CD wrote:
"Enzo Matrix" wrote in message
...
CD wrote:
"Netko" wrote in message
x.com...
The pictures in this post consist of nothing but F-8 Crusaders.
Apart, that is, from any A-7s which may have slipped through.


Thanks for the photo series Netko. Though I would Google the F-8
Crusaders for a bit of research and found this interesting story at
wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-8_Crusader

In October 1974 (on the Clemenceau) and June 1977 (on the Foch),
planes from 14.F squadron participated to the Saphir missions over
Djibouti. On
May 7th 1977, two Crusaders went separately on patrol against
supposedly French Air Force (4/11 Jura squadron) F-100 Super Sabres
stationed at Djibouti. The leader intercepted two fighters and
engaged a dogfight (supposed to be a training exercise) but quickly
called his wingman for help as he had actually engaged two Yemenite
Mig-21 Fishbed. The two French fighters switched their master
armament to "on", but in the end everyone returned to his base. This
was the only ever combat interception by a French Crusader.


They went on a training mission with live ammunition? That doesn't
sound like a good idea.
snip

Thanks for the RAF story. Just 4 more kills and that RAF guy will be
an ace! As for the frogs. I wonder if they just claimed it was a
training mission to cover up some covert operation or this engagement?

It's interesting to speculate what might have happened if the engagement had
resulted in an exchange of fire. The F-8 was a very potent fighter. During
the Vietnam way, F-8s accounted for four MiG-21 kills, without loss to
MiG-21s in return. MiG pilots were very wary of the F-8, as related in an
amusing story.

Quote
Quoted from "F-8 Crusader units of the Vietnam war" by Peter Mersky,
published by Osprey.

There is, however, one last, controversial F-8 kill - that of VF-211's Lt
Jerry Tucker on 23 May 1972. It wasn't as if the "Checkmates" had nothing to
do, for they had been quite busy supporting the intense war on the ground,
delivering bombs and rockets against Communist positions in the face of
occasionally intense flak and SAM defences. Still, every fighter pilot
dreamt of at least one chance against a MiG...

The squadron now flew the F-8J, an upgraded "Echo" that featured better
avionics and boundary layer control, which improved the Crusader's notorious
handling around the ship.

On this day, Tucker and Lt Cdr Frank Bachman were TARCAP for an Alpha strike
near Vinh airfield. Orbiting their station was getting boring, and as the
strikers returned, two of their F-4s from VF-161 got a vector towards a MiG
that was coming out over the water in response to the attack on the
airfield.

The two F-8 pilots listened to the proceedings as the F-4 crews quickly lost
the "bubble" and the MiG. Tucker called Red Crown and said /his/ section was
ready to go. Red Crown called the Phantom IIs off and sent the Crusaders
towards the MiG.

Heading north, the F-8s spotted the MiG-17 and sped towards what seemed like
a sure kill. Lt Tucker took the lead because he had the enemy fighter in
sight. The MiG was now low and really moving out. Tucker's Sidewinder began
to growl, indicating the missile's seeker head was "sniffing" its quarry.

Suddenly, the MiG's canopy flew off, followed by the pilot. Tucker watched
incredulously as his "kill" floated down under a white parachute. The
frustrated Crusader pilot made two passes by the understandably nervous
North Vietnamese pilot, whose head turned as the American fighter flashed
past him.

Unfortunately, the Navy denied credit for the kill, leaving those concerned,
as well as historians, to argue the point for posterity. One of the aspects
of this "engagement" has long been whether the MiG pilot punched out when he
found his opponents were F-8s instead of F-4s. Of course, the Crusader
"drivers" will say that his reaction was understandable given the potent
reputation of the F-8. As Lt Tucker points out, however, only /that/ MiG
pilot knows for sure, and he has long since faded into the security of
anonymity.

/Quote

F-8s didn't seem to have many problems against the early MiG-21s used in
Vietnam. It's possible that the Yemeni MiG-21s were later models, which were
heavier and less agile. No doubt the French pilots were far better trained
than their Yemeni counterparts. Maybe it's just as well that the engagement
never came to an exchange of fire.

--
Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.