During the 1966 deployment of VA-176 "Thunderbolts" to Vietnam, two members of the squadron successfully engaged a Vietnam People's Air Force MiG-17. This was an unusual instance of propeller-driven aircraft defeating a jet-powered adversary. This design is inspired by the VA-176 A-1H Skyraider (AK 409, BuNo 137543), which was the aircraft flown by LtJg. Tom Patton when he claimed a Mig-17 on Oct. 9, 1966.