17 - Vought's F-8 Crusader (2) - Navy and Marine RF-8.pdf - Naval Fighters - marko1964

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INTRODUCl

RVIEW

Naval Fighters Numbar &s~me

'F8U-1 P (YRF-8A) was a modi-

Marine RF-8 photo Cru"ader !':OU"

1e sale prototype for the series.

from previous books in that th~ ~lI'l'l

\ 1363) made its first flight on 17

MII""~!!'l'T"F"I~~~~~earrrnJm~§6=mffil~nfc}owere by a J57-P-4A engine.

This book provides brief squadron tllstori.es and extensive

color and markings for the RF-8 squadrons. Naval Fighters

Number Sixteen is 114 pages and covers the F-8's develop-

ment and testing, foreign users and the F8U-3. Authored by

Steve Pace it retails for $15.95.

l"l',

F-8 PRODUCTION

MODEL PREVIOUS

NO.

BUREAU

NOTES

DOD

NUMBER(S)

g 1988 Steve Ginter

DESIGNATION(S)

YRF-8A YF8U-1 P 1 141363

modified F-8A

DEDICATION - TO ROBIN.

ISBN 0·942612·1'7·5

RF-8A

F8U-1 P 19 144607-144625 13 to RF-8G

PHOTOS AT RIGHT.

The prototype photo Crusader, YF8U-1 P, 141363, a F8U·1 which was

remanufactured to the reconnaissance role. The natural metal

airframe has its camera positions covered with metal plates and

sports a wide red fuselage stripe with a narrow blue stripe below. Note

the forward retracting main gear. (Schoeni)

This is the F8U·1 P John Glenn flew across the United States during

PROJECT BUllET, the first ever supersonic crossing. His flight in

F8U-1P, BuNo 144608, was to New York from California in 3 hours, 22

minutes and 50 seconds. later, when he first crossed the United

States as America's first orbiting astronaut, he crossed the U.S.A. in

a matter of minutes. Note speed brake is fully extended. (Vought)

left side view of RF-8G 146899 in 1965. (Vought)

RF-8A

F8U-1 P 44 145604-145647 27 to RF-8G

RF-8A

F8U-1 P 80 146822-146901 32 to RF-8G

RF-8A

F8U-1 P

146902-146905 4-plane order,

canceled

RF-8A

F8U-1 P

147078-147084 7-plane order,

canceled

Model V-392, RF-8A Photo Crusader

CVA produced 144 RF-8A (F8U-1 P) Photo Crusader air-

craft. These were powered by the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-4

and had similar performance as the F-8A. Unarmed, Photo

Crusaders carried dedicated photographic reconnaissance

equipment consisting of three horizon-to-horizon Trimetro-

gen cameras, two K-17 vertical cameras and photoflash

bombs for night recce missions. Special mapping and chart-

ing instruments were also incorporated.

At least five RF-8A's were field modified with ventral fins to

improve flight characteristics: 145622, 145623, 145624,

145635 and one other.

Model V-392, RF-8G Photo Crusader

CVA remanufactured seventy-three RF-8A (F8U-1 P)

Photo Crusader aircraft, creating as\ many RF-8G's. Modifi-

cations included the installation of J57-P-22 engines, ventral

stabilizing fins, doppler radar, infrared scanners and under-

wing hard points for varied external stores such as ECM pods

and auxiliary fuel tanks. The RF-8G model featured rein-

forced landing gear, stronger arresting hook, a beefier fuse-

lage structure, extended-life 4,OOO-hour wings, state-of-the-

art wiring and relocated camera stations for improved photog-

raphy; updated photo gear was employed.

CONTRIBUTORS

Roger Besecker, Jim Burridge, William Brabant, Ben Burger,

Ron Downey, John Elliott (Naval Aviation History), Harry

Gann, Joel Griggs, Mike HatfieJd, Gene Holmberg, Clay

Jansson, William T. larkins, Robert lawson, Dave Menard,

l TCOl Barry Miller, Frank Mormillo, Steve Pace, Ron Pic-

ciani, Fred Roos, Tom Roos, ArtSchoeni, BobStollof, William

Swisher, Nick Williams, Stan Wyckoff, USMC, USN and

Vought.

New kits not listed in Naval Fighters number sixteen.

WAR EAG LE Photo Crusader conversion kit 1/48

This vacuum-formed kit from War Eagle, converts ESeI's

1/48 scale F-8 into an RF-8 photo-reconnaissance version.

In eluded in the kit are 16 parts , instructions, and Scale-

Master decals.

VENTURA

1/72 scale conversion kit

1/72

V HP7 01 1/72 scale injection-molded parts to convert the Hasegawa

F-8E to anRF-8G of VFP-306 is available in the U. S. from

War Eagle

REMANUFACTURING PROGRAM

ESCI

1/72

ES9066

ES9074

ES9075

Vought F·SE "Crusader" U.S. Marine Corps All-Weather Jet

Vought F-SJ "Crusader" U.S. Navy All-Weather Jet Fighter.

