Aircraft by type

Vought F-8 Crusader
Losses & Ejections
Part 5: 1974 - Present
[Part 4 : 1969 - 1973]
Preliminary Listing
(Help appreciated to add pilot names and photos)
[any errors noticed please let me know so that I can correct them - mbenshar@aol.com ]

   Operators

USN
USMC
French Navy
Philippines		    
In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 ex-U.S. Navy F-8Hs that were stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the TF-8A. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption and have since been offered for sale as scrap.

 

26th July 1974

Vought F-8K Crusader

146997

NARF Norfolk

x

x

x

x
9th November 1974
USN		 F-8J Crusader 149195 VF-211 in US Lt. R. A. Smith   Martin-Baker

15th December 1974
USN		 Vought RF-8G Crusader 145637
NL-602

VFP-63 Det 5
USS Coral Sea

crashed into the northeast face of Mount Kea at the 11,300-foot elevation, facing Laupahoehoe while taking photos for one of the f-4 squadrons

Lt. John Wantz
killed

x

Martin-Baker
24th March 1975
USN		 F-8J Crusader 150353  VFP-63 in US Lt. J. R. Batman   Martin-Baker
8th April 1975
USN		 F-8J Crusader 149139 VF-194 in US Lt. W. G. Hester   Martin-Baker Mk.5

20th May 1975

Vought F-8J Crusader

150333
NM-211

VF-194

Damaged beyond repair in ground accident

x

x

x

20th May 1975

Vought F-8J Crusader

150900
NM-230

VF-194

Damaged beyond repair in ground accident

x

x

x
11th June 1975
USN		 F-8J Crusader 149221 VFP-63 in US Lt. J. J. A. Wagoner   Martin-Baker

13th June 1975

Vought F-8J Crusader

150333
NM

VF-194
NAS Miramar

Damaged beyond repair in ground accident

x

x

x
28th July 1975
USN		 F-8J Crusader 1449163 VF-194
CV-34		 Ramp strike during night carrier landing. Lt. J. R. Batman
survived		   Martin-Baker
29th July 1975
USN		 F-8J Crusader 149187 VF-194
CV-34		 Ramp strike during night carrier landing. Lt. R. R. Albertson
ejected
survived		   Martin-Baker
  The Navy stopped flying  F8's at night off carriers after these accidents.
16th August1975
USN		 F-8 Crusader       Lt. S. S. Graham   Martin-Baker

8th September 1975

Vought F-8J Crusader

150911
NP

VF-24
BAS Cuba Point, Philippines

Damaged beyond repair in ground fire

x

x

x
24th September 1975
USN		 Vought F-8J Crusader 150318
PP 672		 VFP-63 control problems at 18,000 ft during strafing run in US LTJG D. L. Hayes
ejected at 5000 feet		   Martin-Baker

19th January 1976

Vought F-8J Crusader

150862
NM

VF-194
USS Oriskaney

Crashed on finals into Pacific

x

x

x
1st June 1976
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 146876 VFP-63 Engine failure at Miramar, US Lt. D. Graves ejected   Martin-Baker
15th July 1976
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 146892 VFP-63 Lost in a operational accident in US LTJG D. Hayes   Martin-Baker
  Los Angeles Times - ProQuest Archiver - Jul 16, 1976
from his F-8 Crusader jet moments before it plunged into a beet field and ... was treated for a bruise over one eye following the Thursday night crash
13th or 15th August 1976
USN		 Crusader RF-8G 146848 VFP-63 Ejected in US LT J. Brown     Martin-Baker

23rd November 1976


USN

Vought DF8L Crusader

145498

PMTC

x

x

x

x
2nd December 1976
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 146871 VFP-63 Engine malfunction during a cat
shot in US		 Lt. J. Wagoner
survived		   Martin-Baker

Thursday 23rd December 1976


USN

Vought RF-8G Crusader

146890
PP-684


VFP-63
 "Eyes of the Fleet"

Crashed Burnt Peak, Sawmill Mountains CA. USA

Lt. Charles Darrell "Chuck" Potter
28
killed

Martin-Baker
28th January 1977
Fr N 		 F-8E(FN) Crusader 9 16F    P. M. Degletagne   Martin-Baker
1st February 1977
Fr N		 F-8E(FN) Crusader 13 14F     ASP Guillot   Martin-Baker
11th May 1977
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 145629 VFP-63
CV-67		 control malfunction during a cat
shot.		 Lt. Cdr. J. S. Ozbirn
ejected
survived		   Martin-Baker
18th May 1977
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 146895 VFP-63 happened near Prescott, AZ., US Interestingly, a passing train stopped to assist him ENS Robert "Bob" B. Platt
ejected
survived		 pic Martin-Baker
18th July 1977
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 141363 VFP-63 Lost in a operational accident  at NAS Dallas, US.
The plane landed
in the Officers Quarters (BOQ) with no injuries.		 Lt. E. S. Gregory ejected   Martin-Baker
30th August 1977
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 145616 VFP-63  in US Lt. Cdr. D. M. Beam ejected   Martin-Baker

