HERITAGE FLIGHT SKYRAIDER OVER FLORIDA: An A-1 Skyraider flies in formation with an F-16. The Skyraider’s nicknamed the Spad (after the WW1 aircraft) and as this post notes was one of the Vietnam War’s most potent ground support planes. It’s still an impressive airplane and the USAF is still looking for a high quality “light attack aircraft” for close air support. (The post at the last link has a lot of data on the A-1.) In 1999 I was at a small airfield in southern California. A Skyraider rolled onto the landing strip then sat there for about five minutes. The pilot slowly increased rpm until the sound split ears 250 meters away. Then he took off with a rush and climbed quickly. The Skyraider was originally a carrier aircraft. I thought the pilot might be emulating a carrier launch. If not, he was still having fun. Several observers, including me, clapped after the takeoff.