AD-1 Skyraider ARMAMENT

GUNS

The AD-1 Skyraider was equipped with two integrated 20 mm (0.79 inch) M3 cannons, one on each wing. Each M3 carried 200 rounds of ammunition (2 boxes of 100). Three types of ammunition were available: High Explosive (HE), High Explosive Incendiary (HEI), and Armor Piercing (AP). Later Skyraider models were equipped with an additional outboard M3 on each wing, for a total of four on the aircraft.

ORDNANCE

Originally operating off aircraft carriers, later Skyraider models could carry up to 8,000 lbs (3,600 kg) of ordnance on 15 external hardpoints including bombs, torpedoes, mine dispensers, unguided rockets, or gun pods.

A land based World War II B-17 bomber could only carry 5,000 lbs of ordnance.

The simulated ordnance carried on the Foundation Skyraider, intended to represent a typical load for a Vietnam Combat Search and Rescue mission, is described below.

Minigun Pod | Ordnance: SUU-11/A

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General Electric GAU-2/A 6 barreled machine gun.
7.62x51mm NATO ammunition.
1,500 round magazine.
Fixed rate of fire: 4,000 rounds per minute.

100 lb. White Phosphorus Bomb | Ordnance: M-47

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White Phosphorus (WP) aka "Willy Pete" is a colorless to yellow translucent wax like substance with a pungent garlic-like smell. When exposed to air, it spontaneously ignites, bursting into a yellow flame and producing dense white smoke.

WP can be used for signaling, screening, and incendiary purposes.

The M-47 bomb was developed to meet the requirements for a chemical bomb for "bombardment" purposes. It is a thin case bomb whose design and construction is meant to provide maximum efficiency after being released from a plane. This particular bomb (AN-M47-A1) has a thin steel case 1/16th of an inch thick. It is 8 inches in diameter and 45 inches long excluding the fuze.

Fuze: M108 (Nose) with an M4 Burster using a Tetryl charge

500 lb. Low Drag General Purpose Bomb | Ordnance: Mark-82

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Fuze: M904 Mechanical Impact (Nose), Selectable arming and functional delay, With "Daisy Cutter" extension
Explosive: Tritonal (80% TNT, 20% Aluminum powder), 192 lbs (87 kg) - 18% more powerful than TNT
Dimensions: Length: 87.4 in. Diameter: 10.75 in
Unit Cost: 268.50 (in 2000)

Submunition Dispenser | Ordnance: SUU-14A/A

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The SUU-14A/A Dispenser consisted of six metal tubes strapped together. Each of the tubes were filled with submunitions. The submunitions would be ejected out the rear of the tubes while flying over the target area.

A color coded stripe just behind the forward end cap would indicate the type of submunition being carried in the dispenser. The yellow stripe on this dispenser indicates that it is carrying CBU-14 or CBU-25 Bomblets (see below).

Dimensions: Length: 6.7 ft. Width: 9.4 in. Height: 11.3 in.

Some of the submunitions used with this dispenser are described below.

Smoke Bomblet | Ordnance: BLU-17/B

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Dimensions: 2.74in. X 5.73in.
Function like an M-15 Smoke Grenade.
Delay Fired.
Chemical Agent: White Phosphorus.
Painted Light Green.
One CBU-22A/A Cluster Bomb consisted of 72 BLU-17/B
Bomblets in an SUU-14A/A Dispenser.

A Skyraider could lay down a smoke screen to help downed aircrews evade the enemy until they could be extracted by helicopter.

Pineapple Bomblet | Ordnance: BLU-3/B

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Bomb Body: Aluminum with embedded steel frag balls.
Dimensions: 2.75in. X 3.75in. before Drag Vanes deployed.
Drag Vane Stabilized.
Impact Fired.
Explosive: RDX.
Anti-Personnel.
Fragmentation.
Painted Bright Yellow with Gold Anodized end cap.

One CBU-14A/A Cluster Bomb consisted of an unknown number of BLU-3/B Bomblets in an SUU-14A/A Dispenser.

"Jungle" Bomblet | Ordnance: BLU-24/B

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Bomb Body: Cast iron.
Dimensions: 2.80in. X 3.70in.
Fin Stabilized.
Spin Armed.
Spin Delay Fired.
Explosive: Cyclotol.
Anti-Personnel.
Fragmentation.

One CBU-25A/A Cluster Bomb consisted of 132 BLU-24/B Bomblets in an SUU-14A/A Dispenser.

"Jungle / All Terrian" Bomblet | Ordnance: BLU-24C/B

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Bomb Body: Cast steel serrated body w/ plastic cover. (Plastic cover not shown in picture)
Dimensions: 2.80in. X 3.70in.
Fin Stabilized.
Spin Armed.
Spin Delay Fired, or when bomb impacts water or mud.
Explosive: Cyclotol.
Anti-Personnel.
Anti-Material.
Fragmentation.

One CBU-25A/A Cluster Bomb consisted of 132 BLU-24C/B Bomblets in an SUU-14A/A Dispenser.

"Gravel" Minelet | Ordnances: XM22, XM27, XM41, XM41E1, XM45E1, XM65, XM40E5, XM44

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The mines consisted of a small green or brown camouflage fabric pouch filled with explosive and 30 grams of coarse ground glass between two sheets of plastic.

To allow them to be handled and dropped from the air, the mines were stored soaked in Freon 113. Once released from their container, the Freon would evaporate in between 3 and 8 minutes, thereby arming the mines. No fuse was required because the explosive became shock-sensitive when dry.

Explosive: RDX / Lead(II) azide.
Anti-Personnel.

The minelets came in quadrant, square, and rectangular shapes and in various sizes. The XM40E5 and XM44's did not carry an explosive charge. They were designed to provide an audible warning of enemy forces entering an area that could be detected from a distance by acoustical sensors.

There are reports that the SUU-14A/A Dispenser was used to deliver "Gravel" minelets. No details are available. It is unknown which type and how many "Gravel" mines would fit into one SUU-14A/A Dispenser.

A Skyraider could lay down a carpet of "Gravel" minelets behind a downed aircrew on the run to block pursuers.

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