LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
G'day all, this is my choice for the 'Cold War' 6th Group Build.
Username: Vic Balshaw
First name: Vic
Category: 2 – Intermediate
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Hasegawa
Model Type: F-8E Crusader converted to an RF-8A (F8U-1P) - unarmed photo-reconnaissance version.
Aircraft - RF-8A Crusader No 908-AE. Tail 146889 of VFP-62 - Cuban Crisis 1962 operation "Blue Moon."
Extras: RVHP resin kit 48012 for PR conversion from F-8A to RF-8A (resin), may only use parts of this kit.
Aires F-8E detail set AIR-4108. Contains a cockpit tube, wheel bay, exhaust nozzle, refuller probe, engine duct bay and gun pack. Being a photo-reconnaissance version, the refuller probe and gun pack will not be used as this was removed to accommodate the camera packs.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States first learned that the Soviet was moving nuclear tipped missiles to Cuba by the U2 photo high altitude reconnaissance plane. To determine the nature of the assumed threat, there was a need to look at closer ground photograph and this is where the RF-8A Crusader’s were involved.
The RF-8A was designated the F8U-1P under the pre-joint designation system. The RF-8A differed from the F-8A by having the lower half of the forward fuselage squared off and the gun pack removed to accommodate the cameras (three CAX-12 trimetrogen and two K-17 vertical). A smaller tail fin reduced the aircraft drag and boosting speed (remember the aircraft is now unarmed).
VFP-62 flew low level, unarmed reconnaissance missions over Cuba and provided the photographic evidence that President Kennedy needed to confront and eventually eliminate the threat of a missile build-up. The Crusaders of VFP-62 also flew photo-reconnaissance missions over Soviet ships sailing towards Cuba in order to determine the nature of their cargo and when the Soviet Union withdrew the missiles from Cuba, it was again the RF-8A Crusaders of VFP-62 that monitored the ships progress away from Cuba on their way back to Russia.
Crusader flights over Cuba began on 23 October 1962, under the code name ‘Blue Moon’. Operating in pairs the RF-8A’s of Naval Reconnaissance Squadron (NRS) VFP-62 flew from Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West to assigned target twice a day and returned to NAS Jacksonville, where the film was offloaded, developed and rushed north to the Pentagon. Four Marine pilots were temporarily assigned to VFP-62 for these missions.
Though unarmed and fired upon, no RF-8A’s were lost but during the operation it is believed that one U-2 and an RF-101 Voodoo were shot down.
Picture 1 The profile of a similar F-8A Crusader of VFP-62.
Picture 2. A U-2 reconnaissance photograph of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. Missile transports and tents for fuelling and maintenance are visible.
Picture 3. A United States. Navy P-2 Neptune of VP-18 flying over a Soviet freighter.
Picture 4. Aerial Photograph of Missiles in Cuba at MRBM Launch Site 1 San Cristobal, 23 October 1962.
Picture 5. Aerial Photograph of Missiles in Cuba at MRBM Launch Site 2 Sagua la Grande, 23 October 1962.
Picture 6. An anti-aircraft site east of the San Cristobal MRBM Launch Site 1, 27 October 1962.
Picture 7. This is the only full picture I have been able to find of 908 assumedly landing on USS Independence which I believe usually has a small detachment of RF-8A’s on it’s deck.
Pics of the kits to follow.
Reply With Quote
thanks to clear resolve from the USA.
Bookmarks