Hello Mr. Black: My name is George Gewehr and I'm trying to find out some information about an incident I witnessed. In 1958 I was in MCRD San Diego going through boot camp. On a particular day, which I think was a Sunday, we were sitting on our buckets on our platoon street shining our boon docker boots. Overhead I heard an explosion, not loud but it got my attention, so I looked up. At that moment a pilot had ejected, and his chute was open. His airplane, an F-8 was turning slightly right pointed north and nose down. Two other F-8s were circling him as he drifted towards the south. The date of it I'm not sure of, but it was in 1958, later in the year around mid August or early September. Thanks for any information you might remember.
JIM SAMARTINO, e-mail, 02.08.2020 23:21
I never did get your e-mail address but I thought it was pretty cool hearing from you. I just wanted to tell you I only knew your grandfather for a very short time,he wasn't in the squadron that long but the day before the accident that took his life I helped him repair his bike. He was a very down to earth guy and I liked him a lot. The F-8 Crusader from what I have read was a handful to fly. I was only a Plane Captain and maintainer but I loved that Bird,and I know the pilots did too. I would love hearing from you. JIMMY
Bill Fahl, e-mail, 12.02.2018 15:50
A great read "Supersonic Fighter Pilots" by Ron Knott
Lots of stories from those who flew this aircraft.
Eric Krask, e-mail, 11.02.2018 01:31
I had the priviledge to chase Col. Marion Carl on his F8U-1E FAM-1 flight in early 1959, Beaufort,SC. Google him. One hour of burner and max G's. Talk about a tiger by the tail. Where do we get such men?
Martin Roberts, e-mail, 30.11.2017 20:52
Interesting to read about the Crusader after all this time. In 1958 I was stationed at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, with the Royal Air Force. An F8U made an emergency landing after a generator disintegrated in flight, punching holes in the intake and outer fuselage skins. In short-order two Douglas Skyraiders appeared from the USS Saratoga - part of the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. If I remember correctly they dropped power-tool kits (?) from beneath the wings and set about patching up the F8U parked in our 13 Sqn (Canberra PR7's) dispersal. One guy crawled down the intake with his "power tool" while the other worked from outside with similar modern aids. A day later the F8U was flown back to the mother ship. The whole thing was our first experience of what we came to know as "Yankee ingenuity" - very impressive. My wife and I moved from the U.K. to CA in the 1980's and now enjoy much to do with airplanes - flying with Golden State Flying Club out here in Santee where there is a Crusader on display at nearby Gillespie Field.
Jim Sommers, e-mail, 09.09.2017 17:49
I was aboard the USS Hancock CVA-19 . I was a plane captain First out of VF-211, out of Miramar Calif. I later became a AQF-4 and maintained the radar, lead computing sight for the guns, and the infrared radar for the missiles. It was a time I will never forget.I remember Randy Omlie too.
Jim Samartino, e-mail, 22.07.2017 04:56
I never flew the F8 Crusader I was only a plane captain and mechanic on it. Being only 18 years old and just out of high school, I felt lucky enough to be able to do that.Years later I earned my Private Pilots license and have flown all over the U.S. I would have loved to have flown that beautiful bird. The F8 Crusader!!!
Cora Revak, e-mail, 03.02.2017 09:24
Sorry for taking so long to get back.hope the email works!
JIM SAMARTINO, e-mail, 05.03.2016 23:42
Dear Miss Cora Revak I actually helped your grandfather LT.Revak repair his bicycle the day before this mishap if you give me your e-mail I'd be glad to talk further about this beleive it or not I still have a copy of the flight schedule for that day.
Cora Revak, e-mail, 05.03.2016 22:27
Hi Jim Samartino, I was wondering if you were able to tell me if you remember my grandfather, Paul Arnold Revak. He was stationed with VU-10 in the same time you described, 1964-1965. I am trying to learn on behalf of my family what happened exactly to him. As you may know, his F-8 crashed on May 10,1965. He, along with his aircraft were never recovered. As I have come to learn, his particular variant, an F-8U2N, we're notoriously difficult to handle and frequently accident prone. If you can tell me anything that you might remember about him, his aircraft or this incident, it would be a great help to my family and me.
