The Aircraft: Vought F8 Crusader
A replacement for the Vought F-7 Cutlass and competitor for the McDonnell F-3H Demon, Grumman F-11 Tiger and the North American F-100 Super Sabre
Prototype flew 25th March 1955 (and went supersonic on maiden flight) and was the last American fighter with guns as the primary weapon, but also able to carry four side mounted missiles and under wing pylons for bombs.
Introduced March 1957
Total built 1219
Built for the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and 49 for the French Navy. Also operated by the Philippines Air Force.
Engine – J57 Speed: Mach 1.2
Armament 4x 20mm MK-12 Colt cannon, 4x AIM-9B Sidewinders and either 12x 125kg bombs or 4x 250kg bombs. Other possibilities 2x AGM-12 Bullpup or 24 x Zuni rockets
The kit: Revell 1/48 F-8E Crusader (No.04547)
Parts:133 (of which 26 are indicated as not for use – the bombs and pylons)
Lightly raised panel and rivet details which I shall leave as this is to be a quick build of a relatively inexpensive kit.
Copyright @2000 printed on both the instruction sheet and the decals, but I believe this was originally from Monogram moulds.
Decals supplied for either F-8E US Navy VF-194 “Ticonderoga” 1966, or French Navy F8E(FN) 12 Flottille “Clemenceau” 1987
Right, let's go and find a knife then...
Cheers
Al
