F-8 Crusader - Vietnam 1963-73

With specially commissioned artworks and dynamic combat ribbon diagrams, this volume reveals how the ''last of the gunfighters'', as the F-8 was dubbed by its pilots, prevailed against the growing MiG threat of the Vietnamese People''s Air Force . When the Vietnam War began, the F-8 was already firmly established as a fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. It entered combat as an escort for Alpha strike packages, braving the anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles alongside the A-4 Skyhawk bombers and meeting MiGs for the first time on 3 April 1965. Although the Crusader was nicknamed ''last of the gunfighters'', its pilots employed ''secondary'' AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles in all but one of their MiG kills, with guns also used as back-up in three. Its 20 mm guns were unreliable as they often jammed during strenuous manoeuvres, although they were responsible for damaging a number of MiGs. However, in combat the F-8 had the highest ''exchange ratio'' (kills divided by losses) at six-to-one of any US combat aircraft involved in the Vietnam War. Through the copious use of first-hand accounts, highly detailed battlescene artwork, combat ribbon diagrams and armament views, Osprey''s Vietnam air war specialist Peter E. Davies charts the successful career of the F-8 Crusader over Vietnam.>

Product details

• Authors: Peter E Davies, Peter E. Davies
• Assisted by: Gareth Hector (Illustration), Hector Gareth (Illustration), Jim Laurier (Illustration), Laurier Jim (Illustration)
• Publisher: Osprey Publishers
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 20.07.2023
• EAN: 9781472857545
• ISBN: 978-1-4728-5754-5
• No. of pages: 80
• Dimensions: 184 mm x 246 mm x 8 mm
• Series: Dogfight
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Contemporary history (1945 to 1989); Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; USA, Vietnam, HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century, HISTORY / Military / Vietnam War, TRANSPORTATION / Aviation / History, Military vehicles, Air forces & warfare, c 1960 to c 1970, United States of America, USA, Air forces and warfare, c 1970 to c 1980, Military history: post-WW2 conflicts, c 1955 to c 1975 (Vietnam War period), Aircraft and aviation, Vietnam War, Aviation skills / piloting, Aviation skills and piloting