Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-100>HA2122

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 481st TFS Crusaders arrived at Tan Son Nhut on June 21, 1965 and began flying combat missions in South Vietnam the same day. The 481st TFS flew an average of 30 sorties a day and by November 27, 1965 when they left for home at Canon AFB they had flown 3,600 sorties and had a total of 5,025 combat flying hours. One of the 481st TFS F-100D was 56-3285 flown by 1st Lt Peter Vanderhoef and 1st Lt Jerry Sloame. The aircraft was named “Pretty Penny” after Sloame’s wife.

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