There are times in aviation history when something once thought to be obsolete or nearly so, has proven to be exactly what was needed at the time. Such is the case of the A-1 Skyraider, an aircraft developed during WWII, used in combat during the Korean War and finally replaced during the war in Korea, though not by an aircraft that had many of its qualities. Face it, the heavy hauling, long flight duration Skyraider was a much better aircraft for protecting downed pilots than any jet ever thought of being. Its ability to go low and slow as well as stay on station was what saved many downed US pilots.

However, it was developed as a carrier borne light/medium bomber and its ability to carry a wide assortment of ordnance was what made it such a useful aircraft. Deployed aboard every carrier to enter the war zone until the advent of the A-7, its eventual replacement, the A-1's relatively slow speed enabled the sort of precision in bombing that was more difficult for its faster jet contemporaries like the A-4 Skyhawk. Its long loiter time was also a plus when it came to precision bombing. Finally, though slow, it was an able air combat aircraft, as many MiG-17 pilots found out to their dismay.

Author Burgess tells us the story of the USN Skyraider from its earliest deployments to the final missions in the skies of Vietnam. Each of the deployments is covered in order along with some of the more interesting missions that were flown during that time period. There are plenty of 'There I was' sort of stories as well as some well chosen images of the planes and men who flew them. No Osprey aviation title would be complete without a selection of profiles and there are plenty of those as well. In addition, you'll fine a nice selection of color photos in with these profiles, adding interest to the subject. I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that in addition to the standard A-1H/J, the book also covers the EA-1F electronic warfare variant.

Overall, an excellent read and a great reference for the Skyraider fan. One you can buy with confidence.

April 2009

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