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F-8 Crusader at Landivisiau |
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Set
some 50 miles to the east of Brest in the Finistere region of
Brittany, Landivisiau is the land base for the French Aeronavale
aircraft, when their parent carrier is in port. Four primary
units are based here being;
Having
visited Landivisiau in 1997 in the period around the air show I
was disappointed about the weather and the amounts of Crusaders
seen.
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I
decided to go back in 1998 to see, and if possible photograph,
the Crusaders of 12F. With Rafale due to enter service, at
Landivisiau, in December 1999, this could well be the last
chance I had. This time the weather was good and so was the
flying. I just had to take my change on photographing these magnificent
airplanes.
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Since
their inception way back in 1957, Crusaders have served in
various versions with US Navy, Philippine Air Force and the
French Navy – they having purchased 42 F-8E (FN), with
provision for Matra 530 air-to-air missiles in 1964. Having
always the reputation of being the last true US fighter, or the
"last of the gun-slingers" periodic up-grades have
kept this aircraft in the same aviation world, if not comparable
to, today’s techno-jets.
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Resplendent
in a dark blue/grey colour scheme, all aircraft carry the 12F
badge on the nose, just aft of the jet intake and before the rails
for the AA missiles. Power is supplied by a Pratt and Whitney J57
turbojet, which, with reheat, gives the F8E Mach 2 capability.
These, now dated (and smoky) engines give the spotter possibly his
last experience of what, in the 1950s and 1960s, was common to all
US built reheated jets – the loud bang and sheet of flame that
accompanied the application of reheat.
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