@ Paris, France
March 2025
Tucked away in one of the exhibit buildings at the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Air and Space Museum) is this familiar warbird. The French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) was a major operator of the Skyraider, using it extensively in colonial conflicts during the 1950s and 60s, remaining in limited service until the 1970s. This particular AD-4 is painted in the colors of the Escadron 2/20 “Ouarsenis,” a unit that operated the Skyraider during the Algerian War. France purchased 113 former U.S. Navy Skyraiders in the late 1950s to replace their aging P-47 Thunderbolts.
The Skyraider had a remarkably long and successful career and was nicknamed “Spad”, after the French World War I fighter. Skyraiders saw action during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts and one was even credited with the only aerial combat victory for the type. Introduced in 1946, the last ones in active service were retired in 1985 from the Gabonese Air Force. First flown in 1945, more than 3,100 would be produced. In 1962, existing Skyraiders in service were redesignated A-1D through A-1J.
