r/namethatplane • u/PopsThePainter • Jul 05 '26

What is it? Better yet: WHERE is it?

Post image

Despite her decade of uncertainty, she is still sitting in the same place. Have visited her many, many times.

294 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

24

u/IDK_khakis Jul 05 '26

Douglas A-2D skyshark. Gillespie field.

6

u/Nathan_Wildthorn Jul 06 '26

Wow, I did my PPL training there (Golden State Flying Club) and never saw that Skyshark, by ground nor by air, coming in on 27R. Was/is it over by the museum on the Northeast side of the field? 🤔

5

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Yes, it is. You can see it clearly on google maps 32°49'40.6"N 116°57'58.8"W

2

u/Nathan_Wildthorn Jul 07 '26

Thank you! 😃

3

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Incentally, my son and I have lunch at the little diner at on the flightline right near the flying club about every two months or so.

1

u/Nathan_Wildthorn Jul 07 '26

That's a great way to spend the afternoon! Back when I was training with my instructor we would grab a bite at the Mayday Cafe. They had killer French fries! 🍟 😋 I haven't been to Gillespie in a good while, not since they were finishing the Hangar Homes project. I'm told the the new(ish) Cafe on the west side of the field has very good food and service. I need to get down there; I miss hanging out and spending a good part of the day just absorbing the vibe of the airport. 🙂

2

u/PopsThePainter Jul 05 '26

Excellent. Did you actually know or have to look it up? It's a pretty rare airframe.

6

u/Spaceinpigs Jul 06 '26

I’m not who you’re replying to but I knew immediately. This is one of my favourite aircraft. A 500mph tail dragger. What’s not to love

3

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

I have known about it for years now, but did not even know of it's existence until I saw it at the Gillepsie annex around 2012. The docent there was very knowledgeable and I go out and see it with my son every couple of months.

4

u/pyrofox79 Jul 06 '26

I drive by it almost every day on my way home

1

u/IDK_khakis Jul 05 '26

Had to look it up. Interesting engine config.

2

u/Radioactive_Tuber57 Jul 07 '26

Beefy turboprop. 😎👍

4

u/ThisIsAllSoTiring Jul 06 '26

I'll do you one better: WHY is it?

3

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Heh, a very good question, Drax.

3

u/IDK_khakis Jul 07 '26

The Navy couldn't even answer that question.

3

u/juken_194 Jul 06 '26

Is this the only one A2D left in the world? or I can find a same aircraft in other places in US?

3

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

It is the only one. 12 were built (although some of those were never made airworthy), and this example is the only one that still survives.

4

u/RamonnoodlesEU Jul 06 '26

Oh my god I didn’t know there were any surviving skysharks

That’s lovely

2

u/kyleincorvallis Jul 06 '26

Is this the one with the dog shelter as the prop spinner?

2

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Don't know that reference.

2

u/kyleincorvallis Jul 06 '26

I've read a couple places that said the original spinner was lost, and replaced with a dog house of similar size and shape. I've never visited the plane, but maybe the next time you do, you can tap on it to see if it's plastic or metal.

1

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Next time I am there, I will check!

2

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

And it is quite popular there. War Thunder loves to introduce prototypes and experimentals into their inventory, which is a nice feature.

1

u/picklepaller Jul 06 '26

Looks like a yard sale find. .

1

u/New-Consideration907 Jul 06 '26

Apparently it was incredibly loud with the tips of the counter rotating props going supersonic.

2

u/PopsThePainter Jul 06 '26

Very much so. Not to the same level of the XF-84, but it vibrated the pilots so much that they were often disoriented and had trouble with their vision while flying it.

1

u/New-Consideration907 Jul 06 '26

Didn’t know about the disorientation and vision problems. Not that you need that to fly one of these for sure!

2

u/Holiday-Hyena-5952 Jul 07 '26

Surprised they don't have it in Pensacola.

1

u/No_Manner_8785 Jul 05 '26

Made everyone puke that flew or launched it.

3

u/mz_groups Jul 05 '26

Are you referring to the Thunder Screech? That's not what this is.

2

u/No_Manner_8785 Jul 06 '26

You're correct. Oops

1

u/PopsThePainter Jul 05 '26

So very true!

1

u/ProjectSea1467 Jul 06 '26

That original design came out of Nazi Germany. For the life of me, I can’t remember what the Germans referred to it as but when Berlin failed, it was seized by the Western Allies and brought to the U.S. for future study and design. It never officially entered service for either side.

3

u/Ogre8 Jul 06 '26

Yeah that’s not so. It was developed after the Navy issued a design requirement late in the war.

0

u/justwantospillseed Jul 05 '26

Thunder screech

1

u/PopsThePainter Jul 05 '26

Close, but that is the XF-84. There is one remaining still, however, which you can see at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson in Dayton. (I HIGHLY recommend visiting someday if you are able!)