Vought Aircraft Books - History, Construction and Deployment

Crusader! - Last of the Gunfighters

The Vought F-8 Crusader, once called the "Last of the Gunfighters, " became a legendary aircraft in the U.S. and French navies and played a major role in the skies over North Vietnam in the late 1960s. This book offers an oral history of the Crusader, featuring interviews with sixteen of the seventeen surviving pilots who became MiG killers during the Vietnam War.
Rear Admiral Paul T. Gillcrist, who commanded a fleet Crusader squadron, a carrier air wing, and all Pacific Fleet fighter squadrons, offers a personal perspective. During his squadron command, he completed three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf, flying 167 combat missions in the Crusader and earning seventeen combat decorations.
The author's analysis of aerial combat over North Vietnam from 1965 to 1973 reveals unexpected insights and confirms many tactical lessons from World War II and Korea.

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F-8 Crusader vs MiG-17 - Vietnam 1965-72 (Osprey)

Revered by Naval Aviators as the 'last of the gunfighters' due to its quartet of Colt-Browning Mk 12 20 mm cannon, the F-8 Crusader enjoyed great success against VPAF MiG-17s during the Rolling Thunder campaign of 1966-68. But, the MiG-17's unequalled low-speed manoeuvrability, small size and powerful cannon armament meant that the American forces didn't have it all their own way.
This fully illustrated book, featuring photographs, maps and battlescene artwork, reveals the tactics that were developed by pilots on both sides to give themselves the edge in air-to-air dogfights, allowing the reader to understand how the differing design and development doctrines played a part in combat.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - Technical Specifications - The Strategic Situation - The Combatants - Combat - Statistics and Analysis - Aftermath - Further Reading - Index.

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The Crusader and Corsair

This is a lavishly illustrated celebration of two icons of the air, the Vought F-8 Crusader and A-7 Corsair II.
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a classic post-war aircraft; loved by its pilots, this big machine was nicknamed 'The Last of the Gunfighters' because of its primary armament of four 20 mm Colt cannon.

The F-8 entered service with the US Navy in 1957 and remained as one of its front line fighters until 1976, having served with distinction during the Vietnam War. Reconnaissance versions served on until 1987, while it was the French Navy who doggedly held onto their F-8s until the arrival of the Rafale in 2000.

The A-7 Corsair II came about as a replacement for another US Navy aircraft, the A-4 Skyhawk, and in an effort to cut down on research and development costs, the new light attack aircraft used the same components as the F-8.
Much shorter than its older sibling, the A-7 entered service in 1967 and was immediately pressed into service alongside the F-8 in Vietnam with both the US Navy and, later, the USAF. Retired by the ANG in 1991, the A-7 remained operational until 2014 with the Greek Air Force.

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Vought A-7 Corsair II - The US Navy and US Air Force's Light Attack Aircraft (Legends of Warfare)

The Vought A-7 Corsair II was developed out of necessity during the Vietnam War, bringing a new level of accuracy, lethality, and cost-effectiveness to combat aircraft. Initially designed as a "bomb truck, " the A-7 reached its full potential with input from the US Air Force.
It was the first combat aircraft to feature a heads-up display (HUD), a highly accurate navigation and weapons system, along with innovations like fly-by-wire and forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras - technologies now standard in modern fighters.

This book covers the A-7's design, development, and combat service, from the Vietnam War to its final deployment during Operation Desert Storm. It also discusses its various versions and its use by the US Navy, Air Force, and the air forces of Greece and Portugal.

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Vought F7U Cutlass - A Developmental History

The Vought F7U Cutlass would be host to the following first time achievements for any naval aircraft: the first swept wing jet propelled fighter to operate from a carrier deck; the first to use an all-hydraulic irreversible flight control system; first tailless U.S. Naval jet fighter; first to incorporate a fully steerable nose wheel; first to use ailavators (elevons) as primary control surfaces; first near sonic fighter.

The Cutlass would eventually evolve into the F7U-3,3M, and 3P. Touted as highly versatile in functionality for tactical use, it would have certainly achieved "Super Star Status" if not for the nefarious unreliability of its Westinghouse J34 and J46 turbojets. This "Star Crossed" fighter didn't deserve the unrelenting and damning criticism it received throughout its career. The "Gutless Cutlass", "Widow Maker" and " Ensign Eliminator" as it was eventually known provided necessary contributions in the evolutionary process responsible at least in part for the superb carrier fighters in use today. Its complete story is presented here, including many photographs and line schemes.

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