USAF and VNAF A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War

USAF and VNAF A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War PDF

Author: Byron E Hukee

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-02-20

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1780960700

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

USAF Skyraider units were originally tasked to serve as quasi-training units for the fledgling VNAF. Equipped only with the two-seat models of the Skyraider, American pilots were required to have VNAF 'observers' in the aircraft for every mission. Eventually, this arrangement was changed as enough Vietnamese pilots were trained to man their own squadrons, while USAF squadrons were tasked with close support for US ground forces. Eventually, no fewer than four USAF and seven VNAF Skyraider units saw service in Vietnam. Additionally, one A-1 training squadron flew from Hurlburt Field, Florida, throughout the Vietnam War era. In the ten years that this squadron was active, nearly 1000 USAF and 300 VNAF pilots were trained in the Skyraider. While the core mission of all Skyraider squadrons was Close Air Support (CAS), other missions were accomplished at various times. Among these were Search and Rescue (SAR), night interdiction on the Ho Chi Minh trail, helicopter escort and special forces support to name but a few. Each of these missions took full advantage of the Skyraider's ability to deliver a variety of munitions in close proximity to friendly forces while inflicting heavy casualties on enemy forces

US Navy A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War

US Navy A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War PDF

Author: Rick Burgess

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-01-20

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 1472800303

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Nicknamed the 'flying dump truck', the A-1 was a key component in naval air wings from the end of World War II into the 1960s, allowing the aircraft to play its part in the escalating conflict in Vietnam. Both A-1 attack and EA-1F airborne early warning aircraft saw action in Southeast Asia from 1960 through 1969, when the last examples were finally retired from carrier decks. The A-1s in particular bombed targets in both North and South Vietnam, despite the aircraft being highly vulnerable to enemy flak and fighters. Co-written by a two-tour Vietnam War combat veteran in the A-1, this is the first book that focuses exclusively on the aircraft's service in Vietnam.

Cheating Death

Cheating Death PDF

Author: George J. Marrett

Publisher: Smithsonian Institution

Published: 2016-12-06

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1588345521

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

They flew low and slow, at treetop level, at night, in monsoons, and in point-blank range of enemy guns and missiles. They were missions no one else wanted, but the ones all other pilots prayed for when shot down. Flying the World War II-vintage Douglas A-1 Skyraider, a single-engine, propeller-driven relic in a war of “fast-movers,” these intrepid US Air Force pilots, call sign Sandy, risked their lives with every mission to rescue thousands of downed Navy and Air Force pilots. With a flashback memory and a style all his own, George J. Marrett depicts some of the most dangerous aerial combat of any war. The thrilling rescue of “Streetcar 304” and William Jones's selfless act of heroism that earned him the Medal of Honor are but two of the compelling tales he recounts. Here too are the courages Jolly Green Giant helicopter crews, parajumpers, and forward air controllers who worked with the Sandys over heavily defended jungles and mountains well behind enemy lines. Passionate, mordantly witty, and filled with heart-pounding adrenaline, Cheating Death reads like the finest combat fiction, but it is the real deal: its heroes, cowards, jokers, and casualties all have names and faces readers will find difficult to forget.

The A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam

The A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam PDF

Author: Wayne Mutza

Publisher: Schiffer Military History

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Through its remarkable service during the war in Southeast Asia, the Skyraider became legendary. It served with distinction in the hands of U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and South Vietnamese Air Force pilots, who took the war to the enemy, often at low altitude and in the face of devastating antiaircraft fire. And it suffered heavy losses. The Skyraider's versatility and the mettle of its pilots were unmatched. This book takes not only a look at an old airplane, but at the warriors who flew and maintained the machine they called the "Spad." This volume captures the essence of combat in the Spad, and explains the broad range of Spad operations. The text, which is rich with the narratives of Spad pilots and ground crew, is complemented by over 300 original photographs, seventy emblems, and detailed listings of every Skyraider that flew in the war, and the colorful units to which they were assigned. This fascinating volume is a must for aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and modelers alike.

