North American F-100D Super Sabre
In 1951, North American proposed to the USAF a supersonic fighter based roughly on the F-86 Sabre. The USAF ordered two prototypes, designated YF-100 Super Sabre--the first of the legendary "Century Series" of American fighters. The prototypes first flew in 1953, ahead of schedule, and performance was as advertised--the YF-100 became the first fighter to achieve supersonic speed in level flight. (At least the first Western fighter--the Soviet Sukhoi Su-7 made the same achievement about the same time.) The USAF ordered it into production as the F-100A in 1954.
Almost immediately, however, the F-100 ran into problems. It was very unstable, subject to sudden rolls and stalls, especially at low speeds. This became known as the "Sabre Dance," and was so prevalent that it led to the premature retirement of the F-100A only three years after it became operational. Modifications were made, primarily a larger tail, and this cured much of the instability issues. It resulted in the much improved F-100C/D series, the latter intended for the tactical fighter-bomber role.
Because of their high speed, cannon armament and wide variety of underwing stores, F-100C/Ds were some of the earliest fighters committed to the Vietnam War. These were used almost always over South Vietnam to support ground troops, though in the first months of Operation Rolling Thunder, they were used over the North as well. A F-100D was credited with the first aerial kill of the Vietnam War in 1965, but they were withdrawn south as North Vietnamese defenses became more advanced. F-100s proved superb in the support role, and were popular with their crews, though the nickname "Hun"--short for One Hundred--could also be attributed to its still-squirrely flying characteristics.
By the end of the Vietnam War, most F-100s were relegated to Air National Guard units (a number of F-100-equipped ANG units served in Vietnam), where they would finally be phased out in 1979. Denmark, France, Turkey, and Taiwan would also use F-100s, with the last leaving Danish service in 1982 in favor of the F-16. Many remain in museums, and a few are flyable.
Usually finding information about F-100s is fairly easy, but 55-3503 has proven to be very elusive. Not much can be found about this aircraft online, but what can be found is rather interesting. In 1965, as the Vietnam War began to intensify, the USAF commissioned Project Pave Arrow--some of the research into precision-guided weapons. To test the feasibility of laser-guided bombs, four F-100Ds and two O-2A Skymasters were seconded to Pave Arrow. The F-100s carried M117 bombs equipped with laser seekers, while the observer in the O-2 used a water-cooled laser to mark the target.
Pave Arrow was less than successful--the lasers kept getting fogged up over the humid Florida ranges--but it was an important step forward in the development of precision weapons, and later experiments would solve the problems with the laser. 55-3503 was one of the F-100s that served with Pave Arrow. It may have been retired soon after that, or may have been sent to Vietnam; again, very little information exists about this aircraft.
55-3503 was almost certainly retired in the early 1970s, and eventually ended up at the Pueblo Weisbrod Museum. It was painted as a Thunderbird aircraft and kept inside, but was repainted in Southeast Asia camouflage as an aircraft of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang, South Vietnam (which 55-3503 may have served with). A PACAF badge is carried on the upper tail. Many F-100s on public display have their pitot booms removed (to avoid tourists and photographers like me from impaling themselves), but 55-3503 still has its boom, though it's folded up.
North American F-100D Super Sabre
In 1951, North American proposed to the USAF a supersonic fighter based roughly on the F-86 Sabre. The USAF ordered two prototypes, designated YF-100 Super Sabre--the first of the legendary "Century Series" of American fighters. The prototypes first flew in 1953, ahead of schedule, and performance was as advertised--the YF-100 became the first fighter to achieve supersonic speed in level flight. (At least the first Western fighter--the Soviet Sukhoi Su-7 made the same achievement about the same time.) The USAF ordered it into production as the F-100A in 1954.
Almost immediately, however, the F-100 ran into problems. It was very unstable, subject to sudden rolls and stalls, especially at low speeds. This became known as the "Sabre Dance," and was so prevalent that it led to the premature retirement of the F-100A only three years after it became operational. Modifications were made, primarily a larger tail, and this cured much of the instability issues. It resulted in the much improved F-100C/D series, the latter intended for the tactical fighter-bomber role.
Because of their high speed, cannon armament and wide variety of underwing stores, F-100C/Ds were some of the earliest fighters committed to the Vietnam War. These were used almost always over South Vietnam to support ground troops, though in the first months of Operation Rolling Thunder, they were used over the North as well. A F-100D was credited with the first aerial kill of the Vietnam War in 1965, but they were withdrawn south as North Vietnamese defenses became more advanced. F-100s proved superb in the support role, and were popular with their crews, though the nickname "Hun"--short for One Hundred--could also be attributed to its still-squirrely flying characteristics.
By the end of the Vietnam War, most F-100s were relegated to Air National Guard units (a number of F-100-equipped ANG units served in Vietnam), where they would finally be phased out in 1979. Denmark, France, Turkey, and Taiwan would also use F-100s, with the last leaving Danish service in 1982 in favor of the F-16. Many remain in museums, and a few are flyable.
Usually finding information about F-100s is fairly easy, but 55-3503 has proven to be very elusive. Not much can be found about this aircraft online, but what can be found is rather interesting. In 1965, as the Vietnam War began to intensify, the USAF commissioned Project Pave Arrow--some of the research into precision-guided weapons. To test the feasibility of laser-guided bombs, four F-100Ds and two O-2A Skymasters were seconded to Pave Arrow. The F-100s carried M117 bombs equipped with laser seekers, while the observer in the O-2 used a water-cooled laser to mark the target.
Pave Arrow was less than successful--the lasers kept getting fogged up over the humid Florida ranges--but it was an important step forward in the development of precision weapons, and later experiments would solve the problems with the laser. 55-3503 was one of the F-100s that served with Pave Arrow. It may have been retired soon after that, or may have been sent to Vietnam; again, very little information exists about this aircraft.
55-3503 was almost certainly retired in the early 1970s, and eventually ended up at the Pueblo Weisbrod Museum. It was painted as a Thunderbird aircraft and kept inside, but was repainted in Southeast Asia camouflage as an aircraft of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang, South Vietnam (which 55-3503 may have served with). A PACAF badge is carried on the upper tail. Many F-100s on public display have their pitot booms removed (to avoid tourists and photographers like me from impaling themselves), but 55-3503 still has its boom, though it's folded up.