Chance Vought F8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was nicknamed ‘the last of the gunfighters’ because it carried four 20 mm cannon at a time when many fighters relied only on missiles. Its wing could pivot upward for takeoff and landing, keeping the fuselage level and improving pilot visibility on carrier approaches. Crusaders flew extensively over Vietnam, where their agility and cannon armament earned a strong combat record. The variable-incidence wing makes the F-8 one of the most distinctive carrier fighters ever built.
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Did you know?
Nicknamed 'the last of the gunfighters' for its four cannon, the Crusader's wing pivots upward for takeoff and landing.
Specifications
| Length | 16.6 m (54 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 10.9 m (36 ft) |
| Height | 4.8 m (16 ft) |
| Persons on board | 1 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 15.4 t |
| Range | 1,500 NM (2,778 km) |
| Maximum speed | 1,227 kt (2,272 km/h) |
| Stall speed | 109 kt (202 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 58,000 ft (17,678 m) |
| Rate of climb | 19,000 ft/min (96.5 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 5,300 l |
| Engines | 1x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20 |
| Units built | 1,261 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Chance Vought F8 Crusader starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Chance Vought, the F8 Crusader family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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