Vought F-8K Crusader — The Last of the USN Gunfighters (IV)

Nostalgistic · August 27, 2026, 4:10pm

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🇺🇸 Vought F-8K Crusader 🇺🇸

History

On August 20, 1957, the F8U-2 (F-8C) prototype, powered by a Pratt & Whitney J57-P-16 engine, flew for the first time, and the first production F8U-2 flew on August 20, 1958. This version introduced ventral fins on the underside of the aft fuselage, designed to provide improved directional stability, and air scoops on the upper tail cone to provide better cooling around the afterburner. In addition, dual launch rails were designed and introduced to be carried on Y-racks mounted on each side of the forward fuselage, bringing the total to four Sidewinder missiles. It retained the F8U-1E’s (F-8B’s) AN/APS-67 search radar.

VF-84 was the first unit to receive this version, and they began taking deliveries on April 4, 1959. During the Vietnam War, F-8Cs scored five confirmed kills, four against MiG-17s and one against a MiG-21.

As part of Vought’s remanufacturing program in December 1968, 87 F-8C models were refurbished under the F-8K designation. The airframe, especially the wing, was strengthened to extend its service life by another 2,000 catapult launches and arrested landings, or 4,000 flight hours altogether. Stronger landing gear, used on the A-7 Corsair II, was installed. The P&W J57-P-16 was retained. Two pylons were added under the wings, one under each wing, to carry external stores, and the cockpit was upgraded to F-8E standards.

F-8Ks were used by Reserve and Marine squadrons. The purpose of the remanufacturing program was to keep Crusaders in service so that smaller aircraft carriers could continue to operate them, as they could not accommodate the larger F-4 Phantom II.

Specifications

🇺🇸 Vought F-8K Crusader 🇺🇸

General Characteristics

Crew: 1 (Pilot)

Dimensions:

Length: 54 ft 3 in (16.5 m)

Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)

Wingspan: 35 ft 8 in (10.9 m)

Wing Area: 375 sq ft (34.8 sq m)

Powerplant:

Type: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-16 afterburning turbojet

Power Output: 16,900 lbf (80 kN)

Fuel/Oil:

Fuel Capacity: 1,273 US gal (4,819 L)

Oil Capacity: 4 US gal (15.1 L)

Weight:

Empty: 16,483 lb (7,477 kg)

Gross: 24,475 lb (11,102 kg)

Max. Takeoff: 27,938 lb (12,672 kg)

Engine Ratings

Afterburner
→ 16,900 lbf (75.2 kN) @ S.S.L

Military
→ 10,700 lbf (47.6 kN) @ S.S.L

Normal
→ 9,150 lbf (40.7 kN) @ S.S.L

Flight Performance

Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.69

Wing Loading: 65.2 lb/sq ft (319 kg/sq m)

Max Speed:

Sea Level: 653 kts (751 mph / 1,209 km/h)

At Altitude: 960 kts @ 35,000 ft (1,105 mph / 1,778 km/h @ 10,668 m)

Rate of Climb: 25,400 fpm (129 m/s)

Service Ceiling: 52,500 ft (16,002 m)

Armament

Avionics:

1 x AN/APS-67 search radar

Guns:

4 x 20 mm Colt Mk.12 cannons (125 rpg; 500 rds)

Missiles:

4 x AIM-9B/D Sidewinders

2 x AGM-12B Bullpups

Rockets:

4 x FFAR pods

4 x Zuni pods

32 x 2.75-in FFARs in fuselage

Bombs:

6 x 250-lb

12 x 500-lb

4 x 1,000-lb

2 x 2,000-lb

2 x incendiary

Related Suggestions

Sources

Jim Sullivan, F-8 Crusader in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications Aircraft Number 70 (1985)
Bert Kinzey, F-8 & RF-8 Crusader in Detail & Scale, Detail & Scale Series Volume 8 (2019)
https://web.archive.org/web/20090225081924/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f8_13.html

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