Amerrcan rcchmc ulexpert s concluded. howe\'er. Ih al Ihl' a..I"t'lll. n of "UCh rrllll'Cli. >T1I~ll l~ :-kyr.uJ ,' r W.I" '1.11t,t" the que...l lt'n; rhc extra wdell! wou lJ h.I\"t' 1,,,,, .k.lwlX' an t'fti.'C1 uf't -n till' A D's performance. S.lt.'Nl.JI's mr1l.11 re... /ue'l 11".1' therefore rell"l:l l.J 'Il lt m ..ht ancl Ill' W,I' 101.1 I" mmd his o-vn bu-mess, In 1;1(1, hi , leu...r was Wilt h n.:k l·nd"N.'J 'Zal'lltCllJ.\ II 114.~ ~a{llllu~', wh ich tr'llb1.lll"$;I.' 'Cob bler, ' Iiel lo YOUT la't ' ! Un.h-tcrrc....I, rhc (),1I1J.!1a, (I ' m ran~' Illa.!l· ,I .It·I'lik,d 'llIJy o{ ih own . The "'Xpt'Th can·fully 'lIlal.,.""J th ... hulk of lhe Skyra i,ln\ l!T" unJ-fiTt.' hn " ;1lI.! cdm.. . up wnh ;l r .llll'm Ilf the mO, f Ct'mml,n In"'" 01 'I mclUral .1,1111;11.:1'. Thl.')· mad " a ,m"U muJd of Iht' S k~-raiJe r anJ r. I' ......J Lucilt TOJS Ih wudl 1111.' ' "nu la!fil 1l,lk entr.tllct anJ l'x il htlll'~ hi illu 'ltale Ih... co nel' nTTalion . B .n ·in l.: cu nn' nt r.lI'.J t' n Ihe mam rrllhlelll art';ts, Ihe OrllI Wltfl the Naw reseMI forteS and the illllitSlon at the f\eplAIflC at Korea IIlliIIO saw his.eturnto dll1'; v.tlen hewas recalledfor thesec· ond time ,nSep!embef 1950 Altef lTaimllQ on the AD, hiStour duty With VA·92J tollowed, where he Ilew fitly combat miSSions. On return he became an AD mS lJutlor at the fleet All Gunnel School. NAS EI CenlfO, CahtorOla, andhe was not again discharged untilJune 1953 Oncean aViator, alwars an aVlalor. and Ron conllnued to fly With the Naval Reserve until he retired In 1965 H,s naval career won him two A,( Medals as well as vallous Theatre medals These callson him nalurallyceused frequentinterrup· tions 10 hiSeducatiOll buthe persevered and fmally com·

85

p1eted college, 1IIlI,0nng al fresno State lJf1MlIsIty and emllfll'ng from College With I1onw1 111 CrvnllOogy. id\IlMtlIl botl18achelof anti MastllfS degrees. tI'Il959 Hep t>ed the CaillorniaHlgI1wav Patroland S8I'o'8d as a pauolmanbetween 1953and 1959, following Yotlictl he OfPllzed the Llw--Enfortemef11 Education prllll'iIITIlIe alllakllfSheld College 1l'I1959 FoIlowlflg mis Ron tTIlM!d mtoadmlfllsuallon and he was eventually 10retne as a Dean01Students in 1984 Resident now 111 Te!lachatJI, of! Highway 58 south-east of 8a~efSfield, Ron had meanwtule mel and n'lamed hiS Wife jessie. and they had two children. who, In tum. have presented them With 10Uf Qfandchiklren and one grealilrsndchild! Roo keeps himsell fully OCCUpied In several ways He plays golf, helps fnends bUild and remodel thell houses. r;ooks tor the Church Youlh Groups in thell Summer andWinterCamps

..

. ,... " " . ~

•h.lI. ("0 \l 8 " T OHII I;nllb\

TIll n

~ " V\

E\I'I,IlIU.n I

-kill and dcrcrrmnauon and J l·flINh..J W ton- of .... im ..... O:l( ~IC I1)' on all rhc tanrcrs. O ne Nav)' rilol , Comma nder ~ 1.K . The Hunter- Killer ' Ull l · ~Ur.m;l n nl· 1t.:";\111 III AIl-4:-.1 and AIl-4Q, wu h ib main ba-e ,II Denno of VA- 195 from Pnnno[rm. ""n'.11 ;111,....nu- lin: vv....... ..ti.... r It h, ...1 jOtnl:J the N. I\')' "' IIL... I f\rn~ ('Io.'~. Ihl' I,.hll" N'I"w). TIll' K. 'n·"n War hwtll-:Ill ;.hlllll rhc U~~ Ie c"m· l·N . >11, wlu-n, .Illl' " uhe .Iirl'c ir· cum'fancl.... ,hl' n.....-rvc... h,iJ h i I...., lilt 1h111:l.. .l.

