F-8S Crusader- VF-101

[Jonathan_Lotton]

History as we know it shows that in 1975 the Grumman F-14A Tomcat began to replace the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader in front line squadrons. The F-14 program was in grave danger of being terminated due to its overhead and developemental costs. Essentially, Grumman was being driven into ruin by the Tomcat. The Shah of Iran, always facinated by high technology and fighter aircraft was driven to become the dominant power in the Middle East. The Shahs purchase of 80 F-14 Tomcats saved Grumman and the F-14. The F-14 rose to dominance, eventually completely replacing the F-4 Phantom and F-8 Crusader in fleet service.

What if....things had been different?

The year is 1973 and the Tomcat is once again slowly beginning to drive Grumman into ruin with debt. The Navy, completely dissatisfied with the Tomcats performance with the Pratt and Whitney TF-30 engines is slow to procure the heavy, expensive Tomcat. The Shah of Iran, a technology fan and fighter jet fan loves the Tomcat, but the engines found in the initial block of F-14A's do not meet his Air Force requirements. Northrop and General Dynamics offer the F-16 and F-18L as lower priced alternatives, which the Shah happily accepts.

The Tomcat is unsupportable by Grumman, and the program is placed on indefinate hold, with only 5 squadrons refitted with the F-14. While VF-1,2, 14, 33 and 42 were marginally happy with their new aircraft, there is only a need for one training squadron VF-124 at NAS Miramar. The Navy suddenly finds itself facing new Soviet designs such as the MiG-23 and 25 with increasingly obsolete aircraft. In 1976 the US Navy issues a request for proposal to LTV for upgrades to their F-8 Crusader and to Mcdonnell for their F-4 Phantom II.

This is the story of the F-8 Sierra, the last of the Gunfighters.

With the failure of the F-14 program in 1975, the Navy was faced with having 10 squadrons that had already begun the process of transition from the F-4 and F-8 to the F-14. One of these 10 squadrons is the former F-4 training unit, VF-101 "The Grim Reapers". LTV proposed a multi stage improvement program that would be applied to the 150 F-8E and J Crusaders that were in the best material condition. This program, known as Project Gunfighter, would consist of mild upgrades that would bring all F-8 Crusaders up to date with current carrier technology.

MSIP I was considered a great success, with VF-101 being redesignated a fleet combat squadron taking posession of the first F-8E MSIP I Crusader on May 11th, 1976. By the United States bicentennial on July 4th 1976 VF-101 was at their full strength of 14 aircraft. VF-101 took their F-8E MSIP Crusaders on 6 WESTPAC cruises between 1976 and 1981. In 1981 the F-8 community was again refitted with MSIP 2, which introduced Aim-7 Sparrow and Aim-9L capability to the Crusader, as well as new lightweight control surfaces and improved avionics, including a fully functional HUD and a new single MFD to replace the old radar scope.

VF-101 spent most of 1982 and 1983 providing adversarial roles at Nellis AFB and NAS Miramar with their upgraded Crusaders, challenging newly minted F-15 and F-16 crews, as well as the limited F-14 crews to mock combat and mutual training. 1984 would see VF-101 return to the active, deployable NAVAIR squadrons with a cruise aboard USS John F Kennedy, where the squadron would remain for 5 years. One noteable occasion happened in 1989, when 2 VF-32 F-8E MSIP 2 Crusaders successfully engaged and shot down 2 Libyan Mirage F1's. This proved to the Navy and the incomming Bush administration that the F-8 was still a viable platform. While initially labled as MSIP 3, the Navy and LTV elected to give the upgraded F-8E's a new designation, the F-8S.

The F-8S was the most ambitious upgrade ever applied to the original F-8 airframe. The wing was to be replaced with a lighter, stronger composite structure. The radar was to be replaced with the APG-68V1 radar from the F-16C Block 40/42. The engine was replaced with the Pratt and Whitney F100 P229 afterburning turbofan engine from the F-15E Strike Eagle. Numerous structures were replaced with titanium and lighter, stronger composite materials that lowered the F-8S's empty weight by nearly 5,000 lbs under the basic F-8J. The ejection seat was replaced with the SJU-17 NACES seat. The avionics suite was replaced with a modified version found in the F/A-18C. Aim-120 AMRAAM capability was designed in, while the weapon itself was not yet in service. The TCS and IRST, originally planned for the F-14A+ program was instead given to the F-8S. Numerous ECM and other systems were fitted to the F-8S, as well as provisions for the Navy LANTIRN system and a Mode 4 IFF system, and a hands on throttle and stick, HOTAS, set up from the F/A-18C. Now with the lightened structures and more powerful engine, the F-8S had a combat thrust to weight ratio of .99, and lightly loaded it was past unity.

