Vought F-8 Crusader

The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass, and for the French Navy. The first F-8 prototype was ready for flight in February 1955. The F-8 served principally in the Vietnam War. The Crusader was the last American fighter with guns as the primary weapon, earning it the title "The Last of the Gunfighters".

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 Crisis, providing essential low-level photographs impossible to acquire by other means. US Naval Reserve units continued to operate the RF-8 until 1987.

Variants

 * XF8U-1/XF-8A:/V-383: The two original unarmed prototypes.
 * 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/V-408): Two-seat trainer version based on F8U-2NE, fuselage stretched 2 feet (0.61 m), internal armament reduced to two cannon, J57-P-20 engine, first flight February 6th, 1962. The Royal Navy was initially interested in the Rolls-Royce Spey-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.
 * YF8U-2 (YF-8C): Two F8U-1s used for flight testing the J57-P-16 turbojet engine.
 * F8U-2 (F-8C): Variant powered by 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 cheek pylons allowing two Sidewinder missiles on each side of the fuselage, AN/APQ-83 radar retrofitted during later upgrades. First flight: 20 August 1957, 187 built. This variant was sometimes referred to as Crusader II.
 * F8U-2N (F-D): 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, incorporation of AN/APQ-83 radar. Its first flight was on February 16th 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): Variant powered by J57-P-20A engine. It has an AN/APQ-94 radar in a larger nose cone, dorsal hump between the wings containing electronics for the AGM-12 Bullpup missile, payload increased to 5,000 lb (2,270 kg), Martin-Baker ejection seat, AN/APQ-94 radar replaced AN/APQ-83 radar in earlier F-8D. IRST sensor blister (round ball) was added in front of the canopy. Its first flight was on June 30th 1961, 286 built.
 * F-8E(FN): Air superiority fighter version for the French Navy, significantly increased wing lift due to greater slat and flap deflection and the addition of a boundary layer control system, enlarged stabilators, incorporated AN/APQ-104 radar, an upgraded version of AN/APQ-94. A total of 42 built.
 * F-8H: Upgraded F-8D with strengthened airframe and landing gear, with AN/APQ-84 radar. A total of 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, with AN/APQ-124 radar. A total of 136 rebuilt.
 * F-8K: Upgraded F-8C with Bullpup capability and J57-P-20A engines, with AN/APQ-125 radar. A total of 87 rebuilt.
 * F-8L: F-8B upgraded with underwing hardpoints, with AN/APQ-149 radar. A total of 61 rebuilt.
 * F-8P: Seventeen F-8E(FN) of the Aéronavale underwent a significant overhaul at the end of the 1980s to stretch their service life another ten years. They were retired in 1999.
 * F8U-1D: Several retired F-8A modified to controller aircraft for testing of the SSM-N-8 Regulus 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 as controller aircraft for testing of missiles including at the USN facility at China Lake.
 * F8U-1KU (QF-8A): Retired F-8A modified as controller aircraft for testing of missiles including at the USN facility at China Lake.
 * YF8U-1P (YRF-8A): Prototypes used in the development of the F8U-1P photo-reconnaissance aircraft – Company designation V-392.
 * F8U-1P (RF-8A): Unarmed photo-reconnaissance version of F8U-1E, 144 built.
 * RF-8G: Modernized variant of the RF-8A.
 * LTV V-100: Revised "low-cost" development based on the earlier F-8 variants, created in 1970 to compete against the F-4E Phantom II, Lockheed CL-1200 and F-5-21 in a tender for U.S. Military Assistance Program (MAP) funding. The unsuccessful design was ultimately only a "paper exercise."
 * XF8U-3 Crusader III (V-401): 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 2.39 in test flights, canceled after five aircraft were constructed because the Phantom II won the Navy contract.

Users

 * France
 * Marine Nationale
 * Aéronavale
 * Philippines
 * Philippine Air Force
 * United States
 * United States Marine Corps
 * United States Navy

Related Development

 * LTV A-7 Corsair II
 * Bombardier CA-187C/D Corsair II

Comparable Aircraft

 * McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II
 * North American F-100 Super Sabre