History
The Vought RF-8G was a photographic reconnaissance version of the F-8 fighter. They were rebuilt from RF-8A aeroplanes with improved performance and were the last version of the F-8 to fly with the US Navy.
The RF-8 was created by redesigning the forward fuselage of the standard F-8 to replace the armament with cameras.
RF-8As, began entering service in 1957 and 144 were constructed.
Beginning in 1965, 73 RF-8As were remanufactured into improved RF-8Gs, allowing the US Navy to keep in service some of its aircraft carriers during the Vietnam War that were too small for the larger and heavier McDonnell F-4s.
The RF-8G was finally retired from service in March 1987.
This model represents a RF-8G of VFP-306 of the Naval Air Reserve at Washington DC, c.1980
Hasegawa 1/72 kit with Ventura conversion parts and Tasman, Xtradecal and Microscale decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in May 2011.