A U.S. Navy Douglas A-1J <i>Skyraider</i> of Attack Squadron 215 (VA-215) "Barn Owls" is about to take off from the aircraft carrier USS <i>Hancock</i> (CVA-19), in 1963. VA-215 was assigned to assigned Carrier Air Group 21 (CVG-21) aboard the <i>Hancock</i> for a deployment to the Western Pacific from 7 June to 16 December 1963. Piston-engined aircraft like the Douglas <i>Skyraider</i> were often able to take off from an aircraft carrier without assistance of a catapult.
U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv19-63/046.htm">[1]</a> from the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv19-63/index_005.htm">USS <i>Hancock</i> (CVA-19) 1963 cruise book</a> available at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/index.html">Navysite.de</a>