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The F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft built by Chance-Vought of Dallas, Texas. It was first manufactured in March 1957, and was the last American fighter with guns as the primary weapon. The RF-8 Crusader was a photo-reconnaissance development, longer-lived 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.
During the Vietnam War, the Crusader was the best American fighter for dogfighting with Vietnamese MiGs, as all other planes relied on missiles as their sole air-to-air weapons, and thus manouverability was not factored in their projects.
A unique feature of the Crusader was its variable-incidence wing, capable of being raised at the front. Additionally, the entire leading edge was slatted, and the ailerons drooped with the flaps. This allowed for better low-speed performance and visibility, by permitting both a nose-low fuselage and a high angle of attack, during carrier landings. Nevertheless, the Crusader's low speed yaw behavior was allways dangerous, in spite of the vertical fin increase, instalation of skegs and strong dihedral built into its horizontal tail, among other modifications of the original project.
Several modified F-8s were used by NASA in the early 1970s, proving the viability of both digital fly-by-wire and supercritical wings.
The F-8E(FN) was used by the French Navy until 1999, when they were replaced by the Rafale-M. About 20 had remained in service until retirement, with other units removed from duty during the preceding years.
In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 ex-US Navy F-8Hs that had stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. 25 of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining ten were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the US would train Philippine pilots in using the TF-8A. In 1988, after having intercepted a large number of Soviet bombers in the northern part of the Philippines, all were withdrawn from service by 1991 after they were mothballed by the Philippine Air Force.
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