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Fighter / Attack:
   Bell P-39 Airacobra
   Bell P-63 Kingcobra
   Brewster Buffalo
   Chance-Vought F-4U Corsair
   Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
   Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
   Douglas A-1 Skyraider
   Douglas A-26 Invader
   Douglas SBD Dauntless
   Fairey Firefly
   Focke-Wulf Fw 190
   Grumman F4F Wildcat
   Grumman F6F Hellcat
   Grumman F7F Tigercat
   Grumman F8F Bearcat
   Grumman TBF Avenger
   Hawker Hurricane
   Hawker Sea Fury
   Lockheed P-38 Lightning
   Messerschmitt Bf-109
   Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen
   North American P-51 Mustang

   Polikarpov I-16
   Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
   Supermarine Spitfire
   Yakovlev Yak-3
   Yakovlev Yak-9


Trainers:
  
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan (C-45)
   Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
   Boeing / Stearman PT-17

   Commonwealth CA-25 Winjeel
   Commonwealth CA-1 Wirraway
   DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
   DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth
   Fairchild PT-19 Cornell
   Hunting / Percival Provost
   Meyers OTW
   Nanchang CJ-6
   Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
   N. Am. BT-9 / BT-14 / Yale
   N. Am. T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard
   N. American T-28 Trojan

   Piaggio P149
   Ryan PT-22 Recruit

   Scottish Aviation T1 Bulldog
   Vultee BT-13 Valiant
   Yakovlev Yak-11
   Yakovlev Yak-18
   Yakovlev Yak-52


Bombers:
   Avro Lancaster
   Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
   Boeing B-29 Superfortress
   Bristol Blenheim / Bolingbroke
   Consolidated B-24 Liberator
   Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

   Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
   DeHavilland Mosquito
   Fairey Swordfish
   Heinkel He-111 / Casa 2.111

   Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon / Ventura
   Martin B-26 Marauder
   North American B-25 Mitchell


Transports:
   Beechcraft C-45 (AT-11)

   Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter (KC-97)
   Curtiss C-46 Commando
   Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota
   Douglas C-54 Skymaster

   Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
   Fairchild C-123 Provider
   Grumman C-1 Trader (S-2)
   Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
   Lockheed C-69 Constellation


Utility / Observation / Special Duty:
   Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper
   Aeronca L-16 Grasshopper
   Antonov AN-2 Colt
   Auster AOP 6/9
   Avro 652 Anson
   Avro Shackleton
   British Taylorcraft I-V
   Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog
   Cessna O-2 Super Skymaster
   Cessna T-50 / UC-78 Bobcat
   Consolidated PBY Catalina

   DeHavilland U-6A / L-20 Beaver
   Fairey Gannet
   Fairey Swordfish
   Fieseler Fi156 Storch
   Grumman S-2 Tracker (C-1)
   Grumman HU-16 Albatross
   Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
   Junkers Ju 52/3m

   Lockheed P2V Neptune
   Max Holste M.H.1521 Broussard
   Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

   Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman
   North American L-17 Navion
   N. Am./ Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
   Piper L-4 Grasshopper
   Stinson L-5 Sentinel
   Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
   Westland Lysander


Jets:
   Aero L-29 Delfin
   Aero L-39 Albatros
   Aermacchi MB-326
   Avro Vulcan
   BAC Strikemaster
   Blackburn (BAC) Buccaneer
   Canadair Tutor
   Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
   DeHavilland Vampire
   DeHavilland Venom
   English Electric Canberra
   English Electric Lightning
   Folland Gnat
   Fouga CM-170 Magister
   Gloster Meteor
   Grumman F9F Panther
   Hawker Hunter
   Hispano HA-200 Saeta
   Hunting Jet Provost
   Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
   Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
   McDonnell-Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
   McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
   Messerschmitt Me-262
   Mikoyan MiG-15
   Mikoyan MiG-17
   Mikoyan MiG-21
   N. Am. F-86 Sabre / FJ-4 Fury
   N. Am. F-100 Super Sabre
   N. Am. / Rockwell T-2 Buckeye
   Northrop T-38 Talon / F-5
   PZL / WSK TS-11 Iskra
   Saab J35 Draken
   Soko G-2A Galeb
   Temco Pinto & Super Pinto


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North American F-100 Super Sabre

(Variants/Other Names: See History below)



1958 F-100F N2011V (Serial No. 56-3948) owned and operated by
Dean "Cutter" Cutshall of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, USA. Photo by Buck Wyndham.

