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
Flew F-100D & F '76 - '78. Ohio ANG. In the early '70's Ohio had four F-100 squadrons. Reliable, hardly ever a problem. Maintenance guys (mostly guys back then) kept them in top shape. We retired them in '78 to Davis Monthan.
worked in Misawa Japan from 8 /63 to 8 /65 in the 21stFMS squadron. The 100 sqds there were the 531st and 416th, that returned to the States in 64, and were replaced on a rotational basis by units from Cannon AFB. The engine shop at Misawa supported the F-100s, F-102, and the RF-101-C.
I have some home movies my dad took in 1960 and 1961 in Bermuda, of in-flight refueling of a B-66 and an F-100 (I think the tail # is 63435?) He was in the refueling aircraft, and you can watch the pilot in the jet as they fly together. Amazing flying. I'm happy to share if anyone is interested.
I first worked on the F-100 as a jet mechanic at Clark in 62-64. I worked on some of the same birds at Bien Hoa in 66-67. My next tour with the F-100's was in Torrejon 69-73. We went over to F4E after a couple years, and gave our F-100's to Turkey. They were a pain to work on the installed engines,(flightline work) but I loved the old lead sled.
While at Myrtle Beach AFB in 1961-62 I worked in the Wing Command Post of the 354th Fighter Wing. I worked with a Capt. Rainwater who told me that while he was operational, he was landing his F-100 he had a brain fart and landed on his drop tanks, having forgot to deploy the landing gear.He walked away and there was minamal damage to the plane. I guess God was his co-pilot that day.
I was at Da Nang AB, Viet Nam in "71-72". I saw an F-100 come screaming down the runway riding on a "Ball of Sparks" and veer off the cement into the center section one day. The pilot was half way out of that "Bullet" before it came to a complete stop. Believe it or not, they put that bird into a hanger up on the other side of the field by the Kaman helicopters and I think they rebuilt it. I might be wrong, but I think that bird actually flew again. Shortly after that I found myself on top of an APC babysitting a 50 cal. all night, so I kind of had a couple of other things on my mind. I guess I don't need to tell "Ya All" what those "Two Things" were.
I started on the F100 J57 Engine right out of tech school in 1960 I had just turned 18. went to japan then thailand with F105's. See the F100 again in 1968 in Bein Hoa. Left there after 1 year then to Cannon with the 524th TFS. The last F100 Sq in the AF
My Father flew the F-100 for 15 years and our family grew up of and around her. You may have guessed that this is a commemoration to this great "HUN" in the passing of our Father, Colonel F.J. "Pat" Kramer Jr. He first flew the Hun in UPT at Luke in 1957 and was assigned to Hahn AB with the 461st FDS flying the C-Hun. Then 1 year later was selected to the USAFE Skyblazers flying Solo, Slot, and then Leader in the 1961 show season. In January 1962 the Skyblazers were disbanded and the crews were sent back to the States; we went to Luke. Dad then went to Ben Hoi in the Hun, and later to Phu Cat "Bird-dogging" in the O-1E. The Hun later re-entered my Father's life at England AFB with the 68th, 531st, and 416th TFTS return from SEA. These were the days most impressionable to me as I grew up in Life Support performing Helmet BPO's and writing the FRAG in grease pencil on the OPS flying boards. The smell of JP4 from the operating J57 stuck with me like the smell of fresh strawberry jam on toast with a soft shell crab stuffed in between. More so I love the history of the F-100 after crewing F-4E's and F-16's since 1976. I am still working on the 16 here at Luke, just yards away where my parents brought me into this world. I am still passionate with the MOST BEAUTIFUL HUN in the world building plastic models of the F-100 in DETAIL, historically collecting, and documenting its journey. The Hun to our family was the last, if not the loss of innocence as she "...danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings..." as the last of the all metal fighters; Oh what strories we have heard and tell… I LOVE YOU DADDY!!
My Father flew the F-100 for 15 years and our family grew up of and around her. You may have guessed that this is a commemoration to this great "HUN" in the passing of our Father, Colonel F.J. "Pat" Kramer Jr. He first flew the Hun in UPT at Luke in 1957 and was assigned to Hahn AB with the 461st FDS flying the C-Hun. Then 1 year later was selected to the USAFE Skyblazers flying Solo, Slot, and then Leader in the 1961 show season. In January 1962 the Skyblazers were disbanded and the crews were sent back to the States; we went to Luke. Dad then went to Ben Hoi in the Hun, and later to Phu Cat "Bird-dogging" in the O-1E. The Hun later re-entered my Father's life at England AFB with the 68th, 531st, and 416th TFTS return from SEA. These were the days most impressionable to me as I grew up in Life Support performing Helmet BPO's and writing the FRAG in grease pencil on the OPS flying boards. The smell of JP4 from the operating J57 stuck with me like the smell of fresh strawberry jam on toast with a soft shell crab stuffed in between. More so I love the history of the F-100 after crewing F-4E's and F-16's since 1976. I am still working on the 16 here at Luke, just yards away where my parents brought me into this world. I am still passionate with the MOST BEAUTIFUL HUN in the world building plastic models of the F-100 in DETAIL, historically collecting, and documenting its journey. The Hun to our family was the last, if not the loss of innocence as she "...danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings..." as the last of the all metal fighters; Oh what strories we have heard and tell… I LOVE YOU DADDY!!