JIM SAMARTINO, e-mail, 12.07.2015 22:27
This is no B.S. seastory but I've kept a picture of the F-8 I was plane captain on in VU-10 JH-3 BU#145544 GTMO CUBA 1964-65 all these years.Every now and then I'll get a wiff of Jet fuel from Philly airport right acrosss the delaware from me.WOW!!! takes me back to better times when we were both young and full of spunk.
JIM SAMARTINO, e-mail, 05.05.2015 00:03
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE F8 THE FIRST TIME I SAW ONE TAXI IN IN NATTC MEMPHIS.I WENT THRU THE F8 RAG IN CECIL FIELD AND THEN TO VU-10 LEEWARD POINT GTMO FOR 18 MONTHS.MY BIRD JH-3 145544 IS A CONSTANT REMINDER WITH PICTURES OF HER IN MY I LOVE ME ROOM.CALL ME A WEIRDO DOESN'T MATTER,I STILL LOVE THAT AIRPLANE. I WAS 18 THEN AND NOW I'M 70 BUT I'LL ALWAYS LOVE THAT AIRPLANE AND THAT TIME OF MY LIFE.
JERRY ELLIOTT, e-mail, 14.04.2015 05:07
AS A YOUNG AIRMAN IN1963 AT NO. ISLAND, WATCHED THE F8s LEAVE NARF AND AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, DO A 90 AND GO STREAGHT UP OUTOF SIGHT BEFORE HEADING TO NAS MIRAMAR. WHAT A SITE FOR ME SENCE THE ONLY AIRPLANES I JAD BEEN AROUND WAS B 36s AT CARSWELL.
Dennis Panzer, e-mail, 17.02.2015 00:41
Loved it …..Flew it with VMF 334 and rotated overseas to WESTPAC with VMF(AW)-312. Sweet gun platform. Qualed on the Hancock and the Midway with it. We ended up our squadron time at Danang before disbanding.The most exciting time of my 75 years…...
charlie dennis, e-mail, 27.01.2015 01:44
I remember, as a 19 year old in about 1959, attending an airshow at Hensley Naval Air Base near Dallas-Ft.Worth. After watching a few hours of the typical P-51 formations, aerobatic teams, and early jets, we heard what sounded like some really large jet engines howling in the distance. In afew minutes we saw in the distance two F8 Crusaders coming down the runway. When they reached the crowd they both lit their afterburners, rotated and went what seemed like true vertical. The noise was deafening and the smoke and flame did its work too. They disappeared in the clouds and were never seen again. After nearly sixty years, I don't think I've ever had a case of "goose bumps" quite like that experience. That F8 climb out is etched in my brain forever! My experimental light sport just doesn't seem the same anymore. Charlie Dennis
Bill Mirams, e-mail, 06.12.2014 02:20
Flew the magnificent bird from 1958 - 1960 as a marine in VMF 334. In 1960 ejected at 400 feet due to hydraulic control malfunction. Even so, I still have the fondest of feelings for the Crusader, the last of the gunfighters.
Paul Scott, e-mail, 01.05.2014 03:19
I heard the US pilots wanted this more than the Phantom - although the Phantom was better all-round, the Crusader notched a speed in tests admittedly with bigger than production engines, of nearly 1,600 mph!
Art McMahon, e-mail, 20.12.2013 23:30
I saw my first Crusader at El Toro when I was a young Ordinanceman 6511, in May of 1958. That was also my first experiance with the Sidewinder--later used that Sept. in Formosa by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
James 'butterbean' Carpenter, e-mail, 09.09.2013 05:41
I worked as an experimental machinist, while the F8U Crusader was being created, in Grand Prairie, TEXAS.. I thought it was a beautiful plane.. A friend also scattered one all over NE Texas, while doing test flights, when the wing 'opened-up' on a speed-run... I was also working at TEMCO Aircraft when the Regulas II was a 'secret' and almost scared a 'guard' out of his britches one night, as the missile was out on the flight-line, covered with a tarp, which blew off and the 'thing' was uncovered.. It was about 3am, I walked over to see it and the guard was sleeping.. I asked him 'what it was', he fell out of his chair, pulled his gun and ordered me into the hanger, where I was placed under 'arrest', until my foreman came looking for me and 'sprung' me.. They thought I was a spy or something.. I was working on a plane next to the missile..
