Douglas A-1H Skyraider, US Navy, BuNo, VA-52 "Knight Riders", USS Ticonderoga, summer 1967

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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.

VA-52 “Knight Riders” was one of three A-1 units to wear a CAG paint scheme during 
the Vietnam War. It wore a diagonal blue fuselage band containing various colored 
stripes that represented the squadrons belonging to CVW-19. During VA-52’s third and last Vietnam deployment all its aircraft wore midnight blue weapon pylons. A-1H 134569 was built in 1953 and originally served with VA194 and then two other squadrons before transferring to VA-52. Eventually 134569 was transferred to the USAF and then to the VNAF and was shot down in 1972.