The F-8S served well in Operation Desert Thunder against Iran in responce for its invasion of Turkey in September of 1993. VF-101s pilots downed 4 Iranian F-4D Phantoms as well as a pair of F-18L's in close combat as well as provided escort for Navy A-6F Intruders and A-7F Corsair II's. Following the return from ODT in March of 1994, VF-101 survived the disestablishment of its sister squadron VF-62. With the grounding of the F-4J+ fleet in April of 1996 following the sudden destruction of 3 F-4J+'s from VF-74 during a ACM sortie, renewed interest in the F-14 began to stir. Using technology developed during the F-4 and F-8 improvement programs, the F-14C made its first flight on September 16th, 1997 from Grummans Santa Barbara facility in Southern California. The F-14C rapidly replaced the decrepid F-14A's at NAS Miramar in 1998. In July of 1998 the Navy announced that it had selected the F-14C to be its next fighter. VF-101s days in the F-8S were growing shorter, but the Grim Reapers would still face one last battle in their Crusaders before surrendering them to become the F-14C east coast training unit at NAS Oceana.

In August of 1999 a coup replaced the democratically elected Russian government with a renewed Soviet government under a relatively unknown KGB officer named Vladamir Putin. Eager to reclaim lost glories after the end of the cold war, the Soviet Union launched an invasion of the contested northern Japanese islands of Kuril and Sakhalin. USS Nimitz, Enterprise and Constellation were rushed to the northern pacific to aide the US's Japanese allies in repelling the Russian invasion. Called Operation Cereberus, the goal was to remove the Russian forces from Japanese soil. Following 2 months of bloody combat, a peace treaty was signed, and Russian forces retreated to the Russian mainland. VF-101 counted four kills to its credit, with the loss of 2 F-8S's to SA-10 surface to air missiles. Gunfighter 100, piloted by Lt. Lloyd Housdan was responsible for 2 of VF-101s 4 kills, shooting down a pair of MiG-29's, one with an Aim-120C in BVR combat, and a second with an Aim-9L in close combat. In December of 1999 the Soviet government was violently overthrown by pro-democracy revolutionaries.

On December 22th, 1999 VF-101 returned with the rest of CAG 8 to NAS Miramar, with their war weary and well loved F-8S Crusaders. On December 31st, 1999 VF-101 ended F-8 Crusader operations and transfered to NAS Oceana to become the F-14C East coast RAG. Gunfighter 100 was preserved outside the gate at NAS Miramar in its original markings, a tribute to the men who took a 40 year old design, and made it fight like a pit bull, living up to their unoffical nickname "Death Incarnate".

This kit is the Hasegawa F-8E modified to represent a F-8S on December 20th, 1999 being readied for a BARCAP sortie off the Nimitz, approaching California.

Pics to follow when ready!

Edited December 18, 2008 by Jonathan_Lotton

[Skull Leader]

Gunfighter 100, piloted by Lt. Lloyd Housdan was responsible for 2 of VF-101s 4 kills, shooting down a pair of MiG-29's, one with an Aim-120C in BVR combat, and a second with an Aim-9L in close combat. In December of 1999 the Soviet government was violently overthrown by pro-democracy revolutionaries.

Good to see someone in my family finally made history!

[illithid00]

Damn that was a great backstory. Can't wait to see the model!

[Tailspin Turtle]

Might look something like this:

[ChernayaAkula]

Cool background story! Can't wait for the model!

