My grandad was part of USN VX-3 squad testing these birds for carrier use in '57...sadly he lost his life in one taking off from the USS FDR. Helluva plane, but like most early jets not without its problems- lots of ejections were logged from '58 to '70.
@nakazatoGTR The Philippine Air Force F-8's are from Davis Monthan AFB and we had a total of 35 of those where 10 are used for parts replacement. They were together used with the F-5's and ageing F-86 back then. Too bad they only served for 10 years 1977-1988.
@nakazatoGTR Most of them are already cut up into pieces. Maybe one nice example that is in good shape can be found in Villamor Air Base museum. However, I do believe that it can no longer be flown because it has no engines and it is structurally fatigued. I also believe that it has consumed all of its remaining flight hours decades ago.
@markvinas31 with today's carrbon fibre tech, i believe one with funds can simply replace stress laden parts with either carbon fibre laminates etc, engines are the problem though. but if one F-4 can be rebuilt or a mustang that was shot down rebuilt why not one single F-8?
@650kntflyby in Landing configuration, the wing tilts to a higher angle of attack to reduce stall speed while still giving the pilot a clear view of the deck.
I used to work on RF-G8s in VFP-63 ( 1978-82) - they were light and agile and I was told they could out manuever an F-14 at low altitudes. They were not maintainer frienldy like aircraft are today, but I have to say that I was proud to have worked on them.
@xXMxExGxAxDxExTxHXx My nephew enlisted in the Marines thinking he would be a mechanic in the Motor pool. he ended up maintaining the field carrier catapult, arrester gear, & fresnal lense systems the Marine pilots use for short field/carrier qualifacation. in addition to building forward airbases. what you do in the service depends upon your aptitudes & what specialties the service needs.
Whatever Navy jet you prefer . . . just remember to support your local gunfighter! Crusaders: mean yet pretty . . . yet pretty mean. I've been trying to get one from Arizona for my backyard. Hey, art is art.
CVA-42 the old "filthy, dirty & rusty" I was sitting in/on the forward port sponson when we had an F-8 missed the wire and dropped off the angle deck and watched the pilot do everything but get out and push trying to get that plane to keep flying. He made it but he worked for it. Heck My hearing even came back in a couple of days. LOL. Pramboy: I imagine that 2nd engine was the deciding factor on the Phantom. But I still liked the F-8 better as well.
I was on the CVA-31 in 1970 and before we went to WestPac, the Navy declared the ship unfit for human habitation. We had F-8s and A-4 and a whale for refueling. It was decommissioned in '71. We lost a F-8 and the pilot did not make it.
The fitness report stated that the ship lacked the basic sanitation standards. They patched it up and sent it over and decommissioned it when it returned. Sea duty is always hard. No one said it wasn't but there are certain basics that need to be taken care of for health and safety reasons. Food, waste disposal, safety and mechanical readiness are some.
We had a "weapons" accident at North Island that shook even the saltiest aviation ordinancemen.
Thanks for the story. Yeah, I never served a day at sea . . . AF Pilot . . . but I've always highly respected the Salties. The logistics of a carrier to me are mind boggling. I served on small AF bases where we were cramped and had storage nightmares! Just can't comprehend my base as a moving platform.
If you liked that story then I have another and this is an AF one. I worked at the corporate photographer for an energy company located in Omaha. One of the directors was Gen Russell Dougherty, SAC commander. He organized a reunion of the Army AF 55th Fighter Group. That energy company had purchased and restored a P-51. They bought the parts and provided the hangar and SAC provided the mechanics and pilot. The 55th group was touring the SAC command, the underground, when we rolled out the 51.
We rolled it in front of a huge American flag and then brought the old guys in without telling them in advance. They walked in the door and were shocked to see their old bird, all fixed up in front of this beautiful flag. Some broke down, some cried, some climbed up and showed their wifes where they stuck their Snickers bars on the long flights over Germany. It was precious. I will try to dig out the photo and post it.
My grandad was part of USN VX-3 squad testing these birds for carrier use in '57...sadly he lost his life in one taking off from the USS FDR. Helluva plane, but like most early jets not without its problems- lots of ejections were logged from '58 to '70.
WESTY70 1 year ago
@WESTY70
He was flying 1358XC- i believe we see in ths clip
WESTY70 7 months ago
My Grandfather flew this plane
Grundalizer 1 year ago
very old one
singhaization 1 year ago
Philippine Air Force's teeth before.
markvinas31 1 year ago
Comment removed
nakazatoGTR 1 year ago
@nakazatoGTR The Philippine Air Force F-8's are from Davis Monthan AFB and we had a total of 35 of those where 10 are used for parts replacement. They were together used with the F-5's and ageing F-86 back then. Too bad they only served for 10 years 1977-1988.
markvinas31 1 year ago
@markvinas31 sorry, 11 years.
markvinas31 1 year ago
@markvinas31 ten years? the french were actually successful in increasing the operational span of their F-8s
nakazatoGTR 1 year ago
@nakazatoGTR yeah they were all refurbished units.
markvinas31 1 year ago
@markvinas31 wish i had the money to refurbish one and fly at airshows and use as office service lol!!
same for P-51s!!!
nakazatoGTR 1 year ago
@nakazatoGTR Most of them are already cut up into pieces. Maybe one nice example that is in good shape can be found in Villamor Air Base museum. However, I do believe that it can no longer be flown because it has no engines and it is structurally fatigued. I also believe that it has consumed all of its remaining flight hours decades ago.
markvinas31 1 year ago
@markvinas31 with today's carrbon fibre tech, i believe one with funds can simply replace stress laden parts with either carbon fibre laminates etc, engines are the problem though. but if one F-4 can be rebuilt or a mustang that was shot down rebuilt why not one single F-8?
