The North American F-100 Super Sabre was an American military supersonic fighter that became an important fighter-bomber. Single-seat versions performed attack missions, while the two-seat F-100F supported training and specialised combat tasks. The family served extensively during the Vietnam War.[1][2]
Supersonic development
The YF-100A first flew on 25 May 1953. The aircraft introduced sustained supersonic level-flight performance to a production American fighter. North American built 2,294 Super Sabres before production ended in 1959.[1]
The F-100D, first flown on 24 January 1956, was the principal fighter-bomber version. It incorporated an autopilot and equipment for low-altitude bombing. Its Pratt & Whitney J57 engine used an afterburner, and four 20-mm cannon provided fixed armament. North American produced 1,274 aircraft of this version.[1]
Training and combat
The early single-seat aircraft's accident experience helped establish the need for a two-seat trainer. The F-100F retained much of the D's combat capability, including six external weapons stations, but carried two cannon instead of four. Its second cockpit allowed an instructor to accompany a pilot during conversion to the demanding aircraft.[2]
Both single-seat and two-seat Super Sabres flew bombing missions in Southeast Asia. The D's history also included a very different public role: the aircraft now preserved by the National Museum of the United States Air Force flew with the Thunderbirds demonstration team between 1964 and 1968.[1][2]
Specialised F-100F missions
The two-seat F-100F became an early Wild Weasel aircraft for locating and suppressing surface-to-air missile defences. F-100Fs also flew “Misty” fast forward air control missions, finding targets and directing other attack aircraft. These roles made the second crew member valuable for observation and coordination, extending the trainer derivative into demanding operational work.[2]