FSX US Marines Vought F-8E Crusader of VMF-235

This freeware repaint depicts BuNo 149204, a Vought F-8E Crusader operated by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (All-Weather) 235 at Da Nang in 1967. It is designed for use with the payware Alphasim/Virtavia F-8 Crusader package in Microsoft Flight Simulator X. The talented creator, Dave Quincey, has converted these textures into .dds format specifically for FSX and based his work on the aircraft that, in its later service life, was upgraded to French Navy (F-8J (FN)) standards.

Key Details about the VMF(AW)-235 Crusader

The original BuNo 149204 served as a US Marine Corps fighter platform. Its deployment to Da Nang placed it at the center of challenging combat operations during the late 1960s. Later on, the airframe was modernized in alignment with French naval requirements, reflecting how versatile the Crusader airframe remained through its prolonged career. Vought’s F-8 series enjoyed a reputation for speed, with notable achievements such as John Glenn's record-setting transcontinental flight. Throughout its operational years, the Crusader proved itself as a reliable carrier-based asset that excelled in air superiority roles.

What Makes this Repaint Unique

• Accurately captures the 1967-era US Marines markings of VMF(AW)-235.
• Includes detailed .dds textures optimized for FSX to ensure smooth rendering.
• Depicts a Crusader that was eventually converted for French naval aviation.
• Developed by Dave Quincey to bring historical authenticity into Simulator X.

Installation Guidance

The following steps explain how to integrate this livery into your existing Alphasim/Virtavia F-8 Crusader folder. Since this repaint is designed for a payware model, remember that the payware add-on is not included. You may need to acquire the aircraft from a store such as SimShack.

1. Extract this repaint’s zipped folder to any preferred directory on your computer.
2. Locate and copy the texture.VMF-235 folder into your Alphasim/Virtavia Alpha F8 Crusader directory.
3. Open a complete texture folder (one of the existing, fully populated texture sets) from within that same directory. Copy all of its contents and paste them into the newly added texture.VMF-235 folder. When asked about overwriting, choose “No” to preserve the unique repaint files.
4. Add the text below to your aircraft.cfg file, placing it after the last [fltsim] entry. Replace xx with the next sequential number:

[fltsim.xx]
title=ALPHA F-8 Crusader VMF-235
sim=ALPHA_F-8
model=F8-E
panel=
sound=
texture=VMF-235
KB_checklists=f8_check
kb_reference=
ui_manufacturer=ALPHA
ui_type=F-8 Crusader
ui_variation=F-8E VMF-235 Da Nang, 1967
description=© ALPHA Simulations 2005\n\nIn 1953 the F8U-1 Crusader won the Navy competition for the new carrier-based day fighter. It flew supersonic on its maiden flight in 1955. A Crusader set a national speed record in 1956 by flying over 1000 mph, for which it won the Thompson Trophy. In 1957 Major John Glenn flew an F8U non-stop from Los Angeles to New York, setting a transcontinental speed record. In 1958 Vought received the first Certificate of merit ever awarded an aircraft manufacturer by the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics for the design, development and production of a US Navy aircraft. In the Vietnam conflict the Crusader had the highest kill ratio over communist jets of any Navy aircraft. The F8U series enjoyed a long service life which was extended in the 1960s by remanufacturing and updating existing aircraft. Crusaders flew in Navy reserve units until 1987, and the French navy flew its Crusaders well into the 1990's.
atc_id_color=0x00000000
atc_heavy=0
atc_id_font=Verdana,-11,1,600,0

Save the configuration file, then load up Microsoft Flight Simulator X to see the newly added VMF(AW)-235 Crusader filter into your aircraft selection menu. Enjoy the vivid markings that reflect a pivotal time in US Marine Corps aviation history.