Marine Co rps Outfits Receive the Skyra id er Tht' liN 1\brilll' Co rp, . 'utlll It l n 'n'I\'t· ttll' Skyrdi.l,·r wa, Ih., R"'~"rn' Sq ll".ln 'l1 ul VMF·25 1, njulI'lx·,lwith t1w 111.1( :h,lI1(l" VOUl:lll F4U C"rs;ur fh:lll l·r.l,,'mlx·r ;lnd

G rumman F8F !\t..,U C th, A'-~ Il:nt...J t, 1 dd;''fC'llCe til the record h. lIlll- hlc.1~ th ..-v Marine Air Gwtlr I} (MAl; ,1 n, rh l'y ,!t.·r"Nh:J on the enemy, al'lJ never w ;l~ ,I were orde red Itl m"l-ili:l' on 1 M.Ul h 1951. l-en.."r cho ice made. \'I/ith the Sky"T;u.!t.·r encl were then l r.tIl~fl· rrt...J It) ~1.mnt.· f:. ''T'' Ihey' wert" H ' enhance their repuranon and, A ll" S l at iu n lra inmg

EI T.,nl r" und" 1l!1I c onvc....ron

on the A D· I.

we re, more

~ 1J~'1 l1l' nl l~",

arrn'pn,ud y,

t1wy rc...ll....ll-:n;lll·J a,

Manru- Arrack Squadron 2. S1 (V ~ IA-.!SI) lx'GIU~

of Ih i" lnas unil.rr numucr I I I V ~ I A·!;I, ~1..rilll· AlI;1l1.: Sq uad n Ifl 121, (VtlIA· 12 1) h l'l..J al NAS Glenview . l1I ino .., 1l1',,1.' r till' comlIl,tn.l .l Iq",'UI.,1 I,tfie"'r LI"'ut"'n;ll11 ~k,I1l ' wh ile, ltl [unc·, till' ....., :1,1....1r..·x·n 'c -quadron was mobilircd. VMA· 121 (f"mwrly V ~ I F­ 111 ) ;11 GIl·nl·I.."\\" Na\";I] A ll Siantln , 1111· nni ~ , Un.I.."1 the ctlmlllan.1 Ill" rq.:ular " Ii l, ,"r C,I,'nd I'. B. f',.b )'. U~ f',. lC. •• '11(,' a'....·ml-l......1 t hi. uni l \\"a~ al" , CI 'nn·r1,,·.l tl' tIll" ~ I.: y ra icl,,· r ilnd a h h " u gh t1wir r"nl' ~' r' [(ln .... mll' 1 ;l 1 ~·I. I h~'Y gil t illio Ih... ;[(li" ll ,,'''11.'1''. TIll'lr nil' l.: · name wa~ th ... 'Wo lf Rai, I.·....' hili ti ll' )' ,,~ln Ix"ca me known a~ Ihe ' I l"';l\"y I bul..' r' in

11lt.k.'t....J. ",I "'-iCcl....~full y, J iJ Ihq ' arrly rhcm-e lvc.... that their name w ,b hi ht.'C~ 'mt.· "1'1c til

rh..· ITl< n :

tlw onlv air strip made (I ( 0'11I:fl't ... in TIl c, a r...a, ,111,1 t hu-, rlu- o n 1r one h .,lil' \'I.'d to 1'1.' c II'a bk' p( bl'arin g till" II.....ight ll{ rlu-hcavtlv l.ulen ~ kr r; l lek' r, a, 1hl.'}· tIl< ,k " If to j< 'in rh... gr im bart lc . ( Later, even g rcat c r Ill;I,ls Wl'fl' car ried hy tlw Manne C orp' AD, w"r king tnuu snip, o l l' il-rn·, I-stl,...-lplankin c clo-cr til till' front line, in n,:,ro n,,' tu till' m'''''els pi cPlllr;!J ...·, o n Ill... grt llllleL)

Sorties an d Loss es 1111.' fiN Marine COfJ'" ~k)T, l i d" r s" n i... was on 27 l\: t\,I'l.'r !CJSI. ;In,1from dWll o n til" in ;Ilm, lSI,', 'll tim l''II' act ic'no Irs r',I... dtr -ct cl,,,,,' S1 11'1,,- ,f( Ill U S Marim' s grolillel fore s, who \\....1\' t"ight11lg a tcrnl-lc war, Ill'a dl r oumuml-crcd and in al'I'a lllng G ,n,ht i,uu, that at t inn-s n':"-'ll lhlcd th e v.utc tnnch w;lff,lfl' of thl' FiN Workl \'1/ af r.ulwr than t he m, -n- 111< ,HI...· fidlling I ,f the' "'oc, '1,, 1ct' ntlici. Lih - fill' pill II S I ']x'ro lling trom t he' cnrncrs , ,tfsh, .n-, rill' ~1afill " ( ::. 'fJ'S ~l';[,l j'll:h'p f~ 'Il 11,1 rhcm-clvc mon- ;1ll,1 mon- tking intcrdlcnon mi....s l.u» aga in,1 stra tcj!lc tarr.:l'r s. tlyrng round till" cloc k in nul - und hrid :':l·-cUl missillll' ;Iga inst till: Iw avy n m ccntrur ionv ,It" C'1I111111I1ist an n;lir(f, I(t j.:lm, 1I1;!t gU;lre!c'd such vital targds, Tl wv wen- "I" , require...1 ttl talJ.:...t cucmv amrnunirion clllm!'s a nd rOod t nuu-port . If was ell'mI , ,,'~,I ,, .. 1, ,,,>: " "

11." .. 1''''1:

I J",,,', k...,..-). h... " n,' .1.". .. ~ ,1.. 1.·.1,,, ",,' I."", lIl....-h , ~' .' 1"....1 .... ",,,,IJ 11.· " tI, h.· ,rnr ... ,Ih W~ 1 1..': 'IIlq' 0', " Io nc wlIh ' Kit A n n C ur.....'. Th ey ...... >n

L'K k',

....,mw ,1 a Colonel May WOl' eruhu-aa-uc ,lh ' " 1 th e ::,kyroliJ,'r, , ran ne III a n mte rvrcw ,11 111,11

