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Post by Don Gieseke on Mar 25, 2017 10:33:23 GMT -6
On this day: 62 years ago, the Vought F-8 Crusader, #Navy’s single-engine, supersonic, air superiority fighter, and the last American fighter to feature guns as its primary armament made its first flight (March 25, 1955). While I was at Braniff many of my fellow pilots had flown the Crusader from NAS Dallas. They loved that airplane. The old saying: "When you are out of Crusaders you are out of fighters!" |
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Post by Don Gieseke on Mar 26, 2017 13:32:06 GMT -6
From J McNab:
My last year in the Marines was at NAS Dallas working on F-8s. It was a unique aircraft with a wing that was raised for takeoff and landing. It had a Pratt & Whitney J-57 that had a loud 'hard light' when afterburner was selected. It was a manly airplane and a pretty one at that. We had both the 'F' model and also some 'RF' models at the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment (MARTD) there at Hensley Field. It was a bit of an ugly duckling when on the ground. But in the air, it was a sleek and beautiful machine. I am glad I had a chance to work on it. I wish I could have had the chance to fly one. After leaving the Corps, I joined the Air National Guard and went to pilot training and flew F-106s, F-4s, and F-16s. I always looked for an opportunity to fly against the F-8, but it wasn't meant to be. The F-8 faded away and was deactivated before I had the chance. Still, I am glad I had something to do with a true classic.
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