Vought F-8 Crusader – Gaëtan Marie's Aviation Profiles

F-8 Crusaders

Gaëtan Marie — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:55:17 +0000

Here are a few profiles of one of my favourite aircraft: the Vought F-8 Crusader, the “last of the gunfighters”. According to some pilot reports I’ve read, the F-8 was able to defeat an F/A-18 Hornet in close combat. Obviously, it would have been totally outclassed in BVR combat against the legacy Hornet, but over three decades separate these two aircraft.

US Marine Corps F-8A, BuNo 145400, VMF-323, USS Oriskany carrier qualifications, February 1960

US Navy F-8E, BuNo 149203, VF-162, Cdr Burt Sheperd, USS Oriskany, 1966

US Navy F-8K, BuNo 145575, VC-2, NAS Oceana, August 1970

US Navy F-8J, BuNo 150680, VF-194, CAG Bird, NAS Miramar, 1971

French Navy F-8E(FN) n°7, Flottille 12.F, armed with Matra R.530 missiles

VMF(AW)-235 “Death Angels” Crusader

Gaëtan Marie — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 09:31:47 +0000

Fixed Wing Marine Fighter (All Weather) Squadron VMF(AW)-235 deployed to Vietnam on February 1, 1966 flying the F-8E Crusader. Between February 2 and November 15, 1966 the “Death Angels” flew over 6,000 combat sorties in support of over 22 major operations.

They returned to Vietnam on February 15, 1967 this time for over a year until May 11, 1968. They were the last active duty Crusader squadron. Upon leaving Vietnam, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. On September 6, 1968 they were redesignated Fixed Wing Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-235 and equipped with the F-4 Phantom.

This aircraft, F-8E BuNo 149201, was flown by Lt Chris de Laurier from Da Nang in 1968.

A VMF-235 Crusader at Da Nang, South Vietnam, in April 1966. (Photo USMC)

Vought F-8 Crusader

Gaëtan Marie — Wed, 16 May 2007 22:33:39 +0000

I drew the F-8 Crusader because I wanted to depict the F-8E(FN) French Navy version. USN, USMC and PhAF versions were also created once I was done with the French birds.

1. F-8E(FN) of Flottille 14.F based at Landivisiau, 1973. The aircraft is painted in the original Light Gull Grey over Insignia White USN scheme. Stenciling is also of the US kind.

2. F-8E(FN) n°32 was sent by Flotilla 12.F to the Greenham Common Airshow in June 1981 to represent the French Aéronavale.It features a light grey camouflage and no white undersurfaces.

3. F-8E(FN) n°34 of Flottile 12.F carrying two Matra 550 Magic II IR missiles. The “Crouze” could carry AIM-9 Sidewinders or French-built Magic I and II. N°34 was refurbished to F-8P standard in August 1993. The F-8P was basically an overhauled F-8E(FN) with some extra avionics and a RWR installed in the fin.

4. In June 1994, F-8P n°3 (BuNo 151734) of Flotille 12.F based at Landivisiau NAS received “invasion stripes” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings.

5. This is F-8P (P stands for Prolongé – extended life) n°10 of Flotille 12.F. This aircraft is preserved in the Le Bourget Air & Space Museum.

6. F-8A n°143694 of Marine VMF-215 “Fighting Corsairs”. This unit, based at Olathe NAS received F-8A Crusaders in 1964. This specific aircraft appeared to have paint patches of a darker shade than Light Gull Grey applied at different locations. The “7K” tailcode was changed to “5K” in 1968.

7. F-8K n°145562, Andrews AFB, 13 April 1972. When VMF-321, a Marine Air Reserve unit, converted to the F-8K, it introduced this flamboyant livery of dark blue with white stars. VMF-321 also changed its name from “Hell’s Angels” to “Black Barons” during that period.

8. F-8C n°145558 of VF-84, USS Independence. The “Vagabonds” flew some of the most highly decorated Crusaders ever. The name “Vagabonds” was later replaced by “Jolly Rogers”, since most VF-84 personnel came from the recently disestablished VF-61 “Jolly Rogers”.

9. F-8E n°150869 of VF-191, NAS Lemoore, California, June 1966. This aircraft was assigned to the commander of Carrier Attact Air Wing 19 as written under the wing.

10. F-8J 150654 of VF-302, NAS Miramar, 1971. The “Stallions” were the sister squadron to VF-301 and shared the stylised ND of Reserve Air Wing 30. VF-302 flew Crusaders for only 30 months before converting to the F-4 Phantom II.