FLEET COMPOSITE SQUADRON EIGHT, VC-8 RED TAILS

VU-8 DF-8Fs were marked identically to the VC-8 DF-8F shown below and on the following page_ Colors were engine gray fuselage, yellow vertical and hori¬zontal tailplanes and wings with a red-orange rudder and wing stripe. For the location of the wing stripe see the drawing on page 26. Landing gear and interior doors were white. Standard red intake warning chevron is barely vis¬able in black and white. (Barry Miller)

Fleet Composite Squadron Eight was created on 18 June 1965 when VU-8 was redesignated VC-8. Still stationed at NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, the Red Tails utilized seven types of aircraft to accomplish its missions of keeping the Atlantic Fleet combat ready through use of expendable and recoverable targets and through ECM and intradiction flights against fleet ships. These air¬craft were: DP-2E and P-2 E "Neptunes", UH-34 "Sea Horses", DT-28B "Trojans", DF-8F "Crusad¬ ers", OF-9G "Cougars" and A-4B "Skyhawks". VC-8 continued to fly the Crusader until 1973.

144456 at NAS Brooklyn, New York, on 6-4-67. Name painted under the canopy is ENS RON COLE. Note the blade
antennas behind the canopy and behind the nose gear. (Clay Jansson)

VC-8 DF-8F 143682 at Davis-Monthan on 3-19-71. (G. Liang)

VC-8 DF-8F 144443 at NAS North Island on 6-8-69. (D.Kasulka)