The
F-8 Crusader (originally
F8U) was a single-engine
aircraft carrierAn aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
-based air superiority fighter aircraft built by
VoughtVought is the name of several related aerospace firms. These have included, in the past, Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky, LTV Aerospace , Vought Aircraft Companies, and the current Vought Aircraft Industries. The first incarnation of Vought was established by Chance M...
. It replaced the Vought F-7 Cutlass. The first F-8
prototypeA prototype is an original type, form, or instance of something serving as a typical example, basis, or standard for other things of the same category...
was ready for flight in February 1955, and was the last
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fighter with
gunIn military parlance, a gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm...
s as the primary weapon, principally serving in the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
. The
RF-8 Crusader was a photo-reconnaissance development and operated longer in U.S. service than any of the fighter versions. RF-8s played a crucial role in the
Cuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba in October 1962, during the Cold War. In Russia, former Eastern Bloc, and communist countries , it is termed the "Caribbean Crisis" , while in Cuba it is called the "October Crisis"...
, providing essential low-level photographs impossible to acquire by other means.
US Naval ReserveThe United States Navy Reserve , until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are enrolled in the Selected Reserve , the the Full Time Support , or Retired Reserve program...
units continued to operate the RF-8 until 1987.
Design and development
In September 1952,
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
announced a requirement for a new fighter. It was to have a top speed of
Mach 1.2Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance...
at 30,000 ft (9,150 m) with a climb rate of 25,000 ft/min (127 m/s), and a landing speed of no more than 100 mph (160 km/h).
Korean WarThe Korean War is a war that started between North Korea and South Korea on 25 June 1950 and paused with an armistice signed 27 July, 1953...
experience had demonstrated that .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns were no longer sufficient and as the result the new fighter was to carry a 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon. In response, the Vought team led by John Russell Clark created the
V-383. Unusually for a fighter, the aircraft had a high-mounted wing which allowed for short and light landing gear.
The most innovative aspect of the design was the
variable-incidence wingA variable-incidence wing has an adjustable angle of incidence in order to reduce landing and take-off distances. It was patented on March 20, 1912 in Paris by Bulgarian inventor Georgi Bojinov....
which pivoted by 7° out of the fuselage on takeoff and landing. This afforded increased lift due to a greater
angle of attackAngle of attack is a term used in fluid dynamics to describe the angle between a reference line on a body and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is moving. In general, the reference line could be any line on any arbitrarily shaped body in...
without compromising forward visibility because the fuselage stayed level. Simultaneously, the lift was augmented by leading-edge slats drooping by 25° and inboard flaps extending to 30°. The rest of the aircraft took advantage of contemporary aerodynamic innovations with
area ruleThe Whitcomb area rule, also called the transonic area rule, is a design technique used to reduce an aircraft's drag at transonic and supersonic speeds, particularly between Mach 0.8 and 1.2...
d fuselage, all-moving stabilators, dog-tooth notching at the wing folds for improved yaw stability, and liberal use of
titaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Sometimes called the “space age metal”, it has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color.Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other...
in the airframe. Power came from the Pratt & Whitney J57 afterburning turbojet and the armament, as specified by the Navy, consisted of four 20 mm (.79 in) cannon, a retractable tray with 32 unguided Mighty Mouse FFARs, and cheek pylons for two
AIM-9 SidewinderThe AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. Variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces after five decades...
air-to-air missiles. Vought also presented a tactical reconnaissance version of the aircraft called the
V-382. The F-8 Crusader would be the last U.S. fighter designed with guns as its primary weapon.
Major competition came from Grumman with the
F-11 TigerThe Grumman F11F/F-11 Tiger was a single-seat carrier-based United States Navy fighter aircraft in operation during the 1950s and 1960s. Originally designated the F11F Tiger in April 1955 under the pre-1962 Navy designation system, it was redesignated as F-11 Tiger under the 1962 United States...
, McDonnell with upgraded twin-engine
F3H DemonThe McDonnell F3H Demon was a subsonic swept-wing United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. After severe problems with Westinghouse J40 engine that was ultimately abandoned, the successor to the F2H Banshee served starting in 1956 redesigned with the J71 engine...
(which would eventually become the
F-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States...
