Warbird Information Exchange

AFSOC reveals name for OA-1K: Skyraider II
A U.S. Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II is parked on the flightline at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jan. 28, 2025. Air Force Special Operations Command Leadership announced the name for the OA-1K during the Special Air Warfare Symposium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Feb. 27, 2025. The moniker renews the versatile nature of the A-1 Skyraider, which operated from 1946 through the early 1980s. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Fiorilli)

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

Well......at least it has a propeller.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Kinda pointless unless they buy them in large numbers.

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I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.

Now that dog will hunt...

Is nothing sacred? “Dusty Cropblaster” might have been a better choice.

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

Weevils?
Locusts?

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Reminds me of Monty Python's Australian Mosquito Hunters sketch "... and at night Bruce goes after moths in the Lockheed Starfighter"

Hmmm where's the gun?

Not much of a load carrying capacity as compared to Skyraider I.

Capability, not capacity.

Let's hope it has a better history than the last turboprop Skyraider, the A2D.

That program should serve as a reminder that in aeronautical engineering, it's not always a case of "It should be a straightforward job"... in this case replacing the R-3350 with a " modern" turbine.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Do you have a link for this?

According to https://theaviationist.com/2022/08/04/at-802u-sky-warden-selected-by-us-socom-for-armed-overwatch/, and Wikipedia, there is a $3 billion contract to build to build 75 of these by 2029.

Yes, does appear to have agricultural roots.

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Kevin McCartney

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

A bit of an understatement...a very well known design used in the AG and fire fighting worlds.
Roots dating back to 1951:
Snow S-1,
Rockwell/Aero Commander Thrush
Air Tractor.

Leland Snow was one of the first guys to build NEW AG aircraft as opposed to using surplus Stearmans, N3Ns, and old civil biplanes.
While he had competition, he beat the Grumman AGCAT, the Pipers and Cessna to market.

Snow utilized the basic layout for AG ships developed by Fred Weick at Texas A&M in the late '40s. Weick, (designer of the Ercoup) later designed the Piper Pawnee and many other types.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

You can buy a new Air Tractor for $875,000 to $2 Million. So the US government wants to buy 75 of them for perhaps $150 Million (without quantity discount) and charge the taxpayers $3 Billion to add an infrared sensor, armored cockpit, and some hardpoints for Hellfire missiles? Looks just like the Piper Enforcer.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903