Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

F-8 Crusader Walk Around is available online from Squadron.com

The Chance Vought F-8 Crusader is the subject of the latest addition to Squadron/Signal's excellent Walk Around series.

The book is authored by Ed Barthelmes with colour by Don Greer and Darren Glen and illustrations by David Gebhardt.

The F-8 Crusader was the first of the capable modern era carrier based supersonic fighters used by the U.S. Navy and its last single-seat (true) fighter. It was around for a long, long time finally being retired by them in 1987. It also enjoyed service with the French Navy between 1962 and 1999 as well as the Philippines Air Force between 1978 and 1988.

This book follows the established Squadron /Signal Publications Walkaround format of extensive photographic coverage and the history of the aircraft being conveyed in the captions to the photographs.

The photographs are in both colour and black and white and cover every nook and cranny of the machine.

It follows a logical sequence beginning with the development of the Crusader and carries on through each of the modifications and designations. Especially helpful is explanation on the transition and changes in the designation system - what they were initially called and what they became i.e. the F8U-1 became the F-8A etc as well as the re-manufacturing program – i.e. the F-8C became the F-8K. The RF-8 receives coverage via its own separate section. Fans of the French F-8E (FN) are catered for too with detail photographs of this machine also provided. I especially liked the inclusion of the RF-8 as sooner or later, Hasegawa will release one based on their new 1/48 scale moulds.

The book is in landscape format with 78 glossy pages that contain 120 full colour photographs, 130 black and white photographs, three line drawings and 12 colour profiles between cardboard covers.

If you plan on building or converting the recent and excellent 1/48 scale Hasegawa kit or the new 1/72 scale Italeri then this is the book for you. It provides excellent clear photographs of the entire airframe so that you can add all the details missed by or not able to be provided by the kit's manufacturer to your latest masterpiece.

An excellent reference book at a very reasonable price.

Recommended.

Thanks to Squadron for the review sample
 

Review Copyright © 2005 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 04 February, 2005
Last updated 04 February, 2005

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