It'" "" ~R..II,·nr r1.",~ 1...-,h'·" r ... ,.11 """ ...··H· m " , ......, . 11\ til\' . " " li m,' , h.ll ,1,,- S .,n · .mJ II,,' 1I.·, Thcv rhcu Ih,\\, h om Rcntn-w airticlcl to IlM S :\.'11h,m'/';' fill' RN A S C U U f' ''~' in C oruwal], II" Ill' f~' tlll'y jo itll' d till' ..s ( a l- l i~h tl1 1' tlI , ,( N'l, i7~ Sqllad n'n, FI.·I·1 A ir Arm, till' Rlly.11 Navv's f i N AE\V squadron. TIll' Skvrakl"f Ix'cal m ' uruquc m rb.u il \\".1' h. be the L." r. ~,, 'n -e lll:i n,...1 ,ureroll, ("I!ll'r than hdicor'I'J") I" ....-rvc III c111' R,"'al N.I\"\'. AI 2S.l\'(Ilh. ,hI' ::-:kymd" f \\':\, .11.......nu 'Ilg till' Iw,IH,"'1 I\"I'C' ,f ;llrcr,III"\"r "1":T,tl,-J t-y the 1S.l\"\", and had " Ill' 01 till' Cll',lll"" ranee- ,.1 RTlu,h C•• mer .urcratt. F''11rln'n m,'r.' "'r.m,I-1l1'W ~k\-T;Il, ll'J" (..:/n 7%1,,, 7tJ74.l\IlN,,,,, 12N46-- 127~StJ). which hr-r tlcw h:lwl'l.'n (\:r"l~ f ItJS2 ,Ilkl Fl·I'n ufY ItJi1. were ,u~"'III"llI ly mm... tern...1 (127946 ;1Il,1 121949 \"1;1 0. .. ' 11 -t

P" IIl{ NA~) I" Norl~,l k NAS, whe-re Ihe\\1,'Tl' I: I\l'l1 1111.' 11'11;11 r Tt uccnvc ":'~ l l m)..... ,m,1 ~hi l'n1l.'nf tot hc UK. Thcv W, 'Tt: ~ll b"""'lll" n tly l'mhark,...1 in two bntche-, ,'11

1'1'''11,11''',11; ' f

26 J;J1lJ l;lry and 1, March 19S1, , lh~ n, l t l ll' Roy;d NOI\'Y ~q lll· nt ly cancelled ). while wr 761 was rf'I .,11 ,1.,· ,",.,nc '~I"lp"""nr ."..1", "' ,,1,1.1 . r."nml(n ·1 ii1 ~, ...I,,'" ""1(.", Ih"'1: u, .... 1l\1(',." C"I· ,I" ....· 1-.;1, ".. ,Il.-"00.1.,, I'IS1.,....1. '" ,."1,, 1-.l'i1, ...." Ir."nr,,~ n.:" cr.....' I,,, ,I.,. ,1''''1. In F..,,",. .'1\, I ",..l .m ""H.'" h' Fo. rn"'''....!:h "Of It.." , ,, ..,,,,H,,h .I,.. l ·I.".. tlll~ r~ " "Tl..-r,·r- h" 11.....rr,""'" "'If'" .m.l '".>1"1"-'11, .,nJ II..·" .,'" ~ ..,I tI,,· '.''"'-'1 H ~ts E.J,J.: I,,, I"" J..-.:l-I.",.jI11\: H,.,I, Tbcv .....,.. "II n,,,,, I. l,,"mn~ t:'onlln -J Ih.... Il--l...." tju- h... ,,~ n.. 'lllh., ,.1 1-.1 ';1, ,1""111: ..I... h r II.... ,. ,," • n -, .. I>. ....'('ft:" ' " ,,,"'J"",.... ,be '" ' ' :'\t;\1(' ,It , ""ho..Jul,.J '" ..mNrl In 1."I' '" ' ''''I' ""n,.J. ,,·1.11.· th.· ·n"" ,........1\......"",,,1 ",,,,,·w· m.", ,1.;.,11 ",rh f1 1T.'llltn\: ,>I I ll.- ·h"l- ...·.II· ''f'' 1 .~- ,,",. I", ..a.;h ''f't"r..' 1.",:r..h ~.,n,,'1 "m t, lU' 11'1:1." ...,,1. '""r .,.....'" (Ii"" r'~"'. l'lU l , ........"'~,, anJ '''''' ."........·t""'. r1w .m ..,t d ....It"',,1 ,,1I.n·,.. ,n..I a" •.,,1:'''' .mJ

""""""111: m.tlll,..l1dtK..- " .......,,).

All

t

I"I,,"

.. e'" nl"",,,·,,,,<J .,OJ ..~II c;On....,~I,f...J. anJ Ihe: '--.""•. 'rrl".J '" ,iI..- r~. ,,->C'. , men_ ibn.,IfJlper-li me InIfll, !lore h;l'l..~, E\"Cn "', Ih i\ J i,1 no, prevent a sen' ....1\ ..h, ,n,lgl' {It arrc ra tt • .Iuc to lack of 'f'd~ cnumc...; Ihi \ lmallr ll'Sult,.J 11\ 'A' ;)nJ 'B' Ri l.:h b h.'IIll.: Il.,JUCl..J had III f"ur i1l1lTdh

each. ,tIl.1 'E' AiI:hl h.-comlOl.: 'l)' AIJ.:lu.

••

.lO..Bs from VA·11S1M VA-65 - crew _mbers with AD·5W, tolled 4S. RoltndW Biker .... M. "",

B_.

Ift:6 .-ll".olL.;...._ " 'JE

(Abow} BuNo 134520 "IVing with VA-1SS on the

dKk perk 01 the urn... USS Intrepid. October 1966. JIIII SuINt " ... Wd Ohtnch erlll Nick WiIie ....

