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Description
| Manufacturer: | Douglas | |
| Base model: | AD | |
| Designation: | AD | |
| Version: | -5W | |
| Nickname: | Skyraider | |
| Equivalent to: | EA-1E | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Navy / Marines | |
| Designation Period: | 1946-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Attack | |
| Modified Mission: | Early warning | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Length: | 40' 1" | 12.2 m | |
| Height: | 15' 10" | 4.8 m | |
| Wingspan: | 50' 9" | 15.4 m | |
| Wingarea: | 400.3 sq ft | 37.1 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 12,312 lb | 5,583 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 18,799 lb | 8,525 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 25,000 lb | 11,337 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 2 | ||
| Powerplant: | Wright R-3350-26WA | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 2700 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 1,202 miles | 1,935 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 200 mph | 322 km/h | 174 kt |
| Max Speed: | 311 mph | 500 km/h | 270 kt |
| Climb: | 2,300 ft/min | 701 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 26,000 ft | 7,924 m | |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Olympic Flight Museum | Olympia | Washington |
EA-1E on display
Olympic Flight Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Bill Denni Pensacola, FL | Bill Denni Pensacola FL, I'm a retired SCPO aviation electronics technician and was in VAW-12 from late 1956 to May 1959. I was an airborne controller and flew from six different carriers both straight and angle decks. Four quick detachments and several months on the USS Saratoga NATO 1957 cruise and USS Valley Forge Task Group Alpha for over a year. I dearly loved that AD and its seemingly indestructible 3350 engine. It wasn't till years later that I learned no one had sucsessfully bailed out of the back seat which I occupied most of the time. Even if I knew it then I believe I still would have flown in that great aircraft.
01/20/2014 @ 07:18 [ref: 68304] |
| Jack Hegarty Jackman, ME | Served on the USS Tarawa CVS-40, USS Essex CVS-9 and the USS Wasp CVS-18.
APS-20 Operator and was on the USS Essex when we converted to a CVA during the Bay of Pigs invasion. Many great and sometimes scary memories of flying in the AD5W. 11/17/2013 @ 08:57 [ref: 68167] |
| Ed hunter Whiting, NJ | Ok guys vc12before vaw12 Quonset point Rhode Island we put a load of planes on different ships the best times was playing volley ball in hanger, plus the gedonk. All stay well an safe just another AN ,Ed hunter 10/17/2013 @ 12:27 [ref: 68111] |
| John Bailey Hawkins, TX | I am a retired MCPO aviation electronics. I was in VAW-12 from 1957 to 1959 working in a shop and a 19-20 year old flying as an air intercept aircrew member. In our detachment, we had only a couple of NFO crewmembers. The rest were enlisted AT's, AD's, and AF's. We flew both seats, and more commonly than not were in both seats operating the radar, trouble-shooting, and controlling air intercepts. That was true even with the WF-2s. The Officers took over 2 of the 3 seats in the E2A's. Now, no enlisted men.
The AD5W was loud, dirty, and uncomfortable, and cold and hot. But, it was a fun job to do, and I would do it all over again. I may even be willing to land on those damn straight deck carriers. We flew and trusted pilots we didn't even know. 07/03/2012 @ 10:15 [ref: 63033] |
| Charles Johns Rising Star, Tex, TX | I served on the Independence (CVA-62)for a med cruise with VAW-33 from about Aug. 63 to Mar. 64. As an AZ I kept logs on our EA-1E's and we shared readyroom 6 with a Marine squadron. They were always asking if they could fly in our "Spads". Last I heard that old bird flew until 1969/70!? The Navy tried to decomission them before our trip to the Med but couldn't find a bird to do the job as well! A Super Fine aircraft! 12/10/2011 @ 07:12 [ref: 51070] |
| Dick Albright Frazier Park, CA | And of course, it's typical of this NFO to scramble the wrong key for the APS-20. That's where the 2 belongs--2 MW vs. 1MW; and with only ONE big R3350 on that 13.5 ft. prop. And for Ian in the UK, there was one "Twidget" tech in back peaking the APS-20 (tough job) and also backing up the NFO in that right seat fwd on the scope to air control or search for subs. That's NFO 'Wispers', our 1964 detachment "Q" ASAC leader getting ready to tutor me on the finer points of "Trimming the 20"...a great radar! 03/06/2011 @ 08:10 [ref: 36549] |
| Norman Self Pocatello, ID | For Dick Albright. Many thanks for that photo of EA-1E number 74, serial number 33758. I flew that particular one 9 times in the period May 27 to August 4, 1964. This was during training before deployment with Det Tango on Yorktown CVS-10. I am printing a copy for my grandson. 12/04/2010 @ 11:45 [ref: 33883] |
| Tom Pruter Pensacola Beach, FL | I was in VAW-12 from the summer of "57 to early "60 as an Aviation Structural Mechanic. Cruised almost exclusively on USS Essex CV-9. First cruise was a combo MED-Suez Canal-WESTPAC. Departed Mayport in Jan 58 and returned in Nov 58. Trained as a AEW radar operator for 2nd and 3rd cruises. Great challenge and fun flying off the old CVs. The AD-5W was a real workhorse. Fill the drop tanks and stay out a double cycle; the backside was numb by the recivery. The aircraft was single pilot; the right fron side had a radar scope for the Naval Aviation Officer NAO (forerunner to the now Naval Flight officer NFO). The enlisted radar operator had a seat on the left side of the fuselage behind the pilot; separated by a structural bulkhead. The bulkhead did have a zippered curtain to squeeze from front to back if you were "very skinny". Otherwise you were alone in the back. The entire right side was occupied by the APS-20 radar equipment. Keep the compartment warm in the winter but way too hot in summer. it was a great aircraft and started me on a 30 plus year Navy career. 09/28/2010 @ 14:10 [ref: 30730] |
| Ian Shaw Lincoln UK, OTH | Hello Folks,
I'm an English Modeller and I'm building several examples of AD-5W Skyraiders at the moment. I've spent a small fortune on reference books trying to find a photograph of the rear cockpit of an AD-5W Guppy. Unfortunately I've drawn a blank so I'm turning to the guys who flew them. Please can some one tell me how many Radar Operators seats there were in the rear cockpit and which way round the seat/seats faced. A photo would be worth it's weight in gold. Here's hoping some one can help. WO Ian Shaw (RAF Ret'd) Lincoln England 02/16/2009 @ 11:35 [ref: 23738] |
| Earl Nollner Amarillo, TX | I was an AT-2 with VAW-11 in 1958-1959 at NAS North Island. I flew as the Radar Operator on a West-Pac cruise aboard the Bon Homme Richard CVA-31. I later (late 1959) flew as an instructer for Radar Operators. The AD-5W was a great Carrier Plane. Many memories. Thanks to those that sent in pictures. 02/10/2009 @ 04:19 [ref: 23683] |
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