A powerful single-engine carrier attack aircraft designed during World War II but becoming a major combat type in Korea and later conflicts.
Development
Douglas A-1 Skyraider was developed by Douglas Aircraft Company in United States as a attack aircraft. The family first flew in 1945 and entered service in 1946. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Douglas A-1 Skyraider is represented primarily in the attack aircraft role. The sourced variant records include service with United States Navy. Its documented combat-history coverage includes Korean War. Role tags attached to the family include carrier based and battlefield interdiction.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include AD-1, AD-4, and AD-6.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD-1 | Production | Attack | United States Navy |
| AD-4 | Production | Attack | United States Navy |
| AD-6 | Production | Attack | United States Navy |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
AD-4 — C013 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 1
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial
Armament: Four 20 mm cannon with a heavy mixed load of bombs, rockets, mines, torpedoes, or other stores.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- Douglas A-1E Skyraider — National Museum of the United States Air Force · Tier 1
- The United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911 — Putnam · Tier 3