40K views · 729 reactions | The A-1 Skyraider’s vital role in the...

Douglas A-1E Skyraider The A-1E on display (serial number 52-132649) is the aircraft flown by Major Bernard Fisher on March 10, 1966, a mission for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He rescued a fellow pilot shot down over South Vietnam by landing in enemy territory under heavy fire and flying him to safety. This is believed to be the only surviving fixed-wing Medal of Honor aircraft. The airplane on exhibit, severely damaged in further combat in South Vietnam and later repaired, came to

1.5M views · 41K reactions | The Douglas A-1 was designed at the end of World War II, too late to see combat. By the 1950s, jets had taken center stage, and the Skyraider looked like a relic. It wasn’t fast. But it was tough, reliable, and incredibly versatile. It could carry more ordnance than a B-17, stay over the battlefield for ten hours, and soak up punishment that would down most aircraft. #military #aviation #aircraft | Jets 'n' Props | Facebook