Originally Posted by
Roll Inverted and Pull
I flew all models of the Crusader, except the photo bird. I also have a little time in the Phantom. ...
A better flying machine was the Grumman F11F. It was worthless for a carrier plane . Had the J79 been available as was planned, that would have been a different story. A J65 was substituted, and it was short of fuel.Most were sent to the training command and to the Blue Angels. I flew them as a 22 year old cadet.
Grumman did build a two 'Super Tigers" with the J-79 engine but the Navy chose not to buy it so it never went into production. IT was in competition with the -104 for a number of countries including Germany, Italy, Belgium and Holland. They bought the -104. Grumman also proposed the Super Tiger to Canada and Japan. Again, no sale. The program folded.
One crashed in tests. The other reportedly is at the Navy Armaments Museum at China Lake.
The Super Tiger flew in 1956, went to M1.44 with the 'small' J79. Later with a uprated J-789, it bumped up to M2.04 and set an altitude record.
It seems everyone was building a "SUPER" something including the BIG SHARK Super Crusader.