Douglas A-1 Skyraider - In The Movies

A brief overview of the Skyraider as seen in the movies.
More War Movie Content: / johnnyjohnsonesq
War Movie Reviews: / johnnyshistoricmoviere...
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Movies/Video Games Featured:
Tunnel Rats 2008
Rescue Dawn 2006
We Were Soldiers 2002
Going Back 2001
Little Dieter Needs to Fly 1997
Flight of the Intruder 1991
The Longest Day 1962
The Bridges at Toko-Ri 1954
Men of the Fighting Lady 1954
Video Games:
War Thunder
IL-2

[@ironroad18]

USAF flew the A-1 to the brink during the Vietnam War. The Navy had flown their remaining A-1s until they were no longer considered carrier worthy. The USAF refurbished the former Navy A-1s and then used them for special operations and search and rescue support. A lot of the A-1s had broken wing cannons and faulty wiring from the years of operational stress.

[@robertotamesis1783]

Russia hadn't reverse psychology the "lead-in device" in their Mig-17 neither was the A-1D equipped with one. They were both equally matched with a canon.

[@jamesdoran9423]

Not true at all. The A-1 never lost carrier suitability, it was replaced by the A-6 Intruder which could fly faster, in all weather, and carry more bombs (22 0off the ship or 30 off the beach. The difference it normally flew with a drop tank at sea, the inboard, forward, shoulder racks on a MER {Multiple ejector rack} for catapult launches)

[@djolley61]

One of the least well-known, but best planes ever. Definitely a precursor to the A-10 which performs just about the exact role.

[@djbabbotstown]

If an aircraft was a hot thic woman.

[@asovietplaytpus5828]

@@djbabbotstown r/NCD?

[@truck6859]

Simple, tough, armed, effective.

[@MaxwellAerialPhotography]

Yeah no, they did only two things well. Launching precision ordinance that can be launched by other platforms, and friendly fire.

[@TheTrueAdept]

@@MaxwellAerialPhotography yeah, it's telling that FOs would prefer ANYTHING else to an A-10...

[@winghungyuen2726]

The Skyraider gun kill you mentioned is portrayed in a Dogfights episode called “Gun Kills of Vietnam”.

[@paleoph6168]

The air war in Vietnam. Sleek jets wielding hi-tech missiles rule the sky. To many, the gun is a useless relic of a bygone era. But they couldn't be more wrong. Brutal air combat over Southeast Asia proves pilots still need to put lead on target to survive. Now, you're in the cockpit, as American pilots take aim, and pull the trigger in some of the most heart-pounding dogfights of the modern age. Experience the battle! Dissect the tactics! The Gun Kills of Vietnam! Next on Dogfights!

[@noeltorres9175]

BBQ the bad guy

[@saintroddy]

I loved that show. My mom bought me the CDs of the first and second seasons, and I wore them out from watching them over and over.

[@robertotamesis1783]

I read my article in air combat magazine in the Korean war how a Skyraider A-1D got a rare opportunity to shoot a mig-15. Many Russian hunchos were victims of the rules of stupidity " Never Underestimate your opponents weakness statue. The F-86A /D had 6- 50 caliber, while the A-1D had a pair 20mm. Canons. Which reminded how ace pilot Robert S. Johnson survived . German Ace pilot Egon Mayer had run out of 20.mm rounds on the bombers above , when he chanced upon Johnson's P-47 he had 30 caliber ( 7.9mm) only. .

[@JB-wq7cv]

It’s on prime video btw

[@jimepley1210]

I witnessed a gear-up landing of an A-1E at Udorn RTAFB in 1969 (the landing in the video could have been shot there). As a testament to the ruggedness of the air craft, all they had to do was jack the it up, fix the hydraulic leak that caused the landing gear to malfunction, replace the propeller, re-fuel it and fly it back to Nakhon Phanom RTAFB where it was based. Amazing bird...

