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]

 

[Talyn]

More F-8 Crusader LUV.

Some 60 years ago this week, over the skies of the Republic of Vietnam.

An LTV F-8E Crusader of the “Hunters” of Fighter Squadron 162 (VF-162), fires 2.75-inch Zuni rockets in support of ground forces in South Vietnam during USS Oriskany (CVA-34)’s 1966 West Pac deployment. The photo is dated 23 July 1966. Eighteen rockets are visible in this image.

Hunters a’Huntin

Some 60 years ago this week, over the skies of the Republic of Vietnam. An LTV F-8E Crusader of the “Hunters” of Fighter Squadron 162 (VF-162), fires 2.75-inch Zuni rockets in support o…

laststandonzombieisland.com

A Sidewinder-armed F-8E Crusader from the VF-162 Hunters prepares to launch from USS Oriskany (CVA 34) on a mission over North Vietnam in August 1967. Note the “Hunters” moniker on the aircraft’s wing roots.

 

[USMC6094]

Zunis, were 5 inch rockets, 2.75 were Mighty Mouses.......

There is a great difference between the two

And to my knowledge, the Crusader never fired the Mighty Mouse outside of getting the weapon cleared for fleet use.

Well, no I take that back, the F-8A through D, had internal rocket packs for the Mighty Mouse. For use against bomber formations. They were later deemed of little use, and the panniers were permanently shut, and used to house an additional fuel cell.

Amazing how much the air to air weapons evolved in so short a time.