A-1H Skyraider 52-134609 "The Good Buddha", 1st SOS 56th SOW, 1968

[Ferreira]

Hi all,

Would anyone know the name and rank of the pilot of the A-1H Skyraider 52-134609 "The Good Buddha" with 1st SOS 56th SOW, based at Nakhon Phanom, in 1968?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,
Franklin

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Do you mean this one -
52-134619 - 1965
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/167460
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex: just FYI that 52-134609 is subject of a model kit (of which a lot on the web), so I presume that Franklin's question is based on that.

Regards,
Leendert

[Ferreira]

Reading the work "The A-1 Skyraider in Vietnam The Spad's Last War" the date this aircraft received the nose art "The Good Buddha" was 1972, not 1968 as it is attributed.

And it looks like it was piloted by Capt. Ronald E. Smith for "Nail 31" SAR on 18/03/1972 (p. 196).