This early Crusader entered service in June 1958 with VF-174 at NAS Cecil Field, FL in a training capacity. For 18 months from November 1960 it was assigned to VF-11 also at Cecil but deployed aboard USS Franklin D Roosevelt between February and October 1961, spending much of that time shore-based at Rota, Spain. In April 1962 it briefly returned to VF-174 before transfer to VU-2 at NAS Oceana, VA. Flown to the NAM at Pensacola in 1971 and presented as a VF-24 aircraft

This F-8 was TOC in June 1958 and spent much of its early service career at Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil Field, Florida, assigned to VF-174 training replacement pilots. In November 1960 it joined VF-11 "Red Rippers", its first and only front line fighter squadron and was deployed aboard the carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), although much of this time shore based at the U.S. naval base at Rota, Spain practicing gunnery and dogfighting. In April 1962 it was transferred back to VF-174 until being SOC in 1971 and ferried to the museum that same year for preservation.