US Navy A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War

Book excerpt: A detailed, illustrated combat history of an aircraft described as a legend in its own time. The A-1 was designed for use in World War 2, yet proved so versatile and capable that it saw service in the Vietnam War some 20 years later. Nicknamed the 'flying dump truck', the A-1 was a key component in naval air wings from the end of World War II into the 1960s, allowing the aircraft to play its part in the escalating conflict in Vietnam. Both A-1 attack and EA-1F airborne early warning aircraft saw action in Southeast Asia from 1960 through 1969, when the last examples were finally retired from carrier decks. The A-1s in particular bombed targets in both North and South Vietnam, despite the aircraft being highly vulnerable to enemy flak and fighters. Co-written by a two-tour Vietnam War combat veteran in the A-1, and featuring stunning profile artwork, this is the first book that focuses exclusively on the aircraft's service in Vietnam.