F8U Crusader by Ernie Snowden
Earnie Snowden's book, F8U Crusader, has been published by the U. S. Naval Institute Press. Through thorough research and interviews Ernie captures the history of the famed aircraft and many personal experiences of its legendary pilots.
The book may be purchased at USNI (40% discount for members) or Amazon.
Ernie has a strong personal motivation to pursue documenting the F‑8 Crusader. His father, Mac Snowden, was the Commanding Officer of VF‑91 during the early days of the aircraft.
Here’s Bill "Striker” Switzer’s impressive review:
To the Last of the Gunfighters - This F‑8 Crusader book written by Naval Aviator Ernie Snowden is without a doubt a masterpiece. He has written 3 other books and I feel he hit the bulls eye with this one.
His thorough research, pictures, sea stories, historical data and some of the F‑8's special missions are so descriptive, detailed and realistic that I feel we could be in the cockpit flying these specific missions. It is most interesting in every respect. His selection of contents and accurate coverage gets the pulse going from the get-go and the palms sweaty again. If only we could go back in time to our respective F‑8 era to feel those exhilarating highs and exciting tactical, A/A gunnery dets and Vietnam missions to mention a few.
If you need to get your tiger blood flowing again, this F‑8 book will do it. Plus, any aviation enthusiastic person will enjoy the demands of this "Last of the Gunfighters fighter" and grasp what it was like to be the best of the best, and the meanest mutha in the valley.
A great heirloom. I bought books for my two daughters and their children. After they read it they now understand where I come from, some of the time. Also, bought 2 for a light attack guy who flew in VN and was one of AIRPACs best LSOs and had several hops in the F‑8. He retired after having command in an F/A‑18 squadron.
Hope you will look into getting a copy or two. You won't be disappointed! I got mine through Amazon. If you are an USNI member you will get a discount. — Striker