Red Devil Crusaders

[Talyn]

Have always loved the F-8's.

With the 100th anniversary of the Red Devils recently, these two great images from its bad old Crusader Days in Vietnam felt appropriate. While the F-8 was a gunfighter built for speed, when used as a low altitude strike aircraft, it took heavy losses.

Red Devil Crusaders

With the 100th anniversary of the Red Devils recently, these two great images from its bad old Crusader Days in Vietnam felt appropriate. While the F-8 was a gunfighter built for speed, when used a…

laststandonzombieisland.com

“On the Way: An F-8E Crusader jet of Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 232 [VMF (AW)-232] launches on a scramble mission in support of Marine ground forces south of Da Nang (official USMC photo by Staff Sergeant Bill Fisher).” From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections.

Smokin pic

It happened 60 years ago today. Official period caption: “The shadow of a U.S. Navy photograph reconnaissance jet passes near a burning Communist Vietnamese PT boat after it was blasted by U.…

laststandonzombieisland.com

 

[USMC6094]

Correct in a sense, but all fighter aircraft used as fighter bombers racked up losses disproportionate their production numbers. And now that I think about it, the Strafers (A20, B25, A26, later Skyraider, Corsair II, Intruder, to name a few), and the King of combat losses in the great Vietnam endeavor was the F105.

A tactical bomber, pressed into the role of a strategic bomber. HALF of the entire production run of the Thunderchief was lost in Southeast Asia. It's loss rate was so high the F4C/D replaced it in every roll except the SEAD/Wild Weasel roll.

The Crusaders loss rate wasn't as heavy as others, especially its replacement......

But I digress.....

 

[Cedric]