[@kentbetts]

Nakhon Phanom was the listening post for microphones planted along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Later it was used as the training strip for Thai Airline.

[@eodmax]

@@kentbetts I was TDY to NKP in 67 and I think we received all the old ordnance the jets couldn't fly. we were supporting A-26s and A-1es back then.

[@jamesdoran9423]

Fix a hydraulic Leak???>?????> If the Skyraider wasn't leaking hydraulic fluid or oil it was downed until the reservoirs were refilled!

[@davidgreenwood6029]

Any prop strike requires a full engine overhaul.

[@2brokenbones]

I’ve heard Navy pilots calling it the “ flying dump truck “ on its impressive ordinates load .

[@drewdederer8965]

One "special" delivery that is mentioned at the Dayton Air Force Museum's A-1 exhibit was one malfunctioning toilet. Dismounted, and strapped to a hard point, they even took pictures.

[@robertotamesis1783]

The first mig kill was in Korea , a Russian huncho was escaping by pair of F-86 went low in a cloud cover . As he got low five 5,000 feet he was diving into the path of A-1 Skyraider who blasted him. The Russian pilot was captured by the UN.

[@youngthaiarfssoldier8732]

Wow, he must had felt both shame and confused on how he got shot down by prop aircraft at the freak moment

[@truck6859]

That's the kind of history we love to hear.

[@miwasuta]

지식추

[@Gyyghhhhjjjkk]

Dying to a prop plane its just embarrassing

[@jamalwilburn228]

@@youngthaiarfssoldier8732 It's why the Luftwaffe dunked on them so hard during WW2. All the Greatest Aces of WW2 killed hundreds of Soviet pilots

[@rogueleader7506]

Interesting to note, the aircraft that caused blue on blue was caused by jets dropping napalm, not skyraiders.

[@rainerbehrendt9330]

Yep. F-100 SuperSabre

[@edwardhuett7924]

Didn’t have f-100 in Korea. To the previous note about blue on blue was the spad. Jets can hit their ass with their hands

[@stephenmiller5573]

Great video! I flew an AD5N for VAAW33 while attached to the carrier ESSEX in the late 1950's during the cold war. Our primary mission training was for long range, low level nuclear weapon delivery. Greatest aircraft I've ever flown!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Very cool! Honor to have you checking out my video

[@samuelmacdonald-walls5628]

My dad's Helldiver squadron was one of the first to receive the AD. He said it was like a sports car compared to the SB2C. Flew like a dream!

[@ODST_Parker]

This beast of a plane will evidently also feature in "Devotion," the new movie based on the book of the same name, following the first black Navy aviator during the Korean War. Trailer had a great shot of some Skyraiders being escorted by Corsairs.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Will have to keep an eye out for that one, thanks for sharing this with us all,best wishes from the wirral

[@snakeplissken2148]

Yes of cause a black aviator. Maybe it Was a black woman with some limbs missing and Fell in love with another woman?

[@imperialinquisition6006]

@@snakeplissken2148 it’s actually a very interesting story, if they do it right. Why are you violating just cause if the word black.

[@ODST_Parker]

@@snakeplissken2148 No, dipshit. It's a true story about the first black man to serve as a pilot for the US Navy, not some SJW fanfiction. Get your head out of your ass.

[@ironroad18]

@@imperialinquisition6006 because @snake plissken is a trolling dumbass, that can't even get his Russian bot algorithm to use English syntax correctly. Devotion is centered on Ensign Jesse Brown and Captain Thomas Hudner. Both fought at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. When Brown was shot down, Hudner risked his life and tried to save Brown who was his best friend. Brown dealt with racial bigotry and hate, just to make it through Naval Officer Candidate School. Hudner didn't care he was black and loved him like he was family.

[@oldschoolman9878]

I do recall that a Skyraider once dropped a toilet from one of its bomb-racks as both a joke and as a marking of the amount of tonage of bombs reaching a certain amount

[@bruno640]

Yeah, there's an interesting story behind that one, too. It's well-worth the effort to search for when you get time...

