A Douglas A-1 Skyraider sits armed and ready on a carrier flight deck during the Vietnam War. Loaded with unguided rockets and marked "ALERT AIRCRAFT COCKED," the aircraft was fueled and fully armed for immediate launch. Rugged and capable of carrying heavy ordnance loads, the piston-engine Skyraider remained a mainstay of naval close air support and search-and-rescue escort missions throughout the conflict, even as faster jets entered service. Project: 219603