F-100D Super Sabre Major Neil Eddins, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, 1967 (1:72)

The North American F-100 Super Sabre 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 F-100 suffered from landing gear and brake parachute failures, electrical problems, 500 of the 1,274 F- 100Ds that were built were lost mostly due to these failures.

Major Neil Eddins was slot man with the USAF Aerial Demonstration Team (Thunderbirds) based at Nellis AFB from April 1959 to April 1961. After several other assignments and a tour of Vietnam that saw him fly over 100 combat missions Eddins returned to the US to become commander and lead pilot for the Thunderbirds in January 1967. After many more assignments and military colleges Neil Eddins was promoted to Major General on August 1, 1981. He retired from the military in 1984 but not before having flown over 5,600 hours and accumulating the DSM, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, DFC with 14 oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal and Combat Readiness Medal.

Specifications North American Aviation (F-100D)

General characteristics
Crew: 1

Dimensions
Length: 50 ft (15.2 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
Height: 16 ft 2 in (4.95 m)
Wing area: 400 ft (37 m)

Weights
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)
Zero-lift drag coefficient:: 0.0130
Drag area: 5.0 ft (0.46 m)
Aspect ratio: 3.76

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/ft (352 kg/m)
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