), and North American with their
F-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. As the first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was capable of supersonic speed in level flight...
adopted for carrier use and dubbed the Super Fury.
In May 1953, the Vought design was declared a winner and in June, Vought received an order for three
XF8U-1 prototypes (after adoption of the unified designation system in September 1962, the F8U became the F-8). The first prototype flew on 25 March 1955 with John Konrad at the controls. The aircraft exceeded the speed of sound during its maiden flight. The development was so trouble-free that the second prototype, along with the first production F8U-1, flew on the same day, 30 September 1955. On 4 April 1956, the F8U-1 performed its first catapult launch from
USS ForrestalThe USS Forrestal , formerly AVT-59 and CVA-59, is a supercarrier that was named after former Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal and was the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers. The other carriers of her class were the , and...
.
Crusader III
In parallel with the F8U-1s and -2s, the Crusader design team was also working on a larger aircraft with ever greater performance, internally designated as the
V-401. Although the
XF8U-3 Crusader IIIThe Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was an aircraft developed by Chance Vought as a successor to the successful F-8 Crusader program and as a competitor to the F-4 Phantom II...
was externally similar to the Crusader and sharing with it such design elements as the variable incidence wing, the new fighter was significantly larger and shared few components.
Operational history
Prototype XF8U-1s were evaluated by VX-3 beginning in late 1956, with few problems noted. Weapons development was conducted at
Naval Air Weapons Station China LakeNaval Air Weapons Station China Lake or NAWS China Lake is an airborne weapons testing and training range operated by the United States Navy and its contractors...
and a China Lake F8U-1 set a U.S. National speed record in August 1956. Commander "Duke" Windsor set, broke, and set a new Level Flight Speed Record of on 21 August 1956 beating the previous record of set by a USAF
F-100The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. As the first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was capable of supersonic speed in level flight...
, however, the world speed record of , set by the British
Fairey Delta 2The Fairey Delta 2 or FD2 was a British supersonic research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company in response to a specification from the Ministry of Supply for investigation into flight and control at transonic and supersonic speeds.-Design and development:The design was a mid-wing...
, on 10 March 1956, was not broken.
An early F8U-1 was modified as a photo-reconnaissance aircraft, becoming the first F8U-1P, subsequently the RF-8A equipped with cameras rather than guns and missiles.
First fleet operators
The first fleet squadron to fly the Crusader was VF-32 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, in 1957, deploying to the Mediterranean late that year on . VF-32 renamed the squadron the "Swordsmen" in keeping with the Crusader theme. The Pacific Fleet received the first Crusaders at NAS Moffett Field in Northern California and the VF-154 "Grandslammers" (named in honor of the new 1,000 mph jets and subsequently renamed the "Black Knights") began their F-8 operations. Later in 1957, in San Diego VMF-122 accepted the first Marine Corps Crusaders.
In 1962, the Defense Department standardized military aircraft designations generally along Air Force lines. Consequently, the F8U became the F-8, with the original F8U-1 redesignated F-8A.
Fleet service
The Crusader became the ultimate "day fighter" operating off the aircraft carriers. At the time, U.S. Navy carrier air wings had gone through a series of day and night fighter aircraft due to rapid advances in engine and avionics. Some squadrons operated aircraft for very short periods before being equipped with a newer higher performance aircraft. The Crusader was the first post-Korean War aircraft to have a relatively long tenure with the fleet and like the USAF F-105, a contemporary design, might have stayed in service longer if not for the Vietnam war and resulting attrition from combat and operational losses.
The unarmed photo Crusader was operated aboard carriers as a detachment (Det) from either VFP-62 or VFP-63 to provide photo reconnaissance capability. During the
Cuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba in October 1962, during the Cold War. In Russia, former Eastern Bloc, and communist countries , it is termed the "Caribbean Crisis" , while in Cuba it is called the "October Crisis"...
in 1962, RF-8s flew extremely hazardous low-level photo reconnaissance missions over Cuba.
Mishap rate
The Crusader was not an easy aircraft to fly, and often unforgiving in carrier landings where it suffered from yaw instability and the castered nose wheel. It earned a reputation as an "ensign killer" during its early service introduction. Not surprisingly, the Crusader's mishap rate was relatively high compared to its contemporaries, the
A-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The delta winged, single turbojet-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas...
and the
F-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States...
