Zajcevi
August 20th 03, 11:00 PM
Hello
Today I have read in one polish mag an article about F-8 Crusader.
Quite interesting, but info about radar and avionics equipment seems
to me bit confused.
F-8A (F8U-1) – daylight only fighter equipped with AN/APG-30A
ranging radar (same as F-100), no other details about avionics
F-8B (F8U-1E) – upgraded version with limited all weather
capability thanks to AN/AWG-3 FCS. Radar AN/APS-67 has max search
range 16 km, track range 10 km.
F-8C (F8U-2) – here is some confusion, it has more powerfull
engine and autor state that it has only older APG-30 rangefinder
(???). This is quite strange becouse both F-8B and F-8C were produced
almost simultaneously, and I cant understand why were 2 different
version built, one with better FCS, other with better engine. This
simply brings me no sence. On the other side, when you look at
designation of next version F8U-2N this might be comparable with F8U-1
daylight/ F8U-1E all weather (F8U-2 daylight/ F8U-2 night)
F-8D (F8U-2N) – N for night, this version introduced new
AN/AWG-4 FCS with AN/APQ-83 radar with search range of 40-45 km. Also
have AN/AAS-15, simple IRST with search range 7-10 km.
Have it also APQ-83 capability to use AIM-9C?
F-8E (F8U-2N) – modernised AN/AWG-4 with bigger AN/APQ-94 radar,
it was the first which could illuminate target for use AIM-9Cs AAMs.
All these versions (but F-8A) were later upgraded, but only modernised
F-8E called later F-8J have also modernised radar on version
AN/APQ-124.
Which were the differencies between APS-67, APQ-83, APQ-94 and finally
APQ-124?
Have been Crusader fleet upgraded with some kind of ECM gear?
Regards
Ivan
Today I have read in one polish mag an article about F-8 Crusader.
Quite interesting, but info about radar and avionics equipment seems
to me bit confused.
F-8A (F8U-1) – daylight only fighter equipped with AN/APG-30A
ranging radar (same as F-100), no other details about avionics
F-8B (F8U-1E) – upgraded version with limited all weather
capability thanks to AN/AWG-3 FCS. Radar AN/APS-67 has max search
range 16 km, track range 10 km.
F-8C (F8U-2) – here is some confusion, it has more powerfull
engine and autor state that it has only older APG-30 rangefinder
(???). This is quite strange becouse both F-8B and F-8C were produced
almost simultaneously, and I cant understand why were 2 different
version built, one with better FCS, other with better engine. This
simply brings me no sence. On the other side, when you look at
designation of next version F8U-2N this might be comparable with F8U-1
daylight/ F8U-1E all weather (F8U-2 daylight/ F8U-2 night)
F-8D (F8U-2N) – N for night, this version introduced new
AN/AWG-4 FCS with AN/APQ-83 radar with search range of 40-45 km. Also
have AN/AAS-15, simple IRST with search range 7-10 km.
Have it also APQ-83 capability to use AIM-9C?
F-8E (F8U-2N) – modernised AN/AWG-4 with bigger AN/APQ-94 radar,
it was the first which could illuminate target for use AIM-9Cs AAMs.
All these versions (but F-8A) were later upgraded, but only modernised
F-8E called later F-8J have also modernised radar on version
AN/APQ-124.
Which were the differencies between APS-67, APQ-83, APQ-94 and finally
APQ-124?
Have been Crusader fleet upgraded with some kind of ECM gear?
Regards
Ivan