As we continue the Boneyard Files series, which showcases some of the retired aircraft resting at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, in the late 1960s, today’s story features the North American F-100 Super Sabre through the lens of Neil Aird’s “Monthan Memories” photos. The F-100 Super Sabre was the first of the “Century Fighters” and flew for the first time on May 25, 1953. The Century Fighters were advanced US Air Force fighter jets designed during the Cold War. The F-100 was one of the first jet fighters to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight. On October 29, 1953, this aircraft set a world speed record of 755 mph. Flight tests of the North American F-100 Super Sabre showed it had good performance but also several problems, such as yaw instability and inertia coupling, which led to several serious accidents. The F-100A entered service with the US Air Force on September 27, 1954.
However, after six major accidents by November 10, 1954, the North American F-100 Super Sabre was grounded for investigations and repairs. The F-100 fighter jet returned to the skies in February 1955. The Tactical Air Command (TAC) asked for a fighter-bomber, leading to the creation of the F-100C, followed by the improved F-100D. Additional versions were made, including the two-seat F-100F trainer. The F-100D was 50 feet long, 16.2 feet high, with a wingspan of 38.9 feet and a wing area of 400 square feet. The empty weight of the F-100D was 21,000 pounds, the gross weight was 28,847 pounds, and the maximum takeoff weight was 34,832 pounds. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21/21A afterburning turbojet engine, producing 10,200 pounds of dry thrust and 16,000 pounds with afterburner. The maximum speed of the aircraft was Mach 1.4, with a range of 1,995 miles, a service ceiling of 50,000 feet, and a rate of climb of 22,400 feet per minute. The aircraft was armed with four 20 mm M39A1 revolver cannons, each with 200 rounds. It also had six hardpoints with a capacity of 7,040 pounds to carry a combination of rockets, missiles, and bombs. By 1958, the US Air Force had begun retiring its North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft, but brought them back into service in early 1962 due to rising global tensions.
Many North American F-100 Super Sabres were used in combat during the Vietnam War before the faster Republic F-105 Thunderchief replaced them for strike missions. During the Vietnam War, F-100 jets served in many roles, including combat, reconnaissance, and ground attack. They flew more missions than the North American P-51 Mustang did in WWII. When F-100 units were sent to Southeast Asia, they included both one-seat and two-seat F-100s. Both variants carried out traditional bombing missions to support ground forces. As tactics improved, the two-seat F-100F became essential for two new missions, including suppressing surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), called “Iron Hand,” and high-speed forward air control (FAC), known as “Misty FAC.” Between 1953 and 1959, manufacturers built 2,294 North American F-100 Super Sabres. In addition to the US Air Force, these aircraft also served with the air forces of Turkey, France, Taiwan, and Denmark. After their retirement, the North American F-100 Super Sabres were sent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, known as “The Boneyard.” Read more Boneyard Files Articles HERE.
