1/72 Italeri F-100D

by Andreas Dollinger

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North American F-100D Super Sabre,
c/n 235-118,
353rd TFS, 354th TWF, USAF, 1958

The F-100 made it's first flight on 24.04.1953 at Edwards AFB in California. After some accidents, in which the aircraft broke apart in flight, all machines were grounded for changing  some details in the wing and the tail unit. The first aircraft of the D-version (54-2121), an improved version of the F-100C fighter-bomber, made it's first flight on 24.01.1956 piloted by Dan Darnell.  It's the most produced version with over 1200 built. Deliveries to the USAF started in September of ´56, the first unit which received the new fighter-bomber was the 405th FBW at Langley AFB, Virginia. The production ended at Inglewood in August of 1959 and at the Columbus plant it ended in December of 1957.

On six under-wing hard points could be carried normal bombs, nuclear bombs (like Mk 7, Mk 28 EX, Mk 28 RE, Mk 43, TX-43, and TX-43 X1), the  GAM-83A Bullpup air-to-surface missile, and also AIM-9B sidewinder. In addition, the size of the vertical tailfin and rudder were increased, plus the fin trailing edge featured a larger and wider square protrusion which carried an AN/APR-26 rearward radar warning antenna and the fuel jettison pipe. The standard nose-mounted AN/APR-25 gun tracking radar was retained.  The F-100D was equipped with a Minneapolis-Honeywell MB-3 automatic pilot. This device permitted the pilot to work with both hands on map reading or weapons arming while the F-100D flew itself to the target.

The F-100D was intended only to fulfill the fighter-bomber role and was not designed for an air superiority mission, but it also had the ability for this. Because of this, the F-100D was widely used in Vietnam. Several F-100 aircraft initially stationed in the Philippines were deployed to Thailand in May of 1962 to try and restrain the Pathet Lao which were busily overrunning most of northwestern Laos. F-100s began to be stationed in South Vietnam beginning in February of 1964. The first combat strike by the F-100D was flown on June 9, 1964 when eight F-100Ds of the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew strikes against targets in the Plaines des Jarres in Laos. The first recorded combat loss was an F-100D (56-3085), shot down on August 18, 1964 over Laos. By June of 1967, only five squadrons of F-100s remained at home in the USA, most of the rest having been transferred to Vietnam to fight in the rapidly-escalating war. Although it encountered some maintenance difficulties, the F-100D proved remarkably adaptable to rough-field operations in the tropical heat and rain of Southeast Asia. For a time, F-100s enjoyed the best maintenance record of any aircraft in the Vietnam combat zone. However, as a tactical bomber, the F-100D was inferior to the F-105 and the F-4. The F-105 could carry a larger bombload further and faster. In addition, the F-105 was built to take the extreme structural loads of low-level, high-speed flight, whereas the F-100 was not. Consequently, from mid-1965 onward, F-100D fighter bombers generally operated only in the South, leaving the North for the F-4 and the F-105.
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, the F-100s were gradually withdrawn from combat in Vietnam and replaced by more capable types such as the F-105 and the F-4. The last F-100Ds left Vietnam in July of 1971.

(taken from: Joe Baugher F-100D - and me :-)) )

 

Click on images below to see larger images


The Kit - first impression:

The kit consists of one  transparent sprue with the canopy and HUD and two sprues with the rest of the aircraft. The one-piece canopy is a negative point about this kit, not only because you could only make the canopy closed - it also has a prop where originally there wasn't one. Positive points are the remainder of the kit: Finely engraved panel lines and an excellent register accuracy make this a very pleasant build. The brake hose for the landing gear were not forgotten by Italeri. With the good Decals three machines can be represented: The F-100D of the USAF, 353rd TFS, TWF 1958 which I built. Further a machine of the E.C. 4/11 "JURA" of the French Air Force, as well as a Danish machine of 1961. 

Building:

The building did not produce any difficulties. Only the delta of the mounted automatic cannon at the lower surface did not fit at all into the trunk, which meant a fair bit of putty and sanding. All other parts fit marvelously. The air brake assembly at the underside can be represented open. The air intake could be deeper, which is why I covered this with black color.

Lacquer finish:
This machine should receive a metal finish. I used  6 colors altogether, which were mixed from 3 different colors. I used Model Master aluminum and silver and darkened them to get different shades with some black paint from Revell. The F-100 burned the lacquer finish around the afterburner regularly, and matural metal airplanes discoloured the metal darkly. I achieved this with some black by Revell. Some people like it - some people don't. I built the model for myself, and I like it. 

Decals:
The Decals are good to use, although they are a little too thick. Above all the large red Decal on the vertical stabilizer needs plenty of decal softener to help it conform to the tender outline of the tail unit.

General impression:
This is a very good kit at a reasonable price that makes any drawbacks in the kit or decals....more than tolerable. 

More information about the F-100 Super Sabre can be found at:
http://cybermodeler.com/f-100/hun.shtml
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f100_6.html

Andreas

To see more of Andreas' excellent models....go to http://modellbau.bw-flyer.de 

Photos and text © by Andreas Dollinger