Randy Omlie, e-mail, 14.02.2013 00:41
I was a plane captain on F8 Bureau no. 150867 aboard U.S.S. Hancock, CVA19, 1964-66 with VF 211 which had eight confirmed MIG kills and some probables. This bird was the first crusader to shoot down a MIG (Cdr Marr), and a different one flown in VF 211 was the last to down a MIG with guns only (Lt. Chancey. The bird earned VF 211 two Navy Crosses, 6 Silver Stars, and more. I'd say successful!
Ken Gearhart, e-mail, 12.01.2013 21:19
Served in VMF 251 as an Ordnanceman from 62 thru 66...a great A/C to work on and load. We had the F8B and had e xcellent availability and super pilots, especially our CO, Maj/LtCol Kenny Palmer. Had the highest morale in any squadron I served with. Go Thunderbolts!!
Jim Samartino, e-mail, 08.11.2012 04:59
I was an F8 plane capt. in VU-10 GTMO 1964-65 my bird was BU.# 145544 it crashed in Japan in 1968 and is now on display in LEO's park olongapo phillipines. I miss that airplane and miss being 18 years old.
Don Griffith, e-mail, 04.04.2012 06:35
While serving as an ordnanceman with VMF(AW)323 we were in Taiwan in Feb.-March 1964. We flew 1600 hrs. in 26 days in our F82NE's. We set a Naval Aviation record that I believe still stands today. When we flew the 1600 th hour, we had 17 of our 18 birds up and ready to fly. A top notch squadron with a top notch aircraft.
larry bush, e-mail, 21.02.2012 16:22
in vf-124 1959-1963 looking for lt. hickey from minnesota. he flew f-8 crusaders.
Glenn Smith, e-mail, 22.01.2012 21:02
I was part of ship's company USS Hancock CVA -19 when VF 154 came aboard with F8U's. I was on the 07 level when Crash made his landing into the barrier and then the plane rolled over into the sea. He got out OK. Also saw LTjg Ramsey's F8 crash and he was unfortunately killed when his chute did not open completely. A sad day on the Hancock when this happened.
Michelle Carignan, e-mail, 05.01.2012 18:25
I work at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH. We just received the Vought XF8U-2 flown by Joe Engel and Burt Noble. It is on display in our atrium and is a star exhibit and it was quite a feat getting it into the building. It has the tailcode AF. I am researching to see if there are any former pilots, engineers or others who may have flown, worked with or helped to develop this amazing aircraft. I would love to collect some stories and possibly have some of the men and women who have known this plane come and speak with us. Any help in locating those who have experiences to share would be greatly appreciated!
Tom Bourdage, e-mail, 24.05.2011 20:35
Spent 67 to 70 in VFP63 "Eyes of the Fleet" AE shop. My first squadreon and first of many aircraft. Made two cruises; first a westpac on the Coral 'Maru' CV 43 and the second a Med cruise on FDR CV42. Now a volunteer on the Midway CV41 So I've managed to work all of the Midway class carriers into my life. Love the F8s, particularly the RF8s - fun to work on and fun to watch launching, flying and landing.
Roy Miller, e-mail, 23.05.2011 19:02
Flew the F-8 2NE in VF-51 off the Tico when Jim Stockdale had the squadron. Dick Hastings (lost when he was LSO and another F8 hit the ramp) and I were on Condition 2 cap and were launched to haul a** up north when Maddox and Turner Joy were under attack from the bad guys. The next morning we flew the first strikes on the oil refinery at Vinh. That resulted in the start of the conflict that lasted the next several years. After 2 tours on Tico, I was sent to the east coast to test flight O&R a/c. Flew all models of the a/c while there--A, B, C, D and E models. Managed to get 1.95 mach on a C model. Would of made 2.0 but A/C started to yaw, and I chickened out :) Probably good that I did as A/C was getting ready to depart. Great aircraft. Got to spend one month on the Constellation supporting escort missions into Laos. Like landing at Miramar compared to the old Tico with 10 ft of hook to ramp!