[@oldschoolman9878]

@@bruno640 I did, and how they tried so hard to prevent the the airboss and the commander in the tower from seeing the porcelain bomb was amazing

[@martinshephard6317]

Adds another meaning to the phrase “bombing the shit out of a target”! During WW2 there were a number of instances of British bomber crews throwing the chemical toilets they carried out of the bomb doors and onto their target. Apparently the Germans weren’t impressed and complained via the Red Cross!

[@guyh.4553]

Oh yeah! I forgot about this. Absolutely hilarious! 😂😂😂

[@jamesdoran9423]

VA-25, USS Midway. Google it.

[@aldreenbautista2375]

The "we were soldiers" scene was really horrifying in my opinion. Seeing the people around you get shot is one thing but seeing them burning alive without having a chance to save them is traumatic. Actually when I read the title of the video, the bombing scene in the movie came first in my mind.

[@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344]

kind of why it was deleted from the inventory even a near miss is messed up just look at that Photo taken of the lil girl with i think it was her skin or clothes burnt off her back!

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344 That was mostly her clothes. If that had all been her skin she would have died. She was burned - just not that bad.

[@BigboiiTone]

Ya thatd be kinda messed up

[@Arctic_Amethyst]

Now think of what the Vietnamese were thinking when being napalmed

[@FP194]

Napalm was cheap and effective because it spread out when it hit and you didn’t to worry about killing friendly troops with the blast wave during danger close drops The horrible part was the fact the napalm stuck to what ever it was dropped on

[@mathewkelly9968]

Beast of a plane , I never realised the extra crew in some multi seaters sat in the fuselage until I was older . A prime example of Keep It Simple Stupid

[@Tigershark_3082]

Fun fact: in the Area 88 manga/comic book series, an A-1 Skyraider shoots down an F-14A Tomcat with an AIM-9B Sidewinder. The pilot was hopped up on meth, too. The Area 88 manga was a real trip

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Damn I'll have to check that out

[@Tigershark_3082]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq It's a fairly rare manga/comic book, so you may have a hard time getting ahold of it. The last arc was never fully translated to English, so you might have to infer some stuff. I can't seem to find what chapter it's from, but what I do know is that involves one of the main character's backstories (Mickey Simon, who's a Vietnam vet)

[@joshuajoaquin5099]

Im surprised its not a gun kill instead, but yeah a prop plane with a Air to Air missile is still a threat

[@Tigershark_3082]

@@joshuajoaquin5099 It's rather ironic, cause in reality, the A-1 couldn't mount Sidewinders.

[@joshuajoaquin5099]

@@Tigershark_3082 agreed

[@billyponsonby]

The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although dated has many authentic details and was filmed in Japan and Korea. We Were Soldiers was filmed in sunny Southern California and the NVA cannot shoot straight.

[@Perfusionist01]

Nice salute to an under-appreciated aircraft! The original requirement for the AD-1 (late A1) was to replace the Curtis Helldiver as the Navy's carrier-borne attack aircraft, and theoretically could have seen WW2 combat had Japan not surrendered. There are still a few flying on the airshow circuit. A really impressive airplane when you stand beside one.

[@danielcadwell9812]

I got to see one at my local air show. They are quite large aircraft.

[@waverly2468]

I wouldn't doubt that. I saw what I think was an Avenger torpedo bomber at the Intrepid aircraft carrier museum in NYC. It was big.

[@jethrobaird3453]

Yeah a lot of aircraft (especially military ones) i find are very deceptive in terms of their size

[@waverly2468]

@@jethrobaird3453 I saw an F-16 at an airshow and it's one aircraft that is not too big. Very slick and modern compared to the F-4 Phantom which I saw at the same show. But it makes incredible noise when it takes off. Good grief. For some Phantom footage, watch "The Lieutenant, To Take Up Serpents" on you-tube.

