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Variants
F8U-1 (F-8A) - first production version, J57-P-12 engine replaced with more powerful J57-P-4A starting with 31st production aircraft, 318 built.
YF8U-1 (YF-8A) - one F8U-1 fighter used for development testing.
YF8U-1E (YF-8B) - one F8U-1 converted to serve as an F8U-1E prototype.
F8U-1E (F-8B) - added a limited all-weather capability thanks to the AN/APS-67 radar, the unguided rocket tray was sealed shut because it was never used operationally, first flight 3 September 1958, 130 built.
YF8U-2 (YF-8C) - two F8U-1s used for flight testing the J57-P-16 turbojet engine.
F8U-2 (F-8C) - J57-P-16 engine with 16,900 lbf (75 kN) of afterburning thrust, ventral fins added under the rear fuselage in an attempt to rectify yaw instability, Y-shaped chin pylons allowing two Sidewinder missiles on each side of the fuselage, first flight 20 August 1957, 187 built. This variant was sometimes referred to as Crusader II.
F8U-2N (F-8D) - all-weather version, unguided rocket pack replaced with an additional fuel tank, J57-P-20 engine with 18,000 lbf (80 kN) of afterburning thrust, landing system which automatically maintained present airspeed during approach, first flight 16 February 1960, 152 built.
YF8U-2N (YF-8D) - one aircraft used in the development of the F8U-2N.
YF8U-NE - one F8U-1 converted to serve as an F8U-2NE prototype.
F8U-2NE (F-8E) - J57-P-20A engine, AN/APQ-94 radar in a larger nose cone, dorsal hump between the wings containing electronics for the AGM-12 Bullpup missile, payload increased to 5,000 lb (2,270 kg), Martin-Baker ejection seat, first flight 30 June 1961, 286 built.
F8U-2NE (F-8E after 1962) Crusader - Bu. 150863 with VF-194
F-8H - upgraded F-8D with strengthened airframe and landing gear, 89 rebuilt.
F-8J - upgraded F-8E, similar to F-8D but with wing modifications and BLC like on F-8E(FN), "wet" pylons for external fuel tanks, J57-P-20A engine, 136 rebuilt.
An F-8J Crusader of VF-51 launched from the flight deck of the carrier Bon Homme Richard (CVA31) in the Gulf of Tonkin on June 13, 1970
(Source: National Museum Of Naval Aviation)
F-8L - F-8B upgraded with underwing hardpoints, 61 rebuilt.
F-8P - 17 F-8E(FN) of the Aéronavale underwent a significant overhaul at the end of the 1980s to stretch their service life another ten years. They were retired in 1999.
F8U-1D (DF-8A) - several retired F-8A modified to controller aircraft for testing of the SSM-N-8 Regulus cruise missile. DF-8A was also modified as drone (F-9 Cougar) control which were used extensively by VC-8, NS Roosevelt Rds, PR; Atlantic Fleet Missile Range.
DF-8F - retired F-8A modified for target tug duty.
F8U-1KU (QF-8A) - retired F-8A modified into remote-controlled target drones
YF8U-1P (YRF-8A) - prototypes used in the development of the F8U-1P photo-reconnaissance aircraft.
F8U-1P (RF-8A) - unarmed photo-reconnaissance version of F8U-1E, 144 built.
RF-8A Crusader - Bu. 145882
XF8U-1T - one XF8U-2NE used for evaluation as a two-seat trainer.
F8U-1T (TF-8A) - two-seat trainer version based on F8U-2NE, fuselage stretched 2 ft (0.61 m), internal armament reduced to two cannon, J57-P-20 engine, first flight 6 February 1962. The Royal Navy was initially interested in the Rolls-Royce Spey-powered version of TF-8A but chose the Phantom II instead. Only one TF-8A was built, although several retired F-8As were converted to similar two-seat trainers.
F8U-3 Crusader III - new design loosely based on the earlier F-8 variants, created to compete against the F-4 Phantom II, J75-P-5A engine with 29,500 lbf (131 kN) of afterburning thrust, first flight 2 June 1958, attained Mach 2.6 in test flights, canceled after five aircraft were constructed because the Phantom II won the Navy contract.
Crusader III
Sources:
Wikipedia: F-8 Crusader
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