About This File
The grand finale!! The last set of drones to complete your Mescalero range.
-------------MEET YOUR NEW DRONES------------------
QF-8A Crusader: Former Front-line USN Carrier based fighter. Converted to unmanned target drone beginning in 1973.
An AGGRESSIVE drone of good manuverability and good countermeasures. Type expended by 1978.
QF-4S Phantom II: Former Former Front-Line USN Carrier based fighter re-manufactured from the F-4J. An AGGRESSIVE drone
of good manueverabilty and SUPERIOR countermeasures. Operated by detachment of VX-30 "Bloodhounds" out
of NAS Point Magu, Calif. First use in 1990.....retirement is imminent.
QRF-4C Phantom II: Former USAF recon-version of the Phantom. As supplies of figher F-4 airframes for drone use dwindle....some
RF-4C's have been converted for use. A PASSIVE drone of good manuverability and good countermeasures.
Operated by 53rd WEG out of Tyndall AFB, Florida. First used in 2007. Should be available until 2014.
QF-16A: The Future of unmanned conversion drones. Next on the list as the last of the Phantom II airframes draws near.
Conversion of F-16A airframes has begun in 2010. This will be an AGGRESSIVE drone of EXCELLENT manueverability
and EXCELLENT countermeasures. Will be operated by 53rd WEG out of Tyndall AFB, Florida. Should be operational
until at least 2020.
F-84KX: Former USAF fighter.A small number of "obsolete" F-84B and C models were retired from ANG use and sold to the USN for use
as target drones. Very little is known about actual use by the Navy. Your Thunderjet drone carries the colors of
GMGRU-2 out of NAS Chichoteague,VA. An AGGRESSIVE drone of good manuverability and NO countermeasures. In use from
1956-1965.
AQM-28 Hounddog: Former USAF "stand-off" nuclear missile launched from the B-52. Retired from SAC in the 1970's and rebuilt
for use as targets. A PASSIVE drone of poor manuverability, limited countermeasures BUT excellent acceleration.
The target can and will quickly go supersonic to escape attack.
--------------DRONE CONTROLLER-------------------
DT-33A: USAF T-33 Shooting Star converted to drone controller. Long service life between 1950 and 1986!!
DF-8F: Small numbers of F8U-1 Crusaders converted to drone controllers.
------------Hunter-Killer Aircraft------------------
The "Original Crusader": The F8U-1 (F-8A)!!
The first production version of the Crusader. First flight on September 20th 1955. A total of 318 airframes
built between 1956 and 1958. The original order was for 448 aircraft but the last 130 were delivered as F8U-1E's
(F-8B). Use of the Pratt and Whitney J57-P-4 engine made the F-8A a MACH 1.5 capable aircraft. Originally designed
without them...the refueling system and sidewinder capability was added with the 50th production aircraft and retro-fitted
to earlier models. The F-8A was armed with four 20mm cannon, thiry-two Mighty Mouse 2.75 inch FFAR in a hinged drawer
below the fuselage and up to two sidewinder missiles on side stations. The AN/APG radar gunsight and fire control sys-
tem was installed for weapons delivery.
First USN squadron issued the new Crusader was VF-32 in 1957. First USMC squadron was VMF-122 the same year.
Your F8U-1 (F-8A) carries the colors of VF(AW)-3 "Blue Nemesis" out of NAS Moffett Field, Calif. in 1957.
Stay tuned to Combatace for my full release of the F8U-1 with over 10 USN and USMC skins to choose from!!
A full READ ME with installation instructions and credits included.