HISTORY

North American Aviation's F-100 Super Sabre was the first production aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. It was also the first USAF fighter to cost over $1 million per aircraft, and the first fighter to make in-flight refueling routine. The YF-100 made its first flight on 23 May 1954. The first production F-100As were delivered just six months later. The type was declared operational in September 1954.
While the F-100A was a day fighter, the F-100C (the F-100B became the F-107, which was not put into production) had an air-to-ground capability. The main production version, the F-100D was a dedicated fighter-bomber.
After a decade of service, the "Hun" as it was dubbed, saw its first combat in Southeast Asia. Working mostly south of the DMZ, Super Sabres proved to be rugged, reliable ground attack aircraft with a very high serviceability rate. The F-100F, a two-seater, flew as a "Wild Weasel" radar suppression aircraft and as a "Fast FAC" aircraft, directing air strikes. The Air Force Thunderbirds flew F-100's from 1956 to 1968.
By the early seventies most of the Huns had been turned over to Air National Guard units. In addition to its U.S. service, F-100's were used by France, Denmark, Turkey and the Republic of China.
After being withdrawn from service, many Super Sabres were converted to remote control target drones. The Museum's QF-100D is one such aircraft. It is a tribute to the aircraft's robust construction that, despite severe damage to the tail surfaces and the rear fuselage caused by a missile, the drone controller was able to make a successful landing.