2 Espadons on high speed patrol - a photo on Flickriver

I have always been a fan of the American F8U Vought Crusader, the last fighter designed with guns as it’s main weapon. One day, my father gave me a book about all the cancelled projects designed by the Americans, including the XF-8U3 Crusader III (also known as Super Crusader). The fighter was designed to compete against the F-4 Phantom II but lost, since it was designed as a pure fighter (while the Phantom was a multi-role aircraft).

About the model:
The MOC is widely based on the Crusader III (with a double fin arrangement) and features retractable landing gear (a lot different from the one used by the Crusader), retractable ventral fins, variable incidence wing, retractable rocket launcher behind the landing gear, four external supports for missiles and a fully detailed cockpit.

And now the “Lego” story:

Shortly after the appearance of the Quimera strike fighter, the Imperial Naval Aviation launched a requirement for a large supersonic interceptor equipped with long-range missiles and extreme manoeuvrability for “dog-fights” against enemy fighters.
The result was the VL-121 “Espadon”, the biggest single engine Fighter in the world and the only one capable of Mach 3.5.

The new fighter included a huge number of interesting features;
To deal with Mach 3+ flight conditions, it was fitted with large vertical ventral fins under the tail, which rotated to the horizontal position for landing.
The Espadon had the most powerful engine developed until that time. The design was so aerodynamically clean that the plane could easily super-cruise at Mach 1.3 with four missiles. Combat thrust-to-weight ratio (T/W ratio) was 1,15, unique at the time.

Armament:
The aircraft had four 20mm ENA-50 Auto-cannons mounted on the nose; four long-range Fire-and-Forget “Fire-Dragon” Missiles could be mounted in pairs on the sides of the fuselage.
The high wing was preferred since it allowed the installation of huge long-range missiles if needed. Between 6 to 10 external hardpoints could be installed on the wings (but rarely used). A maximum weapons load of 11 000kg could be carried.

Operations:
Soon after the test flights were completed, the Espadon and the Quimera were widely tested in various air-to-air combat missions. The Imperial Navy needed a fighter capable of destroying enemy bombers carrying anti-ship missiles at long ranges, therefore it needed to patrol for extensive periods of time looking for enemy targets. The Navy preferred the single purpose Espadon instead of the multi-role Quimera because the A-6I Intruder was the main strike weapon of the Imperial Navy Aircraft Carriers. For more than 20 years, the fighter became a popular weapon at the hands of the Imperial Navy Pilots, being eventually replaced by the new VL-27 Flanker.

Don´t forget to visit my Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/einon/
More pictures will be added soon

Eínon

Taken on: August 6, 2014

Tags:

interceptor

vought

fighter

cold

war

crusader

III

super

usaf

usa

carrier

based « less

Sets appears in: • All Aircraft • LEGO Art - Photoshop images more » • Imperial Lego Aircraft « less

