RECOMMENDED EXTERNAL LINKS

Aircraft Carrier Sites & Information

• Extensive carrier operations video: _USS John C. Stennis_ This is g-r-r-r-eat, and I know you're going to love it. Make sure your sound is on and turn this on to full screen. Enjoy!__contributed by Marion Swinford


• Rare WW II Color videos (YouTube): _Carriers in the Pacific - Contributed by George Montgomery


• YouTube Video (~1 hr): U.S.S. Enterprise CVAN-65 -Contributed by Bruce Nason


• YouTube provides old 8mm video: U.S.S. Essex 1958 Cruise -pollywog/shellback ceremony and the Essex in dry dock. Contributed by J.J. McKenna


• Today's Navy News aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise CVAN-65 Click "Shuttle" for news.


• HIGH SPEED INTERNET RECOMMENDED. INTERNAL LINK: USS Enterprise flight deck operations video Contributed by: Pete Wallace.


• Complete scan of:1964 USS Enterprise Cruise Book-Med Cruise and Operation Sea Orbit


• Website with information, pictures and hundreds of shipmates listed. U.S.S. Forrestal


• Visit my : USS Forrestal Home Page:-Sign my Guestbook with Div/Squadron and Time aboard. Paul H. Friedman (USS Forrestal CVA-59 Crewmember, AO3, G Div., WestPac 5/67 - 7/29/67) USS Forrestal Association Lifetime Member


• Website dedicated to the: U.S.S. Shangri La .


• Collection of photos of: USS Intrepid & Air Group


• Brilliant account of the: Last Cruise of U.S.S. Shangri La.None of my friends in VFP-63 Det 38 could ever confirm the radar antenna falling off, but all the other stuff happened as written. The Navy just ran the Shang into the ground, pretty much the same fate for Hancock (CVA-19).-Jerry Nolan


• All former crewmembers, including airwing squadrons and Marine detachments, of the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVB, CVA, CV-42, please check out our website at: www.ussfdrcv42reunion.com. We are always looking for former shipmates.


• Lots of photos and information related to the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, including photos of squadrons & ships. Larry Blumenthal's website: www.usnavyphotos.com -Site has new videos of cruises.


• A new site being developed by Larry Blumenthal: www.ussfranklindroosevelt.com-all about the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and her squadrons.


• Website for the U.S.S. Independence CV-62 Includes reunion information, pictures, and much more.


• Web page for USS Independence: VFP-62 detachments


• Website for the: U.S.S. Enterprise CVA-65 Includes reunion information, pictures, and much more.

Crusader in War

• (7/29/09)This is a series of 5 videos from the Russian side of the SAM War in Nam.5-part series about SA-2 (SAM)shooters Not Crusader specific but many Crusaders were brought down by SAMS - contributed by Walt Quist


• Story of former VFP-63 RF-8 Pilot A POW for 7 years in Vietnam.


• For edge-of-your-seat air-to-air stories.The Crusader in Cuba and Vietnam.


• Also see "Vietnam Operations" and "Cuban Missile Crisis" this site.

Naval History

• (7/26/09)- 2011 will be the 100th. anniversary of Naval Aviation. Here is The Official Website --contributed by Walt Quist
  
  Issue 1, Vol 1 of their newsletter has issued by the Commander Naval Air Force. The link to download that newsletter from their site does NOT work. Issue 1, Vol 1 of their newsletter NOTE: if you are on dialup, be aware that this is almost 2 mb, allow plenty of time to download).



• 3/26/09: Adobe (.pdf) format--The May issue features the Crusader



• This site is a non-for-profit website devoted to Naval History and Photography. It offers spectacular photos of many Navy ships, particularly carriers. Select the USS Forrestal and see photos of the devasting fire in 1967 http://www.navsource.org



• Huge list of Navy photomates and much more. National Association of Naval Photography:



• Web Site for NAS Pensacola's : - National Museum of Naval Aviation: A "must see" for naval aviation enthusiasts.



• Tons of interesting current and past Naval Aviation : - Tail Hook Association

Special Interests
EXTERNAL LINKS

• (02-10-10)--Flight Video in a U2 --Great pictures of flying in a U2 beyond 70,000 feet. Turn up your audio. contributed by Pete Wallace & Adam Miklovis



• (10-21-09)Boeing Air Museum Of Flight --Contributed by Adam Miklovis



• (9-30-09) Huge amount of material on the:Vietnam War contributed by: Walt Quist



• (7-31-09)Chance Vought (manufacturer of the Crusader): Vought Heritage Museum Dallas Aircraft history, pictures of restored Vought planes, and more. - Contributed by Walt Quist



• (7-21-09)Long video [High Speed Internet Recommended] MotorTrend drag race between a-- Blue Angel F18 races Corvette ZR1 -Contributed by Frank Buesing



• (7-21-09)YouTube video -- US Navy Ceremonial Guard Silent Drill Team was invited to compete in an International Tattoo in Norway. The Navy competed against military units from all over NATO and won first place. - contributed by Marion Swinford



• (7-7-09)This site has every crew member named with large photos: Rare Jimmy Doolittle Crews' Photos -Contributed by Walt Quist



• 5/26/09:Large site listing tributes and information on deceased service members:_ Virtual Wall



• May 23:US Navy year in pictures 2008---excellent -Contributed by Ernie Halley



• March 26: -Navy TV -Lots of videos, both regular and aviation Navy. Includes a 5 video collection of the Forestall fire and clips from the PBS special "Carrier".



