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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Vought F8U / F-8 Crusader
    Latest Model:RF-8G Crusader
    Last Military Serial:146860 USN
    Compressed ID:Vought RF-8G sn 146860 USN
    Latest Owner or Location:Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Reston, Virginia

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a F8U-1P.

    1959

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 146860.

    1959

    Transferred to Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron-3 (VMCJ-3), MCAS El Toro, CA.

    6 July 1962

    Redesignated as RF-8A.

    By April 1964

    Transferred to Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron 1 (VMCJ-1), MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.

    From April 1964 to April 1965

    Deployed aboard USS Ticonderoga and flew 400 combat missions over Vietnam.

    April 1965

    Transferred to Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron-3 (VMCJ-3), MCAS El Toro, CA.
    Operated with markings: TN

    1967

    To Fleet Composite Squadron 7 (VC-7), NAS Miramar, CA.

    April 1971

    Assigned to 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage.

    July 1972

    Converted to a RF-8G.
    Removed from storage for conversion.

    1972

    To Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 206 (VFP-206), Carrier Air Reserve Wing Twenty (CVWR-20), Washington NAF, MD.
    Markings added: AF-634

    1986

    Markings Applied: AF-601

    12 July 1986


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At Glenview NAS, IL during open house.

    12 July 1986


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    1986

    Markings Applied: AF-604

    18 October 1986

    Last carrier landing aboard CV-66 USS America off the Virginia coast.

    1987

    Markings Applied: AF-701

    30 March 1987

    Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Navy.

    30 March 1987

    Ferry flight. Delivered to Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum, Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC.
    Retired from service and flown to museum storage on the same day. Last Crusader in active USN service.

    17 September 2006


    Photographer: Bill Kistler

    By September 2008

    To Smithsonian, National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Reston, VA.
    View the Location Dossier
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     U.S. Military Out of Service 2007 by Andy Marden
    Internet Sources
     Flicker
    Forgotten Jets by Nathan Decker
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    Individual Contributors
     Glenn Chatfield
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