Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III
Vought · United States · first flew 1958 · fighter
The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was a larger successor to the F-8 Crusader, built to compete with the F4H Phantom II.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 17.88 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Swept-forward "Ferri scoop" engine air inlet
- Two large ventral fins that rotated horizontally for take-off and landing
- Variable-incidence wing like the F-8 Crusader
Resembles an F-8 Crusader but with a chin Ferri scoop inlet and large ventral fins.
Specifications
- The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III has a length of 17.88 m (59 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.16 m (40 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2538 km/h (1577 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew on 2 June 1958 with a Pratt & Whitney J75-P-5A. It reached Mach 2.39, and first exceeded Mach 2.0 in level flight on 14 August.
Variants
Five were built. Provision was made for a rocket motor.
Where you'll see it
It lost the competition to the Phantom and was cancelled. NASA also used it.
Related aircraft
- Vought F-8 Crusader
- Vought AU-1 Corsair
- Vought F7U-3 Cutlass
- Vought F7U Cutlass
- Aerfer Ariete
- Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
- BAC Jet Provost T.3
- F-4 Phantom II
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