BoeingFan7879
Chance Vought F-8K Crusader 145550
In September 1952, the U.S. Navy announced requirements for a new fighter. The specifications were ambitious, calling for a top speed of Mach 1.2 at 30,000 ft (9,144.0 m), a climb rate of 25,000 ft/min (127.0 m/s), and a landing speed of no more than 100 mph (160 km/h). These performance metrics were crucial for the aircraft's role as a supersonic fighter and its ability to operate from aircraft carriers. In response, the Vought team, led by chief designer John Russell Clark, designed the V-383. There was also a tactical reconnaissance version of the aircraft called the V-392.
The Crusader, the first supersonic fighter aircraft specifically designed for service on an aircraft carrier, was a key player in the Vietnam War. It was the fastest plane ever flown from the Intrepid's deck and was popular with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots. The Crusaders saw extensive combat use during the war, primarily serving as an escort fighters, protecting ground attack aircraft from North Vietnamese MiG fighter jets. This combat role solidified the Crusader's place in military aviation history.
The Crusader's most striking feature was its variable-incidence wings, a unique innovation that allowed the entire wing to pivot up to 7°. This design provided superior flight controls at lower speeds and enhanced visibility for the pilot during carrier landings. The Crusader was also the last Navy fighter to be equipped with internally mounted cannons, a fact that led many Crusader pilots to affectionately refer to themselves as the 'Last of the Gunfighters.'
The Crusader's design was so successful that it served in the USN for nearly two decades, a record-setting achievement for any Naval fighter. The last active-duty Crusaders were not retired from Navy service until 1976, a testament to the aircraft's enduring capabilities. Even after their retirement, the photo-reconnaissance versions continued to serve in the Navy for 11 more years, finally being retired in 1987.
During the Vietnam War, Intrepid participated in Operation Rolling Thunder (March 2nd, 1965–November 2nd, 1968), an aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Intrepid's primary mission was to bolster these ground attacks—fighter aircraft such as the Crusaders were deployed in small units of four jets each, called detachments.
The operation, however, was a failure. The Vietnamese had developed radar-controlled anti-aircraft weapons, which were able to shoot down hundreds of American aircraft during the bombing strikes. The attacks themselves killed up to 90,000 Vietnamese, 75,000 of which were civilians. To persuade the Vietnamese to the negotiating table, President Johnson restricted the bombing of North Vietnam to the southern part of the country on March 31st, 1968.
Detachments of the famous fighter squadron VF-111 ("Sundowners") flew the Crusaders from Intrepid on its 2nd and 3rd deployments to Vietnam. On September 19th, 1968, Intrepid pilot Lt. Tony Nargi fired a Sidewinder missile from his Crusader and shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21. This Crusader, BuNo 145550, was built as an F8U-2 in 1961 and delivered to the Navy the following year, where it was re-designated as an F-8C. It was then converted to an F-8K. It was moved to Intrepid sometime in 2003 and has remained on display ever since. It is painted to resemble the airplane that Nargi flew during the war.
Chance Vought F-8K Crusader 145550
In September 1952, the U.S. Navy announced requirements for a new fighter. The specifications were ambitious, calling for a top speed of Mach 1.2 at 30,000 ft (9,144.0 m), a climb rate of 25,000 ft/min (127.0 m/s), and a landing speed of no more than 100 mph (160 km/h). These performance metrics were crucial for the aircraft's role as a supersonic fighter and its ability to operate from aircraft carriers. In response, the Vought team, led by chief designer John Russell Clark, designed the V-383. There was also a tactical reconnaissance version of the aircraft called the V-392.
The Crusader, the first supersonic fighter aircraft specifically designed for service on an aircraft carrier, was a key player in the Vietnam War. It was the fastest plane ever flown from the Intrepid's deck and was popular with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots. The Crusaders saw extensive combat use during the war, primarily serving as an escort fighters, protecting ground attack aircraft from North Vietnamese MiG fighter jets. This combat role solidified the Crusader's place in military aviation history.
The Crusader's most striking feature was its variable-incidence wings, a unique innovation that allowed the entire wing to pivot up to 7°. This design provided superior flight controls at lower speeds and enhanced visibility for the pilot during carrier landings. The Crusader was also the last Navy fighter to be equipped with internally mounted cannons, a fact that led many Crusader pilots to affectionately refer to themselves as the 'Last of the Gunfighters.'
The Crusader's design was so successful that it served in the USN for nearly two decades, a record-setting achievement for any Naval fighter. The last active-duty Crusaders were not retired from Navy service until 1976, a testament to the aircraft's enduring capabilities. Even after their retirement, the photo-reconnaissance versions continued to serve in the Navy for 11 more years, finally being retired in 1987.
During the Vietnam War, Intrepid participated in Operation Rolling Thunder (March 2nd, 1965–November 2nd, 1968), an aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Intrepid's primary mission was to bolster these ground attacks—fighter aircraft such as the Crusaders were deployed in small units of four jets each, called detachments.
The operation, however, was a failure. The Vietnamese had developed radar-controlled anti-aircraft weapons, which were able to shoot down hundreds of American aircraft during the bombing strikes. The attacks themselves killed up to 90,000 Vietnamese, 75,000 of which were civilians. To persuade the Vietnamese to the negotiating table, President Johnson restricted the bombing of North Vietnam to the southern part of the country on March 31st, 1968.
Detachments of the famous fighter squadron VF-111 ("Sundowners") flew the Crusaders from Intrepid on its 2nd and 3rd deployments to Vietnam. On September 19th, 1968, Intrepid pilot Lt. Tony Nargi fired a Sidewinder missile from his Crusader and shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21. This Crusader, BuNo 145550, was built as an F8U-2 in 1961 and delivered to the Navy the following year, where it was re-designated as an F-8C. It was then converted to an F-8K. It was moved to Intrepid sometime in 2003 and has remained on display ever since. It is painted to resemble the airplane that Nargi flew during the war.