OT: For the fans of the Sandy...

[awp101]

I know there's a few vets here that have mentioned their love or appreciation of the Douglas A1 Skyraider (aka Sandy aka SPAD) when I've posted some VN era aviation pics.

I love those stories as much as I love old aircraft so guys, this one's for y'all:

Douglas_ A-1H_Skyraider_Yaa1h_1b.jpg

January 23, 2011 - Douglas A-1H Skyraider •
The Skyraider became a piston-powered, propeller-driven anachronism in the jet age, and was nicknamed "Spad", after a French World War 1 fighter. The Skyraider had a remarkably long and successful career and inspired a straight-winged, slow-flying, jet-powered successor, the A-10 Thunderbolt II ("Warthog").
http://www.planeaday.com/

[jeepnik]

Low and slow, but carried a ton of weapons. And those guys could put it exactly where it was needed.

[jnyork]

A real man's airplane there.

[BigSky56]

AWP, you have to see those birds in action to appreciate them Ive seen them cause charlie to cut and run, for troop support there is no better bird they can be shot to doll rags and come home that cant be said for a A37 in their own right a fine bomber but they were light for guns with only a minigun in the nose fine for troops but lacking against armor and nowhere as tough, its a sight to see a sandy wing over and roll in with his 20mm's talking. danny

[homefront]

Now THAT'S an airplane!

I have the good fortune to serve one weekend a year at this WW2 show, in Reading Pa:http://www.maam.org/maamwwii.html

I hope that some year we get one of those planes to attend!

[C. Cash]

Homefront! It's great to see your post my friend. That looks like a great show, I would like to try and make it to that. You should post your painting.....haha. Posted this before so sorry to bore you fellers. My Dad in front of a Skyraider, Danang, RVN 1972-3.

[homefront]

Hi Chris; yeah, slowly coming back to life.

I think "my" painting's been posted before!

Did your dad fly or keep the boys in the air?

[C. Cash]

Hi Chris; yeah, slowly coming back to life.

I think "my" painting's been posted before!

Did your dad fly or keep the boys in the air?

Haha....good to hear! Now for a little sun/warmth and we're in business.
He was a J-79 mechanic but got his start on piston engines in the early 50's, so he might have worked on the A-1's. I'll have to ask him. He started flying privately while in the Air Force in the 60's and has flown commercially since he retired from the AF in 1973. He'll be 77 this year and is anxiously awaiting to fly the fire season again this year with the US Forest service.

[C. Cash]

Edit: sorry, double post.

[damienph]

An AF Skyraider pilot spoke to our Boy Scout troop in 1968 at Rhein Main AB in Frankfurt, Germany. He was Major Bernie Fisher who was awarded the MOH for rescuing a fellow Skyraider pilot that was shot down and about to be captured. I still remember how fascinating it was to listen to him talk. He is the only MOH recipient that I have knowingly met, and his medal is still the only one that I have seen in real life.

[C. Cash]

An AF Skyraider pilot spoke to our Boy Scout troop in 1968 at Rhein Main AB in Frankfurt, Germany. He was Major Bernie Fisher who was awarded the MOH for rescuing a fellow Skyraider pilot that was shot down and about to be captured. I still remember how fascinating it was to listen to him talk. He is the only MOH recipient that I have knowingly met, and his medal is still the only one that I have seen in real life.

Cool.....
http://www.skyraider.org/skyassn/fisher/fishermoh.htm

[Warhawk]

A long time ago I was stationed at Eglin AFB. We had a change of command ceremony for a new Wing Commander and I will never forget when it was announced that he had flown 135 missions in the Skyraider as an Air Commando during the Vietnam war.