. However, the aircraft did possess some amazing capabilities, as proved when several Crusader pilots took off with the wings folded. The Crusader was capable of flying in this state, though the pilot would be required to reduce aircraft weight by ejecting stores and fuel prior to landing.
Vietnam service
When conflict erupted in the skies over North Vietnam, it was U.S. Navy Crusaders that first tangled with VPAF (North Vietnamese
Air ForceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense, the national military that primarily conducts aerial warfare...
) MiG-17s on 03 April 1965. Although the MiGs claimed the downing of a Crusader, all aircraft returned safely. At the time, the Crusader was the best dogfighter the United States had against the nimble North Vietnamese
MiGsRussian Aircraft Corporation MiG, or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan or Mikoyan-i-Gurevich Design Bureau , it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
. The Navy had evolved its "night fighter" role in the air wing to an all-weather interceptor, the
F-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States...
, equipped to engage incoming bombers at long range with
missileA missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used...
s such as
SparrowThe AIM-7 Sparrow is a medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual range ...
as their sole air-to-air weapons, and maneuverability was not emphasized in their design. Some experts believed that the era of the dogfight was over as air-to-air missiles would knock down adversaries well before they could get close enough to engage in dogfighting. As aerial combat ensued over North Vietnam from 1965 to 1968, it became apparent that the dogfight was not over and the F-8 Crusader and a community trained to prevail in air-to-air combat was a key ingredient to success.
Despite the "last gunfighter" moniker, the F-8s achieved only four victories with their cannon; the remainder were accomplished with
AIM-9 SidewinderThe AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. Variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces after five decades...
missiles, partly due to the propensity of the 20 mm (.79 in)
Colt Mk 12 cannonThe Colt-Browning Mk 12 was a 20 mm cannon widely used by the United States Navy after World War II.- Development :The Mk 12 was an advanced derivative of the wartime Hispano HS 404 that had been used on a variety of American and British fighter aircraft during World War II...
s' feeding mechanism to jam under G-loading during high-speed dogfighting maneuvers. However, the
CrusaderA crusader is someone who participates in a crusade.Crusader may also refer to:In the military:* Crusader tank, a British cruiser tank of World War II* Operation Crusader, a British attack in North African campaign in World War II...
was manned by the best trained and experienced aerial combat pilots in the US Navy, and even when suffering losses, they never complained about needing further air to air combat training. Between June and July of 1966, during twelve engagements over North Vietnam,
CrusaderA crusader is someone who participates in a crusade.Crusader may also refer to:In the military:* Crusader tank, a British cruiser tank of World War II* Operation Crusader, a British attack in North African campaign in World War II...
s shot down four MiG-17s for two losses. The Crusader would be credited with the best kill ratio of any American type in the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, 19:3. Of the 19 aircraft shot down during aerial combat, 16 were
MiG-17sThe Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic performance jet fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants...
and three were
MiG-21sThe Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed and built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish...
. Approximately 170 F8 Crusaders would be lost to all causes during the war.
The Crusader also became a
bomb truck in war, with both ship-based U.S. Navy units and land-based USMC squadrons pounding communist forces in both North and South Vietnam.
USMC Crusaders flew only in the South, and U.S. Navy Crusaders flew only from the small
EssexEssex was a class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy, which constituted the 20th century's most numerous class of heavy warships, with 24 ships built in both "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two were originally ordered, however six were canceled before construction, and two...
class carriers; there weren't many F-8s. USMC Crusaders also operated in CAS missions.