• A site dedicated to: Aircraft Wrecks -& Other Related Information



• Photos of: -Rare U.S. Aircraft -Contributed by: Walt Quist



• The book by Freeman Marcy called "Sundowner Days" can be seen at: Recollections of a fighter pilot in VF-111



• An interesting site dedicated to: ejection photos-and interesting links



• This massive site is dedicated to the topic of: ejections from all over the world.



• This very interesting site is dedicated to the: Yellowater Weapons Storage Site across the road from the Cecil



• Military Art: - http://ehangar.com/index.php



• Aircraft Rendition Art: www.aircraftprofiles.dk-Mads is a university student in Denmark and offers his art for sale. He will custom make his rendition to your specifications.

Crusader Information

• The beginnings of a digital book on: A love affair (of sorts) with the Crusader. The author is from the Netherlands and represents the wide-spread admiration for this jet. Loads of information on the Crusader.



• Crusader stats, pictures, & squadron member messages:AeroWeb - RF-8G Contributed by Ernie Halley



• Also see "We Love Crusaders" this site.

Naval Aviation Squadrons

• Marine Corps Aviation Reconnaissance Association (MCARA): www.mcara.us--Excellent site for Marine reconnaissance squadron history, photos, and stories



• This extensive site is dedicated to our: "Heavy Photo" brothers, VAP-61&62 An extremely well done site.



• Former F8 driver, Dave Johnson's fabulous and extensive Crusader site: Gunfighter's Site



• A F8 squadron that provided fighter escort for VFP-62 during the Cuban Missile Crisis VF-32



• Last of the Photo Crusaders (early 70's): Light Photo Squadron VFP-206

Aviation Museums
RF-8 or F8 Exhibits

• Mobile AL: Battleship Park VFP-62 RF-8 BuNo 145645 has been restored and is exhibited along with show cases of VFP-62 memorabilia.



• Grand opening May 2009:USS Midway Crusader Ready Room 7



• Air museum where RF-8 Bu.No. 145607 will be restored as either VFP-206, VFP-62, or VFP-63: Castle Air Museum Atwater, CA -Also see "We Love Crusaders" for more information.



• A new air museum opened up Flying Heritage Museum Most of the aircraft have been put in flying condition and do fly shows. Contributed by Wes Batlett



• Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Smithsonian)/ (near Dulles airport) Chantilly, VA. A VFP-206 RF-8 is on display



• Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum at: www.dvhaa.org Willow Grove NAS JRB, Pa.



• The USS Intrepid's Return to New York, NY and The Grand Re-opening on November 8, 2008. For information log onto: USS Intrepid Museum



• Starting from a ruin filled with concrete, the Pacific Coast Air Museum created a very nice F8 restoration. This Crusader had probably been seen by millions and crawled on by thousands of kids. During its assignment to a public park it received so much use next to a busy San Francisco street, it finally wore out after 20 years.
  
  It is now on static display in Santa Rosa, California. From the picture of the restoration, I'll guess this famous Bay Area Crusader is an F8C.
  
  Pacific Coast Air Museum Santa Rosa CA - Contributed by Pete Michael

ADDITIONAL SOURCES
• Osprey Combat Aircraft / Peter Mersky (see "Vietnam Operations"
• Navy Fighter number seventeen / Steve Ginter (at right)
• Cordon of Steel /Curtis A. Utz
• Also see "We Love Crusaders" this site
• Naval Historical Center / Washington DC

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Original vfp62.com webpage design: Ross Turner

Thanks to Pete Wallace, a former VFP-62 member (see guest log) who purchased the domain space for this site and originated the basic layout for the site. Throughout the technical development of the site Pete has been a great source of inspiration and cooperation and has become a new friend. - Ken Jack, VFP-62 Webmaster

Pete and I thank Arthur W. Scarborough, PHC and his son Scott for supplying us with many of the photographs for the site. In particular, Scott, who grew up walking among the Navy jets of Cecil Field, dedicated many hours to scanning pictures, providing textual background information, and demonstrated his love over and over again, for the RF-8 Crusader, VFP-62, and Naval Aviation.-Webmaster

The Webmaster thanks Dave Johnson, a former F8 driver, who at the very beginning of this project, provided invaluable information on HTML and Web design, motivation, and by his example, (see Gunfighter's link above), led us to the development of the site.

Finally, we thank all of the former VFP-62 crew members who have contributed photos, stories, and guest log messages to enhance our site. There are too many to mention specifically and we thank them all.