[@dannygunsix]

We had Skyraiders in Vietnam and they were always loaded for Bear when they flew over our firebase out in the bush. They flew two planes in a flight and were very accurate with their ordnance loads. F4 Phantoms too. Smokey and very fast in the sky.

[@alphakky]

There was a Revell model that was incredible to build. The working landing gear was a beast to put together.

[@leewaffe3]

Excellent video on the A-1 my favorite cold war prop plane. Glad you included the scenes from Bridges at Toko Ri and of actual footage as well. One neat fact about the A-1 was its ejection system that didn't utilize the full up ejection seat modern aircraft use today or even amongst the 3rd generation fighters at the time. The A-1 utilized the YANKEE rocket system that essentially fired a stabilized rocket out the canopy extracting the pilot in his seat away from the aircraft whereby then a drogue chute would deploy pulling the main parachute with pilot in tow as he then seperated from his seat.

[@grantman0453]

We Were Soldiers is one of my all time favorite movies

[@snakeplissken2148]

really? When it came out, i was a teenager. I was pretty amazed. But now i have seen it some month ago and the cringe was too high. It is such an obvious propaganda flick that it almost hurts. But a well made one, concerning the action scenes.

[@DrygdorDradgvork]

@@snakeplissken2148 how is it propaganda? It's one of the few Vietnam films that depicts both sides of the conflict in a sympathetic light.

[@oddballsok]

1:59 look again at mel Gibson..and tell me, he doesn't look/act like a MUPPET

[@grantman0453]

@@oddballsok HE TOTALLY DOES WHAT 😂😂😂

[@mrjockt]

The Skyraider was also operated by three European forces, the British Royal Navy acquired the AEW version and subsequently sold some of them on to the Swedish military, although they were never operated as military aircraft, they had all their military equipment removed and were flown in Sweden with civil registrations as target tugs, the French operated almost a hundred of the attack version.

[@gooraway1]

Bridges at Toko Ri is a snap shot of Korean War carrier operations. I had not realised the propeller aircraft were Skyraiders.

[@paintnamer6403]

Some were converted for anti submarine use too. A lot of good model kits have been released over the years.

[@weathermanwx9199]

Fun Facts: The Skyraider was the first aircraft to receive the "attack" designation for the US Navy. Hence the designation "AD" for "Attack Douglas". In 1965, a A-1 Skyraider from VA-25, nicknamed "Paper Tiger II" dropped a broken toilet rigged to the bomb shackle over Vietnam. CDR C. W. ‘Bill’ Stoddard fly the mission, and dropp the toilet, which almost struck his wing. In the 1962 epic The Longest Day, four AD Skyraiders were stand ins for Allied support aircraft, as the aircraft came from the 6th Fleet. This is my favorite aircraft of all time. Unfun Facts: The Skyraiders were armed with two, later four, of the dreaded AN/M3 Hispanio 20mm and it's terrible headspacing. CDR C. W. ‘Bill’ Stoddard was shot down and killed October 1966.

[@georgethorward6959]

This is a great aircraft. I was an A E in a skyraider squadron VA165 in 1961 Our ship was the Oriskany

[@jehb8945]

I remember after seeing the sky raider in flight of the intruder and finally getting to see one in person about Oshkosh and it was beyond awesome it was huge it's badass looking it was painted in camouflage like the planes in the movie and as an added bonus the pilot put on one hell of a show

[@BeingFireRetardant]

The one at WPAFB has sooooo many hard points. Like it could carry anything.

