F-100 Super Sabre

The Crowood Press from the UK has been busy publishing a wide range of historical titles that are of interest to aviation historians and modelers alike. This one is an obvious favorite of mine seeing that I am also the webmaster for the F-100 Super Sabre website. Anyone who has acquired a few books on the 'Hun' know that the name David Menard means that the book is going to be thorough. You've also seen many of his photos illustrating the titles of many Hun monographs.

The title covers the development and operational history of the aircraft, complete with an impressive array of photographs and illustrations. The center of the book contains eight pages full of color photography that would otherwise not convey the variety of unit color schemes that were worn by this aircraft.

The book covers F-100 operations in Vietnam as well as F-100 operators from the active duty USAF, the Air National Guard and several notable foreign air forces. The appendices cover the difference between F-100 versions, production serial numbers, F-100 units, F-100 combat losses, museum F-100s, and a listing of the F-100s that served as drones.

For the sake of completeness, here are some minor corrections that David Menard has identified that happen as part of the normal editing and publication process:

• p4 …in the USAF's twenty-eight F-100…
• p8 Everest not in the cockpit (AF officers do not use T-shirts as outer garments!) and it might not be Welch on the ladder either!
• p37 63361 from DWM collection whom Joe Vincent obtained a copy from
• p50 64003 not a -20, is a -15, a DWM oversight when proofing before final printing
• p57 Julius Caesar was on 7 Aug 59, a real mistake by DWM when proofing
• p58 Skyblazers: 36th flew F-84E, 86th flew F-84E, and 48th used F-84G one year, then F-86F
• p63 Mike Bilcik is a retired CMSGT, not a MSGT
• p85 The 613th left DaNang in late April 1965, relieved by the 615th who were there til mid June 1965. Still another DWM mistake when proofing.
• p153 F-107 did not have a clamshell canopy! It moved more like the F-84F one did.
• p154 F-107 not moved to Sheppard AFB TX to be burned, was done at Norton AFB CA.
• p158 The 21st TFW inactivated in June 1960 so the 416th and 531st answered directly to the 39th Air Division (along with the 4th FIS w/F-102As and 45 TRS w/ RF-101Cs) and were thus til the spring of 1964 when the two Hun units moved to England AFB LA to join the brand new 3rd TFW. The "old" 3rd was a B-57 equipped unit at Yokota AB Japan til the spring of 1964. This was overlooked from proofing.
• No photo proof that any unit of the 8th FBW/TFW ever flew any model of the F-84 but tons of shots of unit marked F-86Fs. Another DWM oversight.
• p159 4403rd TFW was at England AFB LA. An overlooked correction.
• p160 323rd was a FD Group, not a Wing (they were one of two groups under the 450th FDW with the other group the 450th) Still another DWM oversight.
• p156 NAVS listing has 55 and 56 models together, various block numbers
• p170 USAF Museum F-100C was 54-1753 (a/c now in Birmingham AL museum) and their F-100F is 56-3837.

This book is a must-have for the modeler and the historian alike! You can purchase this and any of the Crowood series from Motorbooks or from your favorite bookstore.

My sincere thanks to Motorbooks International for this review sample!