An Upgraded Crusader

[Archibald]

I received an Hasegawa Crusader from Pollux D7 yesterday. That's fine, because I really wanted to "upgrade" a Crusader for a long time now.

I started yesterday... plenty of mods (I added a second seat, a turbofan exhaust, I modified the undercarriage, shortened the fuselage, and other goodies like that).

First pic...



the backstory is coming...  

[B777LR]

 

[Maverick]

Archi,

Seriously cool looking Twosader.  You're doing well to say the very least.

Mav

[Brian da Basher]

Looking good, Archie! I can't wait to see your next update. I always immensely enjoy your builds.

Brian da Basher

[Archibald]

Thanks for the cheers comment! the rear canopy is made from blister packs, I have to change it (it was polluted by strong glue fumes).

Here's the backstory

In the mid-50's, 15 Essex carriers were modernised following the SBC-125 program. They received angled deck and steam catapults. Air groups mainly consisted of Crusader for air defence and Skyhawks for ground attack.  But the Crusader, despite being an excellent aircraft, already showed its age. Its replacements on Midway and Forestall was the Phantom, but this aircraft was too heavy for the Essex. As stopgap, the ships relied on Skyhawks armed with AIM-9s for air cover.
The VF-X competition was launched in 1962. The fighter was to fly at mach 2, armed with
AIM-9  ( radar was quite basic) and using a J-79 engine.
Douglas proposed an upgraded Skylancer (loaning one of the prototypes  to NASA).
Mc Donnell proposal was a single seat Phantom with bigger span.
Vought proposed its V-1000, a J-79 Crusader.
Sadly, the competition went to naught, as the Whiz kids only wanted Phantoms and F-111B on the USN carriers.
But things were to change...
On the morning of 15th May 1965, USS Oryskany was on station near the coast of North Vietnam when it was attacked by two NVAF Mig-19s. The fighters fired rockets and 30 mm rounds to the ship, causing some damages on the hull. Skyhawks were  scrambled, but they could not catch the MiGs.  
VF-X was back in the race, in a vastly improved variant. But the attack on Oryskany was not the only reason for that resurrection.
At the time, the French navy badly needed a replacement for its subsonic Aquilons. In GB, the F-4K was a disaster, a prototype had crashed after a structural failure. After the cancellation of CVA-01, the RN had build some Clemenceau carriers in cooperation.  Sadly, these were too little to carry Phantoms.
In the end the VF-X become the VF-I (interim naval fighter). It was to be powered by a Spey or TF-41, carrying a medium range AAM (Sparrow, Blue dolphin or R-530). A two-seater variant was planned for training, attack, or interception (in the British case ) .
There was only two competitors, the F-8 Super Crusader and F-4F(HL) Phantom (a single seat, Spey powered, longer spanned Phantom).
The Super Crusader was smaller and lighter than the F-4F(HL). Vought used A-7 and F-8 elements as much as possible in the new aircraft, diminishing production costs.  

The F-8U-4 (or Super Crusader ) was declared winner in late 1965. The USN and USMC agree to cut F-8E Crusaders and Phantoms orders in favour of the new fighter.
First prototype flew in spring 1967, and the aircraft entered service onboard of the Essex carriers in 1969. At the time, it was decided to upgrade 12 Essex for the last time, instead of building Zumwalt SCS. Decision was controversial but proved its value 7 years latter when the XVF-12 supersonic VTOL ended in failure.  
The new fighter totally outmanoeuvred the Phantom. Its performances were years ahead of
F-8E, and MiGs started to fall from the Vietnamese sky...
French and American aircrafts were powered by the TF-41 (or SNECMA TF-416) and the British one by a RR Spey  series 400.
Super Crusaders also saw service with the RCAN, RAN, Aéronavale and RN. The  Indian Navy  and Armada Argentina  received second hand aircrafts (from GB and the USA) in the mid 70's.
In 1963, a detachment of French pilots had tested a F-8D in the USA. They had nicknamed  it "le Crouze", so the F-8U-4 was named the "Super Crouze",  even more when it was discovered that the aircraft was so powerful that it could fly at supersonic speeds without reheat.
The plane was upgraded various times, and is still operating from the Sao Paulo carrier, along Skyhawks and Trackers.
The RN pilots compared the aircraft to the F-4F Wildcat because it used small, less expensive carriers.

[Archibald]

Paint has started.. and I plan something original concerning the decals (to change from desert pink and raspberry ripple    )
It's not a british aircraft, rather a naval fighter from a small navy, with a second-hand, 30 000 tons carrier...  ^_^

[Archibald]

[Mossie]

Ah, Marinefleiger Archie???

[Archibald]

Ah... entschuldigung... but neine! Das ist neine eine marineflieger flugzeug... (my poor german! )
No that's not to be going to be a german crusader, albeit this is a cool idea  ^_^  

[Mossie]

Brazil, with them taking on Foch?  Should have known! :dum:  

[Rafael]

OK, Archi, you gave me the solution. I have always liked the Crusader, but found it way too long for my comfort. Now I Know what to do with one when I find it.

Superb!!
Rafa

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Argentina!!!!
The camo could be some way close to their Super Etendard's camo!!

Right??? Well, I hope we finally found a second hand customer for the Clemenceau!! It could be cool to have the two ex-French carriers in two different South American navies!!


Or maybe Indian Navy!!! The camo could be good too for this country!!
Well, after all, if they don't use Super Etendard, they use the Alizé well!! Selling them the Clemenceau in the late 1990's with the last Super Crusader and French Alizé!!


 


Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be pretty cool!!!

[Archibald]

The winner is Pollux with Indian navy!  ^_^
I discovered a set of decals  from a Sea Harrier the other day. Indian roundels are cool...

Backstory is quite simple...

In 1965, GB gave up the troublesome CVA-01 program, and chose instead to build improved clemenceau with France. Three ships were build and entered service in 1969, 1971 and 1974 with Super Crusaders and Buccs on their flight deck.

Eagle and ark royal were in such poor state that they were scrapped imediately. but smaller and more recent carriers such as Hermes were sold to foreign countries.
In 1974 a deal was firmed between  India and GB. The former bought Hermes for cheap, with 25 surplus Crusader mk.1. These aircrafts had not  been upgraded to the mk.3 standard  (in which the Blue Fox radar and AIM-9  replaced the AI-23 / red top combo).

So 25 crusader mk.1 with AI-23 radar, red top missile and spey 301 engines were sold to India. These powerfull interceptors entered service in 1977 on board the Viraat - former Hermes-.
A proposal to strip the carrier from its catapults and use it as Harrier platform was rejected    

In 1991 they were upgraded with Israeli avionics, and Magic 2 / Python AAMs.

[Brian da Basher]

I really like your modifications on this one, Archie! I also think your choice of Indian markings was truly inspired. They look great against the dark gray paiont scheme.

Another winner from the Archie Whiff Factory!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

I always admire your gusto when it comes to ripping into a model and modifying it to your imagination.

But I'm still shocked at how FAST you can pull this sort of thing off!  Two blinks and you're done.

You mentioned the glue fumes affecting your blisterpack (cool!) rear canopy.
Some people say that dipping your canopy in Future first (then allowing it to completely dry for at least 48 hours) will protect it from CA and other glue fumes.
Don't know if that would work with the plastic you used from blisterpack but
maybe you could try it out next time and report your findings?