NAS DALLAS display aircraft on 9-24-66. The tail # 140448 indicates the 8th F-8A built. This aircraft became one of two YF-8C prototypes and was used exclusively by Vaught, until giv¬en to NAS. (Clay Jansson) F-8A 145330 at MCAS Yuma in July 1965 during gunnery training as indicated by the heavy gun port stains. (A. Neither via Fred Roos) F-8A 145318 at MCAS Yu¬ma in 1966. Previous unit's squadron markings had been painted out prior to delivery to Dallas. (Al Adams)
VF-703, like its sister squadron VF-701 (see VF-701), was stationed at NAS Dallas, Texas, and shared the same aircraft until 27 January 1968. On that date the squadron was called to active duty along with two other Crusader units, VF-661 and VF-931. The call to duty look place in response to the North Koreans seizing the US intelligence ship USS Pueblo. Unlike VF-661 and VF-931 which were as¬signed to the Atlantic Fleet, VF-703 was scheduled to deploy to Vietnam as the relief unit for VF-111 DET11 aboard the USS Intrepid. Before this could lake place, VF-703 was released from active duty on 19 September 1968. In June 1969 the squadron was redesignated VF-53D2. VF-53D2 was decommissioned a year later and its assets formed the nucleus for VF-202.
When VF-703 was called to active duty, an interim tail code "NR" was assigned to the squadron. F-8A 145370 at NAS Miramaron 7-27-68. The F-8As were traded in for factory -fresh F-8Hs as seen below. (Clay Jansson)
VF-703 F-8H 147914 at Miramar on 7-27-68 with factory-fresh paint and CVW-10's "AH" tail code. The upper portion of the rudder was Navy blue with a white star, to signify the Lone Star State, Texas. (Clay Jansson)
F-8K 146966 taxiing at WAS Dallas in 1969 as was used by VF-703 and its sister squadrons VF-701 and VMF-112. After 1970, VF-703, recommissioned as VF-202, would fly the F-8H, (Arther Schoeni via AAHS)
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