A USAF pilot prepares for a mission in the cockpit of an A-1 Skyraider, the rugged propeller-driven attack aircraft that served as the workhorse of close air support and rescue escort operations throughout the Vietnam War. Fuselage stenciling identifies the assigned pilot, while the corrugated-metal revetments in the background reflect the hardened flight-line infrastructure common to Southeast Asian airbases during the conflict. Project: 219104