20th November 1977

Vought RF-8G Crusader

146827
NG-610

VFP-63 Det 1
NAS Miramar CA USA

Explosion during refuelling. Burnt out

x

x

x

20th November 1977

Vought RF-8G Crusader

146883

VFP-63 Det 1
NAS Miramar CA USA

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x
8th December 1977
Fr N  		 F-8 Crusader 22     Lt. V.Bourdiniere   Martin-Baker
3rd January 1978
Fr N		 F-8 Crusader 38     Capt. Botte   Martin-Baker
28th July 1978
Vought
Phillipines		 NTF‑8A Crusader 143710    Crashed near Dallas, TX     Martin-Baker
1.Lt. P. R. Ronos Mr. K. Fox Martin-Baker
13th October 1979 USN Crusader RF-8G 145646 VFP-63
CV-63		 area unknown Ejection   Martin-Baker Mk.5
14th May 1980
French Navy		 F-8 Crusader 41     Lt. V. P. Cambot ejected    Martin-Baker
28th August 1980
USN		 RF-8G Crusader 144615 VFP-306, CV-63 Pilot ejected just forward of port bow at an estimated 500 kt., at 300 ft. MSL. Pilot ejected    Martin-Baker
  Aug 30, 1980
Plane Crashes. Pilot EscaDes. EL TORO -. A Marine Corps pilot escaped with. minor injuries P wnen ne was to ball out ot his A-4 Skyhawk near San Clemente ...

9th June 1981 USN Crusader RF-8G 146897 VFP-63, CV-62

USS Independence  VFP-63  Det-4 

Lost in a operational accident

 Lt. JG R. Wright ejected   Martin-Baker
19th July 1981 USN Crusader RF-8G 145641 VFP-63, CV-43 USS Coral Sea   Pilot ejected   Martin-Baker
 13th June 1983
Fr N		 F-8E(FN) Crusader 20 12F   Pilot ejected   Martin-Baker
 18th June 1983
Fr N		 F-8E(FN)Crusader 40 12F    L.V M. Mezencev ejected   Martin-Baker
11th March 1985
USN 		 F-8G Crusader 146855
AF 606		 VFP‑206
NAS Miramar		 Engine failure shortly after take‑off from NAS Miramar, crashed Sorrento Valley, CA, USA Cdr. David G. Strong
36
ejected 		   Martin-Baker
  A Navy plane crashed and burned in the parking lot of a high-tech industrial complex shortly after takeoff Monday, destroying 18 cars and burning a storage shed but injuring only two people.
  Cmdr. David Strong, 36, could win anything from "a letter of commendation to a medal" for putting himself at personal risk by waiting to eject from his F-8 Crusader until he was sure it would not crash in a populated area, said Lt. John Semcken.
30th November 1989
USN 		 F-8 Crusader   NAS Miramar crashed into a parking lot of a nearby industrial park Pilot ejected safely  

Martin-Baker
9th May 1985
Fr N		 F-8E(FN) Crusader 30 12F    ENS F.Hoff   Martin-Baker
9th May 1985
French Navy		 F-8 Crusader 14      ejected   Martin-Baker
9th June 1986
French Navy		 F-8 Crusader 12   destroyed  ejected   Martin-Baker
12th June 1987
French Navy		 F-8 Crusader 1   during a night landing  ejected   Martin-Baker
14th January 1988
 
French Navy		 Aeronavale F8E(FN) Crusader No. 42 12F crashed near Guessant, France, during practice
dog-fight		 Pilot ejected but was killed   Martin-Baker
8th February 1989
French Navy		 F-8 Crusader 17      ejected   Martin-Baker
6th May 1990 - also seen as 4th May 1990
French N.		 F-8E(FN)Crusader 33 12F   Lt. DVS P. Jego ejected   Martin-Baker
30th March 1995
French Navy		 F-8E(FN)  Crusader  '27' 12F Went through his leaders after-burner flame - exploded in mid-air outside the Atlantic Port of
Rochefort		 Pilot ejected safely   Martin-Baker
20th July 1995
French Navy		 F-8P Crusader '31' 12F crashed  at Ploudaniel Pilot Alech ejected   Martin-Baker