- F-8 pilots credited with shooting down North Vietnamese aircraft
| Name | Squadron | Aircraft | Date |
|---|
| CDR Harold L. Marr |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
12 June 1966 |
| LT Eugene J. Chancy |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
21 June 1966 |
| LTJG Philip V. Vampatella |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
21 June 1966 |
| CDR Richard M. Bellinger |
VF-162 |
MiG-21 |
9 October 1966 |
| CDR Marshall O. Wright |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
1 May 1967 |
| CDR Paul H. Speer |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
19 May 1967 |
| LTJG Joseph M. Shea |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
19 May 1967 |
| LCDR Bobby C. Lee |
VF-24 |
MiG-17 |
19 May 1967 |
| LT Phillip R. Wood |
VF-24 |
MiG-17 |
19 May 1967 |
| LCDR Marion H. Isaacks |
VF-24 |
MiG-17 |
21 July 1967 |
| LCDR Robert L. Kirkwood |
VF-24 |
MiG-17 |
21 July 1967 |
| LCDR Ray G. Hubbard, Jr. |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
21 July 1967 |
| LT Richard E. Wyman |
VF-162 |
MiG-17 |
14 December 1967 |
| CDR Lowell R. Myers |
VF-51 |
MiG-21 |
26 June 1968 |
| LCDR John B. Nichols |
VF-191 |
MiG-17 |
9 July 1968 |
| CDR Guy Cane |
VF-53 |
MiG-17 |
29 July 1968 |
| LT Norman K. McCoy, Jr. |
VF-51 |
MiG-21 |
1 August 1968 |
| LT Anthony J. Nargi |
VF-111 |
MiG-17 |
19 September 1968 |
| LT Gerald D. Tucker |
VF-211 |
MiG-17 |
22 April 1972 |
Twilight service with U.S. Navy
LTV built and delivered the 1,219th (and last) U. S. Navy Crusader to
VF-124Fighter Squadron 124 was a fleet replacement squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the Gunfighters, they were active from 1958 through 1994...
at NAS Miramar on 3 September 1964.
The last active duty Navy Crusader fighter variants were retired from
VF-191VF-191 Satan's Kittens was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy. It was established in 1943 and disestablished in 1978. It was reactivated for a short time again between 1986 and 1988.-History:...
and
VF-194Fighter squadron VF-194 Red Lightnings was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was established in 1952 and disestablished in 1978. It was reactivated for a short time again between 1986 and 1988.-Squadron linage:...
aboard in 1976 after almost two decades of service, setting a first for a Navy fighter. The photo reconnaissance variant continued to serve for yet another 11 years with VFP-63 flying RF-8Gs up to 1982 and the Naval Reserve flying their RF-8s in two squadrons (VFP-206 and VFP-306) until disestablishment of VFP-306 in 1984 and VFP-206 on 29 March 1987 when the last operational Crusader was turned over to the
National Air and Space MuseumThe National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., United States, and is the most popular of the Smithsonian museums. It maintains the largest collection of aircraft and spacecraft in the world...
.
The F-8 Crusader is the only aircraft to have used the
AIM-9CThe AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. Variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces after five decades...
which is a radar-guided Sidewinder. When the Crusader retired, these missiles were converted to the
AGM-122 SidearmThe AGM-122 Sidearm was an American air-to-surface anti-radiation missile.-Development:The AGM-122 Sidearm was produced by the remanufacture of AIM-9C missiles which had been taken out of service. The AIM-9C was a semi-active radar homing variant of the Sidewinder, developed for the US Navy's...
anti-radiation missileAn anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM...
s used by United States attack helicopters to knock out enemy radars.
NASA
Several modified F-8s were used by
NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for...
in the early 1970s, proving the viability of both digital fly-by-wire and supercritical wings.
French Navy
The F-8E(FN) was the last Crusader produced and 42 were ordered by the
French NavyThe French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military...
(
Aéronavale) for use aboard new carriers
ClemenceauClemenceau , often affectionately called "le Clem'", was the lead ship of her class, and the 8th aircraft carrier of the French Navy, serving from 1961 to 1997. She was the second French warship to be named after Georges Clemenceau, the first one being a battleship of the Richelieu class, laid...
and
FochFoch was the second of the French Navy. She was the second warship named in honour of Marshal Ferdinand Foch, after a heavy cruiser commissioned in 1932, and scuttled in Toulon on 27 November 1942....
. The Phantom II turned out to be too large for the small French carriers, and the Crusader was chosen. An evaluation campaign was then performed aboard the
Clemenceau on 16 March 1962 by two VF-32 F-8s from the American carrier
Saratoga.
