F-8 147030

The last Navy fighter developed by the Chance Vought company before it was absorbed into the Ling-Temco-Vought organization, the F-8 Crusader was designed to meet a 1952 Navy requirement for a supersonic air-superiority fighter. The F-8 was equipped with an afterburner, and was unusual in having a high-mounted wing, the incidence of which could be increased to reduce the landing speed, without forcing the aircraft to assume an exaggerated nose-high attitude. The first F-8s flew in March and September of 1955, with deliveries to operational units beginning in March of 1957. The F-8 was armed with four 20mm cannon, as well as air-to-air rockets and Sidewinder missiles. They were very effective fighter aircraft, becoming known as "Mig-killers" during the Vietnam War.
(source: United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 by Gordon Swanborough and Peter Bowers)

Click on photo to view larger version.

Photos by Frank Warren.

Photo by Jim Compagnon, NADEP

Photo by Frank Warren.

Photo by Gary Willis.

Remarks: This aircraft became a USS Midway Museum exhibit on 27 December 2005.

EXHIBITED WEAPONS LOAD

2 – AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
4 – 20 mm cannon.

Photos by Frank Warren.

Nickname: Gunfighter

Bu No 147030 Assignment Record

Assignment record not yet available.

Date of manufacture: Unknown

Manufacturer: LTV Aerospace Corporation

This aircraft will be exhibited on the Midway bearing the names of three Naval Aviators; CDR Doyle W. Lynn, CDR James D. La Haye and Ltjg Gene R. Gollahon. These pilots were killed in action while serving in VF-111 Sundowners on the USS Midway in 1965.

This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

Click here to view their web site's Crusader page.