FIGHTER SQUADRON 103 (VF-103)

“Sluggers”

VF-103 F8U-1 "Crusader"

VF-103 was one of the early adaptors (1957) of the F-8 "Crusader" , the Navy's new fast moving, high flying performance fighter aircraft and in 1958 the squadron and their Crusaders were part of CVG-10 onboard the USS FORRESTAL in the Mediterranean during the "Lebanon Crisis". In May of 1959, the squadron moved from Cecil Field to NAS Oceana, Virginia as part of CVG-8, where conversion to the F8U-2 began. In the same year, the Sluggers were the first operational squadron to receive the MK-4 full pressure suit & all squadron pilots commenced high-altitude familiarization flights in the new "Moon Suit".

In January 1960, while operating in the Mediterranean as part of the SIXTH Fleet, VF-103 established a record Crusader cruise. Over 2750 hours of flight time was logged and a total of 1590 arrested landings were made onboard FORRESTAL, with all pilots passing the "Centurian" mark of 100 carrier landings.

For three consecutive years (1961-1963) the Sluggers were awarded the AIRLANT Battle Efficiency Award as the outstanding Fighter Squadron in the fleet. Two concurrent CNO Safety Awards in 1961 & 1962 made the squadron one of the very few to ever win so many awards in so short a time span. 1963 saw the squadron upgrade to the F-8E and that summer made their only cruise with these aircraft.


  VF-103 Website

  VF-103 Photos

  USS Forrestal CVA-59

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