Douglas A-1 Skyraider

Boasting a remarkably long and successful career, the Douglas Skyraider is an American single-seat attack aircraft that was in service between the late 1940s and early 1980s. Renowned for its low-speed manoeuvrability and its talent for carrying a large amount of ordinance over an extensive combat distance the Skyraider saw extensive use in the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, with some service also in the British Royal Navy and French Air Force, amongst others. The Skyraider was designed by Ed Heinemann of the Douglas Aircraft Company towards the end of the Second World War to meet US demands for a carrier-based, single-seat, long-range and high-performance dive-torpedo bomber . Whilst its design and production did not allow for use during the Second World War, the Skyraider became the backbone of US efforts in the Korean War (1950-1953) and in the Vietnam War (1955-1975). By the end of the Douglas Skyraider’s production life, seven versions had been manufactured,