{"product_id":"f8-crusader-vietnam-196373-9781472857545","title":"F-8 Crusader: Vietnam 1963-73","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eThe F-8 Crusader was a successful fighter and reconnaissance aircraft in the Vietnam War, employing secondary AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles and guns for MiG kills. It had the highest 'exchange ratio' of any US combat aircraft, with six kills for every loss. \u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e: 80 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date\u003c\/strong\u003e: 20 July 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e With specially commissioned artworks and dynamic combat ribbon diagrams, this volume reveals how the 'last of the gunfighters,' as the F-8 was dubbed by its pilots, prevailed against the growing MiG threat of the Vietnamese Peoples Air Force. When the Vietnam War began, the F-8 was already firmly established as a fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. It entered combat as an escort for Alpha strike packages, braving the anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles alongside the A-4 Skyhawk bombers and meeting MiGs for the first time on 3 April 1965. Although the Crusader was nicknamed 'last of the gunfighters,' its pilots employed 'secondary AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles in all but one of their MiG kills, with guns also used as back-up in three. Its 20 mm guns were unreliable as they often jammed during strenuous manoeuvres, although they were responsible for damaging a number of MiGs. However, in combat, the F-8 had the highest 'exchange ratio (kills divided by losses) at six-to-one of any US combat aircraft involved in the Vietnam War. Through the copious use of first-hand accounts, highly detailed battlescene artwork, combat ribbon diagrams, and armament views, Osprey's Vietnam air war specialist Peter E. Davies charts the successful career of the F-8 Crusader over Vietnam.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e: 268g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e: 250 x 185 x 5 (mm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: 9781472857545\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Peter E. Davies","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":44371272663290,"sku":"9781472857545","price":11.41,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/products\/1689955330183_book.jpg?v=1690050332","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/f8-crusader-vietnam-196373-9781472857545","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}