Douglas A2D Skyshark Survivor

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The Douglas A2D Skyshark evolved from the AD (A-1) Skyraider. The airframe was enlarged to accept an allison XT40-A-2 turbo-prop engine. The 5,100 shaft-horsepower XT40 was composed of a pair of Allison T-38s driving contra-rotating propellers through a common gearbox. Two prototype and ten pre-production A2Ds were built, but the last four were not flown. The first XA2D-1 flight was made at Edwards Air Force Base on May 26, 1950. XA2D-1 BuNo 122987 and A2D-1 BuNo 125480 were lost in crashes. Problems with the XT40 engine resulted in the cancellation of the Skyshark program.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 is the sole survivor of the type. It was never flown, but it served as a ground radar calibration target at Los Angeles International Airport. It was later donated to the Ontario Air Museum.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 in a storage yard in Ontario in 1970. It is accompanied by other aircraft from the defunct Ontario Air Museum, including the Northrop N9M-B Flying Wing, Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress, North American P-51D Mustang, Vought F4U Corsair, North American F-86D Sabre, and Titan Missile.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 on the flightline of the Chino Airport on October 18, 1987.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 on the flightline of the Chino Airport on September 5, 1992.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 on the flightline of the Chino Airport on October 17, 1993.

Subsequently, the Skyshark was trucked to the Idaho Falls Airport. It has been restored for static display by Pacific Fighters and is on display at the San Diego Air and Space Museum Annex at Gillespie Field.

Douglas A2D Skyshark, BuNo 125485 at the San Diego Air and Space Museum Annex at Gillespie Field on July 11, 2014. Photo courtesy Stu Sibitzky.

Links

Joe Baugher's history of Douglas A2D Skyshark.

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