F-100 Super Sabre

The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a jet fighter aircraft that served with the USAF from 1954 to 1971 and with the ANG until 1979. It was the successor to the F-86 Sabre, the first of the century series of US jet fighters, and the first US fighter capable of supersonic speed in level flight.

Related Topics:
North American - Jet - Fighter aircraft - USAF - 1954 - 1971 - ANG - 1979 - F-86 Sabre - Century series - Supersonic

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Development work began in 1949 for a supersonic interceptor, and prototype construction started in 1951, when the company won a contract for 110 aircraft. The first YF-100 prototype flew on May 25, 1953 with a Pratt & Whitney J57 engine, it broke the sound-barrier on its first flight. The YF-100 set a world speed record in October 1953 at 754.99 mph (1,215 km/h). The first aircraft, the F-100A, were delivered in late 1953, and became operational from September 1954. Despite the testing, there were a number of operational crashes that grounded the aircraft from November 1954 until February 1955 when the problem (stability) was identified and solved (larger control surfaces). A related control problem that stemmed from handling characteristics associated with the swept-back wing as the aircraft approached stall speed led to a situation known as the Sabre dance in which the pilot was unable to get the plane back into the flight envelope despite applying full power, usually with disastrous results.

Related Topics:
1949 - 1951 - May 25 - 1953 - Pratt & Whitney J57 - 1954 - 1955 - Sabre dance

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The F-100A was followed by the F-100B (which was re-designated F-107A), the F-100C (1954, 476 built) and the F-100D (1956, 1,274 built) fighter-bombers, with increased wing area, fin and rudder size, six underwing hardpoints, and improved electronics. The F-100D was an unforgiving aircraft, with over 500 lost in accidents by USAF pilots. The final production variant was the F-100F tandem trainer (339 built), first flown in 1956. It was stretched by 3 m to accommodate the second crew.

Related Topics:
F-107A - 1954 - 1956 - Trainer

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The Super Sabre, especially the F-100D was widely used in the Vietnam War, but was progressively replaced from 1966 by the F-4 and the F-105. The aircraft served in Vietnam until 1971.

Related Topics:
Vietnam War - 1966 - F-4 - F-105 - 1971

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USAF Colonel and Medal of Honor recipent George E. "Bud" Day flew F-100s

Related Topics:
USAF - Colonel - Medal of Honor

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