nakazatoGTR 1 year ago
@nakazatoGTR Well, I do hope that would be possible but I do not think the government will do that. Maybe some private company may do so.
markvinas31 1 year ago
@nakazatoGTR lol accidental removal!!!
nakazatoGTR 1 year ago
@650kntflyby in Landing configuration, the wing tilts to a higher angle of attack to reduce stall speed while still giving the pilot a clear view of the deck.
kdraper2007 1 year ago
I used to work on RF-G8s in VFP-63 ( 1978-82) - they were light and agile and I was told they could out manuever an F-14 at low altitudes. They were not maintainer frienldy like aircraft are today, but I have to say that I was proud to have worked on them.
masjut1 1 year ago
When you are out of F-8's
you're out of fighters
F4Wildcat 1 year ago
Geez, just look at that thing at 1:18. It really is a beautiful aircraft. The lines are unlike any other.
greenfruitface 1 year ago
F-8, F-4, MIG-21 = best planes ever !!!
leonelp51 2 years ago
My favourite jet!!
Biomaniac94 2 years ago
5 * * * * *
TurkishHistorian1923 2 years ago
i was in an f8 at the topgun simulator on the USS Midway.....too bad im too tall to be a pilot =[
xXMxExGxAxDxExTxHXx 2 years ago
@xXMxExGxAxDxExTxHXx
Me and you both! Doesn't that suck!??
I had aspirations to be a fighter pilot while growing up but I (like you) ended up being too damn tall!!
ryanspeed 2 years ago
@ryanspeed
whoa old comment XD, yeah im pushing 6'4" at 16 lol, now i either want to be an aircraft mechanic or car mechanic...glamorous eh?
xXMxExGxAxDxExTxHXx 2 years ago
@xXMxExGxAxDxExTxHXx My nephew enlisted in the Marines thinking he would be a mechanic in the Motor pool. he ended up maintaining the field carrier catapult, arrester gear, & fresnal lense systems the Marine pilots use for short field/carrier qualifacation. in addition to building forward airbases. what you do in the service depends upon your aptitudes & what specialties the service needs.
kdraper2007 1 year ago
Whatever Navy jet you prefer . . . just remember to support your local gunfighter! Crusaders: mean yet pretty . . . yet pretty mean. I've been trying to get one from Arizona for my backyard. Hey, art is art.
NeverforgetElvis 2 years ago 2
i want one to fly......
wilatemodel 2 years ago
When you are out of F-8's, you are out of Fighters!
The Navy's 1st Supersonic Fighter! Amen!!!
irondragsportster 2 years ago 2
lol hell yea
HiredForLife24 2 years ago
a-7 are better
terminator363 3 years ago
A-7 is attacker
F-8 is fighter
they arent doing same thing
jsf40209 3 years ago 11
True enough.
terminator363 3 years ago
CVA-42 the old "filthy, dirty & rusty" I was sitting in/on the forward port sponson when we had an F-8 missed the wire and dropped off the angle deck and watched the pilot do everything but get out and push trying to get that plane to keep flying. He made it but he worked for it. Heck My hearing even came back in a couple of days. LOL. Pramboy: I imagine that 2nd engine was the deciding factor on the Phantom. But I still liked the F-8 better as well.
byron500 3 years ago
I was on the CVA-31 in 1970 and before we went to WestPac, the Navy declared the ship unfit for human habitation. We had F-8s and A-4 and a whale for refueling. It was decommissioned in '71. We lost a F-8 and the pilot did not make it.
exenrontexas 3 years ago
RIP to him. Unfit? HA! Rarely have I heard from a crewman who thought any tub was "fit"!
NeverforgetElvis 2 years ago
The fitness report stated that the ship lacked the basic sanitation standards. They patched it up and sent it over and decommissioned it when it returned. Sea duty is always hard. No one said it wasn't but there are certain basics that need to be taken care of for health and safety reasons. Food, waste disposal, safety and mechanical readiness are some.
We had a "weapons" accident at North Island that shook even the saltiest aviation ordinancemen.
The Shang lost one too, ejected on recovery.
exenrontexas 2 years ago
Thanks for the story. Yeah, I never served a day at sea . . . AF Pilot . . . but I've always highly respected the Salties. The logistics of a carrier to me are mind boggling. I served on small AF bases where we were cramped and had storage nightmares! Just can't comprehend my base as a moving platform.
NeverforgetElvis 2 years ago
If you liked that story then I have another and this is an AF one. I worked at the corporate photographer for an energy company located in Omaha. One of the directors was Gen Russell Dougherty, SAC commander. He organized a reunion of the Army AF 55th Fighter Group. That energy company had purchased and restored a P-51. They bought the parts and provided the hangar and SAC provided the mechanics and pilot. The 55th group was touring the SAC command, the underground, when we rolled out the 51.
exenrontexas 2 years ago
We rolled it in front of a huge American flag and then brought the old guys in without telling them in advance. They walked in the door and were shocked to see their old bird, all fixed up in front of this beautiful flag. Some broke down, some cried, some climbed up and showed their wifes where they stuck their Snickers bars on the long flights over Germany. It was precious. I will try to dig out the photo and post it.
exenrontexas 2 years ago 6
What a great tribute! Funny how the "tools" to do our job become such a part of us. Thnx.
NeverforgetElvis 2 years ago
Thanks for the story. Love to hear stories from someone who actually sucked some Jet-A exhaust while at sea. Ya'll are the best.
NeverforgetElvis 2 years ago
170 knots is not very "slow" for an approach speed these days.
Chuckjagermeister 3 years ago
i still think the upgraded crusader should have beat the phantom.
pramboy74 3 years ago 3