Doug'e, AO-6 Skyrlid.r, BuNo139169, at VA·l16, wingslollied. ,bolrd its urne,. Arthur P..,ey A't hivI , by cOIInesy o! Audrey Pet rey

..•1'.11.

. ,..."". d

Ase ri.. of .clion photogr.p hs 01 AD-4Bs Irom VA· 115 . nd VA--65 operllling fromtne USS Phil,ppine Sea ICV-4n 011 Je or.., 1951. Belore sa iling lrom51. Diego, Calilomi. on 5 Jul y 1950. she h.d emh rlted VA·115.. p.rt 01her Air Group II ICVG·IIJ.B8twHtI 26 Mlrch . nd 2 April 1951, lJhe disemhrked CVG·H illJ .p. n .nd . mh.... d in tneir pl.c, ttlr.. F4U-4B Corsair squ. drons." well .. the VA -i5 S1lyraidln Irom CVG·2. Ill: USSV.lley Forge. Rol.ncl W B. .... viI M. rtJn 8_

n

•

(Topl GoodSb I1lNrd broadside ..jew 0" US NftJ Skyr. id... " - V...·U i of the USS Intrepod ICY-IlL nose-cod'" 404. Arthur Pearty Are~. by tOVltnYIJ Aud•.., P U

t ty

{AoovsJ US Nuy Doogt" AD ol Sk'tf. id... IBuNo 139li651of VA-Itt. Arthur Pu rey Arctwve. by courwy 0' Aud'I'Y P" " V

US N. vy Doull'" Skyr.id.r in dl ep blll. 'inisll, non -tod " 515. Arthur Pn rey Arclwl. by counnyllf AlId4_ """'" P.~ A" h..... by COIl"".,01 Audrey P..rc.,

Th e Four Flights A part fro m l ak in l:: part in rhc normal pcacctutu- c xcrci-es ml,1 tr ;linrn l::, the ~krr. l i,ll' f'o l::;linl,J lillll h....1 ' IJ"I'-war anJ

comhat cxj-cneoce. In November 1956, 'A' Fhclu . -nll o(X'r.umc trom t he EagIt, r lt l\"idl.J Earlr Wa m ml::Il.r the 11l't:1Juri f12 0 r't:r.llh.n Mu-kcrcer, rh c Sue: Operanon TIll" "rt:ralll'n W;I' rn l( l~...lmc -.;ul,fauunIy untt] pohucal d.:cblon, ;lhortl.J i, h.-im it ;l( h ic vcd fin; l! -ucc ......' ( in muc h the same W;l ~· ;lS De -crt Storm would h.: tcnnmated I~ , rt r r,',11"!> la ter) . TIll" ,11':.ir al",) -c rvcd 10 coufmu both t he n- r', ll ilit y- of the Skvrnnh-r, a n,1 it , f't 'I' ular ily. Captain D.H. Frazer, RN , recalled rh.u . 'in ,1,IJ llion to t ill' radar equipment in Illl' A I)· 4W, ii one ••I.....-rver wa, left ('UI it wa, f"l'., iHe In slad 1.t\.X! can, of ~er in the cabin. This \l~ JO Ill' Ju n nc the Sue: Of'l-'T;lllllll III 1956 when rhc Hoo p" ;!-,h"fl' Wl"fl' t lll"!y!' ()Ulll'~ in Novembe r ! l,)'j4 mc luded a Jcl,u.:hllll'nI uf IW" :lIfer. .it '" Gil:oralur,

when- rbcv undertook mal- ,,' a new raJ..r rdll'(lOr huuy. Furt he r "l';I -crvicc '11:>o.uJ borh rhc Illodl'm i:ed EtJRk ,mil rhc small...r BlIl''''lrk t;,lIom•.J, '~ ' r ,I ,h"rl mrcrval, hd' ln ' ,. rerum 1" Clll-Ir,,"l' in reduced 'trl'IlJ,:l h, .uu] a fina l tr.m-tcr til rill' Faire'i Cia nlll'l III h-brua ry 1960 . ' IV H uihr ' l'Cnt till' tu-t t'in- m. mths lIf ib «1I'Tr ,h, 'rc,!'>a'l·J ut Ih l E. r RNAS, 1I.talra. w. ,rk IIlC wnh Iht' Med ttcrr.mc.m R l~1 , anJ wa-, tlwn rdll·n.J !'>y' 'C f-l1cht. ln january IQ').J, II ,"ml,,1 'A' 111cIJI ;.h~ uJ rhe ~ h.'I,'n' "':IIlC JIJ,;mJ...J :mJ re-formed ~ith 'C Flruht. The nt'w '1\' f-1lcht wa, aeam ~1'l'l.1 ,I,ht'rl' ,II ~Ltlt:l ;1I111 '1J""'-'4uen11r "l'I"\"l'l.l ,Ih \11,1 Ark R'':'I,J ,1Il..1th ...n \ 'a.:lonlllS h.·I~ 'n' tl'lI1nllnc IU Culdn .....· ;IIlJ rc....'\jurrr lll C wllh till' E. irq (j,mlll'l III 1960,

-

- .-;'~-

.-

=-- ~~

98

-

A Skyr. ider AEW,1. WV 117 a c Flight No. 1M9 Sqll.dron. ' . nding Ilbo.rd the .irtr. h u lTilf HMS AlbiOn. 1955. Arthur P..rcy Afclwt, bJ COUI1Ny aI AlI6rty hare.,

