Two A-1 Skyraiders, affectionately nicknamed 'Spads' by their pilots, fly in formation above the clouds of Southeast Asia. Rugged and heavily armed, the propeller-driven Skyraider remained a mainstay of U.S. Air Force close air support and search-and-rescue escort missions throughout the Vietnam War, prized for its ability to loiter over targets and absorb battle damage that would down faster jets. Project: 218963