Combat aircraft

V

FP206 ‘HAWKEYES’ WAS the US Navy’s

last F-8 Crusader squadron. In its

later years the unit  ew  ve RF-8Gs

from NAF Washington, District of

Columbia, and was attached to Carrier

Air Reserve Wing (CVWR) 20. Of the

1,261 Crusaders built, 73 were modi ed as RF-8G

reconnaissance variants. The squadron’s last ever

period of carrier quali cations was completed

aboard the USS America (CV 66) over two days

in September 1987, with LCDR Barry Gabler

becoming the last pilot to ‘trap’ in a Navy Crusader.

The squadron deployed to NAS Fallon, Nevada, for

its last exercise in January 1987, with three aircraft

going directly from the Fallon det’ to storage at

Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The remaining two

jets returned to NAF Washington (now Joint Base

Andrews) for the disbandment ceremony on March

29, 1987. The last  ight was made by RF-8G BuNo

146860/AF-701, which remains on display in the

National Air and Space Museum.

VFP-206

RF-8G

Crusaders

photographed on

January 29, 1987, from a

VMGR-352 KC-130 Hercules

fl ying in a refueling track over

the Sierra Nevada Mountains near

Bishop, California. Frank B. Mormillo

V

FP206 ‘HAWKEYES’ WAS the US Navy’s

last F-8 Crusader squadron. In its

later years the unit  ew  ve RF-8Gs

from NAF Washington, District of

Columbia, and was attached to Carrier

Air Reserve Wing (CVWR) 20. Of the

1,261 Crusaders built, 73 were modi ed as RF-8G

reconnaissance variants. The squadron’s last ever

period of carrier quali cations was completed

aboard the USS America (CV 66) over two days

in September 1987, with LCDR Barry Gabler

becoming the last pilot to ‘trap’ in a Navy Crusader.

The squadron deployed to NAS Fallon, Nevada,

for its  nal exercise in January 1987, three aircraft

going directly from the Fallon det to storage at

Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The remaining two

jets returned to NAF Washington (now Joint Base

Andrews) for the disbandment ceremony on March

29, 1987. The last  ight was made by RF-8G BuNo

146860/AF-701, which remains on display in the

National Air and Space Museum.

http://www.combataircraft.net // February 2018 97

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