Sk,raider Men - Admiral Sir J ohn Treacher. KeD T.. ~ 0 1 No 849lAEWjSquadrontrorn 7 Jutv 1952 unt 120 JuIv 1!1flJ. John Treachef had a long and llngul5h8d ta!lIllf In tile Raval NaV'( Hi! was born in 0110 lIfI 23 September 1924. were his lijlher. Algen· "'t-bMl FtriCharlesJreecter, was thenworking , The '0 ..IctII retllflVld home afIl was edecated at St SctQll He 8Il1ered the Royal Navv in tile summer '.,.1 before tlSlIlljtteenth blrthdiIv M er IrachbMat HMS Frrbsher. h id. saw tonsldefable

Sea Haw*;s and Frerd1 Alll8 ASoN aircraft He was pr~ motedto lullIaptamon30 .II.nll962 HIS nexl appOIntment was as Naval sssetemrc the Thud Sea tDl'd and Conlrollor 01 theNavy, homCIcIobot' 1962 to December 1964, belOfe going bilclr. to sea as Commanding Officer 01thoIlJ9ale HMSLlMftSloft. tak· Iflg command of the vessel III December 1!164 If'I May 1!I66, he was 8PIJOIf1fed aI/ector, NoMJIIW WartiR. IloIcIing !hIS IlTIpOI1aflt post lor two ~ at a emal lme for the Navy Mewl sea tme lotlowed, ....,. IWI became the ComrnancIIno Ottoctll' 01 the earner HMS

at.,

VlUI!I offoctll', both aboard the battlelidS "*"- 1ft! the IIjlt CJ\Ilser HMS GlasgoW, ... IlIhe Medltananean and horne waters: ., sI"P lor 'lIlI'lI'Ie. earned out borntIafOOo8nls of the US Army at Omaha Beach dUflng the N; \¥ldy landtngs In 1944 He also served aboard sh,ps the old destrClyllI Keppel on RUSSia ten1d then aboard tho new sIoojJ MefmiJld, TteKI hid 'IIIUlteered foI aifaew durirlil the W03/'. IIll SIIIlIor training lJ'ltlll946 In 1947. he qJat· a IlMI PIlot and. iMllie setVIl'lg WIth IIXl

1M SeaM! "7m the c¥uer HMS TnI*t Illhe Korean W. OJIIIIfi1l1ons On return III tllIlWIFl8d 10 jets afIl bame serJio' ptIol ~ IlJIIdron. No, 703. llefDfl flying the basIC ,y,th!he US NNr In 1951. he was apptNnled 1lnII Otfar 01 No, 778 Squadron, wtlich was toI."," aews IOf tho lIBel. Ht s aceeuumeute rIrCI oommand tile Royal Navy's only trent-line SQuadron lallowed In Jut'!1952 aetw attended the Naval Stat! course in 1!bl and . . . lit !tie Naval Stall II WashingtOO, OC. ~ as the Executrve Otticer til HMS n.SouIftA!larltlCR Fill ~1sIand Guard 20 ~ 1~. ben;I prorroted to Com'1 DIc:8!Olf 1956 Me ~ on the stall ol f!yQ;j TrBnf"O at HMS Heron. the Royal 1111 Yl!OVllton, t«:m JuIv 1957 10 May

1959. before bIlcomlrtll Commander (ArrJaboard file cener I1MS Vicrof/lllls Irom Ma~ 1959 to October 1961 Silo had lust spentlllo:lOV vears beIng almost completely rebJilt and hadrecommissioned InJanuary 1958, WIth a hJlI·aogled deck IlIId statlHll·the-art radar ¥d llQUIp. ment She was able to operate the I8lest naval aircraft, benJ the IIflf to tan'V Ihe new ~ SCJm,tat Treads IfllrOdut:edcamer il'Aa11Cfl1o the IrOan Nav-, ashead 01 the teem that v.oted"" their 1lf'St camerothe INS V"lkrantttormertv HMS HeIwIesI WIth Blllish Hao.o.ter

Thr ll l~h l wa~ rl'nowl1l·d for Ib r rtlllli nml ln,tleo 110 was ijppolnted Flag OHlCer. Naval Air Command, This was toIlowed. on Octo 1973, l'f ilflpOtfltment as VICe OJIl!! 01 Naval StaH, On I December 1973, hewas promoled 10 VlC8 MrwaI. nl '" Ille Q1lll year was elected a FeIbN d ille fbvaI AertnIutal SlXIetv lie 'MIS ~ a lull Mr.a!Q1 150Iurnbef 1975. nl awardlld h KCB II It'e 8Irthdirv tbun list ollt'e same ~ Mnnl Treacher ccrnpIeted a ITlOiI successtul naval career 'Nlth his last appointment, as Convnantler'1I1Chlel F1eellall $hips 'Mlfld-wlde, mcludlfl\l S1b nannes andFAAatraaltl With thiscamehis NATO appointmerll as ACCHAN lWlth SACEUR ard SAClANT, one 011110 three IMJDI' NATO Commands), until he leuthe Navy on 30Marth. 1971. aged lilry·!WO Al1er leavirlil the Naoiv, Sir Jom jooned National Car

Pam. sermg as DlIllClorlol1tJlI9B5 lie IO'fWld the board 01 Westlan:t n 1978,1fld was Oepury ChaIrman be'-' lBi and 1!119 lie also ...-I as.... at the I'IQnilI'e$S II8TIbln of the Press ~ betMen 1978 afIll981 afIlas a dftctor at SBAC betMIen 19B3af1l1989 Cinently, SI( Jctn li¥es Ifl Bayswa,... london. afIl 8llJOVS travel. shoollng and phHograJt1y

