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Description
| Manufacturer: | Douglas | |
| Base model: | A2D | |
| Designation: | XA2D | |
| Version: | -1 | |
| Nickname: | Skyshark | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Navy / Marines | |
| Designation Period: | 1946-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Attack | |
| Status: | Experimental | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| Trailing Edge , CA | The Skyshark which was owned by Pacific Fighters in Idaho Falls was sold in August 2012 and is now located at Gillespie Field near El Cajon, CA. There is a legitimate question about the true identity of the airframe.
My dad worked in the "experimental shop" at Douglas in El Segundo from 1952 until late '55. Work continued on the surviving XA2D, 122989, after the first two Skyhawks were completed there in 1954. When the Bureau of Aeronautics rejected an attempt by Douglas management to revive the A2D program, 122989 was stored outside at El Segundo in a small chain link fence enclosure which was built for it. It remained there for years. It lost its powerplant in November 1956 (I know where it went and where it possibly may be today). Over time, parts of other aircraft and small stacks of material appeared in the enclosure. 122989 looked very forlorn sitting there in its own little boneyard. I saw it there a number of times starting sometime in 1955 and possibly as late as the early sixties. For me to believe that the sole surviving Skyshark is 125485 someone has to explain the fate of 122989 and how it is that 125485 reappeared years after it was ordered to be scrapped by the Navy. Both aircraft were government property and the Navy, like the USAF, has always been fairly meticulous about accounting for its aircraft. 12/18/2013 @ 16:15 [ref: 68237] |
| Jim Brown Kapolei, HI | Reply to Mike Bonsal re: a turboprop loud enough to make you puke. The Republic F-84H had a single turboprop that reputedly had this characteristic, and consequently had its test program moved to a remote corner of Edwards AFB. 01/24/2013 @ 23:40 [ref: 67518] |
| Mike Bonsal Rio Rancho, NM | I recall hearing about an experimental aircraft similar to the A2D that made a particularly loud sound that made people vomit. Ever heard of this? 01/12/2013 @ 11:53 [ref: 67495] |
| Earl King TUSTIN, CA | You can,t tell by the canopy, because that was not the original canopy, what you saw was something to keep the weather out, That was a heck of a climb for you to look into that cockpit., which did have some A4D sky Raider parts in the cockpit.We were restor. a skyraider and I used the XA2D as a template for some idea of rouiting hyd lines for the brake sys. Attin: Todd Giesfeldt. John is not just an outstanding Pilot, but an artisan with the vision to do it right, Gold/Sliver awards Pafic Fighters has earned its share. 08/04/2006 @ 19:20 [ref: 13804] |
| George , WA | DOUGLAS A2D-1 SKYSHARK
Span 50 ft 3/16 in Length 41 ft 2-13/32 in Wing Area 400 sq ft Empty Weight 12,944 sq ft Gross Weight 18,720 lbs High Speed 501 mph @ 25,000 ft Cruising Speed 276 mph Initial Climb 7290 ft/mm Service Ceiling 48,100 ft Range 637 mi The above specs were found at: http://www.generalaviationnews.com/editorial/articledetail.lasso?-token.key=5997&-token.src=column&-nothing The article claimed 10 aircraft were built but the final 4 were never flown. 01/29/2006 @ 00:40 [ref: 12358] |
| Earl , CA | The plane at Pacific Fighters in Idaho is an XA2D, I know because I,v seen the I,D tage and helped to keep that darn A/C presentable, I don,t think John will ever let that A/C go. 03/28/2005 @ 07:23 [ref: 9817] |
| Brian Kim Neville Severn, MD | One of the XA2D-1 Skyshark aircraft was known to have been flying when the Allison XT40 gearbox, together with the contra-rotating propeller, wrenched itself out of the airplane. Surprisingly, the pilot (slightly confused because of oil spilt all over the canopy) managed not only to regain control of the aircraft, but also to make an emergency landing, the turboprop engine still roaring. On another occasion, an XA2D-1 was flying when the front contra-prop failed. The pilot tried to compensate and make an emergency landing, but, upon touchdown, the landing gear was forced through the wing and the pilot was killed. Many more problems with the gearbox were encountered, and the Korean War, along with the need for it, ended before they could be solved. 03/02/2005 @ 19:49 [ref: 9593] |
| Michael Mulligan , CA | I was under the impression that only two A2Ds were built. According to one article, one crashed and the other ended up as a training aid for airfield firefighters. Were there actually several production airplanes delivered? Were any of them actually put into some form of service by the Navy?
Glad to see that at least one survived! I'll need to get to Idaho and have a look. Mike 10/24/2002 @ 22:24 [ref: 5946] |
| Todd Giesfeldt , WI | The plane at Pacific Fighters in Idaho is not a XA2D. It is an A2D. You can tell by the canopy. Also, I had the chance to look inside the cocpit, and it had the more modern Douglas A-4 type of layout that was installed in the production model. 10/29/2001 @ 22:37 [ref: 3520] |
| Leon Megaw Padbury, Western Australia, OTH | In January 1995 I saw and photographed a Skyshark at Chino Airport California. It appeared to be fully restored. 09/07/2001 @ 00:25 [ref: 3124] |
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