The F-100 series fighters had a very high accident rate. It was thought that the problem was a lack of pilot experience, so the U.S. Air Force requested that North American Aviation produce a two-seat trainer variant. A production F-100C-20-NA, 54-1966 (NAA serial number 217-151) was modified to the prototype tandem cockpit TF-100C. With test pilot Alvin Swauger White in the cockpit, the TF-100C made its first flight on 3 August 1956.¹
NAA test pilot Joel Robert (“Bob”) Baker was performing spin tests of the TF-100C north of Kramer Junction, northeast of Edwards Air Force Base in the high desert of southern California, 9 April 1957. The prototype went into an unrecoverable spin, losing parts of its tail surfaces. After the twelfth spin, Baker ejected, suffering minor injuries. 54-1966 crashed north of Edwards and was totally destroyed.
With the F-100D Super Sabre coming into operation, the Air Force ordered a training variant based on that configuration, designated F-100F. Unlike the TF-100C, the F-100F retained full combat capability. Between January 1958 and October 1959, 339 F-100Fs were manufactured at North American Aviation’s Los Angeles plant.
The two-place tandem cockpit required lengthening the fuselage of the F-100D. The F-100F is 52 feet, 6 inches (16.002 meters) long with the pitot boom folded, and 57 feet, 2 inches (17.424 meters) long with the pitot boom extended. (The F-100F is 3 feet, 2 inches (0.965 meters) longer than the F-100D with the boom folded, and 2 feet, 11 inches (0.889 meters), with the boom extended.) The wingspan and height remain the same, at 38 feet, 9 inches (11.811 meters) and 16 feet, 3 inches (4.953 meters). The gross weight of the F-100F increased 325 pounds (147 kilograms) over the F-100D to to 30,750 pounds (13,948 kilograms).
Two of the four 20 mm M39 single-barrel revolver cannons were deleted from the F-100F, but it retained the six hard points for underwing stores. The airplane could carry bombs, rockets or guided missiles, such as the AIM-9B Sidewinder or AGM-12B Bullpup. A “Special Store” (a Mark 7, Mark 28, Mark 43, or Mark 57 nuclear bomb) could be carried on the center hardpoint of the left wing. External fuel tanks with capacities ranging from 275 to 450 gallons (1,041–1,703 liters) could also be carried on the inner four hardpoints.
During the Vietnam War, six F-100F Super Sabers were modified as “Wild Weasels” to attack enemy surface-to-air missile sites, using both unguided rockets and the AGM-12B Bullpup guided missile. Several more F-100Fs, in the Wild Weasel I configuration, used radar-homing AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles to attack the missile sites.
F-100Fs were also used in Operation COMMANDO SABER as high speed forward air controllers to guide air attacks against the Hồ Chí Minh Trail. These operated under the call sign “Misty,” and are known as the Misty FACs.
With the approach on the North American Aviation X-15 hypersonic reearch rocketplane and Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar projects, an aircraft was needed to test the very steep approaches planned for these aerospacecraft. F-100F 56-3725 was modified to increase aerodynamic drag. The drag chute and afterburner were removed and a thrust reverser installed. The standard belly speed brake was replaced by a perforated one with approximately 3 times the area. With these modifications, the modified NF-100F could make its final approach at 230 miles per hour (370 kilometers per hour) instead of the normal 155 miles per hour (249 kilometers per hour).
NF-100F 56-3725 was later reconfigured to a DF-100F drone director.
¹ Some sources state 17 January 1955, and others, 24 January 1956.
© 2025, Bryan R. Swopes
