Description
| Product ID: | 9781472857545 |
| Product Form: | Paperback / softback |
| Country of Manufacture: | GB |
| Series: | Dogfight |
| Title: | F-8 Crusader |
| Subtitle: | Vietnam 1963–73 |
| Authors: | Author: Peter E. Davies, Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector |
| Page Count: | 80 |
| Subjects: | History, Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000, Military history, Military history: post-WW2 conflicts, Air forces and warfare, Military vehicles, Aviation skills and piloting, Aircraft and aviation, Military history, Vietnam War, Air forces & warfare, Military aircraft, Aviation skills / piloting, Aircraft: general interest, Vietnam, USA, c 1960 to c 1970 |
| Description: | Select Guide Rating 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. 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. |
| Imprint Name: | Osprey Publishing |
| Publisher Name: | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Country of Publication: | GB |
| Publishing Date: | 2023-07-20 |