Dan Cush, e-mail, 13.05.2011 03:39
I was an AT2 in VF191 on the Bon Homme Richard and worked on the F8U in the South China Sea in 1962. I wasn't thrilled with loading that Communications pack behind the cockpit on the flight deck at night. We called the F8U the Man-Eater since the intake was so low. It's trailing wing- edge was very dangerous to your head walking around it on the hanger deck too.
pelicanjohn, e-mail, 23.04.2011 03:21
flew 1500 hours in the crusader, 300 traps, 175 missions in Nam with VF191. But get this, got shot down in an F8A by a marine from VMF 334 while tow a target out of Yuma.
Bob Bryan, e-mail, 19.04.2011 02:16
I worked for Chance-Vought in the 1950's, while the Cutlass was being built, and then while the Crusader was being developed, I worked on the firstXF-8s, making parts following blueprint specs, then putting them in the plane. I remember when XF8-2 disintegrated on a speed run in CA; the winch motor fan blade came off and severed the cable used to set the angle of attack for take-off (the fuselage was very close to the ground; the winch ass'y provided the ability to change the angle of attack). The pieces were bvrought to the plant's experimental area in Grand Prairie, TX, and applied to a wire frame in the general shape of the fuselage. In this way, the engineers were able to determinr\\e the cause of the accident. I also worked on the first few X models of the Regulus-2 Guided missiles. It was interesting work.
Charlie Arnold, e-mail, 24.03.2011 05:16
Worked avionics (AT) in the F8 from Jan 1958-july 1960. Made the 1959 cruise on the Ranger with VF-91 Red Lighting. Fun plane to work on but the group I worked with was even better. Chief Bolt was the shop chief. Best Chief I ever had. Wonder what happened to Droopy, Dave, Jerry, Jeff, and the others in the AT shop? About half of the shop reinlisted for "AT-IB" school in Millington. Believe VF-92 was "Screamin' Deamons" give you a headache if you got in the right spot on their intakes. Also got to be shop chief in VFP-63 in '67, RF-8G's. Good plane. Good Pilots. Vince Lesh, Mel Word, Tommy Tucker, Andre Coltrain. Lots of stories.
uncle-mac, e-mail, 11.02.2011 22:43
Again, where did class 7-57 go as a bunch went to F8s when the rag was in the bay area, I know that Terry Cry-- jumped out of a few! East coast that is. I know that my boss at Mugu became skipper of VFP-63.
uncle-mac, e-mail, 11.02.2011 22:37
Once more, Was at Vaught/Dallas/ Love Field, when then Sec. Nav. accepted the first A7. Took a Peter back to Pt. Mugu.
uncle-mac, e-mail, 11.02.2011 22:06
Flew the F8-A/E/P at Pt MUGU, Naval missle Center, Aerospace Center, Experimental Targets. The REG-2, A M2 Missle/target for the fleet and the Airforce super secret missles at the time. Got my 1K pin from vaught and did a few M2s in the E(my plane) Was the NATOPS here and at VRF-32.A real Cadallac.Poor California, all those sonic booms!
Jimmy Morris, e-mail, 05.02.2011 22:02
As an anti aircraft gunner on the Forrestal in 1959 our fire control guys tried to use an F8u in a tracking exercise.Now you know why they put surface to air missles on carriers.
rloperjr, e-mail, 22.01.2011 03:59
Was in VMF-334 from Jan 61 TO May63. We had the 2, 2n, 2ne while I was there. Was a 6492 and a 6491. Loved to pull the tail and slide the engines out. Still remember the last 7/16th bolt in the 16th stage. Was on the Oriskani CVA-34 at the start of the Cuban Missle Crisis.
Ralph beltran, e-mail, 15.01.2011 15:02
There's no more beautiful afterburner flame than coming out the F8U tailpipe. Lavender!
Bill Zimmerman, e-mail, 19.11.2010 23:39
I worked on the f8u 57-61 vf91 alameda nas loved that aircraft, was really impressed as a 18 year old, vpwing rocket pack it was cool.
