Vought F-8 Crusader

History

The Vought F-8 Crusader was a direct response to the US Navy's request for a modern carrier-based supersonic fighter. Using nearly the same engine as the North American F-100 Super Sabre, the F-8 Crusader was the world's first carrier-based aircraft to break the speed of sound. The single-seat Crusader had a long fuselage with swept-back high wings and a single-engine setup. A vertical tail is installed at the rear of the fuselage.

Exhausted through a large tailpipe at the rear, the engine produces over 18,000 pounds of thrust and afterburner capacity. As a Navy carrier-based fighter, the aircraft is primarily equipped with an internal 4 x 20mm cannon for close range operations and supports early forms of U.S. air-to-surface missiles (without added ground attack capability), including the AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range missiles. As the United States became more involved in Southeast Asia, the Crusaders were eventually commissioned to cross the skies of Vietnam.

It served there with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the United States Navy (USN).

The F-8 As a primarily artillery fighter, the F-8 is considered by many to be the end of a pure artillery fighter - making the F-8 the last of the classic "gunners".

From eight initial submissions reviewed by USN authorities, a Vought F-8 design was selected for prototyping (as XF8U - two examples completed). Carrier operations require special qualities of the aircraft that are less important than the ability to take off from short runways, having integral tail hooks for landing, and having reinforced landing gear that can withstand the brute force of carrier deck landings. The product submitted by Vought complies with the requirements of the original production version designated as F8U-1.

The F-8 is also designed with a special "tilted" wing assembly that can be moved up to 7 degrees from a resting position. This slight movement enables the aircraft to achieve short takeoffs and landings suitable for carrier operations.

The production-grade F8U-1 had underwing missile tracks, which turned out to be a feature not found on the prototype. The aircraft was capable of supersonic flight and set various speed and endurance records during its early career. In fact, future astronaut and future U.S. Senator John Glenn would fly a reconnaissance version of the Crusader from coast to coasta flight that lasted just over 3 hours. In 1962, the U.S.

Navy adopted a revised aircraft nomenclature system established by the United States Air Force (USAF). From then on, all Crusader variants (and other USN aircraft) will inherit a brand new name based on this change. Thus, the F8U-1 simply became the F-8A model.

F-8s stocked USN and USMC inventories during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Their first combat mission took place on August 2, 1964.

Four Crusaders dispatched from the USS Ticonderoga were able to sink one of the fleeing ships after four North Vietnamese patrol boats attacked the destroyer USS Maddox. The U.S. Navy uses the Crusader more for a traditional air combat interception role, while the U.S.

Marine Corps operates it as a limited attack/attack aircraft.

The Crusaders finally proved their worth through action and resilience. It served on the front lines for over forty years, including with the French Navy (Aeronavale). The French Crusaders are a purpose-built export variety, designated the F-8E (FN), which are fitted with flaps to assist in landing and takeoff from shorter and smaller French-built carriers.

The French acquired about 42 Crusaders in this form until they were replaced by Dassault's modern 4th-generation Rafale fighters in 2000. This retirement was the last F-8 to officially enter service.

The Philippine Air Force was the third and final operator of the F-8, which was retired in 1991. These are used USN aircraft purchased at a time when the Philippine government proved financially elusive. 35 aircraft were delivered, all of the F-8H type. All were scrapped.

The XF8U-3 is a significantly improved offshoot of the F-8 Crusader family, featuring an improved air intake, nose cone assembly, and large collapsible ventral struts under the tail. This version was called "Crusader III" after the original F-8A ("Crusader I") and F-8C ("Crusader II") models.

The prototype failed to compete with McDonnell Douglas's bid, which ended up being the legendary F-4 fighter "Phantom II". Both the F-8 and F-4 were in service over Vietnam.

Walter F-8 Crusader Specs

Basic

Production

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Dimensions

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Performance

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