Groups appears in: • image manipulations - please comment other pix • /geeks more » • Adobe PhotoShop Creations • I Made it Myself • "Plastic People" or mannequins, dolls and more • LEGO • Lego Freaks • Photomontage • + Toys ( 玩具,おもちゃ ) • Aviation • Flickr Addicts • Photoshop with an attitude • Aircraft • Scaled Down • !FlickrSoup for Soul • Your Favorite Photos - Unlimited! • Story Time • Toys Toys Toys • Photoshop CS2 • Toys Looking At Toys • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. • I made this • Toy Art • Aircraft Spotting • Airplanes and Airports • Only Photoshop • Military Scale Model • Airplane Kits • FlickrToday (only 1 pic per day) • Photo Stories • Photoshop Graphic Montages • Nice pictures • PHOTOSHOP ART 2019 - No Second Life • Story Telling Photos • ANYTHING ALLOWED!!!!!! • Airplanes • ANY PHOTOS ALL THE TIME!!!! • Photoshop Discussion • Flickr_Main • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • Photoshop Support Group • Life in Plastic • CREATIVE MINDS • Plane Spotting • Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) • Your mind, your photos • Toysaholic Anonymous • * Flickr en Español • Scale Model • Creative Tabletop Photography • Photomanipulation • Scale Modeling • Digital Photography School • Model building • Adobe Masters • Toys and Models with Backdrops. • GET COMMENTS on your Photoshop Art • Photoshop Junkees • Photoshop Professionals • Toys - What's in your collection? • Photoshop,art • Toy Stories • Artists of flickr! • Aeromodelling • 1 day we'll have the most photos on Flickr • Plastic Models • Scale Models • Photoshop Art (Not photoshop comments anymore) • foitsop • Toy obsessions • Toy & cartoonfigures • SUPER BAD GUYS • ANYTHING Transportation Related (Cars, Airplanes, Bicycles etc.) • Photo Editing • Artists And Their Art • Your Best Photography • *Best of Flickr* (Comment 1 / invite 2) PHOTOS ONLY • Historical LEGO • Flickrmania • Tu Estudio Fotográfico Casero • Nothing But The Best • I Heart Toys • EXTREME PHOTOS !!! • Your Visions • LEGO Military • Photoshop Masterpieces • I love toys • Collection And Hobby Fever • Toys In Action • Aircraft scale models • Retouches in Photoshop • Eurobricks • The 365 Toy Project • Hobby crafts • ALL Welcome - I am sick of 'rules and regulations - New Contest • Photoshop Elements Techniques • flickr in full color [No Black & White !] • Die Cast and Plastic Models • plastic model kits • PhotoshopyArte • Rate my photoshop~ PLEASE RATE 3 PHOTOS BEFORE YOURS • Total Photoshop • Flickr For Fun • Lego Creations • The Toy Shoppe • new toys • Creative Art Photography • toy • toy or toys • "Los mejores momentos de tu día" • Legos, Models, and Trains • Lego!Lego!Lego! • !!! Photoshop Creativo • Flickr Number One !! • EXTREMEST PHOTOSHOP • Wow! : ) • Aficionados con ganas de mostrarse - Fans with desire of would. • Your own ART • Club de amigos del Photoshop • Aircraft Models • Lego Air Force • Lego Aircraft • Aviation Photography is NOT a Crime! • Flickr: YOUR PHOTOS • Creative World • Fav dispenser - Beautiful for us! • A Toy's Perspective (玩具の展望) • Favorite Art/Photos/Videos--No Nudes • !!Perfect Composition!! • Flickr Vip • Flickr's Biggest Group • Lego planes • FotoMontaje / PhotoMontage • Everything LEGO • Flickr's Masterpieces !! • TOYS WITH SKY • Formation Flying • Mocpages.com • Toy with us! • AdoBe Photoshop (CS3, CS4 and CS5) Official ™ • PHOTOSHOP hobby • ModelBuilding • KIT BASHERS • Show us your best • *FLICKR's PRO PHOTOGRAPHERS* [No AI or SL] • World of Imagination • Cool photoshop stuff! • LEGO Engineering • All Warbirds. • AFICIONADOS A LA FOTOGRAFIA • Toys in Close-up • Obsessed with Lego! • Toy Photographers • The world of photography • Fascination and love of life • AIRCRAFT PHOTOGRAPHY • Flickr's "BEST" pictures !! • as beautiful as you want • Scale LEGO Airplanes • TUS MEJORES FOTOGRAFIAS • Photo Retouching and Photo Editing • STORY PHOTOS- image tells a story • Aviões • T IS FOR TOY • I LOVE MY TOYS • ***Flickr Global • Photomanipulators • Lego Trading Nation • FICTIONAL AVIATION • Homeschooled LEGO Builders • FAST FIGHTER JETS. • *That's MY Photo ! * • ~Photoshop~Fun~ • World War Lego • Flickr Community (INVITE ALL CONTACTS) • Photos beautiful • LEGO Armies • LEGO pain of war • ★ Flight ★ • Tus fotos, Your pictures, Le tue foto, Tes photos,정의사진 • Lego Modern Military • Lego MOC • Modern War • Lego Fantasy Aircraft • Lego War History • Photoshop vandalized photos • Lego Model Aircraft • ALL AVIATION PHOTOS • Lego War Collisions • Tell me a story... (Show & Tell) • Lego Action Shots! • FLICKERIANS • BELLOS RETRATOS¬ ONLY BEAUTIFUL PORTRAITS • Lego Warfare • NO RESTRICTIONS - Everybody is WELCOME • Creative Photography Inspirations • Lego Military Stuff • LEGO-MANIA • Toys collections ALL OVER THE WORLD! • Toy Photography-Through the Lens • Pure Imagination • [][][] GREAT SHOT [][][] • some things are better than others!!! • Lego treaded vehicles • Lego Builders • Lego Trade Brigade • Toys Aren't Just For Kids :) • Lego Gone Wild • Battlefield Bricks • History Bricks • Fine Gold • LEGO - Epic shots of little bricks • Lego Millitary MOC's • Art,Photography and illustration • JUDOJUDO E LA FOTOGRAFIA • Lego: Simplicity and Photography • AFOL 16+ • Lego Military Scenes / Vehicles / Minifigures • spectacular illustrations • Flickr Stalkrs • Photographing Lego • Flickr OBSESSION' • Pop Photo's Photo of the Day • Toys N Bricks • Flickr Photos Club • Aircraft of all kinds • Your Preferred Picture **WELCOME! ** • Epic Impressions of LEGO • VERY NICE CAPTURES • ` FLICKR ´ • The LEGO Flickr Community! • European Lego • Lego Modern-Combat • LEGO IS LIFE • Spectacular ilustrations • LEGO FAN • A Photographers View • Lego Military Mocs, Customs, Vehicles, etc. • Lego Sky Scenes • Flickr Hall of Fame • The very best of me • Awesome Lego Stuff! (OLD) • Lego: Anything and Everything • LEGO Military Mania! • Lego Modern scenes,vehicles, and minfigs • flickr (unofficial) • Oh ! ......WOW!!! • LEGO!!! FOR TRADE:D • BrickUltra's MOC of the Week • The Art Of Lego • Cool Lego Stuff • Legend Bricks • Military LEGO • The best inspiration • The Great Composers: Level One • [][][] Flickr. DNA [][][] • Extreme Lego Builders • LEGO War. • Fly Lego • LEGO War Machines • I Will Photograph Anything...Will You ? • Quality Lego Things • flickr clickx • PLANE PICS • Pockyland(LEGO fans group in Taiwan) • The Unofficial Lego group • Cazadores de Imágenes NO 30/60 • Fans of LEGO • i Brick • LEGO. • What you Want and What you Trade? • brilliant flickr • [][][] MAESTRI della luce e del colore [][][] • simply lego • * Everybodys Photo Group *(All Welcome) • Recognition Of Great MOCs • Lego HUB • Outdoor Lego • A Personal Viewpoint • From You to Us / De Vous à Nous • LEGO without limits • LEGO Photoshop Work • I Just Love To Take Photographs...Do You • illumination focus • Flickr No1 Pics • Alternate Lego Military • Lego Military Models • lego planes and heli's • Art Museion • your most beautiful pictures • Master Builders • !*ALL ARE WELCOME*! • Photography And Manipulation • Extreme Lego Models • THE ILLEGONATI • Military Madness • Awesome Lego Stuff! • Military Themed Lego Group! • All content (NO RULES) • Top Photography... • beatifulgeographies • Photography art for everyone • Today's Flickr • !*Flickr All Stars*! • Build Like a Boss • FLICKROGRAPHY • All pictures on the Terra (No 30/60 limit) • Photographer creative • GLOW !! • Photography is for everyone • Colours of Flickr • Explore Flickr (unofficial) • Image Creative and Research (No 60/30 limits) • !Great Photographers! • Massive MOCs • Flickrice All Sorts • Show All Your Photos From Around The World. NO SL/AI • 5.000 / 5000 views at least (NO LIMITS, NO 30/60) • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • Flickr Triple • * just photos * no rules please use comment code appreciated • One per day. • Compelling Images • Top Ten Relevant / Las Diez Más Relevantes • FAVORITES CLUB - no 30/60 - no SL • Greatest hits ! • Flickr Like • -- Photo passion -- • !*Only Your Best*! • Experimental Creative Art Photography • !*All Around The World*! • All great photos - No 30/60 • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • flick® • AMOR AL ARTE « less

Stats: 25,802 views / 3 comments

go back