Crusaders

[PR19_Kit]

Always a FIERCE looking aeroplane! And it looks great in green too. 

[Wardukw]

Never seen a Crusader in green and I like it 

[comrade harps]

  it!

[DogfighterZen]

  

[kerick]

Excellent build! Crusaders always look good.

[zenrat]

 

In the RW when the wing was up the flaps and slats were down.  But obviously that doesn't apply in OTL...

[NARSES2]

Every time I read the title of this thread I keep expecting to see armoured knights riding jeeps adorned with a white bard adorned with a red cross 

Neat build, looks particularly good in that scheme 

[Leading Observer]

Every time I read the title of this thread I keep expecting to see armoured knights riding jeeps adorned with a white bard adorned with a red cross 

Neat build, looks particularly good in that scheme 

I have another one started - it might not make the extended deadline, but I am considering changing the paint scheme and markings in light of the above

[Doug K]

I do like the Crusaders. I have a hasegawa one unbuilt as it's missing a canopy, one day I'll get it built as a 2 seater for the Royal Navy.

[Leading Observer]

RCAF Crusdaer III

RCAF Vought F-8u-3 Crusader III

In 1959 Vought realised that their F8U-3 Crusader III was going to lose the US Navy competition for a new fighter to the McDonnell Douglas F-4/F-110, they started to look around to see if there were any other opportunities to market the aircraft.

The big news story at the time was the unexpected cancellation of the Avro CF-105 Arrow project by the Canadian Government, leaving the RCAF without their longed for supersonic interceptor.  Vought seized their chance and offered the Canadian government the Crusader III as an alternative.

Prime Minister Diefenbaker having finally realised that cancelling the Arrow was going to lose Canada 1000's of jobs in the aerospace industry grabbed this straw which would enable him to at least offset some of his disastrous decision, and Vought were awarded a contract for an initial 100 aircraft, with much of the work to be undertaken in Canada, including the building of the Pratt and Whitney J-75 engine under licence by Orenda.

As much of the development work had already been undertaken, production soon got underway, with the first aircraft entering service in early 1962.
There were some initial teething problems with the fire control system for the Sparrow missiles, but by 1965 these had been resolved and the aircraft remained the Canadian Armed Forced main front line interceptor until replaced by the Tornado F3 in the early 1990's.

The Crusader III's occasionally served in Europe, and were painted NATO Olive Green with light grey undersides
 
The model is the Anigrand 1/72 resin kit - it went together reasonably well, although the canopy transaparency did not fit at all, being far to shallow, meaning I had to build up the cockpit sides with plastic card to get it level with the fusalage at the rear of the cockpit.