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The successor to the famed F-86 Sabre, the F-100 Super Sabre
was the first U.S. production aircraft able to exceed the speed of sound in
level flight. The prototype YF-100 first flew on May 25, 1953 and was the first of six
USAF fighters in the "Century Series". These were jet fighters designed in the 1950s
with designations 100 and above.
The F-100A was a day fighter, the F-100C and D were fighter-bombers and the two-seat
F-100F served as a transition trainer.
The Colorado Air National Guard's 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew the F-100C, D and
two-seat F models from 1961 to 1974. In 1968, the CO ANG became the first Air National
Guard unit to be assigned combat duty in Vietnam where their F-100s flew 5,905
combat sorties. Two CO ANG members were lost in combat, Maj. Clyde Seiler and Capt.
Perry Jefferson. The 120th replaced the F-100 with the A-7D Corsair II in 1974.
Our F-100D
Oct 1957 31st FBW (TAC), Turner AFB, GA (including one deployment to Hahn, Germany).
Sep 1958 354th TFW (TAC), Myrtle Beach AFB, SC (including three deployments to Aviano AB,
Italy, one flown by Lt.Col. Paul Vogel, Colorado, in the 356th TFS).
Jun 1964 20th TFW (USAFE), RAF Wethersfield, England.
Aug 1965 3415th Maintenance and Supply Group (ATC), Lowry AFB, CO. Flown to Lowry AFB
by Capt. Bob Roger, USAFA Class of 1960.
Oct 1975 Transferred to Lowry Technical Training Center.
Mar 1976 Removed from USAF inventory.
1983-1984 Aircraft arrives at the Lowry Heritage Museum, Lowry AFB, Denver, CO.
Oct 1994 Lowry AFB is closed as part of the nationwide reduction in military spending,
causing consolidation of operations at fewer USAF bases.
Dec 1994 Aircraft is transferred to the new Wings Over The Rockies Air and Space Museum,
located in Hangar No. 1 on the former Lowry AFB. F-100D 56-3417 is currently on display.
Update: May 5, 2002
Lt. Col. Paul Vogel, USAF, Ret., who flew #417 in 1959 with the 356-TFS, died in an
aircraft accident, April 26th, 2002, while serving as a tow-plane pilot for USAF Academy
cadets and their gliders. He was a distinguished fighter pilot and served 25
years, 2 tours in Viet Nam, multi-decorations, including Bronze Star, Dist. Flying Cross,
Air Medal, and many more; he was 71 years of age.
Crew Chief, Lance Barber, has provided additional documentation on this aircraft:
Technical specs for Project High Wire
Restoration history |
Specifications
| Wingspan |
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38 feet, 9 inches |
| Length |
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54 feet, 2 inches |
| Height |
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16 feet, 2 inches |
| Weight |
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28,177 lbs. combat, 38,048 lbs. maximum |
| Powerplant |
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One Pratt & Whitney J57-P-21A providing
16,000 lbs. of thrust in afterburner |
| Speed |
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maximum — 864 mph at 36,000 feet
normal cruise — 565 mph |
| Ceiling |
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46,900 feet at combat weight |
| Crew |
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one pilot |
| Armament |
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Four M-39 20mm cannon plus over 7,000 lbs. of
weapons including nuclear or conventional bombs, rockets, four Sidewinder
air-to-air or two Bullpup air-to-ground missiles mounted on six wing pylons. |
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Photos
(Click thumbnail image for larger version)
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