Fighter Squadron 81 (FITRON 81)

VF-81 ‘Crusaders’

 

vf-81 crusaders crest insignia patch badge fighter squadron us navy

fighter squadron vf-81 crusaders fitron f9f-8 cougar us navy

 

STATUS:

established as VA-66 on July 1, 1955

VA-66 redesignated VF-81 on July 1, 1955 (the same day it was established as VA-66)

VF-81 redesignated VA-81 on July 1, 1959

AIRCRAFT:

Grumman F9F-8 Cougar (1955-59)

 

 

DEPLOYMENTS:

November 1956 - December 1956 with CVG-17 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42)

January 1957 - July 1957 with ATG-182 aboard USS Lake Champlain (CVA 39)

May 1958 - August 1958 with ATG-181 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11)

 

images

 

fighter squadron vf-81 crusaders f9f-8b cougar air task group atg-181 uss intrepid cva 11

F9F-8B Cougars (VF-81 / ATG-181) embarked on USS Intrepid (CVA 11) - 1958

 

fighter squadron vf-81 crusaders f9f-8 cougars air task group atg-182 uss lake champlain cva 39

F9F-8 Cougars (VF-81 / ATG-182) embarked on USS Lake Champlain (CVA 39) - 1957

 

 

history

Chronology of significant events:

Nov - Dec 1956: Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42), with VF-81 embarked, was ordered to deploy and operate off the coast of Spain as a result of the Suez Canal crisis.


Apr - May 1957: VF-81, while deployed to the Mediterranean aboard Lake Champlain (CVA 39), operated off the coast of Lebanon during a crisis in Jordan.

 

patches

 

fighter squadron vf-81 crusaders insignia crest patch badge

 

 

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