Douglas
EA-1 / AD-5
Skyraider
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EA-1E
Photo: Robert Deering 10/12/2008
Alliance Airport (AFW)
Fort Worth, Texas

EA-1E
Photo: Robert Deering 4/26/2014
NAS Fort Worth JRB (NFW)
Fort Worth, Texas
EA-1F
Photo: Robert Deering 4/18/2015
National Museum of Naval Aviation
Pensacola, Florida
The piston-engined Skyraider was designed during World War II to meet U.S. Naval requirements for a carrier-based, single-seat, long-range, high performance dive/torpedo bomber, to follow-on from earlier types such as the Helldiver and Avenger. Prototypes were ordered on 6 July 1944 as the XBT2D-1. The XBT2D-1 made its first flight on 18 March 1945, and in April 1945 the USN began evaluation of the aircraft at the Naval Air Test Center (NATC).  In December 1946, after a designation change to AD-1, delivery of the first production aircraft to a fleet squadron was made to VA-19A.  Skyraider production ended in 1957 with a total of 3,180 built. In 1962, the existing Skyraiders were redesignated A-1D through A-1J and later used by both the USAF and the Navy in the Vietnam War.

In addition to serving during Korea and Vietnam as an attack aircraft, the Skyraider was modified into carrier-based airborne early warning and electronic countermeasures aircraft, replacing the Grumman TBM-3W Avenger. It served in this function in the USN and Royal Navy, being replaced by the Grumman E-1 Tracer and Fairey Gannet respectively in those services.

AD-5Q (EA-1F)
Four-seat electronics countermeasures version; 54 conversions.
AD-5W (EA-1E)
Four-seat airborne early warning version; 218 were built.
SPECIFICATIONS: (A-1H) PERFORMANCE:
Span:  50 ft 0¼ in (15.25 m) Maximum speed:  322 mph (280 kn, 518 km/h) at 18,000 ft (5,500 m)
Length:  38 ft 10 in (11.84 m) Cruising speed:  198 mph (172 kn, 319 km/h)
Height:  15 ft 8¼ in (4.78 m) Range:  1,316 mi (1,144 nmi, 2,115 km)
Empty Weight:  11,968 lb (5,429 kg) Service ceiling:  28,500 ft (8,685 m)
Gross Weight:  25,000 lb (11,340 kg)  
Crew:  One
Engines:  1 × Wright R-3350-26WA radial engine, 2,700 hp (2,000 kW)
Armament: 
  • Guns: 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) M2 cannon
  • Other: Up to 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) of ordnance on 15 external hardpoints including bombs, torpedoes, mine dispensers, unguided rockets, or gun pods
   
SOURCE:  Wikipedia   
VARIANTS:

 A-1
Skyraider
   
1959 DOD Aircraft
Recognition Manual Page