Difference between revisions of "F-8E"
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* Very good sustained turn rate | * Very good sustained turn rate | ||
* Has an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor which assists in locating targets by finding their heat signatures | * Has an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor which assists in locating targets by finding their heat signatures | ||
| − | * Has a | + | * Has a wide array of suspended ordnance (mostly consisting of air-to-ground loadouts) |
| − | |||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
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* Fragile wings which can easily rip at high speeds and in high-G turns | * Fragile wings which can easily rip at high speeds and in high-G turns | ||
* Very likely to set on fire because of the fuel tank placement | * Very likely to set on fire because of the fuel tank placement | ||
| − | * Slower low level top speed compared to other | + | * Slower low level top speed compared to other supersonic competitors; can barely break Mach 1 at low altitude |
* Lacks RWR, which is a major disadvantage as it frequently encounters opponents equipped with SARH missiles | * Lacks RWR, which is a major disadvantage as it frequently encounters opponents equipped with SARH missiles | ||
Revision as of 07:47, 27 March 2022
Contents
Description
The F-8E Crusader is a rank VII American jet fighter with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB/SB) and 10.7 (RB). It was introduced in Update "Direct Hit".
The F-8E is a later model of the Crusader. Compared to the preceding F8U-2, it has largely the same flight performance but improved ordnance options. The infrared-guided AIM-9D Sidewinder returns as a good option for dogfights and sneak attacks, but it can now utilize the radar-guided AIM-9C, which may be useful during head-on engagements. The ground attack options are vastly superior because of the addition of wing pylons; while the F8U-2 was limited to cheek-mounted Zuni rockets and its internal FFAR rocket tray, the F-8E can carry a decent bombload and AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground missiles, making it more capable as a multirole fighter.
The F-8E can really be considered "The Last Gunfighter" in War Thunder, because the succeeding F-4J Phantom is a very different aircraft to cap off the US naval jet line: a heavy twin-engine fighter lacking an internal gun and relying on powerful long-range missiles.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,094 | 2,087 | 16310 | 29.4 | 30.6 | 108.5 | 98.1 | 1,828 |
| Upgraded | 2,132 | 2,110 | 28.6 | 29.0 | 158.0 | 131.4 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,555 | 428 | 1,070 | N/A | 583 | ~10 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 1,000 | < 590 | < 500 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||||
| Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20 | 1 | 8,953 kg | 376 kg/m2 | |||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 52m fuel | ||
| 1,592 kg | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet | 10,200 kg | 10,550 kg | 11,348 kg | 12,545 kg | 13,109 kg | 15,468 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | |||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 52m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 4,562 kgf | 8,520 kgf | 0.84 | 0.81 | 0.75 | 0.68 | 0.65 | 0.55 |
| Optimal | 4,804 kgf (1,000 km/h) |
9,543 kgf (1,200 km/h) |
0.94 | 0.91 | 0.84 | 0.76 | 0.73 | 0.62 |
Survivability and armour
Like the earlier F8U-2 (F-8C), the only armour on the F-8E is 25 mm of bulletproof glass on the front windscreen. Most of the central fuselage and wing is filled with large fuel tanks which makes gunfire from above or behind likely to cause fuel leaks and fires. Near enough the entire rear fuselage is taken up by the engine, making engine damage likely from rear attacks. Despite these drawbacks, the F-8E is still more durable than some jets and can often make it back to base with light to moderate damage.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
As with most high tier jets, the first modification you want to pick up will be the flares/chaff in order to let you effectively counter enemy missiles. From there you want to progress though the missile upgrades as fast as possible, taking your pick of flight performance upgrades in order to unlock each tier (you could also use the ordnance upgrades to unlock each modification tier, but as the F-8E is primarily a fighter flight performance is usually the best pick). Once you have all missiles unlocked your focus will probably be on the remaining flight performance upgrades, although the cannons upgrades are certainly useful if you enjoy gun fighting.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The F-8E is armed with:
- A choice between two presets:
- 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons, nose-mounted (144 rpg = 576 total)
- 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons + 60 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The F-8E can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 2 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
- 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
- 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
- 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (2,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,000 lb total)
