Tamiya 61073 - 1/48 Douglas Skyraider A-1J 'US Air Force  [61073]

Towards Douglas A-1J Skyraider U.S. Air Force

Additionally going by the names Dauntless II, AD, A-1 Able puppy, and Spad, the Douglas Skyraider saw almost three decades of solution. The Skyraider's development started in June 1944. Perhaps not completed in time for WWII, its first combat was included with the outbreak for the Korean War in June 1950. The first manufacturing variation to roll out from the Douglas factory had been designated the AD-1. Twelve years and seven variations later, over 3200 Skyraiders was indeed produced.
Among those, the AD-6 variation, also referred to as "Able Dog Six", ended up being produced in the best figures. The next and last form of the Skyraider, the AD-7, was excessively identical to the AD-6, but it had reinforced wing spars and wing fixtures, plus the strongest landing gear of the many variants. The AD-7 housed the brand new wright R-3350-26WB motor, which enabled a top speed of 285 knots. As a result of a directive to standardize the designation of Navy and Air Force aircraft, AD-6 and AD-7 became called A-1H and A-1J correspondingly.

In 1965, whenever U.S. air operations in Vietnam became more aggressive, literally hundreds of Skyraiders, including the A-1J, had been deployed to the 14th and 56th Special Operations Wings (SOW). Armed with Mk.82 and Mk.117 bombs, 20mm wing-mounted cannons, and rocket launchers, the Skyraiders were utilized in a multitude of combat missions.