- Yes
- No
- Regular tech tree
- Premium or event
- I said no in the first poll
- 10.7
- 11.0
- Other (comment)
- I said no in the first poll)
Historical overview
The F-8 Crusader, originally designated F8U, is a single-seat, single-engine, naval air superiority fighter manufactured by Vought. It was the first fully operational carrier-based supersonic aircraft, first flying in 1955 and operated by the US Navy, the US Marine Corps, NASA, the French Navy and the Philippines Air Force.
Being a plane designed by Chance Vought, it was sure to have an unusual design feature, which in this case was the variable-incidence wing. It also was the largest high-mounted wing of any fighter then, at a time when high-mounted wings were quite unique.
The variant being suggested here is the F-8H. In 1967 and 1968, eighty-nine F-8Ds were selected and overhauled as F-8Hs, which first flew on July 1967.
Three Vietnam War cruises were made with F-8Hs, two by VF-51 and one by VF-24. Two victories over the skies of Vietnam were achieved, shooting down two MiG-21s, accomplished by the VF-51 fighter squadron.
The F-8H featured a very similar upgrade package to the F-8J, featuring the following:
- Strengthened wings for increased service life
- Landing gear replaced with the A-7 type
- Bullpup avionics hump at the upper part of the fuselage
- Several changes to the cockpit
- Additional wing pylons for external stores to hit ground targets
Other improvements feature SHOEHORN equipment, for electronic warning and countermeasures, a more powerful engine, the P&W J57-P-420, an improved AN/APQ-149 radar and AN/ASA-63 missile programming computer.
Note on the radar:
Spoiler
Initially, the F-8H had the AN/APQ-83 radar set, as it was retained from the F-8D. However it seems that with AFC 571, which modified the aircraft to accept BAT/ALE modified radar and a modified SEAM (Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode), the radar was redesignated to AN/ALQ-149.
Technical data
Spoiler
Engine
Pratt & Whitney J57-P-420, axial flow, afterburning jet engine
- Maximum power: 19600lbf
- Military power: 12400 lbf
- Normal power: 9150 lbf
Fuel and oil
- Total usable fuel capacity: 1348 gallons
- Fuel grade: JP-5
- Oil: 6.1 gallons
Aircraft dimensions
- Length: 54 ft. 2.75 in.
- Height: 15 ft. 9.1 in.
- Wing span: 35 ft. 8 in.
- Wing area 375 sq. ft.
Weights
- Empty: 18,824 lb.
- Combat weight: 25,801 lb.
- Combat weight, 60% fuel and 2x Sidewinders: 26,417 lb.
- Combat weight, 60% fuel and 4x Sidewinders: 27,124 lb.
- Normal take-off, 100% fuel: 29,468 lb.
- Normal take-off, 100% fuel with 2x Sidewinders: 30,084 lb.
- Normal take-off, 100% fuel with 4x Sidewinders: 30,791 lb.
- Maximum take-off weight, field and catapult: 34,280 lb.
Performance
Military power, 29,468 lb takeoff weight, clean
- Max. speed at sea level: 616 knots
- Rate of climb at sea level: 8000 ft/min
Maximum power, 25,801 lb combat weight, clean
- Max. speed at sea level: 662 knots
- Rate of climb at sea level: 23,300 ft/min
Maximum power, 26,417 lb combat weight (2x Sidewinders)
- Max. speed at sea level: 656 knots
- Rate of climb at sea level: 22,100 ft/min
Maximum power, 27,124 lb combat weight (4x Sidewinders)
- Max. speed at sea level: 650 knots
- Rate of climb at sea level: 20,700 ft/min
Armament
Guns:
Four Colt Mk.12 Mod 3 20mm cannons (500 rounds in total)
Air-to-air missiles:
AIM-9B Sidewinder
AIM-9C Sidewinder
AIM-9D Sidewinder
AIM-9G Sidewinder
Furthermore, and the reason I included the third poll, AIM-9L Sidewinders and AIM-95 Agile missiles were mounted and tested on an F-8H (BuNo 147057) at China Lake. Pictures below:
Ordnance options:
Pictures
Sources
- NATOPS Flight Manual Navy Models F-8H and F-8J Aircraft, NAVAIR 01-45HHE-1, 1 May 1974
- NAVAIR 00-110AF8-6, Standard Aircraft Characteristics F-8H Crusader, March 1973
- F-8 Crusader in Detail and Scale, by Bert Kinzey
- Joe Baugher
- China Lake photo archive