First of the "Century fighters", the prototype F-100 flew on 25 May 1953. The initial production version was the F-100A, a single-seat day fighter powered by a 43.15kN J57-P-7 or P-39 engine. Armament comprised four 20mm M-39E cannon plus external stores on six under-wing hardpoints. The RF-100A was a photo-reconnaissance conversion of the F-100A with a deeper camera-carrying front fuselage.
The F-100C appeared in 1954 as a single-seat fighter bomber with strengthened wings, up to 3,402kg of bombs on eight underwing hardpoints, in-flight refuelling capability and 75.62kN (with afterburning) Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21A turbojet engine. The similar F-100D introduced design refinements, including a taller fin, and could be armed with four Sidewinder or two Bullpup missiles, or 3,402kg of external weapons in addition to its standard four 20mm cannon. The final version built was the F-100F, a lengthened tandem two-seat operational trainer and tactical attack aircraft, armed with two 20mm cannon and capable of carrying 2,722kg of external stores.
North American F-100 Super Sabre on YOUTUBE
Specification
CREW
1
ENGINE
1 x P+W J-57-P-21 turbo-jet, 66.7kN
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight
12700 kg
27999 lb
Empty weight
9500 kg
20944 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan
11.6 m
38 ft 1 in
Length
14.3 m
47 ft 11 in
Height
4.9 m
16 ft 1 in
Wing area
35.8 m2
385.35 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed
1216 km/h
756 mph
Ceiling
15250 m
50050 ft
Range
920 km
572 miles
ARMAMENT
4 x 20mm machine-guns, 2720kg of bombs and missiles
My first of three three tours as an instructor pilot was in the F-100 in the USAF Fighter Weapons School at Nellis, starting in 1958. It sure was an improvement over the SAC F-84Fs that I had flown previously. But, one day I tangled with a T-33, and no matter what I tried, every time I saw that darn thing it was pointed right at me. Nellis was a great assignement, and fortunately they kept sending me back there. I knew many of the guys who have streets named after them in the housing area at Nellis...most of them made the supreme sacrifice in the Hun.
Just remember one thing - it was the first airplane in the world that could sustain supersonic speed in level flight. I seem to remember reading somewhere they did that on the first test flight! Can anyone confirm?
Sorry Jack got eaten high by F-86's, but I've had more than a few F-4s for lunch if they wanted to try to turn below 400 Kts.
Visit Supersabresociety.com if you are an old Hun driver.
I am a member of the Commemorative Air Force - Highland Lakes Sq. located in Burnet, Texas. The City has a F-100F on static and it is getting repainted. When it was put on display the canopy got opened just a little and appears to be jammed on a lifing lug that was left on the plane. Would like to try to open canopy to remove lug and then close canopy completely but have no information on manual procedure for opening and closing. Does anybody have knowledge on how to work the canopy manually w /o elect or hyd power? Help greatly appreciated. Ed
The F-100 as we know was a Fighter-Bomber with essence on the bomber. The F-100C I flew had no flaps and approached at 183 kts plus fuel so it's STOL capabilities were lacking.
While stationed at Hahn AB, Germany, the Canadians used to eat us up in air-to-air tactics with their Mark VI (a super-powered F-86). Every year the Canadian jocks would send us a Christmas card showing their gunsight camera firmly planted on our tailpipe. They'd absolutely kill us at high altitude. The F-100 was a building brick in air-to-air - especially at high altitude. Can't count the times I fell out of the sky trying to out turn a Mark VI above 30,000'
To Bob,above on 08.04.2008,as a former F-100 pilot,I wasn't aware that the Navy's "Blue Angels" ever flew the F-100--I think you meant the Air Force's "Thunderbirds", who did fly the F-100s. It was a great ground attack aircraft,loved by the "grunts" on the ground and us Air Force FACs controlling them. It was lousy in air-to-air as a fighter with severe adverse yaw problems while trying to turn under a g-load and had a bad habit of compressor stalls at the worst possible times.
Wonderful bird for its day. It performed well in acrobatics, combat and training. Its no wonder that the Blue Angels used this for many years and why it is still sought after as a restoration plane. F's and D's still fly today!