Jack Hayden, e-mail, 15.11.2010 09:21
During the Cuban flack I worked on the RF8A with VMCJ2 out of Cherrry Pt. This air craft the finest aircraft I ever had the pleasure of working on. Best of the Gun Singers.
Harry Jensen, e-mail, 24.10.2010 03:55
During 1959-1961 I was an F8 plane capt in VF 142.We wespaced on the USS Oriskany CVA 34 in 60. The pilot who flew the plane i was responsible for was later to become Astronaut Ron Evans who was the pilot of the command module on the last moon shot along With Ceran and Schmitt. It was plain to see why he was picked for the program.a finer man would be hard to find. Also Robbie Robison was the tech rep for the F 8s on our west pac. Harry
Clint Viebrock, e-mail, 17.10.2010 21:24
Flew the F8B with VMF 251 from Aug 62-Dec 63, not nearly long enough. 251 did a TransLant from Beaufort-Bermuda, 2 air-to-air refuelings to Rota, Spain; then back to Roosevelt Roads via Lages, Azores, 3 refuelings to Rosy. We carried condoms to pee in; no relief tube for a 6 hour flight! No combat, but some fun hassles.
George Williams, e-mail, 13.10.2010 21:12
As a tincan swabie we were the forward controller during the 1958 Lebanon Crisis and enjoyed the F8U return trip bridge level fly bys with afterburners and vertical barrel rolls. Great aircraft and great pilots! Only entertainment we had for 32 days!
Ray Hartman, e-mail, 03.10.2010 22:10
In Dec 61 an F8U-1P from Cecil enroute to Norfolk had a flame out and the pilot ejected with the craft pointed to sea. It relit and started to fly in circles coming closer to land. The decision was made to put it down and "they" launched two AD's to strafe it. No joy. Then two A4D's with the same result. By the time "they" got to their senses and launched two F8U-2's from VF-103 in Oceana the F8U-1P was closing on land and the two pilots Lcdr Simmons and Lcdr Rutherford "sandwiched" the 1P, One on top and one on the bottom and steered the 1-P out to sea again. They broke off and came back each firing a sidewinder and both found their mark. The 1-P was no longer a threat to the coastal towns. Other than a short blurb in a Norfolk paper there wasn't much said about this incident but I thought those pilates were great. VF-103 took a lot of ribbing because they were a "day" fighter squadron, but this threat was taken out at night.
Ralph V. Pallesco, e-mail, 05.09.2010 22:48
I worked on the F-8U 2NE when TAD to VMF(aw)451 in Atsugi Japan 1962 & 63. Then when I came back to Beauford SC to VMF (aw) 451 in 1964 & 65.
Harry Black, e-mail, 22.08.2010 21:37
Does anyone remember in 1958 when VMF251 had just received their first F8s,,when a youg 2nd Lt. took off on his Fam 1 and was blasted out of the plane at about 20000 ft ( unintended ejection)...yep, that was me....and then,the rescue chopper also crashed in the Eliot National Forest and we came back to El Toro in a Highway troopers car !!!!!
Ed Steger, e-mail, 22.08.2010 19:50
I joined VMF251 at ElToro as a 6412 in 1959 and we TADed to Yuma and El Centro and on the Oriskany while in California. We then shipped out on the USNS Core with our planes to Japan. We landed at Yokohama and unloaded our planes and they flew them to Atsugi (East Camp)where we set up our operations. We then TADed to NAS Cubi Point, Subic Bay Philippines for about 5 months, Boy! was it hot down there. We then went to Ping Tung, Taiwan for operation Blue Star. We also had Carrier qualifications aboard the Ranger and The Midway and had ground operations on Okinawa at Naha. Carrier activities were very exciting and interesting to say the least. Then back to Atsugi, Japan till we rotated back to the good old USA. Lots of good times in Yamto, Japan and also in Olongapo, Philippines. Met and became friends with some really great guys in VMF 251 both enlistment people and Officers/Pilots. One that comes to mind was Capt. Leathers who was lost off the coast of Okinawa, also S/Sgt William Errear and Line Chief M.R. Williams. I still wonder sometimes what ever happened to guys like Stephen Kizima or Kenny Fortenberry, H.R. Victor. It is nice to correspond with William J. Cunningham,Dick Leitte, Ricky Palmersheim and Ward Miller. H.L. Henderson was my best man at my wedding after he and I were discharged in San Francisco and made a trip to his home in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a couple of years that I would not trade for anything as a life experience. CUSTOS CAELORUM VMF 251 Hope all of you "Hackers" out there are still Hacking it!
