F-8A Crusader

The first operationally-equipped aircraft to exceed 1,000 M.P.H., the  F-8 was nicknamed the “Last of the Gunfighters” because it carried 20-millimeter cannon and its pilots placed an emphasis on dogfighting skills, which paid dividends during the Vietnam War. With its cockpit position far forward on the fuselage, the Crusader incorporated a variable-incidence wing that could be raised during takeoff and landing, in the latter keeping the fuselage parallel to a carrier deck or runway to provide excellent visibility for the pilot. Read More