A U.S. Air Force A-1 Skyraider, nicknamed the 'Spad,' fires up its radial engine on the flight line, its distinctive shark-mouth nose art visible through the smoke. These propeller-driven attack aircraft, holdovers from an earlier era, proved invaluable in Vietnam for their long loiter time, heavy ordnance load, and precision in supporting ground troops and downed airmen. Project: 218871