F-100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War

F-100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War PDF

Author: Peter E. Davies

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1782006990

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The F-100 Super Sabre may have been superseded by the superior technology of the F-105 Thunderchief and the F-4 Phantom by the Vietnam War it remained in service. The Super Sabre was deployed as an air defence fighter, and was later given nuclear capability. The F-100's toughness, adaptability and reliability made it ideal for the incessant missions that were demanded by close support and counter-insurgency missions. 242 Super Sabres and 87 aircrew were lost during the war but their role, particularly in developing the tactics used for discovering and destroying SAM sites, was invaluable. This book describes some of the most important actions that the F-100 took part in, looks at the pilots who flew it and analyses the impact of the aircraft on the war.

A-1 Skyraider

A-1 Skyraider PDF

Author: David Doyle

Publisher: MMD-Squadron Signal

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780897478373

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Originally designated AD and later A-1, the 1944-designed Skyraider was conceived and bought by the U.S. Navy as a carrier-borne attack aircraft, and saw combat as such in Korea and Vietnam. During the latter of those conflicts, the U.S. Air Force obtained and used Navy-surplus Skyraiders, as did the South Vietnamese air force. Other nations continued to fly the venerable Skyraider into the 1980s. Known alternately as the "flying dump truck," a testament to its payload capacity; and "SPAD," an homage to its massive radial engine and anachronistic propeller in an age of jet aircraft, the rugged Skyraider endeared itself to both air and ground crews. Retrace the history of the famous Douglas Skyraider through this all-new 80-page book, packed with detailed line drawings, color profiles, and over 180 vintage photographs, more than 30 of them in vintage color.

Naval Air War: The Rolling Thunder Campaign

Naval Air War: The Rolling Thunder Campaign PDF

Author: Norman Polmar

Publisher: Government Printing Office

Published: 2016-01-05

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13: 0160931223

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This is the sixth monograph in the series The U.S. Navy and the Vietnam War. It covers aircraft carrier activity during Operation Rolling Thunder in the war. Operation Rolling Thunder was one of the longest sustained aerial bombing campaigns in history. And it would be a failure. The U.S. Navy proved essential to the conduct of Rolling Thunder. Exploiting the inherent flexibility and mobility of naval forces, the Seventh Fleet operated with impunity for three years off the coast of North Vietnam. The success with which the Navy executed the later Operation Linebacker campaign against North Vietnam in 1972 revealed how much the service had learned from and exploited the Rolling Thunder experience of 1965–1968. The book includes several photographs with backgrounds of key aircraft used as part of Operation Rolliing Thunder during the Vietnam War. Other products relating to the Vietnam War can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/us-military-history/battles-wars/vietnam-war Other products relating to U.S. Naval History can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/us-military-history/armed-forces-military-branches-history/united-states-navy-usn-history Other products published by the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command can be found here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/agency/902

F-105 Thunderchief Units of the Vietnam War

F-105 Thunderchief Units of the Vietnam War PDF

Author: Peter E. Davies

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1849082553

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Facing the most formidably concentrated air defences in history, pilots of the F-105D flew against North Vietnamese targets day after day during the 43 months of Operation Rolling Thunder. Despite its limited maneuverability and the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, which made it susceptible to combat damage, the 'bombers' shot down 27 MiG fighters in 1966 – 67. This book illustrates the importance of the Thunderchief in the Rolling Thunder campaign, including the pioneering suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) methods developed by the F-105 'Wild Weasel' crews. Discussing the aircraft's strengths and weaknesses and using first-hand narratives, Peter Davies captures the essence of flying the 'Thud' against heavy defences, and describes the development of wartime tactics and the heroic accomplishments of a selection of its aircrew.

Douglas A-1H Skyraider Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions

Douglas A-1H Skyraider Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions PDF

Author: United States Navy

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2008-09-01

Total Pages: 398

ISBN-13: 9781935327356

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Designed to allow maximum loiter time in the battle zone, the A-1 Skyraider was one of the U.S. military¿s most versatile Cold War-era aircraft. It was also one of the most enduring ¿ the ¿Spad¿ flew in the 40¿s, 50¿s, 60¿s and early 70¿s, performing combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. Boasting heavy armor and seven hardpoints on each wing, it could pack a wallop. Yet the plane could also hold its own against fighters: in 1966 two Navy pilots scored victories against MiG-17s. Over 3,100 Skyraiders were built. They flew for the USAF until 1972. Originally printed by the U.S. Navy, this A-1H Flight Operating Manual taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. Classified ¿Restricted¿, the manual was recently declassified and is here reprinted in book form. This affordable facsimile has been reformatted and color images appear in black and white. Care has been taken however to preserve the integrity of the text.