USAF A-1H/J Skyraider Canopy Question

[Ken]

Calling all rivet counters!

Despite studying photos of USAF A-1s for quite some time, I recently noticed a small rectangular device attached to the bubble canopy on many H & J models. They are found in photos as early as 1968 and as late as 1972.

One photo (not shown here) shows the device to be around 1-2" thick from some angles, outside the canopy, and offset to aircraft right. The third photo posted below gives the appearance that it is adhered instead to the inside of the bubble.

An interesting thing is that not all airplanes appear to be equipped with them and, so far, two veteran combat pilots were unable to explain it. I have found no photos of Navy H/J models and only a very few VNAF examples with this device.

I also have a modest collection of photos of scale A-1 models and have seen no modelers replicate this either.

A look through the USAF 1971 "dash one" pilot's handbook makes no mention of the device in the canopy section nor in the Yankee extraction section (as one suggestion was that it might be a part of the egress system).

Some examples appear below; anyone have any input?

Ken

[DB2]

FWIW, here's an article on the Yankee system that appears to show the same strip on some Navy birds.:

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2011 ... ystem.html

[Dan K]

Try the WIX archive...

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... =3&t=11071

[Ken]

Thanks Dan, sometimes the search function of WIX leaves me empty handed - I appreciate the link. I'd now agree that it appears to be associated with the Yankee system, however the other WIX thread never really said what it was or why it was there. The other issue is that it clearly was not on every Yankee-equipped airplane and it isn't mentioned in the Dash One. I'll guess that it was a protective pad, however I'd like to hear something more definitive from the crowd.

Ken

[Ken]

Looking for the figures on the hydraulic accumulator precharge values for the canopy; both A-1E and A-1H ...

thanks,
Ken

[Snake45]

That's a new one on me, but I'll be looking for that on Raider pics from now on.

[Ken]

After speaking with a handful of vets and former instructors, no one seems to recall that canopy pad. That said, it only seems to appear on Yankee-modified birds. The Dash One does not mention the pad but it does describe how the Yankee system will not function unless the canopy jettisons first; in fact it suggests (time permitting) a deliberate canopy jettison before using the Yankee handle to help ensure a successful pilot extraction.

I'm left to think that it is there to protect the canopy in case of an inadvertent release of the rocket pivot (where the rocket begins to pivot but has not lit off). Those canopies are amazingly fragile - I had the privilege of seeing "Lieutenant America's" original broken canopy last year and was amazed at how thin & light the plexi is. The windscreens were thick, etc but not the bubble.

Ken

[richcarrick]

That seems like a plausible explanation Ken. There is an excellent clear photo of the 'black patch' on Lt. Jim 'Jink' Bender's 'Hell Bender' on page 133 of Mutza's 'A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam' - and it does indeed look like a piece of self-adhesive foam material. No wires or anything that would suggest an aerial or sensor. The plot thickens!