Willy Davis VMF-51, e-mail, 11.08.2010 00:00
On Jan.1960 I was involved in an accident on the runway at El-Toro at night. The result was a destroyed rear end of my a/c and the front of the other one. The two good parts were salvaged and a new a/c, the only one of its kind,was built. Anyone have any info on this?
Anyone have any info about this
bill delgiudice, e-mail, 14.07.2010 19:40
has anyone ever seen a TF8?
Jay Powelson, e-mail, 25.02.2010 04:12
A pain in the butt airplane to work on but one of the neatest ever built. I spent 7 yrs on 4 different models.
paul scott, e-mail, 17.09.2009 22:18
Aptly nicknamed 'the last of the gunfighters' (Re. as Silver below says, due to its sterling service in Vietnam). A true legend, forgotten and overshadowed by, the also excellent Phantom II.
Dennis Crilly, e-mail, 18.12.2008 00:38
Thought the stall speed was a little too hight on this bird.I have about 1000 houres in this bird. She was a little tricky at night with a stiff cross wind and once I hade to push the stick full forward to stop from stalling.
Napoleon Williams, e-mail, 17.07.2008 17:50
I was a mechanic on the F-8, from the F8-B to the F8-E and also the RF-8 (VFP 63). This was the most beautiful bird in the air, I got sick when our squardon (VF-33) tramsfered to the F4 Phatmons
Silver, e-mail, 14.07.2008 09:58
The max range on a fighter was somewhat less than the photo bird and I've been across the States from NKX to JAX several times with the photo Crusader with a little tail wind without refueling. Comfort level get close with the fighter went you're coming down at idle from 40,000 feets with nozzles closed a hundred miles out looking at 1200 pounds in a fighter like the F8J. Flew almost all models of this beautiful plane and enjoyed most. A black night on the Hanna in the Gulf got interesting at times. Should remind everyone that this was the leading "MIG Killer" in Vietnam and it took some of our F8 jocks to pass on some of the lessons learned to both the Air Force there and our F4 buddies in NKX. All of this was incorporated in the Top Gun school against the Bolted Up Slats of the A4. Spent a lot of time there against many types flying in the 70's. Had over 500 traps in this bird with over 125 at night. Pilots above have spoke well of this plane and with the right man behind the stick, the foes had their hands full. Earlier films of our last combat hops against the F4's were shown often at Happy Hour. Our new guys learned to love this bird as well. Clean this plane was a dream to fly. Loved the many trips to Oklahoma and Dallas picking up frozen meat in the empty ammo holes. Use two planes once and brought the whole steer back. Thanks for the help Boomer. Miss both the Crusader and fine pilots I flew with. As for the Hancock cruises, that's something else. Stop by San Diego and see the Crusader on the port cat with it's sister, the A7 on the starboard.
Bruce Martin, e-mail, 14.07.2008 05:15
By far my favorite aircraft. After 1000 plus hours in the F8 I transitioned to the F4J and felt as though I gone from a sports car to a truck. Coming aboard ship required some skill as the F8 was very clean, (not much drag), and speed control could be a problem, but at least by the time I flew them in the early to late 1960s the F8 performed admirably as a carrier based aircraft. In Vietnam we flew F8Es, mostly in an air to ground role. It wasn't the mission we wanted but the aircraft was a very good rocket firing platform, great at straffing, and not bad as a bomber once one had some practice. I was sorry to see the F8 go. The lucky French Navy hung on to theirs until December of 1999.
