VOUGHT  F-8U-1P  (RF-8G)  “CRUSADER” F-FIGHTER 8 – MODEL U- CHANCE VOUGHT -1- 1ST MODIFICATION P - PHOTO The F8U-1P made its first flight on 17 December 1956 and joinrf the fleet in September 1957.  The F8U-1P was redesignated RF-8A in 1962.  The first operational test came during the fall of 1962 when pictures of Soviet made Intermediate Range Ballistic missiles were discovered in Cuba.  Four Marine pilots were assigned to the Navy Photo Squadron VFP-62 to augment that squadron. The flights over Cuba began on 23 October 1962 under the code-name “Blue Moon.”  The Crusader shot more than 160,000 photos during a six-week long operation.  All the pilots received the Distinguished Flying Cross for this operation.  This RF-8G was accepted by the US NAVY on 17 December 1957 as an F8U-1P and was assigned to VFP-61 at NAS Miramar where it was deployed on the carrier USS Midway. It was reassigned to VMCJ-3 at MCAS El Toro in early 1959 and was redesignated as RF-8A in 1962 to conform to the new DOD aircraft designator code.  In 1965 it deployed to Vietnam with VMCJ-1 and then served with VC-7 at NAS Miramar from 1967 – 1969.  After a short retirement at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona it was used with the X-31 test program.  Its last flight was from Palmdale to MCAS El Toro with Rockwell chief Test Pilot, Ken Dyson, at the controls. SPECIFICATIONS WING SPAN   35’ 8” WING AREA   375  SQ FT LENGTH   54’ 3” HEIGHT   15’ 9” GROSS TAKE OFF WEIGHT 27,822  LBS ENGINE   PRATT &  WHITNEY J57-P-4A THRUST   10,200  LBS 16,000  LBS  WITH AFTERBURNER MAX SPEED   983 MPH CEILING   51,800’ RANGE    2,000  NAUTICAL MILES ARMAMENT   CAMERAS