Missing Skyraider Bob

I remember communicating with our dear late friend, Bob Grondzik, also known as, "Skyraider Bob" about the incredible Douglas AD Skyraider. Bob suffered a heart attack and passed away in October 2012, we still miss him deeply.

He always flew up from Ramona to Mojave on veterans Day to honor all who served. His daughter, Dana Mattner, flew Bob's T-28 Fennec in formation with the Skyraider and was the only Father-Daughter flying team out there. When they flew up for veterans Day, his wife Mary Ann, rode in the back seat of the T-28.

The Douglas A-1 was originally designed in 1944 to meet World War II requirements to replace the SBD dive bomber. It was to be a carrier-based, single place, long-range, high-performance, dive/torpedo/bomber. First flight was March 1945.

At the age of 18, Bob started flying and later earned his Wings of Gold with the U.S. Navy flying off of several aircraft carriers, including the USS Bon Homme Richard, CV-31 and USS RANGER, CV-61. His final aircraft with the Navy was a Chance-Vought F-8 Crusader.  

He then flew for a major airline for 31 years.  After retirement he began to investigate the idea of owning warbirds.  He owned a 1943 Stearman, 1955 T-28 Trojan, 1981 L-39 Albatross and 1957 AD-6 Skyraider.  

This particular Skyraider was the only one of its type flying in the world with dive brakes on sides and bottom. Skyraider Bob had owned his AD-6 Skyraider for many years and had flown the aircraft in numerous airshows. 

The low-wing mono-plane with the Wright R-3350 radial engine was manufactured at the Douglas plant in El Segundo, Calif. Each wing had seven hard points to carry ordnance, plus the large straight wings gave it excellent low speed maneuverability.

Used in Korea by the U.S. Navy and USMC, Skyraider production ended in 1957 with a total of 3,180 built. Skyraiders participated in the first strikes against North Vietnam and the A-1 Skyraider was still the medium attack aircraft in many air wings in 1965, but were eventually replaced by the A-6 Intruder.

Seven variants were made and it carried many nicknames, including: Spad, Able Dog, Destroyer, Hobo, Old Faithful, Dambuster and Sandy (Vietnam).

I was surprised to learn that Able Dog Six was beefed up to carry a nuclear bomb during the Cold War and LABS or Low Altitude Bombing System was devised at Wright Field in Dayton in 1952.

In an email, I told Bob about the article I had read, plus asked him about his experience in the U.S. Navy and he replied with the following: "The AD-6 and -7s were designed with a center section pylon that would carry a nuke.  The method of delivery was low level, under radar coverage, and overhead delivery method.  This entailed a pull up, automatic release (toss bombing method), then continue on over the top, half Cuban-eight pull out, and then go back on the deck trying to escape the shock wave."  

"On the USS Ranger, (CVA-61) our AD-6 squadron would practice their missions under super-secret mystery and would launch at sunset, fly 12 hours and recover at daybreak.  Each pilot had four different destinations."

The USS Ranger (CVA-61), was the third ship in the Forrestal-class and the second carrier of the United States Navy to bear this name.

"My first duty assignment was a Banshee (F2H4) squadron at North Island the first part of 1959.  That only lasted a few months before retiring the Banshee.  At that point I was waiting for a Crusader training spot at Moffett Field.  That is when I checked out in the Douglas AD-5 at North Island and flew it for about two months.  That is when I decided it was a pretty cool aircraft."  

"My long cruise was on the Ranger with VF-91 Red Lightning's flying the F8U2 Crusader.  I've also been on both the USS Bon Homme Richard (CV/A-31) and the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) for landing workups.  After my sea duty tour, I instructed in the Crusader at Miramar."

USS Bon Homme Richard (CV/A-31), an Essex-class aircraft carrier and the second United States Navy ship of that name, was named in honor of John Paul Jones famous frigate, which he had named the French language equivalent of "Poor Richard," in honor of Benjamin Franklin's almanac of that name.

Coral Sea was the third Midway-Class aircraft carrier and the third ship in the Navy named in commemoration of the historic Battle of the Coral Sea during World War II.

He wrote, "I purchased my AD-6 from the Santa Monica Museum of Flying in early 2000.  It was a flyer so all I've done is maintain it and sweeten it up here and there with rockets and bombs and a paint job for the 'We Were Soldiers' feature film."

We miss you Bob, but are happy to know you are resting in Eternity – the best is yet to come.

See you on our next flight!