Vought F-8E Crusader – DB8, VMF(AW)-235 Death Angels, USMC, Da Nang AB, Vietnam, 1966

Century Wings 1/72 scale CW001644: Vought F-8E Crusader DB8 of VMF(AW)-235 Death Angels, USMC, Da Nang AB, Vietnam, 1966. Limited edition of 700 models.

Length 9.25 inches Wingspan 5.75 inches

US Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 235 (VMSB-235) Death Angels was established on January 1st, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, flying the SBD Dauntless. The squadron was deactivated in November, 1944 and then later reactivated in September, 1950, flying the F4U Corsair. The squadron entered the jet age in September, 1952, with the F9F Panther but soon transitioned to the FJ Fury in March, 1954. In February, 1966, the squadron was redesignated as Marine Fighter Squadron (All Weather) 235 (VMF(AW)-235) and was equipped with the F-8E Crusader. The Death Angels were then sent to Vietnam and flew over 6,000 combat sorties in support of over 22 major operations between February and November, 1966 . They returned to Vietnam in February, 1967 this time for over a year until May, 1968. They were the last active duty Crusader squadron. Upon leaving Vietnam, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. In September, 1968 they were redesignated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA-235) and equipped with the F-4 Phantom. In November, 1989, VMFA-235 transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the squadron was deployed to the Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain, in August, 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield. They were the first Fighter squadron in theater, and were recognized with the “Phoenix Award”, a highly prestigious Department of Defense award, for outstanding performance. During Operation Desert Storm they flew over 2800 sorties in support of coalition forces. In March, 1990, after seven months of operations, VMFA-235 redeployed to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The squadron moved to MCAS El Toro in 1994 and was attached to Marine Aircraft Group 11. They moved again to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in 1996 and were decommissioned later that year in June 14.

Vought F-8E Crusader
Designed to meet a USN requirement for a supersonic air-superiority fighter, the Chance-Vought F-8 (originally F8U) was first flown on March 25th, 1955. The F-8 was the last American fighter to use guns as a primary weapon. Its powerplant was nearly identical to the one used by the F-100 Super Sabre, and it was the world’s first carrier-based aircraft to break the speed of sound. The US Navy used the Crusader in a traditional dogfighting interceptor role, while the Marines operated it as a strike/attack aircraft. Both flew the F-8 during the Vietnam War, and it remained in service for more than four decades.