Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III
| Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III | |
|---|---|
 Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III |
|
| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
June 2, 1958 |
| Number of pieces: |
3 |
The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was the successor to the successful Vought F-8 Crusader developed by Chance Vought Aircraft and competed with the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II . Although the type was based on the F8U-1 and the F8U-2 and used the naming of the predecessor, both aircraft have only a few parts in common.
Production history
In July 1955, the US Navy issued specifications for a new interceptor . Thereupon John Russel Clark began as chief engineer at Vought with the construction of the Crusader III. On July 25, 1955, two prototypes with the Bureau Number (BuNo) 146340 and 146341 were ordered; three further orders with the BuNos 147085-147087 followed, only the 147085 was built. A pilot series of 13 machines was prepared (147088 to 147100), but ultimately not commissioned. The final construction stop took place in December 1958.
Mission history
The maiden flight of the Crusader III took place on June 2, 1958 by the pilot John Konrad with the 146 340 at Edwards Air Force Base . The second prototype (146341) followed on September 27, 1958. The date of the first flight of the third machine (147085) is not known. The three machines completed a total of 190 flights. These included test flights, comparative flying against the F4-Phantom II, high-speed tests and flying test objects for flight systems and testing of autopilots.
Comparison flies against the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
In the flights against the F-4 Phantom II , the Crusader III was able to convince in all performance comparisons and do better than its competitor. The Crusader III was a pure single-jet interceptor with one pilot, while the Phantom II could boast with two engines, two pilots and a broader range of applications (e.g. as an interceptor, fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft). The Crusader III could not cover this without extensive redesign, so the choice fell on the Phantom II.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 17.88 m |
| span | 12.16 m |
| height | 4.98 m |
| Wing area | 41.8 m² |
| Wing extension | |
| Empty mass | 9,915 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 14,660 kg |
| Top speed | Mach 2.39 in 50,000 ft (15,240 m) |
| Rate of climb | 165 m / s |
| Service ceiling | 65,000 ft (19,812 m) |
| Range | 1040 km in combat configuration 3290 km with external fuel tanks |
| Engines | a Pratt & Whitney J75-P-5A |
| Armament | 4 × 20 mm Colt Mk 12 (planned) 3 × AIM-7 Sparrow 4 × AIM-9 Sidewinder |
Whereabouts
After the lost comparison flight against the F-4 Phantom II, all three machines were handed over to NASA . 146340 and 146341 were given NASA numbers NASA 226 and NASA 227. They were used to carry out high-speed tests at Langley Air Force Base , and in 1960 both machines were given for scrapping. NASA 225 (147085) served at the Ames Research Center and Edwards Air Force Base as a test vehicle for flight systems and for the development of autopilots. Nothing is known about the whereabouts of the machine.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Barrett Tillman: MiG Master: Story of the F-8 Crusader . 2nd Edition. Nautical & Aviation Pub. Co. of America, Annapolis, MD 1990, ISBN 0-933852-17-7 .
- ↑ joebaugher.com Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III, (English)
- ↑ Klassiker-der-luftfahrt.de ( Memento from September 25, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Classics of Aviation
- ↑ defensemedianetwork.com Might have been, (English)
- ↑ tacairnet.com The XF8U-3, (English)