Image: Chance-Vought RF-8U Crusader-SI

Description: A former U.S. Navy Vought RF-8G Crusader (BuNo 146860) at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Virginia (USA). Original description: "RF-8G Bu. No. 146860, Manufacturer No. 103, Squadron No. AF7O1 was transferred from VFP-206 to the National Air and Space Museum on March 30, 1987. This Crusader was the last operational F-8 in the U.S. Navy. It was built as an F8U-1P by Ling Temco Vought and was delivered as the 66th F8U-1P on 30 September 1959. In the course of its lifetime this aircraft has had 11 overhauls, 260 operational service months, 21.7 operational years and a total of 28 years of Naval Service. The aircraft spent its first seven years with the Marine Corps, Squadron VMCJ-3, at MCAS El Toro, California, and with VMCJ-1 in southeast Asia where it saw 200 combat flight hours. Its record of 7,475 total flight hours is more than that of any other F-8 in history. During its career it made a total of 8,896 landings, 689 carrier arrestments, and 714 catapult shots. Its last carrier landing was in October 1986 and it made its last flight on March 30, 1987, when it was delivered to NASM at the Dulles facility as part of "Project Update 1972"." [1]
Title: Chance-Vought RF-8U Crusader-SI
Credit: Own work
Author: FlugKerl2
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
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