Single seat Skyraider at NMUSAF

[mustangdriver]

OK, so the airplane is there and under rebuild. Anyone know the story of it. They seem to be very quiet on it's history.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared ... 4b-003.jpg

[Jerry O'Neill]

Wow! That's an early one!
Can't wait to find out more.
Jerry

[Steve Nelson]

When I took the restoration tour last month, it was the last plane on the tour. We didn't have much time, and I was trying to grab as many pics as I could. I didn't catch much of what the guide said, but she did mention that the plane had was appeared to be some Russian made parts, and the Museum was trying to verify their origin.

Chris, I know I sent these pics to you, but I don't recall if I posted them on the forum.

SN

[Xrayist]

Didn't happen to see any of the following words on it did you?
Confederate or Air or Force

Sorry, just couldn't resist

[John Kerr]

Aircraft is A-1H 134630. Believed to be ex Aberdeen Proving Ground airframes. Two acft, a A-1E and this one appeared in storage at DMAFB, AZ in late 1990's or early 2001/2002. The A-1E is now on display at Hill Air Force Base. I posted some pictures of these aircraft in storage on WIX a year or so ago. Note DMAFB Storage number of the airframe at WBAFB, OH.

[mike furline]

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... =3&t=22506

[Ken]

Are we still on track for summer of 2012? Anyone seen the A-1H in the last month?

[cooper9411]

Very, Very interesting!!!!! HMMMMMM!!!!

[Hunterfan]

Can anyone tell us where the data plates are usually located on the Spad (Douglas variety)?

[Ken]

The main one is in the cockpit, right side rail area. I believe there's a pic circulating of this particular cockpit showing that area with the placard missing. Another Vietnam Spad's identity was confirmed with light sanding to remove paint layers. The unit codes and serial are (of course) on both sides of the tail and the main data placard would have been painted immediately below the pilot's forward left windscreen section. I find it hard to believe that the NVAF would have stripped this area prior to applying their solid OD coat. On the off chance that USN markings still existed at the base layer, the Bu No would be on each side below the horizontal. A final area would be that the last 3 digits of the serial were normally applied to each kneecap door on the landing gear. These could be swapped from plane to plane, but it's worth a look. The Duxford B-17 thread showed a good example of how original markings can persist on a skin even when all the paint is stripped. One final thought is that in ejection/extraction seat aircraft, there is usually stenciling on seat and canopy pieces to match them up in case of a bail-out, however there is no way in knowing if any of these pieces mate up with this airframe.

As far as other serial locations, I was hoping that others would chime in, but the board has been silent thus far ...

Ken

[Hunterfan]

Ken,

Many thanks for such a comprehensive reply. I guess that there could also be stencils of the s/n inside various removable panels, but from personal experience on many British types, these can't be relied upon.

Peter

[Ken]

There's also the "radio call" placard on the instrument panel, but I assume this is long gone also.

[mustangdriver]

This may be old news for some. but I just read that the planned markings for it are to be one of the "Proud American" aircraft. There were two different ones that carried that nose art.

[Ed-Spectre]

Good buddy of mine flew he lesser known "Proud American" out of NKP. It's tail was 555 and was his bird for his tour. The bird was already named before he got it, said the previous pilot had named it after his kid. Only seen a few pix of 555,I don't think it survived long. Eventually a static bird was put together at NKP out of bits and pieces of wrecked birds and it also carried the title "Proud American", many group squadron pictures were taken in front of this bird which I believe is now at he Thai AF Museum. Looking at the single seat Spad up at Dayton I would have to say it's ex VNAF, or perhaps was perhaps was destined for them at one point. If you look at the antennas right behind the cockpit you'll see a triangular shaped antenna, this was as far as I know only a VNAF addition, I have never seen this on a USAF SPAD. Either way I hope they go with 555 since here is already a SPAD flying in the other Medal of Honor Markings of Lieutenant Colonel William Jones III . Here is version of the 555 bird courtesy of Lou Drendel.

http://s1174.photobucket.com/albums/r60 ... Sandy3.jpg

[John Kerr]

According to my records a total of four (five if count 126965 N965AD) have been marked as
The Proud American.
1. A-1H 134555 which later went to VNAF
2. A-1H 134472 which later went to VNAF
3. A-1H 139738 which was the last A-1 lost in SEA, when shot down on 9-28-72
4. A-1J 142072 (mainly parts combined with other wrecks) and is the one that
was on display a NKP and later to Royal Thai Air Force Museum.