F-8 Crusader

[Supah]

is this helpfull? Super Etendard Modernisée Walk Around Page 1 ? its from the airstrip, a truely fantastic site check out their main aviation listing The Airstrip - Prime Portal the greatest walkaround site I know of!

[gamary]

I stumbled upon the Airstrip recently and indeed it's great! I've downloaded tons of walkarounds for my future projects from there.

Some more Crusaders I drew this week, when I wasn't busy sleeping all day and feeling bad:



F-8E of VF-191 as seen in Miramar on 26 August 1967, after VF-191 "Hell's Kitten" returned from a combat tour in Vietnam on board USS Ticonderoga from october 1966 to may 1967.




F-8E flown by the CO of VF-162, Miramar, December 1966. This was just a few days after VF-162 returned to California after a combat tour in Vietnam on board USS Oriskany.



F-8J Crusader of VF-211 based on USS Hancock, Vietnam, May 1972. On 23 May 1972, LtCdr Fred Bachman and Lt Jerry Tucker of VF-211 intercepted a MiG-17 whose pilot ejected when he saw the two American fighters on his tail.






Filipino F-8H as seen in what looked like an aircraft boneyard or storage park. Date and unit unknown. Ex-US Crusaders served in the PhAF from 1977 to 1988.

Anyone who wants a specific F-8 should send me the pics: I don't have that many pictures to work from so you'll be helping me by doing so!

[santynus]

excellent work gamary your new Crusader are very beautiful and interesting I hope now you feeling yourself better if I can help you for the new project please tell me what you need and I can check if I have some good source for you

[gamary]

Thank you santynus . I don't know yet what my next plane will be. I tend to work by making a fuss: I suddenly decide I HAVE TO make a specific model and won't let go until I have.

What are your plans for the future? More US Navy birds? I like those.

[gamary]

And here are some more... Actually the Crusader is a rather fun bird to paint because the paint schemes are nice.



This is the other side of n?35 as preserved in Savigny-les-Beaune.

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F-8E BuNo 150920 of VMF(AW)-312 as seen at the Flying Leathernecks Museum, NAS Miramar, in 2006. Note the absence of IRST. The "Checkerboards" converted to the F-8E in early 1964. It moved to Da Nang AB in the Republic of Vientam in December 1965 before being disestablished on 31 January 1966 to convert to the F-4 Phantim II.

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F-8J BuNo 150855 of VF-24, seen at Alameda NAS probably after VF-24 returned from a combat tour in Vietnam on USS Hancock from November to May 1971. The "Checkerboards" flew F-8J's from 1970 to 1975, when they converted to the F-14 Tomcat.

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F-8J 150317 of VF-301, NAS Miramar. VF-301 flew the Crusader between October 1970 and June 1974 and became the only USN unit to operate F-8 Crusader with no accident at all. The fact that VF-301 never boarded a carrier probably helped, but a total of 14,289 Crusader accident-free flying hours is nonetheless quite an achievement. Notice the stylized ND code on the tail of the aircraft.

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BTW: I am looking for plans and/or pictures of the double launchers used on the F-8 for Sidewinders or rockets. I'm also looking for pictures/plans of the wing pylon that was fitted on late models for extra stores. Any help would be appreciated.

[santynus]

don't have word for your artwork... only excellent work gamary I like so much yours Crusaders
If I found somthing about your request I send you immetiatly


one new plan is the Vickers Wellsley, but I have very poor info about this aircraft... Any help would be appreciated

[gamary]

Thanks santino, I'm glad you like my Crusader. More to come .

I'll look around to see if I have any material on the Wellesley but I doubt it. I'll send you anything I have/find tough.

[gamary]

And more:


F-8J 149177 of VF-53, USS Bonhomme Richard. The Miramar-based "Iron Angels" transitioned to the F-8J on 31 October 1968 and flew two combat tours in Vietnam before being disbanded on 29 January 1979.

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F-8H 147904 of VX-4 "Evaluators" at Point Mugu NMC, 25 october 1971. VX-4 was initially responsible for testing and evaluating the Sparrow AAM but rapidly moved on to other weapons programs as well.

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F-8K 146909 of VC-10, NAS Guantanamo Bay. Also known as VCF-10, the "Challengers" flew the F-8 from 1965 to 1974. F-8K's were used from 1969 to 1974. Being close to the Cuban "enemy", VC-10 always maintained aircraft on 2-minute alert.

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[gamary]

I've started adding AS weapons. Starting with the wing rack:


F-8J n?150900 of VF-211, USS Hancock, May 1972. This aircraft was assigned to CDR Jim Davis, CO of VF-211, but was flown by Jerry Tucker on 23 May 1972. On that day, Tucker was credited with a MiG-17 whose pilot ejected before Tucker even fired a shot.

The next one will have a Mk 81 six-pack hanging from under the wing. Or a Bullpup. I haven't created the Y-racks yet, but it's a-coming...

[gamary]

Here are the bombed-up Crusaders, plus a special one which I find way cool...


F-8E n?149199 of VMF(AW)-235, Da Nang, 1966-67. This very weathered aircraft was assigned to Captain John Highbee and carries a Mk 84 bomb under each wing. The "Death Angels" flew two tours of operations from Da Nang.

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F-8E n?150675 of VMF(AW)-312, Da Nang, 1966. This aircraft was assigned to Col R. F. Conley, commanding officer MAG-11.

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F-8C n?145558 of VF-84, USS Independence. The "Vagabonds" flew some of the most highly decorated Crusaders ever. The name "Vagabonds" was later replaced by "Jolly Rogers", since most VF-84 personnel came from the recently disestablished VF-61 "Jolly Rogers".