[@jamesdoran9423]

I served in a Navy Skyraider Squadron aboard USS Ticonderoga from 1964-1966. During my 2nd cruise we lost over half of our aircraft, but only 2 were combat losses. The others were mechanical issues caused by old age and parts not being available. We lost only one pilot, the Skipper, John Mape, he was hit by a SAM over North Vietnam. One of the reasons the Spad driver usually survived with an aircraft that took a number of AAA and small arms hits was not discussed in the video. Look at a Skyraider fuselage under the canopy. You see a black vertical stripe which terminates at the step the pilot uses to get in the cockpit. The normal step is an internal step with a spring-loaded flap. If you see an external step, sticking straight out from the fuselage you should know that that step saved many pilots lives. How can a step save lives? Well in this case the external step[ is part of a number of 1/2" armor plates that bolted on each side of the cockpit and on the belly directly under the cockpit. You want to hit a Spad driver with small arms fire you need to hit him through the canopy glass, not the windscreen, which was also armored. The bird was not released to the USAF and the VNAF because it was no longer carrier suitable, but because the Navy replaced it with the A-6A Intruder, which could carry more bombs, faster, in all weather conditions. In the Video where Dengler is taking off from the ship he snaps his head into the head rest like he was using the catapult to launch. He was being deck run, that head snap was BS. Our squadron motto in 65-66 was "Jets are for kids". I was an Aviation Ordnanceman and Plane Captain on the A-1H/J. My shore tour was in a jet training squadron, but we had a UA-1E for which I served as a part time Plane Captain and had a number of flights in the aircraft.

[@braydenhoffman7796]

Skyraider is the goat of Aircraft in my books and will never be forgotten. Love you Skyraiders

[@guyh.4553]

The Sky Raider is my 2nd favorite all time birds, the replacement of my #1 the F4U Corsair. I did not know there were so many configurations of this plane but it shows how versatile it was. We could use the A-1 even today, especially after the experiences & needs after the Iraq/Afghanistan wars need for close ground support and lingering time. With todays munitions and tech, it could become an amazing beast!

[@jamesturner9651]

Bridges of Toko Ri clip! One of my favorite war movies.

[@billrhodes1705]

My uncle served two tours in Vietnam. He's said that one of the best sounds a guy can hear is a Skyraider.

[@corey8420]

My friend Don Travis flew Sky Raders in Vietnam, listening to him recount the war and his missions are something Hollywood could make up...it was a different time and for sure a different breed of people..

[@DtRockstar1]

This was an excellent video! I learned a lot, and now I know of a few more movies to watch. Thank you!

[@blackhatfreak]

I'm glad to see your channel grow.

[@imadrifter]

Love the AD/A-1 and I love this Series. Keep up the great work, my dude 👍

[@truck6859]

It was also tough, and could absorb a lot of enemy fire, and keep flying.

[@alessiodecarolis]

A tribute to one of the best CAS aircrafts ever built. It wasn't as glamorous as Mach2 fighters, but was strong and MORE reliable than them, if you think that either the F102 and the F104 were retired after few months, and it, on the contrary fought pratically till the end. Surely one of the better Ed Heinemann's "childs" 👍

[@alphakky]

Original Navy designation, AD, meant it was the first attack (A) aircraft built by Douglas (D). After the unification of aircraft designations with the Air Force was it re-designated A-1. The followup turboprop A2D Skyshark was canceled, and was succeeded by the A3D (A-3/B-66) Skywarrior and A4D (A-4) Skyhawk.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thank you for adding this! Much appreciated 🙏

[@careycarson7629]

My Dad served two tours in Vietnam. He said these planes were mean machines down low.

[@questionmark05]

In Vietnam jets were faster then they are now. They were often to fast to accurately hit targets in veitnam. The sky raider was slow enough to hit targets and tough enough to take a few hits.

[@evancrum6811]

This is such a great plane.....might even be able to use it now on some occasions. Fantastic job.

[@Elephantine999]

Another good video! I always wondered about the prop planes that made it into the jet age. This one seems pretty badass.

[@joemoore4027]

Great simple video on the Skyraider. An aircraft not covered enough in aviation history. A true brute of an aircraft !

