f8crusader

F-8 Crusaders of CVG-8 fly over the USS Forrestal circa August 1962. F8U-1P (RF-8A), BuNo 146895. Assigned to VFP-62, codex AJ-915, 1962-1963. Recoded codex GA-901, 1967. Recoded codex AJ-915, 1967. To VFP-63 , codex AJ-602, 1968. To VFP-62, codex AJ-915, 1969. Upgraded to RF-8G. To VFP-63, codex NM-641, 1975. Recoded codex AC-600, 1975. Recoded codex AC-601, 1975. Recoded codex NL-610, 1976-1977. Crashed 18 May 1977 near Prescott, AZ. F8U-2 (F-8C), BuNo 146932. Assigned VF-103 as AJ-201, 1959-1961. To VF-103, codex AJ-212. VC-2, codex JE-1, 1966. Crashed 9 Feb 1966 into Back Bay, Virginia Beach, VA. F8U-2 (F-8C), BuNo 145592. Assigned VF-103 as AJ-203, 1959-1963. To VC-4, codex JF-13, 1967. Upgraded to F-8K. To VMF-351. To AMARC 1975. SOC and flew with Thunderbird Aviation as N19TB. Now preserved at the Flying Heritage Collection, Arlington, WA.

Looking at archival photos of this type, the only aircraft I could find with this checkerboard pattern on the vertical stabilizer (I think that's what it's called) was the RF-8. So, this may be the reconnaissance variant? After some trial and error, the signature appears to be, "Dudley Moore." He's a fan of this type according to a pull quote on this unofficial Navy VP-62 web site.

CV-38 USS Shangri La