Alphasim Crusader goes native FSX

[gray eagle]

Some further work ..


images hosting

Say, that's looking good there. Brand "X"

 

[expat]

I might also do a VF-24 like the one in the photo - I think 1970 was the only year they had yellow markings, all the other years they are red and look very similar to VF-211.

 

[DaveQ]

Here's the other one from the photo. An F-8J showing the five victory symbols on the ventral fins. Guessing the yellow flashes on nose and tail have red surround. Rudder (pain..!) not done and the star and bar is too small so will fix before publishing. Name of the pilot unknown but will use one of those above unless GE knows otherwise.

DaveQ

 

[expat]

Special thanks and appreciation to Dave Quincey whose repaints I like and have used as a base. I think his USN "gull grey" color is slightly warmer and less blue-ish then the default paints and matches better the period aircraft I have seen IRL.

 

[expat]

Here's the other one from the photo.

Holy Gunfighters Batman!

Dave - our posts just crossed. That looks sensational and you have just saved me hours doing my miserable MS Paint hatchet job that looks 1000% worse than your fine work!

 

[gray eagle]

Here's the other one from the photo. An F-8J showing the five victory symbols on the ventral fins. Guessing the yellow flashes on nose and tail have red surround. Rudder (pain..!) not done and the star and bar is too small so will fix before publishing. Name of the pilot unknown but will use one of those above unless GE knows otherwise.

DaveQ

Dave,

I don't think I was around that outfit when they had yellow checkers. What I would like to request is another VF-24 with USS BonHomme Richard, red/white checks and those five mig kills on the
ventral fins. That would be awesome When I was with them 65/66 we deployed on the USS Hancock to the coast of Viet-nam. Later, in '67 we cross decked to the USS BonHomme Richard.
The Hancock was in the yards for repairs.

Thanks

 

[gray eagle]

F-8s launching from USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)

F-8s launching from USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) off Vietnam in 1967

Notice VF-24 with the Zunis and Band "X" with the winders. No checks on VF-211's ventral fins at the time. It was during this deployment that both F-8 squadrons would score with mig kills.

 

[DaveQ]

Holy Gunfighters Batman!

Dave - our posts just crossed. That looks sensational and you have just saved me hours doing my miserable MS Paint hatchet job that looks 1000% worse than your fine work!

Thanks expat, it's always good to feel your work is appreciated. And don't knock yerself about - your paints are just fine. I did the original ones with Photoshop Elements 2 or 4 so they were never that brilliant! The colours are from the Simmers Paintshop charts which I always use as a reference source btw.

GE - I'll have a go at 146998 next. Is that an -E with a white radome??

DaveQ

 

[gray eagle]

Thanks expat, it's always good to feel your work is appreciated. And don't knock yerself about - your paints are just fine. I did the original ones with Photoshop Elements 2 or 4 so they were never that brilliant! The colours are from the Simmers Paintshop charts which I always use as a reference source btw.

GE - I'll have a go at 146998 next. Is that an -E with a white radome??

DaveQ

No, It was a F8-C. VF-211 had the "E"'s. We had maybe a "D" or two back then.

• F8U-2 (F-8C) – J57-P-16 engine with 16,900 lbf (75 kN) of afterburning thrust, ventral fins added under the rear fuselage in an attempt to rectify yaw instability, Y-shaped cheek pylons allowing two Sidewinder missiles on each side of the fuselage, AN/APQ-83 radar retrofitted during later upgrades. First flight: 20 August 1957, 187 built. This variant was sometimes referred to as Crusader II.[SUP][/SUP]
• F8U-2N (F-8D) – all-weather version, unguided rocket pack replaced with an additional fuel tank, J57-P-20 engine with 18,000 lbf (80 kN) of afterburning thrust, landing system which automatically maintained present airspeed during approach, incorporation of AN/APQ-83 radar. First flight: 16 February 1960, 152 built.

 

[gray eagle]

VF-24 211 Slide show

F8 Crusaders from 1966 & 1967 Vietnam Cruises on the U.S.S Hancock CVA-19 & The U.S.S Bon Homme Richard CVA-31

 

[expat]

No, It was a F8-C. VF-211 had the "E"'s. We had maybe a "D" or two back then.

Hm, but 146998 looks to me like it has the "E" and "J" hump. Didn't think C's and D's had that.

 

[expat]

Scratch that, no you are right. The VF-211 on the left is different.

 

[expat]

Also like the VF-51 and VF-53 schemes on the Bonnie Dick . .


how to capture screen

 

[expat]

GE - thanks for the slide show - enjoyed that!

 

[gray eagle]

F8 Vietnam Deploments

The first three entries/deployments was when I was assigned with VF-24. After that time, you will notice that the squadron had transitioned to different versions of the F-8
Notice the tail code and Modex variations in each deployments. So when you view pictures of VF-24's F8's you can look at this listing and note the approx time frame of
the photos. Also, you will note, that we normally deployed on the USS Hancock with exception of the USS Bon Homme RIchard. It was on the Bonnie Dick's that we scored the migs.
VF-51 was normally assigned to the USS Bon Homme Richard after their USS Tico cruises, later, and for what ever reason, CVW-5 and CVW 21 cross decked to different carriers for a short time.
Hope this helps.

 

[gray eagle]

Scratch that, no you are right. The VF-211 on the left is different.

Yup, and VF-21 (Brand "X") had the "E" bird and that meant wing hard points, As a former AO back then, I was glad to be working with the "C" version; no hard points, no bombs to load over my head.
The USAF AFAIK didn't have to manually load bombs on their A/C, they had mechanical loaders that did all the heavy lifting.

 

[DaveQ]

Two F-8's from VF-24 uploaded, both from photos above; an F-8C from the Bonnie Dick and an F-8H from the Hancock. Hope they're OK for you.

DaveQ

 

[expat]

Outstanding! Thanks so much Dave. Really appreciate your doing these.

 

[gray eagle]

Thanks Dave for the USS Bon Homme Richard version.

VF-24 transitioned from F-8's to F-14's then folded (Decommished)

http://www.topedge.com/panels/aircraft/sites/vf24/

 

[gray eagle]

F8 Gunfighter Page

Interesting stuff here on the F8's. Have you speakers on when you click on link below, it's of a F8 flyby (Listen to what a real F8/J57 sonic boom is like)
I recommend clicking on all the links for some interesting photos of F8's.

http://users.cloudnet.com/djohnson/images.html

Below is a picture of F8's manning up. You will hear the huffer start the F8 then it is spooling up getting ready for launch. (Leave your sound on)

http://users.cloudnet.com/djohnson/manning.htm