LTV/Vought RF-8C Crusader.

"The eyes of the fleet"

Delivered to the Navy ca 1959 as F8U-1P; redesignated as RF-8A in 1962. It was assigned to Light Photographic Squadron 62 (VFP-62), based at NAS Cecil Field, FL. It was one of the RF-8s that flew daily low level, high speed (500 feet -550 mph) daily photo missions monitoring Soviet attempts to build missile launching sites in Cuba - the Cuban Missile Crisis. When VFP-62 was stood down in 1968 it went to VFP-63, the Pacific Fleet RF-8 squadron and flew photo missions during the Vietnam War. It was upgraded to an RF-8G in the mid-1970s and upgraded again in the late 1970s with a more powerful engine the J-57-P420 with 12,400 lbs. thrust, 19,500 lbs. w/afterburner and a new ECM suite.

VFP-63 was disestablished in 1982 and it went to Reserve Squadron VFP-206 at NAS Washington at Andrews AFB where it stayed until 1987, when the squadron was stood down. It then went on bailment to Rockwell International at Palmdale, CA where it was used as a chase plane on the X-31 project. It is believed to have last flown in 1992 and then was parked at Edwards AFB until it was retrieved by the museum recovery crew in 2009.