History

The Vought F-8 was a supersonic air superiority fighter developed in the 1950s. A total of 1261 were produced, they began entering service with the US Navy in 1957 and remained in service there until 1987.

The Vought F-8 won a competition in 1953 to become the US Navy’s next air superiority fighter and the prototype first flew on 25 March 1955.

They were manufactured in five major versions but after production ended most airworthy F-8s were refurbished into later versions with improved capabilities and performance.

The F-8E was the final major manufactured version of the F-8

It had improved radar and engine and could carry underwing armament.

They began entering service in 1962 and a total of 286 were manufactured.

This model represents a F-8E based with VMF(AW)-235 at Da Nang air base in South Vietnam in 1966.

Heller 1/72 kit with Microscale decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 2011.

Data

MODEL: Vought F-8E

ROLE: Fighter

TIME PERIOD: 1962-

ENGINES: one Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20A turbojet engine of 80.1kN thrust on afterburner

WING SPAN: 10.87m

LENGTH: 16.53m

GROSS WEIGHT: 13,000kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 1975km/h

RANGE: 2795km

CREW: 1

ARMAMENT: four 20mm Colt-Browing cannons and missiles

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

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