The French Crusaders had the same weapons configuration as the U.S. Navy F-8E, but had an improved system of flaps and were modified to carry two French Matra
R.530The Matra R530 is a French medium to short range air-to-air missile.It was available in IR and SARH as the main armament of the Mirage III which was able to carry a single missile in the centerline, the Mirage F1, which carried 2 under the wings, and the F-8 Crusader in the French Navy...
or four Matra
R550 MagicThe R550 Magic is a short-range missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder. On 11 January 1972, a Gloster Meteor of the centre for in-flight trials fired the R550 Magic and shot down a Nord CT20 target drone .Mass-produced from 1976, the Magic was...
heat-seeking missiles in place of Sidewinders. 12.F squadron was reactivated on 15 October 1964 with 12 fighters. On 1 March 1965, 14.F squadron received its Crusaders, to replace the old Corsairs.
In October 1974, (on the
Clemenceau) and June 1977 (on the
Foch), Crusaders from 14.F squadron participated in the Saphir missions over Djibouti. On 7 May 1977, two Crusaders went separately on patrol against supposedly French Air Force (4/11 Jura squadron) F-100 Super Sabres stationed at Djibouti. The leader intercepted two fighters and engaged a dogfight (supposed to be a training exercise) but quickly called his wingman for help as he had actually engaged two Yemeni MiG-21 Fishbeds. The two French fighters switched their master armament to "on" but, ultimately, everyone returned to their bases. This was the only combat interception by French Crusaders.
The
Aéronavale Crusaders flew combat missions over Lebanon in 1983 escorting Super Etendard strike aircraft. In October 1984, France sent the Foch for operation Mirmillon off the coast of Libya, intended to calm Colonel Ghaddafi down, with 12.F squadron. The escalation of the situation in the Persian Gulf, due to the Iran-Iraq conflict, triggered the deployment of the
Clemenceau task force and its air wing, including 12.F squadron. 1993 saw the beginning of the missions over ex-Yugoslavia. Crusaders were launched from both carriers cruising in the Adriatic Sea. These missions ceased in June 1999 with operation Trident over Kosovo.
Crusaders were renovated (but not modernized) beginning in 1991, the 17 remaining aircraft received a limited service life extension program involving avionics upgrades that included a radar-warning receiver and redesignated as F-8P (P used for "Prolonge" and not to be confused with Philippine F-8P). Although the French Navy participated in combat operations in 1991 during
Operation Desert Storm and over
KosovoKosovo is a disputed territory in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo , a self-declared independent state which has de facto control over the territory; the exceptions are some Serb enclaves...
in 1999, the Crusaders stayed behind and were eventually replaced by the
Rafale MThe Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engined delta-wing highly agile multi-role 4.5th-generation jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with...
in 2000 as the last of the breed in military service.
Philippine Air Force
In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 ex-U.S. Navy F-8Hs that were stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the TF-8A. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the
Mount PinatuboMount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, at the intersection of the borders of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga...
eruption and have since been offered for sale as scrap.
Variants
- XF8U-1 (XF-8A) - the two original unarmed prototypes - V-383.
- F8U-1 (F-8A) - first production version, J57-P-12 engine replaced with more powerful J57-P-4A starting with 31st production aircraft, 318 built.
- YF8U-1 (YF-8A) - one F8U-1 fighter used for development testing.
- YF8U-1E (YF-8B) - one F8U-1 converted to serve as an F8U-1E prototype.
- F8U-1E (F-8B) - added a limited all-weather capability thanks to the AN/APS-67 radar, the unguided rocket tray was sealed shut because it was never used operationally, first flight: 3 September 1958, 130 built.
- XF8U-1T - one XF8U-2NE used for evaluation as a two-seat trainer.
- F8U-1T (TF-8A) - two-seat trainer version based on F8U-2NE, fuselage stretched 2 ft (0.61 m), internal armament reduced to two cannon, J57-P-20 engine, first flight 6 February 1962. The Royal Navy
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
was initially interested in the Rolls-Royce SpeyThe Rolls-Royce RB.168 Spey is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years...
-powered version of TF-8A but chose the Phantom II instead. Only one TF-8A was built, although several retired F-8As were converted to similar two-seat trainers - V-408.
- YF8U-2 (YF-8C) - two F8U-1s used for flight testing the J57-P-16 turbojet engine.
- F8U-2 (F-8C) - J57-P-16 engine with 16,900 lbf (75 kN) of afterburning thrust, ventral fins added under the rear fuselage in an attempt to rectify yaw instability, Y-shaped chin pylons allowing two Sidewinder missiles on each side of the fuselage, first flight 20 August 1957, 187 built. This variant was sometimes referred to as Crusader II.
