An A-1 Skyraider banks past a towering cumulus cloud during the Vietnam War. Rugged and heavily armed, the Skyraider — nicknamed 'Sandy' or 'Spad' by the men who flew it — served as one of the most effective close-air-support and search-and-rescue escort aircraft of the conflict, prized for its ability to loiter over the battlefield and absorb battle damage that would down faster jets. Project: 218905