Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-100>HA2105
F-100C "SuperSabre" Col. George Laven, USAF, 479th TFW Commander
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 479th Wing Commander Colonel George “Ravin” Laven Jr. selected a new F-100C for his personal aircraft. Its serial was 54-2076, the same last four digits of the P-38 he flew in 1942-43. In four years Colonel Laven logged over 2,000 hours and was the only military officer during that time to ever fly the aircraft. After several years the aircraft went to the New Mexico ANG who spent time in Vietnam. Upon returning to the US 2076 along with 91 other F-100Cs were sold to Turkey and flew until the early 1980’s.
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 |