Mymother and father(Master sgtlemuel mitchell were killed by theF100 atTurnerAFB on Dec 17h 1957,NEVER LEARNED OF THE CAUSE? I OBSERVED THE AIR- CRAFTTAKING OFFAND REACH ABOUT 800FT BEFORE BANKING TO THE LEFT AND COMING TOWARD US, I WAS 11 YRS OLD AN RANTOWARDTHE BASE HOSPITAL,ONLY ONE TO SURVIVE.
I enjoyed flying the F-100 a great airplane. Very memorable time in my life. 1957-1966. 510th at Clark AB, 309th TFS at George & Homestead AFB. Wound up with 2,000 hours in the HUN. Honored to have been a part of that program.
I was assigned to the 614th tfs out of tech sch."All Men are devils, only the choosen few are lucky devils!!! I crewed f-100D 55-2884, as an a /3c after completeing ftd 43151 and 43171 trainig classes at England AFB. I can relate to pilot Moore's comments about the fuel probe. They were straight and I recall replacing quite a few broken off during in-flight training.Later the probe were changed to the goose neck type. At that time the aircraft tails were checker board and the nose was red. I can still visualize installing the drag chute. Laying on my back with strong legs to close the door.I can see myself on the front end arms crossed to lift those 450 gal. drop tanks. 3 men two on the front and 1 to 2 on the rear to hang. The key was to only put a small amout of fuel from the truck. Start the engine (throttle around the horn after 33%.advance the throttle to about 65% to get the ac on the line. No Leak----- fill up The tanks. Otherwise you had to de-fuel all that jp-4. Rotated to Aviano afb and the famed Incirlik afb (Adana Turkey). Later crewed F-100F 56-3834,and had flight time in that bird after a fire power demo in Florida. My demise I was selected to play for a mediocre base basketball team Our 614th squadron bet them. Little did I know that after joining that "sidewinder" team in 1962, we went all the way to the USAFE championship in England. My TDY to Turkey lasted 4 months (two months I was gone). !!! Gone from the 614th, transfered to the 615th. Would not change a thing. I still have a taste for 'cream beef on Toast and the smell on 5606 (kool aid)fluid.
Comment to Fred Fralin and B2Boy. I was stationed at Hahn AB in 1965-66-67 with 496th FIS. These aircraft were the F-102. I did not see the F-100 on the base at this time. I was what was called" Armament Load Crew' or " Armament Fire Control System Specialist". My first contact with the F=100{we clled it the Lead Sled} was 1968-69 at Bien Hoa AB in Nam with the 90th TFS. This a /c was good worker and carried a good payload munitions. The pilots always said that if the enignes went, the plane would- drop out of the air- no guide path0 hence the name Lead Sled. Any additional info, contact me at e-mail address.
'66 thru '69 77th TFS, 20th TFW, RAF Station Wethersfield.
77-2 Weapons Load Team, No 1, Crew Chief: Ralph Ortbals No 2, Cockpit: Wayne Manning No 3, Wingman; Alan (Dino) DelVecchio No 4, MJ-1 (Jammer Driver) Bob Jones
The best damn weapons crew to ever load a 'Super Sled'.
After a 1000 point (flawless) load, during a USAFE exercise in '68, the inspector told us… "That was an excellent load… if I ever see you load a nuke in fifteen minutes again… I'll bust all of you!"
I served 3 years at RAF Lakenheath as a Crew Chief on F100D. I was there for 3 years between 1963-66. The hardest part was changing main gear tires. I loved when they sent me and my acft TDY to Wheelus AFB Tripoli, North Africa. Had my first ride in a F100F while TDY at Wheelus--what a thrill.
Crewed F100F 56-3805 at Hahn ab Germany 10th TFS 1964 till they left in 1966. Worked tool crib for the F4, went to England Nov 66 till April 67 working F100D's Crewed F100F 56-3866 at Luke AFB AZ till it crashes on takeoff because of an over torqued AB pigtail spray bar fuel line, blew the aft section up, pilots got out, one had a broken leg. Worked C section midnights doing preflight run ups. Loved the F100, I did all maintence on the birds till they brought in the speclishs.
I was a crew chief on the C,D,& F at George AFB in 1956- 62. Changing a tire was a chore, and I agree, Hydraulic leaks every day! I went to Spain in 1958 with a B47 group and we were a TACH Squadren called REFLEX.
I was assigned to the 354th TFW Myrtle Beach AFB from 1960-63. Worked as a jet mechanic on the J-57. Went on three NATO rotations; Germany (Berlin Wall), Italy and Turkey. Being stationed at the beach was tough, but somebody had to do it!
