aviation flight helicopter airline aerospace airbus aviation weather schools

malmö aviation, aviation jobs, aviation week, aviation art employment school gps insurance headsets security training careers college deccan maintenance magazine books scholarships law weekly english lao supplies courses dictionary week and space technology naval gifts garmin consulting weather forecast mechanic maps charts companies software engineering durite recruitment finance private management jobs degree garmin gps sunwest mechanic jobs virtual corgi archive corgi lawyer sales history ma

samedi 12 juin 2010

FIGHTER SQUADRON ONE ZERO THREE, VF-103 SLUGGERS

VF-103 was commissioned on 1 May 1952 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, in response to the Korean War. The squadron was initially equipped with Vought FG-1 D Corsairs and assigned to CVG-1 0.

The Sluggers transitioned to the Grumman F9 F-6 Cougar in July 1953. Between 1953 and 1957, the dash sixes were upgraded to F9F-8s and finally F9F-8Bs. CVG-10 and VF-103 deployed its Cougars aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43).

Late in 1957, transition training for the Vought F8U-1 Crusader started and the Sluggers entered the super¬sonic age. The first Crusader cruise took place aboard the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) between September 1958 and March 1959.

Upon return to Cecil Field, VF-103 was reassigned to CVG-8 and was transferred to NAS Oceana in June 1959, where conver¬sion to the F8U-2 (F-8C) took place. The squadron returned to the MED aboard Forrestal in January 1960 and returned in August. Two more F8U-2 cruises aboard CVA-59 were con¬ducted, one from February until August 1961 and one from August 1962 through March 1963. In the summer of 1963 the F-8Cs were re¬placed with F-8Es. One deployment was made with the F-8Es from July 1964 until March 1965.

Once back at Oceana VF-103 transitioned to the McDonnell F-4B Phantom and was assigned to CVW-3 aboard the USS Saratoga (CVA-60). The squadron would make eleven de¬ployments aboard Sara with the Phantom. The F-4B was replaced with the F-4J in 1968, which in turn was replaced by the F-4S in 1981 prior to converting to the Grumman F-14A Tomcat of today.

VF-103 F8U-1 145322 in 1958. (USN)

VF-103 FBU-1 launches from the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) on 5-19-59. (USN)

VF-103 F8U-1 144460 in late 1957 shortly after equipping with Crusaders. Wing tip stripes and tail arrow were yellow bordered
by black. The Sluggers insignia is painted behind the canopy. (USN/Tailhook VF02359)

Two VF-103 F8U-1s, 144447 (#208) and 144450 (#204), patrolling the Med as part of the force for peace in 1959. The squadron's insignia was painted behind the cockpit (Vought)

VF-103 F8U-1s; 145322 (#201), 144460 (#214), 145380 (#209), and 143784 (#210) over the Mediterranean and the Forrestal on 10-10-58. Arrows on the tail were yellow. (USN)