Modern-Aviation

The Vought F-8 Crusader 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".

Maiden flight: 25 Mar 1955 Length: 54.25 ft Wingspan: 35.66 ft Passengers: 1 Introduced: Mar 1957 Retired: 1976

The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was an aircraft developed by Chance Vought as a successor to the successful Vought F-8 Crusader program and as a competitor to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Though based in spirit on the F8U-1 and F8U-2, and sharing the older aircraft's designation in the old Navy system, the two aircraft shared few parts.

Design and Development
In parallel with the F8U-1s and -2s, the Crusader design team was also working on a larger aircraft with even greater performance, internally designated as the V-401. Although externally similar to the Crusader and sharing with it such design elements as the variable incidence wing, the new fighter was larger and was powered by the Pratt & Whitney J75-P-5A engine generating 29,500 lbf (131 kN) of afterburning thrust. To deal with Mach 2+ flight conditions it was fitted with large vertical ventral fins under the tail which rotated to the horizontal position for landing. To ensure sufficient performance, Vought made provisions for a Rocketdyne XLF-40 liquid-fueled rocket motor with 8,000 lbf (35.6 kN) of thrust in addition to the turbojet. Avionics included the AN/AWG-7 fire control computer, AN/APG-74 radar, and AN/ASQ-19 datalink. The system was expected to simultaneously track six and engage two targets.

Due to extensive changes as compared to the F8U-1, the F8U-2 was labeled by some as the "Crusader II", and as a result, the XF8U-3 was officially labeled "Crusader III."

General Characteristics
Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 58 ft 8 in (17.88 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 11 in (12.16 m)
Height: 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m)
Wing area: 450 ft² (41.8 m²)
Empty weight: 21,860 lb (9,915 kg)
Loaded weight: 32,320 lb (14,660 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 38,770 lb (17,590 kg)
Fuel capacity: 2,000 US gal (7,700 l)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney J75-P-5A afterburning turbojet
Dry thrust: 16,500 lbf (73.4 kN)
Thrust with afterburner: 29,500 lbf (131.2 kN)

Performance
Maximum speed: 2.39 Mach (demonstrated) at 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Cruise speed: 500 kn (575 mph, 925 km/h)
Range: 560 nmi, (645 mi, 1,040 km) combat
Ferry range: 1,777 NM (2,045 mi, 3,290 km) with external fuel
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,800 m)
Rate of climb: 32,500 ft/min (165 m/s)
Wing loading: 72 lb/ft² (350 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.74 at take-off, 0.97 at combat weight

Avionics
Raytheon Aero 1B weapons control system, including:
Autotechnicas AN/AWG-7 missile control system
AN/APQ-50 radar

Role: Fighter aircraft
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Vought
First flight: 25 March 1955
Introduction: March 1957
Retired: 1976 (fighter, U.S. Navy)
29 March 1987 (photo reconnaissance, U.S. Naval Reserve)
1991 (Philippines)
19 December 1999 (fighter, France)
Status: Retired completely in 2000
Primary users: United States Navy
                          United States Marine Corps
                          French Navy
                          Philippine Air Force
Number built: 1,219
Developed into: Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III
                            LTV A-7 Corsair II

Armaments
Guns: 4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) Colt Mk 12 cannons
Rockets: 8 × Zuni rockets in four twin pods
Missiles: 4 × AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, 2 x AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground guided missiles
Bombs: 12 × 250 lb bombs or 4 × 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs or 2× 2,000 lb bombs