The Vought F-8 Crusader was the first supersonic fighter for the US Navy and one of the most famous carrier-based aircraft of the Cold War. It featured a highly unconventional layout which was to be repeated in the company's A-7 a few years later: high mounted variable incidence wings and a promient intake below the nose (which also housed a fire control radar). Despite this unorthodox configuration, the F-8 proved to be an excellent dogfighter (arguably the finest in US service until the arrival of the superior F-4) and used extensively during the Vietnam War by both USN and USMC squadrons which claimed a final tally of 18 confirmed MiG kills. The Crusader was slowly replaced in naval service during the final years of the war by the F-4 but continued to be operated in reduced numbers until 1982. Its only foreign operators were the Philippines and the French where they served on board the carriers Foch and Clemenceau and were used during the Gulf War and the wars in Yugoslavia before being finally retired in 1999.

Maiden flight of the XF8U-1 took place on 25 March 1955 with production beginning with the F8U-1 (F-8A after 1962) followed by the more powerful F8U-1E (F-8E) which also had limited all-weather capability. Other versions included the reconnaissance F8U-1P (RF-8A), the F8U-2 (F-8C) with a new engine and four fuselage side missile rails, and the true all-weather F8U-2N (F-8D). Lastly, the multi-role F8U-2NE (F-8E) had fire control radar and increased weapons loads. A series of upgrades to existing variants resulted in new designations. These were the F-8H (based on the F-8D), F-8J (E), F-8K (C) and the F-8L (B). Foreign versions included the F-8P for the Philippines and the F-8E(FN) for the French which featured high lift devices for operation on smaller carriers as well as local weapons.