- 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
- 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
- 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
- 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
- 28 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
- 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets (3,000 lb total)
- 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets (4,000 lb total)
- 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles (2,000 lb total)
- 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (2,000 lb total)
- 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles (2,000 lb total)
- 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets (2,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets (4,000 lb total)
Usage in battles
The way you start a battle in the F-8E will depend on what you think the likely composition of the enemy team is. If the battle rating of the match and the countries you are up against lead you to believe that the enemy team will have few (if any) SARH missile-equipped jets then a good start would be to climb to high altitude (around 5,000 m). Once at altitude, you can use your AIM-9C missiles to engage any other high altitude enemies you find head-on; as the AIM-9C is a rare weapon (only used on the F-8E), most people are not aware of its capabilities and are not expecting to receive a front-aspect missile. This allows you to pick up a couple of easy kills from safely outside the range of enemy cannon fire. If there are no more enemy aircraft to engage at high altitude, you can use your speed and altitude to dive down upon lower altitude enemy aircraft for gun/missile attacks. After completing your attack you can either use your energy to go back to high altitude and prepare for another attack or use the F-8E's great manoeuvrability to stay at lower altitudes to engage in dogfights with enemy aircraft.
If you judge the enemy team to likely have SARH-equipped jets then your lack of an RWR makes going to high altitude very risky; in this case it is better to fly at a lower altitude, probably no more than 2,000 m. This gives you a little bit of altitude to play with and puts you in a position where you can potentially use your AIM-9C missiles against targets above you, while being somewhat protected against enemy SARH missiles (aircraft with pulse-Doppler radars will still be able to hit you though, so stay vigilant and be prepared to dodge). At low altitude you can use the F-8Es excellent manoeuvrability and powerful armament to win out against most enemies in a dogfight, though you must always keep an eye out for enemy missiles.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Can carry four useful air-to-air missiles
- AIM-9C air-to-air missiles can be launched in head-ons to surprise opponents
- AIM-9D air-to-air missiles have above average range (around 3 km)
- Landing flaps activate its variable-incidence wings, which provides a lot of lift
- Very good sustained turn rate
- Has an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor which assists in locating targets by finding their heat signatures
- Has a wide array of suspended ordnance (mostly consisting of air-to-ground loadouts)
Cons:
- Fragile wings which can easily rip at high speeds and in high-G turns
- Very likely to set on fire because of the fuel tank placement
- Slower low level top speed compared to other supersonic competitors; can barely break Mach 1 at low altitude
- Lacks RWR, which is a major disadvantage as it frequently encounters opponents equipped with SARH missiles
History
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Chance Vought Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| Corsair | F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1C · F4U-1D · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214 |
| Float planes | O3U-1 · OS2U-1 · OS2U-3 |
| Attackers | AU-1 |
| Bombers | SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 |
| Jet aircraft | |
| Corsair II | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| Crusader | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| Export | V-156-B1 · V-156-F · ▄Corsair F Mk II · F4U-7 · ▄F-8E(FN) |
| Captured | ▅F4U-1A |
| USA jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| F9F | F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8 |
| F-80 | F-80A-5 · F-80C-10 |
| F-84 | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35 |
| F-89 | F-89B · F-89D |
| F-100 | F-100D |
| F-104 | F-104A · F-104C |
| F-4 | F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II |
| F-5 | F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A |
| F-8 | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| F-14 | F-14A Early · ▄F-14A IRIAF · F-14B |
| F-15 | F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E |
| F-16 | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Other | P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1 |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| FJ-4 | FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 |
| A-4 | A-4B · A-4E Early |
| A-7 | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| AV-8 | AV-8A · AV-8C · AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| A-10 | A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C |
| F-111 | F-111A · F-111F |
| Other | A-6E TRAM · F-105D · F-117 |
| Bombers | |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