TIll' ' lo ry "I 'C ' Flidu Llrl.:d ~' mirr,

embarked aboard the AlbulII, the !light cnu-cd hi the Far E.N ,mJ conducted excre t-es In rhe Indian Ocean, After interval- ;11 C uldrosc. IW,' com mis'lon, aboard rhc Bulu'(IT,k '~ l llow,-.J in 19 57 <mJ 1958. 'D' Fhehr , co m mand....1 hy LieutenantComm.mdcr r.G.w. Mprri" RN, at I hi~ pt.'ri o..! h.n] five c re ws, each n llllr risinl: a pi llIt and t\WI observers. T hcrr hack-up was a m.unu-n.mcc crew n( 17 ra ti n j!s; their duric \\W,' cquallv divided l-crwccn A&E and L&R, with (our " tt k,'(S' ste \~..a rds three ,urn afl handlcrv, " Ill' cook and one "dil"ly equipment rallnt:_ There were 00 rccbmc.rl tlffic,' rs, and tlu, work rested wuh the -c-ruor ra nrur- of the Ilij!hl _

Duties and Roles TIll' AEW-I , were e"I'I:·' ·h.,.1

(II

supple-

OJ,'m rhcrr pnm.trv (ull ct illll o( ~u :l tJ i ng ;I).:a ill' t luw -'lyi llj! attac kuur or , h:lduwing ;Iircrall hy ,' Itlll' r Tl'!"lrtillJ.: such contacts Iu till' ea rne r, or l'-y \"l'U UrillJ.: their own ;Iirl.... -rtu- fiJ,:hl" rs It I de al with tilt' threat. In servic e , however. th e)' \\ W ,' aive n the ,'''":1 rille, of A EW, ," ih , drr ecnon, surface -carch. mail dclrvcrv, aml'-uLlIlce• .mJ ......'n. In fac t, 'I) ' RighI renamed Itself the '\Vd l, El rgu ilnJ Anvpl.rcc Airline', anJ rr- comma nJ iIlj! nffin.'r 1ll',I ' m-pired to

WT 959 of 'C' Flight reVYing up I nd unfolding ihi wings prior to lah -off IfOlll l'he deck oltne l irerl ll elrr;er HMS AllMon, 1956. Arthur Pe.,cy Arc",". by Clltlltny 01 Auclr..Pet'cy

_Commal'Klin9 Off~tB 01No. 849 Squldron

CO from

CO f,~

CO ,,~

CO ,,~

CO ,,~

HQ

A

B

C

D

uce J 0

Ireacher 01 J(J15~ It-Cdr M J Baling :lO Jul53 It·Cdr C8 Armsuong

It W Holdnge

It AW SatleV feb 53 Lt-Idr GP Ssbm 01 Jan 54 It·Cdr R M Shave

It HG1 lIewellVn 01 Jun 53 It·Cdr 0 W Winterton 19Dc t53 It·Cdr H GL N.lsh

It-Cd r 01 Andrews

U,Cdr N Ovenden

Ja n 53 ltMWPBens D6 Jan 54 It-Cdr GP Sabin

OJ Sep 53 lI·Cdr N, Dvenden 15Dct54 It-edl A Ba,ll,e

01 Oec 53

18 Dec 54 It--edr 0 G FraIef

~Jul54

~Jul55

ltCdr CB Armstrong 31 Aug 54

It-Cdr RC Ashwrtth 01 May 55 It·Cllr RGG H!tJbard

lSJan 54 It·Cdr RM Shave 16»1 54

01 Mav56 It-Cdr F &<JTnlow

CO

1J Mav51 It-Cllr AGBPhIllip

f,~

09",,,

~O

It·Cllr G legg

.... . "

.... . ..

0".......

"om

05 Sep 56 ll·CU r 8J Williams

lI·Clt J W WICkham 01 Apr 51 U-Cdf 8 H Stod 23Jul58 [1·Cdr C R Mellor

h~

to Sep 56 ll -Cdr C R MeliOf

11 Aug 59 ll -Cdr 0 tew

29 feb 60

CO

17 Apt- 58 1I I( WC F\eadmgs

f,~

17Aug~

CO CO

CO f,~

It·Cdr A0 Iioopef It·Cd! RHS

Merl1>l~S

100

...... "

..... "

It·Cdr OA Fuller

It'CdrWl Shel:M"d 6 ..kn! 9156 l l-ta PGW Moms 07 Oct 51 It -Cdf TG_ Butler

""""

'""""

It-tdr 0 T ArUews

It-Cdr NG1 TaylOf 05Apr 51 It-Cdl PA WoolhllQs 18Aug59

E

':K,,,,..I ...1,""':110' III Jutflt: " ...."{'I.- h ,nl ..J lurn, ,,, m,mml:l"

I ......... -

rtb: 10"¥ abo a "'-...... y"... c "" a mar ..-II""'" h,;,.,flt:

,h.· '1>",lIh"f"

'"'l"'I'"''''''

wh h w' M,ld

haw :I1~ .....~I I" w· I,· .,.· 1 101l.·d !,rodlJdi"n iLllJ ;1

n-ncwalof tlu- curlu-r h 'l1l!' 1111 rh... line at El

the U N ; an :or,llIld Y,

Sl'J.:lIn dd a~ [)llll J.:b., h "I"' ln,ll'd ro rhis new

Amcncan :lIrlralt G l r r il' p; in till' vic uurv were . . 11..ru m
Co nve rsion Kits The r r,wen valul' 01 Ih i ~ airer"lft was IurIher increaSt.-. J hy tilt.' sur r h' " f var i,)us 'h)lr·o n· conversion I n , . which l'nahleJ Ihe l;lr~c fw,c1alo:c arca hol.lw Ihe much bij!J..'C r can, 'py to Ix- 4l1idl~ ' aJarlt..J (or a var iel Y01 r"le' , as follow~ :

I. Phllltl reconnkeJ inlo lhis and fl'p",nt'J lhal ~ue h a n mvcT'> i' lIl was nOI rract icahlc a'i srt'cifit.J. TIlt' )' .IiJ w me ur wIth a ...."OTking ahl'm,ui\"C in the carryin j! ul a -.clf-collrallll."t1 eXIt"mal fuellinj! tank. Inc 'huJJy' SInT"C'. III conjunct ion with a traillllJ: ~l ho.'>4.· anJ no::I",. This WflCt"rl h."CaTTlt.' pmt and parcel uf Ihl.· AD-5's V,lsl rl'I"l(:nui~.