Vought F·SE(FN) "Crusader" French Navy All-Weather Jet

1/100

RF·8G 73 remanufactured from RF-8A's

Bureau Numbers 144607-608, 613-620, 623-625,145607-

609,611-616,622-625,627-629,631-633,635-639,641-

643, 645-647. 146827, 835, 838, 844-846, 848, 855-856,

858, 860-861, 863-866, 870-871, 873-874, 876, 882, 886,

889-890, 892, 895, 897-899, 901.

REVELL

RV4057 Vought F-8E "Crusader" U.S. Navy AII·Weather Jet Fighter.

REVELL

1/72

RV4784

"Yankee Station"Marine Attack Squadron: 3·Complete Kits

in 1-Box, Featuring 1-Each of a Vought F-8E "Crusader", a

McDonnell Doug. A-4E/F "Skyhawk", and a Grumman A·6E

"Intruder". Includes U.S. Marine Corps Decal Markings with

All Markings from the Same 'Marine Air Group'.

RF-8G SERVICE LIFE EXTENSION

In 1978 Vought received two contracts totaling $5.8 million

for the service life extension of the RF-8G fleet. The aircraft

were rotated from VFP-63, VFP-206, VFP-306 and from

desert storage at Davis-Monthan AFB. The program allowed

the RF-8G's to operate into the eighties. These RF-8G's

could be recognized by the after burner cooling scoops.

FRONT COVER PHOTO - Two RF-8G Crusaders from VFp·63 in June

1973. 145629 was assigned to the USSF.D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) and

144618 was assigned to the USS Oriskany (CVA·34). (USN via l TCOl

Barry Miller USAF)

testing was covered in Part One of

OPERATION "BLUE MOON"

The first real test of the Photo Crusader's abilities occurred

in October 1962 when VFP-62 and elements of VMCJ-2 were

pushed to the forefront of national policy. The fate of the world

rested on the RF-8's job performance.

Flying low-level reconnaissance flights over Soviet missile

locations in Cuba from 15 October to 26 November 1962, the

photo jocks logged over a hundred flight hours and shot over

160,000 photos. Most of the photos were taken from VFP-62

and VMCJ-2 Crusaders operating two flights a day out of NAS

Key West, which was a mere 100 miles north-northwest of

Havana, Cuba. In addition VFP-62 had detachments aboard

four Sixth Fleet carriers, which were used in support of the

naval blockade of Cuba.

Documentary evidence of the Cuban missile build-up, thus

acquired, provided President John F. Kennedy with the

ammunition needed to force eventual withdrawal of the

threat. Personnel from both photo recce squadrons received

Presidential Unit Citations for their respective roles in the

"Cuban Missile Crisis." The six USN and four USMC Photo

Crusader pilots that flew these recon flights received Distin-

guished Flying Crosses for their respective contributions.

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

A VFP-62 photographic reconnaissance crew quickly unloads film for

processing after a Cuban missile installation fly-over. (Vought)

RF-8A, 145634, of VFP-62 which participated in the Cuban Missile

Crisis. (Vic Seely via Menard)

INTELLIGENCE TEAM- Four photo intelligence specialists of VFP·62

study five-inch film strips of suspected Soviet missile sites in Cuba

during the 1962 crisis. LTJG Mack M. Cox, CDR Robert A. Koch, LTJG

Joe E. Lynn and Chief Photographer's Mate Robert J. Reese (left to

right) mark suspicious areas at NAS Jacksonville, Fla. prior to for-

warding the film to Washington, D.C. (Vought)

RF-8A, 145611, is representative of the RF-8As used by VMCJ-2 during

the Cuban Missile Crisis. (1962 USMC photo)

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE

Three views of Point Mugu's camera

ship RF-8A 144607. Top - Designated

F8U·1 P and with "POINT MUGU" on

tail, #607 on 5·16-59 with and extra

photo window and with da-glo outer

wings, tail and nose cone.(Swisher)

MIDDLE ·#607 on 10-21·62 after being

redesignated RF-8A. Note standard

camera windows, "PACIFIC MISSLE

RANGE'" on the da-glo tail and the

natural metal tail cone. (Swisher)

BOTTOM· In this March 1963 Navy

photo, "NAVAL MISSILE CENTER" has

been painted on the tail . Note fUlly

extended speed brakes. (Stan Wyck·

off)

u. S. NAVAL MISSILE CENTER

Nnal Air Missile Tesl Center InslgrM3

Naval Missile Center Insignia

PAClftC

} MISSILE

RANGE

144607

17 - Vought's F-8 Crusader (2) - Navy and Marine RF-8.pdf

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