A-1 skyrider image - Aircraft Lovers Group

and it's name is Douglas A-1 Skyraider. And it was outdated during the vietnam war, it was over 10 years old and during that time the flight tehnology took a giant leap with the introdution with jet engines. Even a small jet fighter like Edu.linkoping.se Tunnan could carry as much weight.

Even though it was outdated it has its advantages over jet powered aircraft.

Its kinda hard to provide long CAS to troops when your going fast and burning up fuel fast.

In a jet fighter you just fly over drop your bombs or unload few rounds and rockets and fly out. Good for immediate need for support and fast short term deliveries.

In a A1 you fly slower but you are able to carefully aim for certain targets and provide longer and possibly more effective, accurate strafing runs. Not to also mention you would probably be able to observe the battlefield better and provide friendly forces with information.

Which is why during the war they were used in CAS, SAR, and other missions requiring "careful" air support.

During the war VNAF pilots were some of the most experienced A1 pilots in the world with several individually logging as much as up to one thousand of flight and combat hours in an A1.

But yea the things I mentioned above like lower speeds and such can been seen in the A10 today its a bit slower than most jet fighter so its can provide longer support for ground forces.

all you haters, do you really have to negative karma for me saying it looks outdated, looks like more or less like a WWII thunderbolt in the age of jet planes. @ Pathfinder, A skilled pilot is more important then the plane.

Exactly that or ether you're really really really lucky.