Ground crewmen prepare a Douglas A-1 Skyraider for a combat sortie as its radial engine coughs to life in a cloud of exhaust smoke. Loaded with rocket pods and other ordnance, the aircraft displays hand-painted nose art on its cowling, a common practice among Skyraider squadrons operating in Vietnam. The shirtless dress of the maintenance crew reflects the intense heat of Southeast Asian air bases, where ground personnel worked long hours turning around aircraft for repeated close air support missions. Project: 218823