Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Pre-Order your HABU watch and wear a piece of the SR-71 Blackbird, Use my Code SHOWTIME for 10% off: bit.ly/HABUshowtime
Explore the story of the legendary F-8 Crusader, famously nicknamed “The Last Gunfighter.” Discover why this iconic US Navy jet earned its reputation, how its 20mm cannons performed in aerial combat, and what really happened in the skies over Vietnam when pilots faced MiGs.
In this episode, you’ll dive deep into several key Crusader dogfights and learn about the real impact of the aircraft’s guns versus missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder. From the first Crusader victory by Harold Marr, to intense gun battles involving Cole Black, Gene Chancey, Phil Vampatella, Marion Isaacks, Bob Kirkwood, and Ray “Tim” Hubbard, we trace both heroic successes and technical setbacks that shaped these critical air battles.
Highlights include:
• The realities behind the F-8’s nickname “The Last Gunfighter”
• Genuine accounts of gun kills and the challenges posed by unreliable Mk 12 cannons
• Rarely-discussed encounters with North Vietnamese and North Korean MiG pilots
• Insights on confirmed and uncredited aerial victories
• Firsthand perspectives drawn from pilot reports and historical research
If you want more details on specific engagements, check the video description for links to referenced episodes.
Have thoughts, questions, or a favorite Crusader story? Tell us in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for more in-depth aviation history from Showtime112.
Check out earlier F-8 in Vietnam videos:
youtu.be/MUwADni2XP8
youtu.be/bvAZ8nZFl-I
youtu.be/cKzup48CB8s
Main sources:
- F-8 Crusader: Vietnam 1963–73 (Dogfight Book 7)
amzn.to/4lSpZXY
- F-8 Crusader vs MiG-17: Vietnam 1965-72
amzn.to/4lR5H12
- Combat in the Sky: Airpower and the Defense of North Vietnam, 1965-1973
amzn.to/4lLJmBR
- MiG Master: The Story of the F-8 Crusader
amzn.to/4lPV9PR
- MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War
amzn.to/4f68hxq
When you purchase these books on Amazon through the links in this description, the channel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. The proceeds help fund new book purchases and support the creation of future videos.
Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/showtime112
Donate via Paypal:
paypal.com/paypalme/showtime112
Join our Discord server:
discord.gg/c56q7tUNCP
Echoes of Time by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300029
Artist: incompetech.com
Pre-Order your HABU watch and wear a piece of the SR-71 Blackbird, Use my Code SHOWTIME for 10% off: bit.ly/HABUshowtime
Explore the story of the legendary F-8 Crusader, famously nicknamed “The Last Gunfighter.” Discover why this iconic US Navy jet earned its reputation, how its 20mm cannons performed in aerial combat, and what really happened in the skies over Vietnam when pilots faced MiGs.
In this episode, you’ll dive deep into several key Crusader dogfights and learn about the real impact of the aircraft’s guns versus missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder. From the first Crusader victory by Harold Marr, to intense gun battles involving Cole Black, Gene Chancey, Phil Vampatella, Marion Isaacks, Bob Kirkwood, and Ray “Tim” Hubbard, we trace both heroic successes and technical setbacks that shaped these critical air battles.
Highlights include:
• The realities behind the F-8’s nickname “The Last Gunfighter”
• Genuine accounts of gun kills and the challenges posed by unreliable Mk 12 cannons
• Rarely-discussed encounters with North Vietnamese and North Korean MiG pilots
• Insights on confirmed and uncredited aerial victories
• Firsthand perspectives drawn from pilot reports and historical research
If you want more details on specific engagements, check the video description for links to referenced episodes.
Have thoughts, questions, or a favorite Crusader story? Tell us in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications for more in-depth aviation history from Showtime112.
Check out earlier F-8 in Vietnam videos:
youtu.be/MUwADni2XP8
youtu.be/bvAZ8nZFl-I
youtu.be/cKzup48CB8s
Main sources:
- F-8 Crusader: Vietnam 1963–73 (Dogfight Book 7)
amzn.to/4lSpZXY
- F-8 Crusader vs MiG-17: Vietnam 1965-72
amzn.to/4lR5H12
- Combat in the Sky: Airpower and the Defense of North Vietnam, 1965-1973
amzn.to/4lLJmBR
- MiG Master: The Story of the F-8 Crusader
amzn.to/4lPV9PR
- MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War
amzn.to/4f68hxq
When you purchase these books on Amazon through the links in this description, the channel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. The proceeds help fund new book purchases and support the creation of future videos.
Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/showtime112
Donate via Paypal:
paypal.com/paypalme/showtime112
Join our Discord server:
discord.gg/c56q7tUNCP
Echoes of Time by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300029
Artist: incompetech.com
