<p>A U.S. Navy Vought F-8J <i>Crusader</i> (BuNo 149210) of Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211) "Checkmates" in flight over the Gulf of Tonkin as it returns to the carrier USS <i>Hancock</i> (CVA-19) following a combat air patrol. VF-211 was assigned to Attack Carrier Air Wing 21 (CVW-21) aobard the <i>Hancock</i> for a deployment to Vietnam from 22 October 1970 to 2 June 1971.<br></p>
Note the AIM-9D <i>Sidewinder</i> missile on the fuselage mount. During the Vietnam War, VF-211 was known to return to their carrier with AIM-9s missing from their arsenal given the fact that the squadron was credited with shooting down seven enemy MiG-17 fighters in air-to-air combat.
U.S. Navy
1971-03-19
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/AdvQuery.php">U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation</a> photo No. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=46210&amp;QueryPage=%2Femuwebdoncoms%2Fpages%2Fdoncoms%2FAdvQuery.php">1996.253.7354.037</a>