U.S. NAVY VOUGHT F8U CRUSADER 1P RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT FAMILIARIZATION FILM 78594

Made by Jam Handy in 1961 for the U.S. Navy, this film familiarizes personnel with the F-8U1P, the photographic version of the F-8U Crusader. The film presents many aspects of operating the cameras which, interestingly enough, can be activated using the "fire guns" button on the aircraft stick. The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass, and for the French Navy. The first F-8 prototype was ready for flight in February 1955. The F-8 served principally in the Vietnam War. The Crusader was the last American fighter with guns as the primary weapon, earning it the title "The Last of the Gunfighters".
An early F8U-1 was modified as a photo-reconnaissance aircraft, becoming the first F8U-1P, subsequently the RF-8A equipped with cameras rather than guns and missiles. On 16 July 1957, Major John H. Glenn, JR, USMC, completed the first supersonic transcontinental flight in a F8U-1P, flying from NAS Los Alamitos, California to Floyd Bennett Field, New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8.3 seconds.
The unarmed Crusader was operated aboard carriers as a detachment (Det) from either VFP-62 or VFP-63 to provide photo reconnaissance capability as RF-8A proved ideal for the task of getting low altitude detailed photographs. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, RF-8As flew extremely hazardous low-level photo reconnaissance missions over Cuba with overflights beginning on 23 October 1962. These were the first true operational flights of the F-8 Crusader. Flights of RF-8As, operating in several pairs of aircraft, with each pair assigned a different target, left Key West twice each day, to fly over Cuba at low level, then return to Jacksonville, where the film was offloaded and developed, to be rushed north to the Pentagon.
These flights confirmed that the Soviet Union was setting up IRBMs in Cuba. The RF-8As also monitored the withdrawal of the Soviet missiles. To keep score after an overflight, each aircraft was given a stencil of a dead chicken. The overflights went on for about six weeks and returned a total of 160,000 images. The pilots who flew the missions all received Distinguished Flying Crosses, while VFP-62 received the prestigious U.S. Navy Unit Commendation.
The RF-8 Crusader was a photo-reconnaissance development and operated longer in U.S. service than any of the fighter versions. RF-8s played a crucial role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, providing essential low-level photographs impossible to acquire by other means. U.S. Naval Reserve units continued to operate the RF-8 until 1987.
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[@firstnamelastname3558]

It is amazing how much the United States advanced in military capability between the Civil War and the Vietnam War. Also, how we had developed a Space Program with NASA between that time. It seems the time between 1865/70 and 1970 was the most impressive century ever in technological development.

[@elliejupy]

Yeah it is unbelievable

[@williamlarson3623]

As of 1967, the 990 series (known as the RF-8G) had been attached to USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31, CVW (Carrier Air Wing) 21, operating as photo recon squadron VFP-63, Tonkin Gulf, according to notes I kept back then. These also show 990 was lost (shot down, pilot's fate unknown) in May '67, and 991 flack damaged in July. However, FYI, not sure how accurate this info is.

[@nicholasmaude6906]

After 1963 this particular F-8 variant was known as the RF-8A.

[@Sturminfantrist]

When you out of F-8`s you`re out of Fighters! The fighterversion was one of the best Fighters ever and a MIG Killer with Guns during a time when Navy fighters like the F-4 Phantom used AIMs only like the AIM-9 or AIM-7

[@jaxsmith1744]

My dad was VFP-62 and made a run or two over Cuba barely above tree top level.The book "Blue Moon over Cuba " covers all the VFP-62 photo runs.The U-2 photos were just not clear enough and from too high an altitude.The old man found out he got a AEFM in his jacket years after because it was a classified flight he had no idea.Lot's of fond memories of those mates of my dads.Mad crazy bunch.One of his 1956 classmates put a C-130 Herc down on a carrier during tests.....Blue and Gold forever

[@raderosier1248]

Interesting about your Dad doing the low level runs. I was a Photographer in VFP-62 from very early 1963 through 1967. I remember prepping the photo systems for the Cuba runs. Also was on-board the Forrestal and got to see that C-130 make multiple landings and takeoffs.

[@jaxsmith1744]

@@raderosier1248 Cool the old man ( P.J.Smith USNA 1956 ) left about 1962 to fly F-8's for LTV test in Grand Prairie TX. You most likely remember Frank Liberato who was like my second dad and lifelong friend.But check out "Blue Moon over Cuba" great book and you might be in it.My dad is.The C-130 pilot (Flatley) was a USNA 1956 mate of dads and what a pilot.

[@jaxsmith1744]

@@raderosier1248 the VFP-62 website has all this and I had no idea low level runs happened before 1962. But it's in the book and just going off of those references. My old man won't talk these days.

[@allgood6760]

Cool plane 👍

[@rrhone]

I heard these had mini frig's and personal coffeemaker built in. That true?

[@eddievhfan1984]

I doubt it. Fighter aircraft barely have enough room for their pilots, let alone anything like that.

[@masonjarhillbilly]

Yes, it is true. Navy versions all had beer keg dispensers also.

[@rogerbuss6069]

I was amazed how sloppy the camera computer control pack was, inside the fuselage! It seems it should be lashed down to not have it or the fuselage and therefore the computer control to be damaged on a catapult takeoff, or in flight!!! Also it seems counterintuitive that you should eject all the unused flares while on a clandestine photo mission! It would seem to draw unwanted ATTENTION to the plane and jeapardize the mission and the aircraft by potentially drawing fire from any ground forces!!

[@jpjpjp453]

"clandestine photo mission!" Everyone down below can clearly hear the plane flying over them. There's nothing clandestine about a typical photo mission. "seems counterintuitive that you should eject all the unused flares" No one in their right mind is getting rid of the flares over a hairy area.

[@thetreblerebel]

It's a day fighter but a night recon plane???

[@ironroad18]

The RF-8 was strictly a reconnaissance version of the F-8. The F-8A(intially called the F8U-1) was a day fighter/interceptor. Later variants of the F-8 (starting with the F-8B and D) were built with short ranged radar sets, making them all weather fighters. There were two reconnaissance versions of the F-8, the RF-8A and RF-8G. The Gs were rebuilt As. The RF-8 was clean and had not weapons pylons or fairings. The fighter versions F-8A: Initial version, armed with guns and a chin rocket pack, no radar. F-8B: Had a small but unreliable radar, still had guns as it's primary armament. F-8C: First version with sidewinder missiles on the cheek stations, later retro fitted with radar and to carry rocket pods on the cheek stations F-8D: First version build with a good radar set from the factory, later retrofitted to carry rocket pods on the cheek sidewinder stations. F-8E: Upgraded D with ground attack capacity. Could carry bombs, AG rockets, or Bullpulp radio guided missiles on wing pylons. Had a dorsal electronics hump on its back. F-8J: Upgraded F-8E. Had a bigger radar, stronger wing hard points, and better ECM suite. The only F-8 version that could carry external fuel tanks. F-8 K/H/L: All rebuilds of the F-8B, C, and F-8D. They had improved electronics, beefier weapons hard points, and strengthened landing gear. The main reason, the Navy's F-8 fleet was stressed and suffered high attrition by the late 1960s from accidents and combat over Vietnam. Also F-8 production was somewhat scatter brained, as Vought built and tested many different F-8 models consecutively throughout the late 1950s and early 60s, but the Navy ordered Crusaders in small batches. The rebuild program (including converting F-8Es to F-8Js) was to help fix the F-8 fleet problems, while also keeping costs down.