The Gunfighter's Site
For Updates, Check the Ball Updated 03 Nov. 08 The F-8 Crusader was the last U.S. fighter designed with guns as its primary weapon. U.
S. fighter aircraft are once again being fitted with guns, largely due to the Vietnam
airwar experience. Missile-only aircraft were at a distinct disadvantage in the
environment many thought passé --- the dogfight. The Crusader with its guns, and
Crusader drivers well versed in dogfighting, led to a resurgence in gun-equipped aircraft,
and a renewed emphasis in ACM -- Air Combat Maneuvering.
We had the choice of guns or missiles. Note open gun vent doors as the guns fire.
Jerry Pearson, VF-24 (USS Hancock, Gulf of Tonkin, circa 1969) courtesy Chip Harris
Dedicated
to all F-8 pilots - "The Last of the Gunfighters"
In
Memory of those who took their Final Flight in an F-8
Honoring those
who earned the F-8's nickname, "the MiG Master".
Updated 03 Nov. 08
Dedicated
to all F-8 pilots - "The Last of the Gunfighters"