History: In 1949, North American began development of the world’s first aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier in level flight, the F-100A Super Sabre. A familial successor to the F-86 Sabre, the new design was larger, faster and more powerful than its predecessor.

On November 1, 1951, North American’s design work resulted in a U.S. Air Force contract for two YF-100 prototypes and 110 F-100A Super Sabre interceptors. The first of two prototypes made a major leap ahead in combat aircraft development when it exceeded Mach 1 during its maiden flight on May 25, 1953. Powered by the Pratt & Whitney J57-P-7 engine, the early Super Sabres could produce 15,000 lbs. of afterburning thrust at a maximum speed of 864 mph. The last 36 aircraft were built with a J57-P-39 engine capable of producing 1,000 pounds more thrust.

On October 29, 1953 the first prototype aircraft made its mark in history by establishing a new world speed record of 754.99 mph. During the same month, the first production aircraft was flown. Flight-testing continued until early 1954 when the US Air Force’s 479th Fighter Day Wing took delivery of the new Super Sabre, declaring it operational.

Despite a successful flight test program, a series of crashes in that same year led to the grounding of the F-100A in late 1954. The accidents were found to be the result of inertia roll-yaw coupling making the aircraft unstable in certain flight profiles. North American corrected the design flaw by lengthening the vertical stabilizer and extending the wings, which increased the aircraft's stability and put it back in service.

North American continued development with an improved version of the F-100A, the F-100C fighter-bomber, whose added capability to refuel inflight appealed to the Air Force. Additionally, the F-100C was equipped with eight underwing weapon pylons and was powered by Pratt & Whitney’s J57-P-21 engine. A total of 476 of these models were built. However, in an attempt to keep up with the needs of the Air Force, North American developed the F-100D attack version. The F-100D Super Sabre featured many additional capabilities needed by the USAF, including a flapped wing, provisions for internal Electronic Counter-Measures (ECM) equipment and introduction of a Low-Altitude Bombing System (LABS). 1,274 D-Models were built.

The final production version of the Super Sabre was the F-100F, a two seat (tandem) trainer, of which 339 were built. The 'C' and 'D' versions flew as fighter-bombers and anti-SAM missile platforms proving them as reliable, mission-effective aircraft during the Vietnam War. F-100s also served with the French, Turkish, Danish and Taiwanese Air Forces.

The last Super Sabres were retired from the Air National Guard and the USAF's Aerial Target program in the late 1980s. As the airplane which created a "supersonic Air Force," the F-100 Super Sabre has left an indelible mark in the history of military aviation and on those that flew this sleek fighter.

Nicknames: Hun; Slick Chick (RF-100A reconnaissance version).

Specifications (F-100D):
        Engine: One 17,000-pound thrust Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21A afterburning turbojet.
        Weight: Empty 21,000 lbs., Max Takeoff 34,832 lbs.
        Wing Span: 38ft. 9.5in.
        Length: 47ft. 1.25in. (excluding pitot tube)
        Height: 16ft. 3in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed at 35,000 ft: 864 mph (Mach 1.3)
            Ceiling: 46,000 ft.
            Range: 600 miles
        Armament:
            Four 20-mm cannon
            Up to 7,500 pounds of bombs, missiles and rockets on underwing pylons.

Number Built: 2,294

Number Still Airworthy: At least two in private ownership.

Links:
F-100.org -- Histories, detailed photos and information for modelers.
F-100 Photos at Airport-Data.com

Federation of American Scientists: F-100 Page
Friends of the Super Sabre -- Dedicated to preserving the legacy of the F-100
Joe Baugher's F-100 History Pages -- Very extensive history!
March Field Air Museum F-100
North American company history: F-100 Super Sabre
Super Sabre Database Project
Super Sabre Society

 

 



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All text and photos Copyright 2016 The Doublestar Group, unless otherwise noted.
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