Air to Air Photography
AD-4NA Skyraider (G-RADR)
Belgium
September 15, 2013
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Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503' registered G-RADR) of Kennet Aviation it was piloted by the very experienced John Beattie during the week before the Sanicole air show and on the Sunday.
This AD-4N Skyraider (c/n 7722) was built in 1948 at the Douglas El Segundo plant, California and was allocated the serial 126922 and delivered to the US Navy. In 1960 it was transferred to the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) as serial 42 to be utilised in the close air support role in Chad, Djibouti and Madagascar. In 1976 it was donated with seven others to the Gabon Air Force (Armée de l'Air Gabonaise) with serial TR-KMM and it was flown by French mercenaries serving with the Groupment Aerient Presidentiel.
By 1985 it was back in France and registered F-AZED and eventually was acquired by the Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis collection at La Ferté Alais. Here it was painted as; 126922 with code 'JS-937' of VF-152 "Fighting Aces" as flown from the USS Intrepid and USS Hornet.
In 1991 the Fighter Collection at Duxford bought her and she was registered G-RAID in 1993.
In 2003 Kennet Aviation now at North Weald took ownership and re-registered her G-RADR. It was then painted as 126922 with code 'AK-204' of VA-176 'Thunderbolts' when flying from the USS Intrepid from 1955 until 1966 during the Vietnam war.
By early 2011 it was in an authentic gloss sea blue scheme from when 126922 then coded 'H-503' served during the Korean War from 1953 with VA-155 squadron aboard USS Princeton (CV-37).
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| AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503' registered as G-RADR) - Canon 5D Mk.III + Canon 24-105mm (67mm) f.7.1 1/125 |
Left to right: I am in the back of Hanno Wesdorp's North American AT-6A Texan (N13FY), the weather was poor and closing in, before the photo shoot got going the formation broke up when John Beattie dived towards Klein Brogle air base before the weather prevented him from reaching the airfield.
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| AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503' registered as G-RADR) - Canon 5D Mk.III + Canon f2.8L IS 70-200mm (70mm) f.20 1/60 ISO 50 |
Left to right: For this photo shoot I am in the front row of the Air Academy's team aboard the Shorts Skyvan (G-PIGY)
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| AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503') - Canon 5D Mk.III + Canon f2.8L IS 70-200mm (105mm) f.14 1/80 ISO 50 |
| AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503') - Canon 5D Mk.III + Canon f.4L IS 24-105mm(32mm) f.8 3.2 seconds |
Left to right: An Air Academy night photo shoot on the airfield at Leopoldsburg during the week leading up to the Sanicole air show. John Beattie is sitting astride the Skyraider on image two having climbed over the cockpit canopy to give us a nice shot.
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| AD-4NA Skyraider (126922 'H-503') - Canon 5D Mk.III + Canon f.4L IS 24-105mm(47mm) f.8 13 seconds |
Left to right: On the airfield at Leopoldsburg during the week leading up to the Sanicole air show.
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