Although the Crusader was built first and foremost as a Navy interceptor, as has often been the tradition with US fighters, a photo-reconnaissance variant was also produced by Vought. The photo-bird's first operational test came in the autumn of 1962 when its overflights of Cuba alerted the world to the likely presence of medium-range ballistic missiles on the Caribbean island. The recce Crusader's next action came during the long years of the Vietnam War. This volume is the second of two in the Combat Aircraft series devoted to the Crusader, the first title (again by Peter Mersky) having covered the F-8 fighter variants, and their MiG-killing exploits, during the Vietnam War.
Author Biography
Retired US Navy officer Peter Mersky is a full time editor of the US Navy's aircraft safety magazine, and author of Combat Aircraft 7 F-8 Crusader Units of the Vietnam War. Tom has illustrated a number of books in both the Aces and Combat Aircraft series. He was the first artist to produce material for Osprey Aviation electronically. Tom's most recent work can be found in Aces 26 and Combat Aircraft 16 and 20
