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Greetings!!!

I need any kind of info about plane on picture below. I think it was taken in late 50's or early 60's,that this plane landed on Zemunik airport, near Zadar , ( for us mortal ones still unknown circumstances ). Is there any picture of this plane with similar markings ( exp A B on tail with different numbers ) or color profile? What unit ,base or something? Below the wing on the fuselage is hand painted AIR NATIONAL GUARD , but below the tail NAVY?!

I would appreciate any kind of info-photo,because I'd like to make a 1/48 model with these markings and it has to have any link to Yugoslav air force ( someone sad that our goverment considered of buying F-8 or A-7 ).

CrusadervZadru.jpg

The picture was from another forum and it was photographed from T. Likso's book " Letačka karijera Miljenka LipovÅ¡ćaka "

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I am sure that this F8U-1 ( later on designation changed into F-8A ) is from VF-11 Red Rippers , the time period must have been ( looking at the markings ) during the Med cruise of The CVA-43 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt ( Jan 1960 - Aug 1960 ) The BuNo is a question mark but it starts with 1437??

Hope this helps !

Henk

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http://www.cloudnet.com/~djohnson/g_fixr_2.htm

Post 144. I can't remember where I read the full story at, but IIRC the pilot got lost, landed in Yugoslavia and in an attempt to conceal something, the pilot painted various things on the aircraft. I believe they gave him fuel and let him go. I've got a Rosie cruise book, might have read it in that.

What year is your cruise book. I did a Med cruise with VA-46 in '58-59 on the Rosie.

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Post 144. I can't remember where I read the full story at, but IIRC the pilot got lost, landed in Yugoslavia and in an attempt to conceal something, the pilot painted various things on the aircraft. I believe they gave him fuel and let him go. I've got a Rosie cruise book, might have read it in that.

Paul T. Gillcrist (RADM USN, Ret.) wrote about it in Crusader! Last of the Gunfighters. Schiffer Publishing; ISBN 0-88740-766-8

The unnamed aviator was flying from his carrier to an Italian Air Force Base at Capodichino, near Naples, having experienced an electrical failure. He had no nav, no communications, no IFF, etc. The base was socked in and he kept trying to find a place to land. After overflying the width of Italy, all covered in clouds, he kept flying until he got into the clear over water and saw coastline ahead. He flew on until he sighted an air field below. It turned out to be Dobrovnik, Yugoslavia. Low on fuel, he had no choice but to enter the pattern, rocked his wings to indicate he had no radio, and proceeded to land. Of course, he didn't know where he was until he was on the ground and saw all the MiGs parked parallel to the runway.

He was met by several vehicles filled with armed soldiers and lead to a parking place. All he could do was follow and do what they said. Realizing the cockpit was full of classified stuff, there wasn't much else to do but pull out a hair and place it across the canopy rail before locking the canopy, just to see if they got into the plane while he was away—assuming he ever got back to it himself.

After a flurry of flash message traffic, he received orders from his own people through diplomatic channels to fly back to Capodichino the next morning. The Yugoslavian Air Force guys treated him like an honored guest and fellow aviator, wined him and dined him that night, gave him a tank of gas and sent him on his way the next morning, with a MiG escort to the edge of Yugoslavian airspace. He had found the hair was still in place that morning when he got back to his plane.

He was a bit hung over from all that vodka (he learned that fighter pilots were the same everywhere), so the squadron sent their more experienced maintenance officer to get the plane fixed and fly it back to the carrier. Ironically, the maintenance officer took off in broad daylight with the wings still folded.

Gillcrist made no mention of anything being painted on the plane. I wonder if the Yugoslavians tagged it. Or maybe that happened after he got back to Italy.

Bruce

Edited by Neptune48
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THNX Neptune48 !!! Finally I have some story that will lead me to make that model! I have an old ESCI F-8E and I would try to make it as much accurate as it can be. I know there is a great hase model but almost on every my model I like to test and improve my modeling skills.

And THNX everybody for help on info!

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THNX Neptune48 !!! Finally I have some story that will lead me to make that model! I have an old ESCI F-8E and I would try to make it as much accurate as it can be. I know there is a great hase model but almost on every my model I like to test and improve my modeling skills.

And THNX everybody for help on info!

You're welcome, Power.

Here's another one you might want to consider:

157_MWSnap786_1.jpg

I know the guy, and in spite of the smearing on the picture, it's not a fake.

Regards,

Bruce

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  • 3 months later...

Neptune48 Thank you ever so much....I guess some pretty cool things did happen during the "Cold War". If Premier Tito was still running Yugoslavia at that time, he always was a Maverick and the Soviets knew it, but didn't errr.....mess with him as he was powerful and they didn't want to lose him as an ally.

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