AD-2

AD-2

A-26B-50

AD-4

AD-2

A-26B-50

AD-4

USA

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.0	5.7	5.7

Class:

Strike aircraft

Torpedo bomber

Research:54 000

Purchase:185 000

Show in game

Description

The AD-2 Skyraider is a Rank IV American attacker with a battle rating of 5.7 (AB/RB) and 6.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory".

The Skyraider is one of the most iconic propeller driven ground attack aircraft of the Korean and Vietnam wars. Likewise, it's armament certainly lives up to that. Even early on, the 12 HVARs you have can be devastating when used against light pillboxes and medium tanks, quickly turning a very tidy profit with a total of 8 possible launches. Generally your job is to inflict as much damage on the enemy tickets as possible, through pillboxes, ships and tanks.

The AD-2 Skyraider is a high rank American monoplane attacker with a perfect combination of flight performance and payload. It has decent performance and guns, and can carry a massive payload of well over 4,000 lb of equipment, including rockets, bombs, and torpedoes. The Skyraider has a far forward cockpit, improving visibility and an airbrake capable enough of dealing with steep dives for maximum time on target.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 5,822 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
504	498	8,900	24.3	24.8	4.9	6.9	600
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 5,822 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
?	?	8,900	??.?	??.?	?.?	?.?	600

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
750	450	520	~9	~4

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 383	< 420	< 480	> 250

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,890 m	2,300 hp	2,617 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,800 m	1,900 hp	2,162 hp

Survivability and armour

• 9.5 mm Steel - Armor plating lower engine cowling
• 9.5 mm Steel - Armor plating behind pilot's seat
• 40 mm Bulletproof glass - Windshield

Armaments

Offensive armament

The AD-2 is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm AN/M3 cannons, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

Suspended armament

The AD-2 can be outfitted with the following ordinance:

• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets
• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 1 x 2216 lb Mk.13/44 Torpedoes|torpedo
• 2 x 298 mm Tiny Tim rockets + 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets
• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 2 x 298 mm Tiny Tim rockets + 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb (2,000 lb total)
• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 1 x 2,000 lb M66A2 bomb (3,000 lb total)
• 12 x 127 mm HVAR rockets + 1 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)

Usage in the battles

When used in all battle modes, be sure to steer clear of enemy fighters, pick the ground targets that are farthest away from the usual dogfight zones, for example, the far left base on Alternate History Krysmk has plenty of targets and is seldom visited by Russian aircraft. One of the first weapon modifications you can unlock are torpedoes, a weapon which while seldom used, can turn a very quick profit when aiming for a light cruiser, destroyer or a Japanese aircraft carrier (as British and American ones are far more difficult to sink). With that, you can quickly grind down the payload line until you can carry your maximum ordnance. Once fully upgraded, choose your payload based on your skills in bombing and rockets. If you find you're better at rockets, load Tiny Tims and aim for heavy targets once your HVARs are used. Otherwise load up the 3,000 lb of bombs and obliterate any position you feel.

Counter-tactics

The Skyraiders have a surprising level of maneuverability when they are clean of their ordinance. When engaging keep your energy at all cost, because if that AD dumps his load, all he has to do is drain you of your ability to run to be able to gain the advantage and take you out.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		SBC mk.1	TC mk.1
II		Compressor	Airframe	Offensive 20 mm	LFRC mk.12
III	Wings Repair	Engine			MBC mk.1
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 20 mm Cannons	LBC mk.1

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Easy to fly
• Low stall speed
• Handles well at low speed
• Excellent payload options
• Well armored
• Very efficient at killing ground units especially when escorted by friendly fighters
• Cheap and reasonable repair costs in all modes

Cons

• Very sluggish with full payload
• Poor offensive armament compared to contemporaries
• Cannons overheat quickly when not upgraded
• Large target, easy prey for fighters
• Slow in level flight
• High turn time
• Air brakes can be damaged on touchdown if deployed during landing

History

The piston-engine Skyraider was designed during World War II to meet United States Navy requirements for a carrier-based, single-seat, long-range, high-performance dive/torpedo bomber. It was equipped with the 2,700 HP Wright 3350 Duplex-Cyclone Engine, the same engine that equipped to the B-29 Superfortress Bomber. It was designed to replace the Helldiver and the Avenger torpedo bombers as the Navy's primary attack craft. Unfortunately, it didn't serve in WWII due to the program being delayed. It went on to serve with distinction in later wars such as Korea and Vietnam.

Media

• War Thunder Live - User created AD-2 camouflage

Read also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

Sources

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• topic on the official game forum;
• page on aircraft encyclopedia;
• other literature.