[@andyoertig2007]

The Skyraider has also made a CGI appearance in the November 2022 Movie release of "Devotion." "Devotion" is the story of Jesse Brown, the first Black U.S. Navy Aviator during the Korean War. While the primary Aircraft of the Movie is the F4U-4 Corsairs, the Skyraider is shown (in CGI) on bombing missions over North Korea during the winter drive to the Yalu River before the Communist Chinese involvement in December 1950.

[@kh40yr]

A test pilot once told me they spent tons of hours getting the air cooling/cowling right, to be able to hold the throttles pinned for longer periods with full stores. The Air Museum in Tillamook Oregon had a flyable one for a bit. Reminded me of a Bulldog pup. Stubby and tough looking. The A-10's Granpappy.

[@RiskyRegan21]

Great video johnny! You're keeping us alive, you keep 'em coming! You're doing well son!

[@an_asian_guy]

I love the skyraider it was my first aircraft I flew in a warplane game I had my first successful attack run on an convoy of vehicles and I hated that everybody is using jets, but I am surly happy seeing the plane in this channel.

[@rismarck]

Remember hearing stories bout the sky raiders in Vietnam using their quick turning abilities against the migs, that was their only defense in surviving dogfights in the new jet age

[@johnloomis3878]

My pilots at Quonset point said in Korea, they only chased them once they would dive down to the deck, pop wheels and dive brakes and stop in mid air. Jets kept on going if they were dumb enough to follow

[@LazyLifeIFreak]

Been quite a bit of talk lately about going back to prop aircraft, turbo or star or otherwise as a means of lowering costs compared to jet aircraft in low intensity conflict zones.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

The Super Tucano has filled that role for many air forces, including Afghanistan.

[@donniemontoya9300]

Massive aircraft for what was a single engine piston aircraft.

[@jamesdoran9423]

That Pratt and Whitney R-3350-W was a great Engine. The numbers tell it all. 18 cylinders, air cooled, super charged, water injected, 2700 shaft horse power. We had to secure the water injection on ours, but I don't know why.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

The amazing thing about the Skyraider was that it was skected out on the fly by a Douglas engineer in his hotel room after the navy passed on the multi man torpedo bomber they proposed. They used the unspent funds for the XTB2D that was rejected to design the AD.

[@TPDManiacXC626]

There is one turboprop plane that I wish we could get to see in movies and video games more often, the IA-58 Pucara gunship plane from Argentina. It’s visually and essentially a Beechcraft Super King Air plane, famously seen and wrecked in Jurassic Park III, converted into a South American equivalent of the A-10 Thunderbolt II on a shoestring budget.

[@KaylieRayne]

One of the best if not the best CAS plane ever made. I remember there was even talks for a very short time to bring them back before they went with the AT 6E. I would love to see an upgraded Skyraider for sure

[@ja37d-34]

Oh, one of my favs! IThe Bridges at Toko Ri is a great movie and I enjoyed Flight of the Intruder too! Read the book but don´t remember that much, was quite a long time ago..

[@user-ds8wr3ez6o]

I was a plain captain on two A-1 ,air craft # 101 and102, training Vietnam pilots at NAS Corpus Christi , 1964 and 1965.I had the pleasure of pre flight and warm up. Man what a feeling when that engine kicked off. David in Texas USA

[@bongodrumzz]

Fantastic work as usual Johnny, plus I like (a lot) the references and films you use, actually I nick them to watch if I haven't seen them, lol, so again thank you

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks man! Hopefully gave you some good ones to watch

[@bongodrumzz]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq that you did!! again thank you 😁

[@artisanartisan8564]

The your videos man and the quality of it is amazing

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks man very kind of you to leave the feedback 🙏

[@Zendria]

Your release rate of videos are impressive. Keep it up 👍 I hope to see a Ki-61 Hein from you one day

[@platoon1026]

Heard many stories about Marine pilots in Korea coming back to base with power lines wrapped around the wings and mud covered windshields. The AD had huge dive brakes that the Marines would deploy and stand the plane on its nose for strafing. Most of those pilots transitioned to helicopters and watching the way they flew, I can believe most of the stories!