Randy Kelso, e-mail, 13.07.2008 05:54
From a maintainer's viewpoint the F-8 was a challenge, but an enjoyable one for many of us. It was easily the prettiest bird on anybody's deck and we got to rub shoulders with arguably the best pilots America ever produced; we also got to watch hot-rod performances in the air. The joke of those days was that the Russians had developed a missile designed exclusively to shoot down Vought aircraft: the HOHV, which stood for "Home On Hydraulic Fluid".
Richard L Partridge, e-mail, 13.07.2008 02:02
I am eternally grateful to have flown this exceptional aircraft in the primary air defense of our much maligned Carribean bastion with a great squadron. It was delightful to hear the recorded surprised remarks of F4 crews when they realized they had a "Sader" on their "six," and when the Cuban Migs would turn away when confronted by a single Sader.
Crazy Horse, e-mail, 13.07.2008 01:13
Flew the bird from '57 till'72 and acquired a tad over 2900 hrs.in all versions except the "J" model. VF-91, VF-174, VU-10, VC-4, VF-24, VF-124, and VF-201. Kept getting orders to everything from A-6s to the Double-breasted Shit-can but always managed to snivel my way back into an F8 cockpit,even taking non career-enhancing jobs to stay in a single-seater.
Dave Winiker, e-mail, 12.07.2008 20:15
The comment submission dates are incorrect.
Dave Winiker, e-mail, 12.07.2008 20:12
In '57-'59, while assigned to VF-154 at Moffet, we deployed with our F-8s on the old wooden deck USS Hancock (CVA-19). (The 1st PACFLT Crusader squadron to do so.) Upon joining the squadron in Sept '56 there were 13 nuggets (1st tour aviators) flying the FJ-3 Fury,2 of which were still flying off the "boat" when we returned from our first F-8 deployment two years later. We never qualified for carrier night ops during this time. (It was hard enough getting aboard during the day.) I was the first "fleet" F-8 pilot to instruct FRPs (Fleet Replacement Pilots) in VF-124. A year later I left the Navy to became Hank Lankford's ass't. at Vought. After it become LTV I returned to active duty and instructed in the F-11 in Beeville. To my regret I never flew the Crusader again. In May '08 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our 1st deployment.
Art McMahon--, e-mail, 11.07.2008 22:24
I was at El Toro, early 1958--VMF 451 as a 6511 and was shipped out to Atsugi before I really had a chance to learn much about the Crusader--but it was quite an experiance. The F-4D Skyray we had in Formosa is "another story". Cpl. McMahon USMC/1651628
Larie K Clark, e-mail, 08.06.2008 05:17
Only had twelve hundred hours in the this great aircraft, one flight deck level ejection, one dead stick into Dover AFB from overhead Pax River, and one night landing with locked brakes and a gear fire that lit up Cecil. Was a wonder to fly, and the E though a little heavy was my favorite.
Pat McGirl, e-mail, 22.05.2008 02:32
Have 500 hours in the "F8H" in the reserves. (VC-13 Nas New Orleans, La.) Hassled against F8Ks, Js, F-100s, F-104s, F4s, F-106s, etc. A wonderful machine that had to be flown correctly to win. The "H" was the best F8 with the P-420 engine. In the specs above, don't believe range is 2423 NM. If you got a thousand NM, IFR reserve, no wind, you were good. As a former USAF pilot, the F8 with the same engine as it's AF counterparts performed twice as well. A FUN airplane, but only the very best could fly it well.
My unit had six "saders" and five pilots, how much fun was that?
Pat
Bob "beaver" Beavis, e-mail, 22.05.2008 00:34
Over 1,000 hours with 150 combat missions. Great airplane and will always be my favorite; however, she required your full attention. Tended to be a hydraulic nightmare for the maintainers. Hard burner light got you moving quickly. On test flights have seen 1.92 mach. s/f beaver
Ken Langford, e-mail, 15.05.2008 03:14
I flew the "gator" from the F-8U 1, to the K and 2NE and everyone of them was a wonderful air to air top notch machine. Ramp to tail clearance left something to be desired.
Marv Garrison, e-mail, 02.04.2008 19:31
This ole bird provided me with a couple of hundred combat missions in 1966-1967 with squadrons 312, 235. and 232. Same number of take-off and landings.