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Update 1:

Got the cockpit modified today. The seat is a modified SJU-17 NACES seat from a Hasegawa F-14D. The NACES seat sits higher than the kit seat, so it had to be chopped down and modified to sit properly with the canopy down. The kits IP was used with styrene sheets being used to make new MFD's. I didnt spend a great deal of time as this is supposed to just be a quick relaxation build and its going to be closed canopy anyway..so the detail isnt really super important to me. The HOTAS stick is from the Revell F/A-18E Super Hornet kit, modified to sit lower. The inspiration for this IP layout was a mixture of the F-14D and the F-15E style layout of the MFDs. The IP retains the artifical horizon and back up gauges. The way I imagine it is:

Left MFD: Stores management and aircraft systems

Right MFD: Radar display and targeting information

Lower center MFD: TCS display/recon imagery (if a recon pod is loaded)

Upper center MFD: IRST display/ IFF data display.

Overall..accurate and realistic I think for a early 90's IP, not fully glass like the F-35 or advanced like the F/A-18E and F Super Hornets.

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Update 2:

Got alot of construction done today. First pic is an overall showing the shape and most of the mods. The exhaust is from a Revell F-16ADF to represent a P&W F100 P229 engine. The IFF blades are from the ADF kit, and are located on the spine behind the cockpit and directly below the intake. The tall TACAN antenna is from Darren Roberts F-14D update set. The GPS dome is actually the seeker head from a Mantra missile from the Eduard Mirage III CJ kit. The ECM lumps above the intake are from the F-14D update kit.

The TCS is mounted beneath the port wing and the IRST on the starboard wing, both are from the F-14 chin pod set by Steel Beach.

Overall this is a fun build!

[AnthonyWan]

Looks good J-Lo

Should be an interesting scheme!

[Jonathan_Lotton]

TCS- Port Side

IRST: Starboard side:

[illithid00]

Nice! I like how you've placed all the F-14D updates to the F-8 airframe. It just looks right.

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Last update for the end of day 1:

Got the weaponry rails on, twin mounts for the wings and single mounts for the fuselage. The wing rails are from the Hasegawa F-15 kit on the F-8E wing pylon, and the fuselage weapon rails are mounted lower and use F-14A rails.

Kit was prepped and shot with a coat of Mr. Surfacer 1200.

End of day one!

[AnthonyWan]

Nice! I like how you've placed all the F-14D updates to the F-8 airframe. It just looks right.

I woulda placed them under the nose

[TaiidanTomcat]

This is great! I love all the F-14-like Details you have added. Nice work!

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Ok..so I lied..

One last update! I added strength plates and straps in certain areas that would be highly stressed by ACM/BFM flight. The plates were scratch made from thin sheet styrene. I kept it to a logical point because the F-8S got a totally new wing only 9 years before. However, that being said, they also went thru alot of flight on already old, but refitted, airframes. This time it really is done for the night!

[giles]

Cool back story .

I liked your execution of the F-8S Tom-Crus

Cheers,

Giles

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Thank you very much!

She'll be going to the paint shop tomorrow for her TPS and black tail.

Oh..yeah, I forgot to mention..she's going to be in black tail.

[Jonathan_Lotton]

A brief update!

Got the paint on..with no end of trouble...but she's done..and paint weathered...black tail on!

[ChernayaAkula]

Niiiice! The Crusader looks great in TPS. Can't wait to see it with the decals.

[TaiidanTomcat]

Wow! and here I was just coming back to comment on the brilliance of the strengthening plates and you already have paint on! Excellent work!

[illithid00]

Holy CRAP, you're a fast builder. That's awesome!

[Jonathan_Lotton]

Just a quick update:

Did some decaling tonight. Base decals are the VF Decals VF-101 2004 Show Birds sheet, the fin-top flash was from TwoBobs F/A-18E Rockin' Rhinos #7, which should be the fin flash for Tomcatter 100. The third sheet that will be used are the kit decals from the Revell F/A-18F kit.

Didnt do much tonight as I just got home from work and I have to work again tomorrow AM, but will do more work tomorrow night. Thanks for looking!

[ChernayaAkula]

Wow! It's beautiful! Few planes lend themselves to shark mouths like the Crusader!

One thing, though. I'd have moved the eyes a bit higher. Above the intake "bulge", just behind the radome.

[illithid00]

Probably the coolest shark mouth I've seen. Awesome paint job!

[Sauragnmon]

That is definately some beautiful work, man. The markings look stunningly perfect on the plane.

[TaiidanTomcat]

That is definately some beautiful work, man. The markings look stunningly perfect on the plane.

Agreed, good choice and an excellent job