2021Warbirds in Review - Skyraider and Lt. Col. Dick Rutan

In cooperation with Sleeping Dog Productions. The Skyraider entered service in December 1946 and became the backbone of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and United States Marine Corps (USMC) strike aircraft sorties in the Korean War. Skyraiders participated in the first strikes against North Vietnam. The Skyraider was originally designed in the 1940s by Ed Heinemann of the Douglas Aircraft Company. At the time of the first prototype's flight on 18 March 1945, it was the largest production single-seater aircraft. The low-wing monoplane design started with a Wright R-3350 radial engine, later upgraded multiple times. Its distinctive feature was the presence of seven hardpoints on each wing, enabling it to carry a tremendous amount of ordnance for its size. The Skyraider could carry as much bomb load as a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress typically carried. It was also capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Lt. Col. Dick Rutan is a frequent guest at Warbirds in Review highlighting his service in Vietnam. He has entertained and educated the crowds as he has shared his unfiltered accounts of the F-100 and the Skyraider in Southeast Asia. He flew 105 missions over North Vietnam as a Misty. Dick’s book, “The Next Five Minutes, Embracing the Impossible” will be available for sale in the Warbird Merchandise Building where Dick will be available for autographs at 2:00 pm following the presentation. Owners: Warbird Heritage Foundation Speaker: Dick Rutan