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| Country:
USA |
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Type: Fighter |
| Manufacturer:
Vought |
| Service:
1957 - 1987 |
| First
Flight: 25 March 1955 |
| Production:
1261 |
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The F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) was a single-engine aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft built by Vought. It replaced the Vought F-7 Cutlass. The first F-8 prototype was ready for flight in February 1955, and was the last American fighter with guns as the primary weapon. 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. Naval Reserve units continued to operate the RF-8 until 1987.
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| TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS ( F-8E) |
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General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Payload: 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) of weapons
- Length: 54 ft 3 in (16.53 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
- Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m)
- Wing area: 375 ft (34.8 m)
- Airfoil: NACA 65A006 mod root, NACA 65A005 mod tip
- Empty weight: 17,541 lb (7,956 kg)
- Loaded weight: 29,000 lb (13,000 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20A afterburning turbojet
- Dry thrust: 10,700 lbf (47.6 kN)
- Thrust with afterburner: 18,000 lbf (80.1 kN)
- * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0133
- Drag area: 5.0 ft (0.46 m)
- Aspect ratio: 3.42
- Fuel capacity: 1,325 U.S. gal (5,102 L)
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.86 (1,225 mph, 1,975 km/h) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Cruise speed: 570 mph (495 kn, 915 km/h)
- Combat radius: 450 mi (730 km)
- Ferry range: 1,735 mi (2,795 km) with external fuel
- Service ceiling 58,000 ft (17,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 31,950 ft/min (162.3 m/s)
- Wing loading: 77.3 lb/ft (377.6 kg/m)
- Thrust/weight: 0.62
- Lift-to-drag ratio: 12.8
Armament
- Guns: 4 x 20 mm (0.787 in) Colt Mk 12 cannons in lower fuselage, 125 rounds/gun
- Rockets: 8 x Zuni rockets in four twin pods
- Missiles:
- 4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
- 2 x AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground guided missiles
- Bombs:
- 12 x 250 lb (110 kg) bombs or
- 4 x 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs or
- 2 x 2,000 lb (900 kg) bombs
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