Warbird Information Exchange

Came across these on ARC. Very sad situation. But maybe it not too late for something to happen. I would like to think that we have learned from the lost oppurtunity at the mass scrapping at the end of WW2 and that a few of these could be saved. There is a good chance that most if not all of these airframes are combat veterans with the USN. What is needed is a modern day Dave Tallichet.

Would be outstanding to see a restored and flying example, in vintage USN markings, tearing holes in the skys at airshows.

The only credit I know to give is to the individual named Hoops


















Shay
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Semper Fortis

The warning sticker on the tail of the fourth pic says it all...DANG......

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

I didn't know that Philadephia had it's own Air Force!

Shame to see this.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

For those whoe might know the back story of these aircraft.

From JB's site:

"Besides France, the only other nation to use the Crusader was the Philippines. In late 1977, the Philippines government purchased 35 ex-US Navy F-8Hs that had been sitting in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. 25 of them were to be refurbished by Vought and the remaining ten were to be replacement aircraft.

As part of the contract, Vought was also to train Philippine Air Force pilots and maintenance personnel. The two-seat TF-8A was to be used in support of the training effort, but it crashed on July 28, 1978.

The Filipino F-8Hs went to the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 5th fighter Wing stationed at Basa Air Base, Pampanga, in northern Luzon. This outfit had previously operated F-86F Sabrejets, which were by this time thoroughly obsolete. As part of their job in defending Philippine airspace, the F-8s of the 7th TFS intercepted many Soviet bombers which overflew the northwestern area of the island nation.

The corruption and mismanagement that characterized the later years of the Marcos regime was so bad that most of the Philippine Crusaders rapidly deteriorated and fell into disrepair, with very few actually being able to fly at any one time. During the confusion surrounding the departure of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, the flyable Crusaders were flown to Clark AFB to protect them from sabotage.

The surviving Philippine Crusaders were finally phased out on January 23, 1988 and have since been offered for sale as scrap.. In nine years, the PAF F-8s had suffered five major accidents, losing two pilots."

Shay
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Semper Fortis

i can't believe how recent these pics are!!! isn't the navy throwing a hissy fit??

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Is it possible to save at least one of these aircraft?
Can an individual buy one?

I would bet that the sale to the Phil gubmint was contingent on the aircraft being demilled and sold for scrap after their service.No chance in LLEH would state dept allow these aircraft in flyable condition being owned by civialians down the road.PERIOD.It would be soooooooo cool to see one of these fly again.

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Hang The Expense

Yo....you got a problem wit dat?

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Steve
www.eaglesmereairmuseum.org
www.net2nite.com

Not necessarily true, check out these two F8's.
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... 0&PageNo=1

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" excuse me stewardess I speak jive"

First, a question. Were these the jets used in the movie Thirteen Days?

Second, a statement. What the hell is wrong with the Navy? (maybe a question after all, no?) There are a million F-84F's preserved, not that there's anything wrong with that, but the F-84F never shot down a MiG, either. At least to my knowledge they never did. Yet here's some real historic ACM iconic Navy Century Series contemporary left to rot. But don't anyone dare touch it because it belongs to the Navy! Is the Air Force just better at preserving THEIR heritage than the allegedly heritage driven Navy? This pisses me off.

ripcord to answer your question:

According to the original discussion:
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=192913

They were used in 13 days. Some of the markings that can be seen beneath the faded and worn PIAF markings are from the movie.

I agree with your sentitment. The Crusader has gotten the raw end of the deal from a preservation stand point. My 1st Crusader I recall seeing in person was while I was on active duty at NAS Pensacola at the museum there. The next and last one I've seen in person is the one on gate guard duty at NAS Oceana. For an aircraft that acheived the best air to air kill ratio of the Vietnam War (19:3), IMO it is under represented and under preserved. Unlike the many USAF types used as monuments, peppered throughout the U.S.

For those watching this forum with the where-with-all to do so, here is potentially an oppurtunity to add an accomplished combat proven fighter to your collection.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Well, What is cool, is that the possibility that one-er-More of these "former" Navy aircraft could be had, and for once, the Navy wouldn't have a thing to say about it. Could be justice

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Philadelphia Police have had their own heavy bombardment squadron since the 1980s! Remember Osage Avenue? It was Philadelphia's own Dresden...

Robbie

Naw Du...but you gotta find a better place to park them. Looks like your getting jacked.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

I see F7F Tigercat mainwheel tires

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.