Platinum Fighter Sales, a proud sponsor of Vintage Aviation News, has announced the exclusive listing of a rare and historically significant warbird: a 1952 Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider, affectionately known as “The Proud American.” Operated by the Heritage Flight Museum, this battle-hardened aircraft offers a remarkable opportunity for collectors and aviation enthusiasts alike.
Manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, the Skyraider lineage dates back to 1945, when the first prototype took flight. Although its frontline combat debut with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps came during the Korean War in the mid-1950s, the Skyraider quickly earned a reputation for rugged reliability. Known for its ability to carry an impressive 14,500 lbs of ordnance and absorb heavy battle damage, the single-seat, propeller-driven attack aircraft became an essential close air support platform.
Unlike most prop-driven aircraft of its era, the Skyraider remained in service well into the jet age, playing a key role during the Vietnam War. Its extended loiter time, slow-speed attack capabilities, and versatility made it an ideal escort for helicopter-based Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. Re-designated as the A-1 in Air Force service, the aircraft became synonymous with the “Sandy” missions that saved countless downed aviators behind enemy lines.
The example now offered for sale—Bureau Number 126965—is a combat veteran in its own right. Built in the early 1950s, this AD-4NA served aboard the USS Kearsarge with VA-115 in 1953, patrolling the Korean DMZ following the cease-fire. It later operated from NAS Alameda and FAETULANT in Norfolk, Virginia, before being placed in storage at Litchfield Park in 1957. Stricken from the U.S. Navy registry in 1958, the aircraft began a new chapter overseas.
Transferred to the French l’Armee de l’Air in 1960, this Skyraider served in multiple conflict zones, including Algeria (1962), Djibouti (1968), Madagascar (1971), and Chad (1976). After being stored by Sogerma in 1979, it was acquired by the Musée de l’Air at Le Bourget in 1984 and sold to a private owner in Belgium the following year.
In 2004, the aircraft was acquired by the Heritage Flight Museum, co-founded by Apollo 8 astronaut and former USAF pilot Bill Anders. With great effort, the Skyraider was brought from Belgium to Bellingham, Washington, by air, tow, and cargo. Given the museum’s deep Air Force heritage—and in tribute to the aircraft’s Vietnam-era role—it was restored in USAF markings and re-designated as the A-1 Skyraider. “The Proud American” remains airworthy and is flown regularly. It is powered by a low-time Wright R-3350-26WD engine with just 380.5 hours since major overhaul (SMOH) by Precision Engines. The airframe has a total time since new (TTSN) of 3,576.3 hours. This Skyraider is not only a rare warbird but also a flying tribute to the men who flew these missions in Korea, Vietnam, and beyond. For collectors seeking an aircraft with combat pedigree, global history, and unmatched character, this is an opportunity not to be missed. For complete details, visit Platinum Fighter Sales and view the full listing.
