Yes, that’s a toilet hanging where a bomb normally would be on this A-1H Skyraider.
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was known as the ultimate bomb truck, able to take just about any weapon and put it on target. Its ability to provide close air support for troops on the ground became legendary.
The Skyraider could carry almost every weapon in the inventory. In November 1965, the pilots and aircrew of Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25) aboard the USS Midway decided to expand that list. To commemorate dropping their 6 millionth pound of ordnance, their newest “bomb” was designed around … a toilet!
The mission was code named operation “Sani-flush.” Ordnance crews rigged a broken toilet with tail fins, a nose fuse and a rack that would attach the “weapon” to one of the airplane’s bomb pylons. The squadron’s Executive Officer, Commander Clarence W. Stoddard would fly the airplane that was loaded with its new weapon. Flight deck crewmembers positioned themselves around the airplane as it was readied for launch so that their bosses wouldn’t see the new bomb until just before the airplane launched.
Commander Stoddard rolled in on his assigned target and dropped the aerodynamically challenged toilet. It was nearly caught in the Skyraider’s prop-wash and struck the aircraft. In the end, operation Sani-flush” was successful and became a bit of Naval Aviation history.
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