USAF A-1 Skyraiders serial numbers

[tigercat2]

When the USAF accepted a number of Douglas A-1s (formerly ADs) from the Navy in the '60s, many if not all received FY 1952 serial numbers, ie 52-132398, 52-135243. 52-132433, 52-135332. 52-132436, 52-135371. 52-132460, 52-139820. 52-132474. 52-132596. 52-132653. 52-132655 for A-1Es and A-1Hs.

How exactly did this come about; all of these aircraft had BuAir numbers since they began life as Navy birds. Are there any other cases of aircraft being retro actively assigned serial numbers from the previous decade?


Wes W

 

[aim9xray]

This was done since the USAF computerized tracking system required a Fiscal Year prefix. You'll note that the trailing digits are simply the Navy Bureau Number assigned to the aircraft.

As to other examples, yes. Some (or all) of the 707-320s bought by the Air Force from the airlines for E-8 JSTARS conversions were assigned interim FY 67 and 68 serials. When inducted into the Lake Charles conversion line, these serials were replaced with the appropriate numbers for that particular JSTARS contract. Here is an example from Baugher:

68-11174 Boeing 707-321C MSN 20016, ex N870PA (Pan Am), then 9K-ACS, N146SP, N527SJ,
N770FW. Later converted to 95-0121 E-8C JSTARS.

 

[tigercat2]

Thanks very much for the info. So an AD-5 with a Bureau number 132398 became USAF serial 52-132398. Seemed to have worked, and the FY 1952 designation was probably pretty close to when the aircraft was initially built.


Wes W.