Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-100>HA2103
F-100D Super Sabre 56-3000 "Triple Zilch" 20 TFW, RAF Wethersfield Essex, England Late 1957
General Background
The North American F-100 Supersabre served the USAF from 1954 to 1971 and the ANG until 1979. The F-100 commonly referred to as the “Hun”, a shortened version of “one hundred” was the first US fighter capable of attaining supersonic speed in level flight. The Hun was used extensively as close-air-support in South Vietnam.
The Aircraft
The 20th TFW was activated in late 1930 as 20th Pursuit Group. The unit first went to England in 1943 for WWII and returned to Wethersfield, Essex, England in 1952 as part of United States Air Force Europe (USAFE). The first F-100s arrived in 1957. Triple Zilch was chosen by Col. Raymond Toliver, the commander of the 20th TFW because of its buzz number (FW-000). He began flying with the 55th TFS and this squadron emblem along with the 2 other 20th TFW squadrons 77th and 79th are displayed on his aircraft.
Specifications :
| Crew: | 1 |
| Dimensions: | |
| Length: | 50 ft (15.2 m) |
| Wingspan: | 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m) |
| Height: | 16 ft² 2¾ in (4.95 m) |
| Wing area: | 400 ft² (37 m²) |
| Weight: | |
| Empty weight: | 21,000 lb (9,500 kg) |
| Loaded weight: | 28,847 lb (13,085 kg) |
| Maximum take off weight: | 34,832 lb (15,800 kg) |
| Engine Performance: | |
| Powerplant: | 1× Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21/21A turbojet |
| Dry thrust: | 10,200 lbf (45 kN) |
| Thrust with afterburner: | 16,000 lbf (71 kN) |
| Aspect ratio: | 2 3.76 |
| Drag area: | 5.0 ft² (0.46 m²) |
| Zero-lift drag coefficient: | 0.0130 |
| Performance: | |
| Maximum speed: | 750 kn (864 mph, 1,390 km/h) |
| Range: | 1,733 NM (1,995 mi, 3,210 km) |
| Service ceiling: | 50,000 ft (15,000 m) |
| Rate of climb: | 22,400 ft/min (114 m/s) |
| Wing loading: | 72.1 lb/ft² (352 kg/m²) |
| Thrust/weight: | 0.55 |
| Lift-to-drag ratio: | 13.9 |
| Armament: | |
| Guns: | 4× 20 mm (0.787 in) M39 cannon |
| Missiles: | 4× AIM-9 Sidewinder Missiles or GAM-83 Bullpup Missile |
| Bombs: | 7,040 lb (3,190 kg) of weapons, including: |
| Conventional bombs or | |
| Mk. 7 nuclear bomb or | |
| Mk. 28 nuclear bomb or | |
| Mk. 38 nuclear bomb or | |
| Mk. 43 nuclear bomb or | |
| Mk. 57 nuclear bomb or | |
| Mk. 61 nuclear bomb | |
| Avionics: | Minneapolis-Honeywell MB-3 automatic pilot |
| AN/AJB-1B low-altitude bombing system |