- F8U-2N (F-8D) - all-weather version, unguided rocket pack replaced with an additional fuel tank, J57-P-20 engine with 18,000 lbf (80 kN) of afterburning thrust, landing system which automatically maintained present airspeed during approach, first flight 16 February 1960, 152 built.
- YF8U-2N (YF-8D) - one aircraft used in the development of the F8U-2N.
- YF8U-2NE - one F8U-1 converted to serve as an F8U-2NE prototype.
- F8U-2NE (F-8E) - J57-P-20A engine, AN/APQ-94 radar in a larger nose cone, dorsal hump between the wings containing electronics for the AGM-12 Bullpup
The AGM-12 Bullpup is an air-to-ground missile which was used on the A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder and F-4 Phantom among others. It has been superseded by more advanced armaments, notably the AGM-62 Walleye and AGM-65 Maverick.-Design:...
missile, payload increased to 5,000 lb (2,270 kg), Martin-BakerMartin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of ejection seats and safety related equipment for aviation. The company origins were as an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a pioneer in the field of ejection seats...
ejection seat, first flight 30 June 1961, 286 built.
- F-8E(FN) - air superiority fighter version for the French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military...
, significantly increased wing lift due to greater slat and flap deflection and the addition of a boundary layer controlIn aeronautical engineering, boundary layer control refers to a number of methods of controlling the boundary layer of air on the main wing of an aircraft. In doing so, parasitic drag can be greatly reduced and performance likewise increased, while the usable angle of attack can be greatly...
system, enlarged stabilators, 42 built.
- F-8H - upgraded F-8D with strengthened airframe and landing gear, 89 rebuilt.
- F-8J - upgraded F-8E, similar to F-8D but with wing modifications and BLC like on F-8E(FN), "wet" pylons for external fuel tanks, J57-P-20A engine, 136 rebuilt.
- F-8K - upgraded F-8C with Bullpup capability and J57-P-20A engines, 87 rebuilt.
- F-8L - F-8B upgraded with underwing hardpoints, 61 rebuilt.
- F-8P - 17 F-8E(FN) of the Aéronavale underwent a significant overhaul at the end of the 1980s to stretch their service life another 10 years. They were retired in 1999.
- F8U-1D (DF-8A) - several retired F-8A modified to controller aircraft for testing of the SSM-N-8 Regulus
The SSM-N-8A Regulus cruise missile was the nuclear deterrent weapon employed by the United States Navy from 1955 to 1964.-Design and development:...
cruise missile. DF-8A was also modified as drone (F-9 Cougar) control which were used extensively by VC-8, NS Roosevelt Rds, PR; Atlantic Fleet Missile Range.
- DF-8F - retired F-8A modified for target tug duty.
- F8U-1KU (QF-8A) - retired F-8A modified into remote-controlled target drones
- YF8U-1P (YRF-8A) - prototypes used in the development of the F8U-1P photo-reconnaissance aircraft - V-392.
- F8U-1P (RF-8A) - unarmed photo-reconnaissance version of F8U-1E, 144 built.
- RF-8G - modernized RF-8As
- XF8U-3 Crusader III
The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was an aircraft developed by Chance Vought as a successor to the successful F-8 Crusader program and as a competitor to the F-4 Phantom II...
- new design loosely based on the earlier F-8 variants, created to compete against the F-4 Phantom II; J75-P-5A engine with 29,500 lbf (131 kN) of afterburning thrust, first flight 2 June 1958, attained Mach 2.6 in test flights, canceled after five aircraft were constructed because the Phantom II won the Navy contract - V-401.
Operators
:
- French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military...
Aviation NavaleThe Aviation navale of the French Navy includes 223 aircraft and 6,800 men, both civilians and military personnel. They operate from six airbases, five of them in Metropolitan France and one overseas....
:
- Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
:
- United States Navy
The United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
- United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
- NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for...
Specifications (F-8E)
See also
Aircraft on Display
146939 F-8 Crusader is on display on the flight deck of the at
Patriot's PointPatriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum is located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, at the mouth of the Cooper River on the Charleston Harbor, across from Charleston, SC.Patriot's Point is home to four museum ships:* , an aircraft carrier...
Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, SC.
External links