The Douglas Skyraider design was the result of a US Navy request for a new carrier-based, single-seat, long-range, high-performance dive/torpedo bomber. Designed around the Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone engine used in the B-29 Superfortress, the result was one of the world's largest and most powerful single-engine/single-seat combat aircraft capable of carrying weapon loads greater than that of the Boeing B-17. The AD-5/A-1E Skyraider stems from the original single seat, bubble top canopy Skyraider design but incorporates some significant modifications that give the airplane its unique look. While the wing and horizontal tail remained the same, the fuselage was lengthened and widened to accommodate side-by-side seating for a pilot and co-pilot with an additional compartment behind the cockpit for additional crew and/or equipment including radar, etc. Being underneath a blue-tinted canopy, this additional compartment was affectionately nicknamed “the blue room. ” Lastly, the engine was moved about 8 inches forward and the vertical tail area was increased significantly by almost 50% compared to the single-seat Skyraider design.

Being based on the Seagull Models highly popular A-1 Skyraider single-seat bubble top design, this AD-5/A-1E assembles very much the same as the bubble top with only a couple of small variations that provide even more flexibility and ease of assembly. Most notably, the cockpit area is different based on the side-by-side seating and the landing gear mounts have been modified to receive both Robart and JP Hobby retractable landing gear (SEA-150.369).