[@bigblue6917]

Whatever she was called the Skyraider was definatelly an excellent workhorse for both the US Navy and the USAF. for something that did not reach service until 1946 with every prospect of having a short career she not only had a long service life but had quite a few variants both used or proposed. I saw a documentary about Dieter Dengler. I thought the most moving part was after he was rescued and was returned to the USN Ranger, the carrier he had flown from the day he was shot down. He had a difficult night tormented by awful terrors and ended up with his friends putting him in an aircraft cockpit surrounded by pillows. It was the only place he felt safe.

[@jamesdoran9423]

I met Dengler on my way to an in-country Vietnam tour. He was a guest lecturer at the Navy's West Coast SERE School.

[@RX552VBK]

There was an early scene in Hamburger Hill ('87) with Sky Raiders. That was the first time I remember hearing them called 'Sandies'.

[@brothercaptainwarhammer]

The Aircraft that's Christened as the the A-10 Thunderbolt's Predecessor, thought there was the P-47 Thunderbolt 1, this came after that, then the Thunderbolt II Followed, and probably because of that, those who don't know of the P-47 Thunderbolt 1, would think of the A-1 Skyraider as the A-10s Predecessor, I Know of both, and I Consider both P-47 and A-1 as the Predecessor of the Modern Battlefield's most Fearsome Close Air Support Aircraft, and thanks to Them we have the Beloved Armor Buster, Tank Killing, Brrrrt Storm from the Heavens. We were Soldiers and Rescue Dawn, were the First Movies I Encountered the Skyraider, and I instantly fell in love with the Aircraft, I just love the Fact that a Turbo Prop Aircraft, is still Kick Butt, taking Names, and scoring kills, in a Era where Jet Powered Aircraft Dominate the Skies, it may be an Old Design, but it ain't out of the Fight. The Moment I saw the Thumbnail and Title, I instantly remembered the Friendly Fire Incident during Broken Arrow in We Were Soldiers, simply shows how Dangerous Danger Close Air Support/Fire Support is, that Scene Honestly Horrified me, seeing your Buds Burn Alive while you watch Helplessly? Fucking Traumatic Shit... and I saw that when I was like 8 or something... The Subsequent Scene after the Firebombing made my Waterworks burst... It's just... Very Heart Breaking... Anyways.... Informative and Enjoyable Video as Always Johnny! Now I got more Vietnam War/Cold War Era Movies to watch! Thanks! and a Major Thank you, for making a Video on this Beast of a Plane that's Among my Top most Favorite Modern Prop Aircraft, and post WW2/Cold War Era Aircraft! Keep up the Amazingly Great Work, my Friend!

[@theanimalguy7]

I got out of vacation in Georgia when this was uploaded :)

[@pabloastudillo6903]

Gorgeous Bird- and thank you to u and Puff

[@Moody801]

I don’t recall the names, but I remember reading that a SPAD driver received the MoH for landing on a damaged dirt strip during an attack and rescued someone by having him sit on his lap as they managed to fly to safety as the firebase was being overrun.

[@jamesdoran9423]

USAF Major Bernard Fisher in an A-1E

[@rolfagten857]

Super cool fighter plane to see!

[@danielpullen7787]

1:03 great to see Bo time gaming make it into the video with his warthunder videos

[@DrHotWarLove]

What a coincidence. I just got done watching “We were Soldiers,” my favorite Vietnam movie.

[@jacobrigby3172]

My grandad is a massive aircraft nerd, and the Skyraider is his all time favorite military aircraft.

[@HappiKarafuru]

The last piston engine aircraft in the jet age that did shot down a jet fighter. Fun fact, it nickname were "Spad" by air force or "Sandy" by Army

[@jamesdoran9423]

SPAD was a Navy nickname that went with the bird to the USAF. Sandy was never a nickname for the A-1. Sandy was actually the tactical call sign of the 1st Air Commando Squadron and was then utilized by any USAF A-1 involved in Search and Rescue.

