North American F-100 Super Sabre

F-100 Super Sabre
An F-100 warbird over Airventure 2015
General information
Type
ManufacturerNorth American Aviation
StatusRetired; one airworthy example remaining as part of a private collection.
Primary usersUnited States Air Force
Number built2,294[1]
History
Manufactured1953–1959
Introduction date27 September 1954
First flight25 May 1953
Retired1979, United States Air National Guard; 1988, Republic of China Air Force[2]
Developed fromNorth American F-86 Sabre
Developed intoNorth American F-107

The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aircraft manufacturer North American Aviation. The first of the Century Series of American jet fighters, it was the first United States Air Force (USAF) fighter capable of supersonic speed in level flight.[3]

The F-100 was envisioned during the late 1940s as a higher-performance successor to the F-86 Sabre air superiority fighter.[4] Initially referred to as the Sabre 45, it was delivered as an unsolicited proposal to the USAF in January 1951, leading to two prototypes being ordered one year later following modifications. The first YF-100A performed its maiden flight on 25 May 1953, seven months ahead of schedule. Flight testing demonstrated both the F-100's promising performance and several deficiencies, which included its tendency of yaw instability and inertia coupling that led to numerous fatal accidents. On 27 September 1954, the F-100A officially entered USAF service, however, as a result of six major accidents occurred by 10 November 1954, the type was grounded while investigations and remedial work were conducted. The F-100 returned to flight in February 1955.

In response to the Tactical Air Command's (TAC) request for a fighter-bomber, the F-100C was developed, followed by the more capable F-100D. Several other models would be developed, including the two-seat F-100F supersonic trainer. As early as 1958, the USAF began to withdraw its F-100As, but returned them to service during early 1962 amid escalating world tensions. Many F-100s saw combat use during the Vietnam War before being superseded by the high-speed Republic F-105 Thunderchief in the strike mission. The F-100 flew extensively over South Vietnam as the air force's primary close air support aircraft until being replaced by the more capable subsonic LTV A-7 Corsair II,[5] General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.[6] 242 F-100s of various models were lost over Vietnam. Several F-100As were rebuilt into RF-100A aerial reconnaissance aircraft. Several F-100Fs were modified into electronic warfare platforms. Several proposed models and derivatives, such as the F-100B interceptor and the F-107, did not proceed through to production.

Amid a relatively high attrition rate and the arrival of more advanced fighters, the USAF opted to permanently withdraw its remaining F-100s during the early 1970s. The type was also operated by the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The F‑100 was exported to several overseas operators, including NATO air forces and other U.S. allies, including the Turkish Air Force, Republic of China Air Force, and the French Air Force. The F-100 was deployed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, performing close air support missions. French F-100s also saw action during the Algerian War. During its later life, the F-100 was often referred to as the "Hun", a shortened version of "one hundred".[7]

  1. ^ Knaack 1978, p. 132.
  2. ^ "Historical Listings: China, Nationalist (Taiwan) (NCH)." Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine World Air Forces. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
  3. ^ Rendall, Ivan (1999). Rolling Thunder: jet combat from World War II to the Gulf War (First U.S. ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. p. 110. ISBN 0-684-85780-4.
  4. ^ "North American F-100C 'Super Sabre'". fas.org. 29 June 1999. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  5. ^ "North American F-100F Super Sabre". The Collings Foundation. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  6. ^ "North American F-100D Super Sabre". National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  7. ^ "F-100 Super Sabre; Historical Snapshot". Boeing. Retrieved 23 July 2017.