Naked Fanny

Air Classics, May 2004 by O'Leary, Michael

DOCTOR MICHAEL SCHLOSS' DOUGLAS SKYRAIDER HONORS THE HEROES OF THE VIETNAM WAR

Under a cloudy sky and over a lush green landscape, two drab gray Cessna O-2 FACs (Forward Air Controllers) circled an object on the ground. Coming in from the west was the distinctive roar of a Wright R-3.350 soon followed by the menacing shape of an aircraft - a camouflaged Douglas Skyraider carrying an intimidating array of underwing weapons.

Entering a steep dive, the Skyraider picked out the ground target identified by the FACs. In a moment, the ground erupted in explosions and smoke while the Skyraider pulled up in a steep climb - condensation trails streaming from the wing tips and propeller in the humid air.

While it seemed to be a scene out of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, it wasn't. Doctor Michael Schloss was demonstrating, in company with the O-2s, what the SEA air war was like to spectators at the 2003 Thunder Over Michigan airshow at Willow Run. "We have found that many of our attendees really enjoy seeing the aircraft of the Vietnam War," stated airshow director Michael Luther. "They are fascinated to see how the FACs operated in conjunction with attack aircraft like the Skyraider."

The camouflaged Skyraider is owned and operated by the New York City-based Schloss who, besides being a confirmed Warbird fanatic, is also president of the EAA's Warbirds of America. "Over the past few years, I have seen how many of our Vietnam veterans have reacted to the Skyraider at airshows so I decided to add the underwing armament and start doing a SEA-style show," said Schloss.

The doctor's Skyraider started out life at the Douglas factory as BuNo 126959, a three-seat AD-4N night attack version of the famous Ed Heinemann design (see sidebar). However, it wasn't long before the aircraft was pulled for conversion to AD4NA status. All the night attack gear was pulled from the airframe to enable the Skyraider to carry a greater weapons load. The two wing-mounted 20mm cannons were supplemented by the addition of two more of the effective weapons. All this was done so the aircraft could be rushed to the world's new hot spot: Korea.

On 25 June 1950, communist forces from North Korea poured into South Korea - catching the free world by surprise. The US Navy's Seventh Fleet was patrolling the Formosa Straits and quickly set course for the Korean peninsula. On 3 july, AD-4 N| Skyraiders from the USS Valley Forge's VA-55 attacked Pyongyang airfield, thus becoming the first of their type to see combat.

At Douglas, Skyraider production was quickly upped and the AD (which gained the nickname "Able Dog") would see action through the three years of the Korean War. The US Navy operated twelve attack (VA) squadrons, four composite (VC) squadrons, and two fighter squadrons (VF) of Skyraiders against the communists - extracting heavy tolls from the enemy for their aggression. In addition, the US Marine Corps operated two attack squadrons and one composite reconnaissance squadron from land bases.

The Skyraider quickly proved itself to be extremely effective against heavily-defended industrial targets and was the only aircraft capable of delivering 2000-lb bombs on enemy targets with dive-bombing precision. This was particularly vital since the enemy often built installations in tunnels or in difficult valley areas that were hard to reach by conventional attack.

After Korea, the Skyraider saw action in many of the world's trouble spots and in the early 1960s the US Air Force began to acquire Skyraiders from the Navy for the counter-insurgency role while also training South Vietnamese pilots in the operation of their A-IH Skyraiders. In the skies over Southeast Asia, American pilots would make combat history flying the Skyraider against a deadly and aggressive enemy.

It did not take America's Allies long to notice the benefits of the Skyraider. In the 1950s, France was fighting a brutal war in Algeria against the Front de Liberation Nationale. Flying aging Republic P-47 Thunderbolts in the harsh environment against the rebels, the Armee de l'Air realized they needed a more efficient and modern aircraft with which to attack the enemy.

After quick negotiations with the American government, France obtained 93 Navy Skyraiders in 1959. The aircraft comprised 40 AD-4NAs and 53 AD-4Ns and these aircraft would be used to equip the 20th Escadre which was flying the P-47. The planes were shipped to France where they were transferred to the SFERNA facility at Bordeaux-Merignac where the aircraft were assembled, inspected, and the -4Ns were converted to -4NAs. Included in these aircraft was BuNo 126959.

Since time was critical, this work was quickly performed and the first Armee de l'Air Skyraider was delivered in February 1960 with the first planes going to Escadron II/20 and then to 1/20 and III/20 of the 20th Escadre. In Algerian combat, the Skyraider once again proved to he a potent weapon but, as in hido-China, France was fighting a losing battle and Algeria was eventually granted independence.