[@sticksnstones5407]

You NEVER disappoint Johnny.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks man! I got you!

[@MikoyanGurevichMiG21]

One of the most underrated aircraft ever.

[@fernandoalegria4240]

Most underrated attack plane in Nam. Kicked ass.

[@CGFIELDS]

1st movie the Sky raider makes me think of is Flight of the Intruder (1991).

[@awes0men0b0dy9]

Fun fact once this aircraft dropped a toilet

[@mbryson2899]

Skyraiders also successfully torpedoed a North Korean dam. Talk about versatile!

[@sydneystewart6059]

The video was well done, keep the videos coming.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks, Sydney much appreciated!

[@ME262MKI]

You don't realize how big is the Skyraider until you see someone standing besides it

[@unclefart5527]

Biggest radial going at the time too.

[@JB-wq7cv]

There’s 1 at the Yorktown in sc it’s gigantic

[@edwardhuett7924]

Worked as a crewchief on spads in Nkp and Danang Olaa. Badass bird. Our pilots were young lieutenants who were saving their brothers and did wonderful things to save life’s. Boxer 22 was one sar everybody was in on. 3days of nonstop flying at mugia pass I think. Being 19 going on 20 was the best thing I ever accomplished in my life turning those acft around to do it again. Spads forever !!

[@mansourbellahel-hajj5378]

Although you told me in the video before that you are an ametuer in history but really I enjoy the info you gather great job

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Thanks man I really appreciate it

[@LonMoer]

Skyraiders were used in the movie "The Longest Day" to represent WWII fighters flying over the beach landing scenes.

[@geordiedog1749]

And we all just knew that silly Welshman really was eating bugs. Method Actors. “My dear Dustin - you should try acting. It’s much easier!!”

[@hitsurapapel1978]

Babe, wake-up. Jonny Johnson posted a new video

[@furretthefuzzynoodle3896]

So actually the ad-4 was faster than modern day jets. The only thing that slowed it down were the massive balls of the pilot.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Another awesome video the longer the better

[@ronnichols884]

I worked on them in Thailand. I also worked on the A-10 at England AFB Louisiana from 1984 to 1987.

[@duolingobird2553]

I LOVE THE SKYRAIDER I LOVE THE SKYRAIDER IT IS MY FAVORITE AIRCRAFT EVER I LOVE THE SPAD I LOVE THE SPAD

[@oddballsok]

good tips for a few new film titles I didnot know..

[@garyolivier792]

Love this aircraft!! In service until the 1980s? Outstanding

[@jamesdoran9423]

USN retired them in 1967, USAF in 1973, Gabbonese Air Force (Old French Navy AD-4s) in 1985. 10 countries operated them. There are still 18 of them airworthy in France, the UK and the US

[@bobhamilton298]

Not sure if it was mentioned but the Skyraider was also featured in The Longest Day although in 1944 they had not yet entered device.

[@JBSmoke1]

Another badass airplane - a weapons truck, long loiter time, and tough as nails. The Sandy missions in Vietnam cemented its legacy.

[@jesusdeputy931]

A new video good one johnny!

[@hschan5976]

I remember an arcade video game from the late 80s called Ikari Warrior. In the beginning of the game an animation sequence showed the protagonist's aircraft crash landing in a jungle. I used to think it was a shoddy portrayal of something like a P47 but now come think of it again the aircraft was most likely meant to be a Skyraider.

[@jesusdeputy931]

The Douglas A 1 skyraider is like a Corsair and A P47 Combined

[@clearcreek69]

Effective & tough.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@Stonewielder]

That was a neat video!

[@TheNapalmFTW]

I love when you use footage from Bo 💖

[@Orangefan77]

Always makes me giggle.

[@Milkshakist]

The sky’s call me. Wings beyond the known universe…