Hobby Master 1/72 HA2910 Douglas A-1H Skyraider BuNo 139665 "Lieutenant America", Vietnam War
Hobby Master 1/72 Douglas A-1H Skyraider BuNo 139665 "Lieutenant America", Vietnam War HA2910
The A-1 Skyraider originated as a carrier-based torpedo and dive bomber. Deliveries as the AD-1 to the Navy began in November 1946 and in 1962 was renamed A-1. It was the first single-seat torpedo/dive bomber to serve with the Navy. The primary mission of the A-1 was close air support for ground troops because of its heavy ordnance load and accuracy. The aircraft had great success in Korea and Vietnam. There were 3,180 Skyraiders built in seven major models and 28 different versions. There were 266 A-1s lost in Vietnam. Some nicknames - Able Dog, Spad, Sandy, Hobo, Firefly, Zorro and "Crazy Water Buffalo," a VNAF nickname.
Douglas A-1H Skyraider BuNo 139665 c/n 10897 flew with VA-152 on board the USS Oriskany in 1966. The aircraft had a SEA camo paint scheme and was flown by 1st Lt. Randy Scott who had the nose art “Lieutenant America” added. The aircraft was given to the SVNAF and with the fall of Saigon in 1975 the aircraft was flown to Thailand and abandoned. Over the next 35 years or so it passed from owner to owner and finally fully restored at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.