More Permanent Variants Thl' inrl.'TIlal kits sufficed f' lT till' numCWU:i anci llaf)' tasks Ihal came Ihl' SkyraiJcr's W,IV in Ihc 19 SOS hut, as hof"rc, thc hasic

l'l 'RTII I,R

I)lV IIt SI I 'IC A1 1 0 ~

I B7 S7- 1H 776, I Fil l 'J-1 3i 221 I Ni 56--- 1N 60'; ).

,1Il,1

AIHQ I \ M '~"I' ,,,,,k Olll' AD·iN (RUSl l 13i Qi4 l all,l m.llMI.....lu a, a I~M tr-""'·t h.·, ",fl.",· ' yr",", ..... ;' h l" , r "m.. r,lIr h.·LIlC fd allll'd l~, r I, or...... Ii.,,· · ~'l ·'A:' .m." l "'r.,I-,I", ,",,,hln :1,IJ it i"nal iuel J ror tan b. .'" ..lo:l...·h rn n h J,."f'I" n-J .•h .. rJ C\·~.. h. I\' 1Il1! Tht: n" rma l arran Cl·m.... nt w;" lor ,I Ih..· ~Il ·~ """" 1"'" c ~ra""I ,,\'. Jl·l,u.: h nll·nt 0 ' (. lur 'I..: h .Ufl r;.!1 I" h... ".., icnl-J r' l ....;lCh ~;l rr ll· r. A 1.' 1.11 "f l l~ .,1' O n t he "'-lu.l
Aooard tro»

Detachment

camer

36

USS Randolph

4 Jun1957- 4 Jan

J7

ICVA·151 USS Roosevelt

13 JlIo-6 MarI 95B

43

ICVA· 421 USS Saratoga

Aboard 110m

Each of the-e dcrac huu-nts c(lllsist~d of se ven (llficns, )0 cnloted nu-n an d [our AJ)- 5 ~. From 10 Oct ober, dct nchmeru 5 1 parlicipan."!ll1 the nnu-sul-mann.., r h,ls,,' pf two 1l1"H' NATO exerc ises, 'I b)'~lri h" 'H1.! 'Red EJ't'ch ', in c('n junclion wilh tilt' Six th Fket. O n S N' lwllllx'r, [he "-luadn ln Tl'ct'in'd Il F2H ,tircr,lft , and hegan rraining te , l1n~ on this lll,lC h irw in adJirion to if'; n,lTinal AI ) « (11l1Illi I IlWllt ~ , Sim ib r ,!t'ployments 1~ , ll o wl'J in till' fif"t quarter of 1958, although till' AD-5 u n i l~ had hl'l'n redtlCl'd 10 ni rll' 'lircnd·" wil h Ih l' fllll.l\'..in ~ dl'tad m lt'nts:

38

Pac k. USN , o n 12 July, It was l-ased ut NAS Atla nti c C i [~', NJ, il ~ part ,If th e A tlantic Fleet, anJ ih atrc raft su cnath consisted uf 42 AD - SN~, al"ng with tWII T F· IQ.." all A2F2 and nn SNB-S. T here were se v..-ral ac ti ve detachment s aboard cur rie rs at sea, as follows:

42 33

ICVA-501 USS Fonestal ICVA-591 USS Intlepld lCVA -l11

1958

Returned

22Oc11957 Re[umed

210C11957 Betumed

21 Del 1957

The-e de-tac hments [,I" k part in NATO Exerc ises 'Smkcbac k' and 'Pipcdown'. 1\.,tac lun ..-m l1 was uru ]..-r Licutcunru -Commandcr S, Takts as Otfio-r. m-C omm.md. with five " iluts, 41 mvrr and (UIIT A D-SN aircraft; dcmchmenr 41 had Lieutcnnm H ,T. Gower as O fficer-in-Command, with t'iglu r ilols, O lll' air im dligeTlct' "trin'r, 5 1 llll'n an d seH' n A D-5N ain·mft : d..·tac h· l1lelll 4) was und..'r C0I1I111;1I1,lt'r C.G. Th k,man n , with eight pil,lls, '11ll' ,Iir itllelligellce ,,fficc r, SO lllen an, 1Sl'\'l'n A[)-SN aircraft. All tlll'Sl' 111,' AD-5Q, i nn,'a~,'d [onine AD-5Qaircraft hy till' ~nd " I March , wh ile de[achllll'1lI -tS was dep luy.....l [0 till' US S Es_~"x (C VA -9) on ) J;lIlu,lry and ,letachnll'1U 4 3 [ 0 rht' US S StlT£lW,l;d (CVA -60) on '" Jam I;H)'. By April , thl' Slltla,lrun h 'l.! )7 A D-iNs an'! 11 A DSt...}.; I,n irs ~ [ re ng [ h , alld , Il'tach nll'lll ~ 31, 16 and 42 h;ld de ploY"',1[" till' carri..' r~ Imr"tlid, RtlluIo/111J Olnd FrnTcswl O[Kl' mOTl" un 20 ~by, 18 JUlll' ;md 2 \ A pril. rl's['t't.:tiwly. n l is was flll'ir p,lllenl ; fl,r full dl,t ;ti l ~ ,,f their ~ ll h~'q ' ll' n l ,k "h'ylllt'n1S, see A I'I"lCn, llx [II, By C' l lll~ l' 11f r, l\ i llg lilt' all-weal IICT ,Itlac k firl'p" w..' r in llne \Init, t'xp..' n isl' t:llul.l lx' hllil t up in thi.' sreciali~t ;lfl'a, and [raining of nl'W ai rcre\\' COIII.l I'll' ,lS~ imi la lClI, with .' ea eXl'l'rit' llCl' gainl' d hy till' per iod ic dl' lachmen ts h"m Ihe Sllua,lrun h i the att' IC).; ca rrier s ,>f till' fl..' et. Nllclt'ilr un,!, tIl euher l-;11I, tr,lel'r ,'r ;m n'lm- I'lac inl.: :unmtmnioll . aM with a r.llt.· 01 lin' "I C"llhel J,lXX' ur 6.(\X''l'm; an,! ~UU· 1 4 A dlJ.'I ~1 hlffil-,!l'ren,..: ", wll h ' IX 11Ih." hanJrJ In all iIlH'nt....1 !t1.lncul,n r donIROllnlN unit . Tht.""": flrt.' ,1""rll lw nt, "I CBU, Incl..... k:J Gr.m,:l. A, .....ell .l' f\LU· ! ( un 'l. l blll ~"'ll) ,II\,! \'l.U·2j ('tahill:.....!) lire hum'" 1'..... 1, C' l!lIAlnlllj! naralm anJ " Ih...r 11,1111111,11,[" !i 'l wJ~. ,lnlllh~r ~~J't-"tIl)' in Vi"1 n;Ull W;I' Ilw BLU·76/B fu~1 air ~xrl'''ln' hlln" (FAE). TI ll S cam'lcr o f l(li n dia l1ldt.·r. n >111 ,lillln,e a high l ~' co mhu,tihl,' Ilqtlld. \\';]' Iltl t.'d ;Ift

with fill, and Tlin' 41in in ,!i;lt1 w t" r, I~ ,r ,t,lh ilit y in dt.·" :"Ill . ;1' wdl ,I.' with;l ra ra, h lll" I I' ,I, 'w it, f;lle , ,f , k"" Ill. It ' l.:i\"t.· 11ll.' Il,w-Ie\"...1 ,1,·h n· l"\· ;llt,· u ll t iml.' I,' Cd c k'a r. AI t h..· h'rw ,u.l t.· n.l. lht.' 'lIllI, lina 1.1IlL 11";1' 1111t..J wll h ,I 1.>IIl.:. 1.1J't-'tlllC,,'nt.'. \I ith ,lIll.' l"(I.lbk' nll~' II I Ir" llI . t.:I\"ln!.!.1Il ""'ef,III k'nt.:lh " I Iflilll 14.24 11\ 1. \\'u h I1ll.' \"a r· IOU' fill tnt.:' (II" hi,... l>. ,m m nc I .m~ .Ir,k ,m,1,ur maximlllll impau . T hl.' dll'CI' w,' rl.' d,·\'a'toit inl.:.I'"rr iul brly al.:7, [ 3522 3I'IS-ll'6, I H -I92- 1376H and 139606139821). T b cv saw wi-Ie' prea,1 from -hn c an. 1cllm hal " lI t ~· with l-orh the US Na vy ;1Il.1 the US Marine CI1 r rS, and late r, wlu-n till' i"hs ah ruptly stop ped. wit h th e VNA F an .1 the USA F. Umquclv for the 'Ahll'-D"g', no sub .va na n rs of rlu-, mar k were l-utlt .

IJln.II.S IFIC ,\T10N

An AD -6 of VA·14S in lIighl over Ihe Philippines while operati ng from Ihe ca rrier USS Hornet lCVA·112) during the WesPac crui se. February 1951. National ArchIVes. College Palk. MD

An AD -6t llnker belonging 10 the US Navy's VA-104, fuelling a Chance ·Vought F-8U·l Crusader during exer cis es over the USA. 26 November 1951. NatIOnal Archlvas, Collega Palk, MD

AD-7

clclSt~ SUr l'( It! WI Irk, am] a 1" IICIll i:ll nuc lear capa ci ty. T hl' main d ilfcn:n cc was its

The

adop tton of ,h l' Wriglll R-3 1S9 -26 -W B cng uw . which required strengthened engine mounts. T his en gine gave rhc A D7 a max imum speed 'If H ,mph ( S52klll/h ) at a lll' ight uf 20,OOOf, (6,09 5m ), wit h a reduced service n'i1 ing , down to 25,-100(t

fina l mark uf th e remarkabl e to he huilt hy Dutl j.!las ur EI Sl'gun,1o was rill' A D-7. O utwa rdly, it was ulruost ideu t ical to th e A D-6, ."h:lrin l-: the same span, len gth, lll' ight und wing area. hcuvv armour r rot l'L1i" n fur low-le vel Sk ~"Ta idl'T

108

(7,740 m). Range was alsll s l ight l ~' re...luced, I, ~OO miles (2,OlJOk m) , alt h, ,ugh rate o( d imh improved. from 2.850fl pe r minute (869m per minute ) 10 3,nO(1 per minute (985m per minut e) . Furt her undercarriage ~[ rt' ngt he n i n~ " '