F-100D (France)
| This page is about the jet fighter F-100D (France). For other versions, see F-100 (Family). |
.jpg)
Contents
Description
The French Air Force was the first non-US air force to receive the F-100 Super Sabre, starting in 1958. A total of 85 F-100Ds and 15 F-100Fs (total of 100 aircraft) were delivered to France and assigned to the NATO 4th Allied Tactical Air Force. More famously, the French F-100s were used on combat missions flying from bases in France against targets in Algeria. When France withdrew from NATO's military command structure in 1967, deployed F-100s were transferred to bases in France vacated by the USAF. The last unit using the F100 was the 4/11 Jura Squadron, based in Djibouti, which kept the F-100 until 1978.
The ▄F-100D Super Sabre was introduced in Update 1.93 "Shark Attack". At first glance it appears to be a direct copy of the F-100D found in the US tech tree, but looks can indeed be deceiving. The French F-100Ds were tuned more towards ground attack, lacking a majority of the air-to-air avionics found on the American one, and also downgraded for export, meaning it lacks the AIM-9Es as well as some of the more advanced air-to-ground ordnance (such as the AGM-12 Bullpup) found on the American F-100D. The French F-100D, thanks to its ground attack oriented role, does have one unique perk to it however: the large calibre Zuni rockets, since the American F-100D was not cleared to carry them. The aircraft is best played as a BnZ aircraft when in the air-to-air role, but acts best as CAS in mixed ground battles.
General info
Flight performance
The F-100 during its initial development was outfitted with the then de-rated Pratt & Whitney XJ57-P-7 engine and was still able to achieve faster than the speed of sound. By the time the F-100D rolled off of the production line they were outfitted with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57P-21. It is this engine which turns the fighter into a hot rod. The F-100D is much like a ground-based dragster in that it has acceleration, it has a high top speed and is a horrible turner.
The F-100D is aerodynamically fit with its sleek body and swept-back wings which coupled with its J57P-21 is a fantastic climber which continues to accelerate even without WEP engaged. This fighter will continue to accelerate in a flat run to the point of going over Mach 1 and even more quickly hits top speeds when in a dive. Climbing, diving and rolling are excellent capabilities of this fighter, however, this comes with having speed on your side as when flying slower, it has a more challenging time to manoeuvre without being a relatively easy target for others. The F-100D is not the greatest of turners even with leading-edge wing slats to help, manoeuvres like the Immelmann and Split-S are the most optimal when changing directions without attempting energy-bleeding manoeuvres like turning (unless that is what you are intending to do to cause an overshoot of someone following you).
Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilising the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.
Typically aircraft which pound ground targets fly slow to ensure they hit their targets with guns, rockets or bombs, however, the F-100D becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to with earlier aircraft. Terms like drop & run or fire & forget come into play as the F-100D descends towards a ground target at a good clip, dropping its bombs or firing its rockets and then boogieing out of the area to ensure the ground anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Some pilots like to watch and make sure their ordnance hits the target, however, this can cost you your jet when someone takes advantage of your inattentiveness and gets the drop on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the F-100D.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 1,419 | 1,412 | 14700 | 40.5 | 41.2 | 88.1 | 78.8 | 1,400 |
| Upgraded | 1,448 | 1,433 | 39.5 | 40.0 | 123.6 | 105.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1361 | 447 | 620 | 590 | 435 | ~11 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 640 | < 540 | < 610 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Pratt & Whitney J57P21 | 1 | 9,658 kg | 354 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 14m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 46m fuel | ||
| 2,361 kg | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet | 10,708 kg | 11,156 kg | 11,905 kg | 13,159 kg | 15,802 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 14m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 46m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 4,424 kgf | 5,823 kgf | 0.54 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 0.44 | 0.37 |
| Optimal | 4,424 kgf (0 km/h) |
8,364 kgf (1,200 km/h) |
0.78 | 0.75 | 0.70 | 0.64 | 0.53 |
Survivability and armour
For post-war fighter jets wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried. To keep up speed and maximize ordnance, something had to give and that came with pilot survivability. The idea is to be faster than the enemy which would make it really difficult for them to get a targeting solution on you. Though the F-100D does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.
The F-100D is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…) the wings are another critical component which you must protect as hits to the wings can make flying very difficult or send you to the respawn point. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk expositing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet, however, if there is a missile launch, take evasive action to avoid the missile and worry about the guns later.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
 |
|
|
|
Offensive armament
The F-100D (France) is armed with:
- 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)
Early fighter aircraft utilized the wings of aircraft to mount machine guns and cannons, which was very effective especially aircraft like the P-47 which could outfit four guns in each wing for a total of eight. The downside is that for these guns to be effective, they had to have a convergence set to a specific distance, bullet hits before that distance and after became less effective, the pilots needed to make sure to hit the sweet spot. For the F-100D, convergence is non-existent as all four of its M39A1 20 mm cannons are mounted on the underside of the fuselage, effectively able to decimate targets at extremely close range or snipe targets which maybe even 700 - 800 m, if not farther away, effectively almost any range (below 1000 m) is a sweet-spot for this fighter.
The cannons are air-cooled and rarely overheat, typically with the 200 round limit for each gun, the pilot should want to make each shot count and not just hold down the firing trigger and spray away. Another bonus to having all four cannons being the same type and calibre is that the bullets will have the same drop rate, so after getting used to how they work, it is much easier to estimate where to target moving vehicles to ensure a connection with the bullets. With the four cannons grouping so tightly, only a few rounds are needed to blow off an enemy aircraft's wing, eliminate a critical component (engine, compressor, fuel tank, pilot etc.) and even take out ground units to include up to light armoured vehicles.
Suspended armament
The F-100D (France) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| BLU-27/B incendiary bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | |||
| Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets | 4 | 4 | |||||
| AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles | 1, 2 | 1, 2 |
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
The F-100 truly shines when in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at Boom & Zoom tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 is a breeze to fly because of its all-flying tail and boosted controls. It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape. Best way to use the F-100D is to start climbing. 5,000 meters is usually a good altitude to climb to. Since you can out-climb most subsonic aircraft in the game, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.
Against the F-100's biggest foe, the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with. However, the MiG-19 accelerates faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.
Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.
Radars
The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.
| AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Tracking Range |
Minimum Tracking Range |
Azimuth Tracking Angle |
Elevation Tracking Angle |
| 2,750 m | 300 m | ±9° | ±9° |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent guns that have both high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, plenty of ammo (200 RPG), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
- Can carry FFAR Mighty Mouse unguided rockets
- Its air to air missiles(AIM-9B) have a longer reach than the missiles on the MiG-19PT
- Fast and out-accelerates both MiG-15 and MiG-17's
- Can also work as a bomber taking 4x 1000lb bombs/napalm
Cons:
- Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at slow speeds, and does absolutely not lend itself to traditional turning dogfights
- Suffers from severe lockup past the Mach 1 mark
- Bleeds a lot of energy when trying to turn around at high speed
- While fast, it still accelerates a lot slower than MiG-19PT
- Lacks many of the suspended armaments that the American F-100D has
History
The F-100 Super Sabre (or 45-Sabre) saw its first foreign service with the French Air Force. A total of 100 Super Sabres were ordered by the French, comprising 85 F-100Ds and 15 F-100Fs. The first of these aircraft arrived in May of 1958. At that time, France was a full member of NATO - as a result, most French Super Sabres were initially assigned to the 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, based in Germany. Following France's withdrawal from NATO, French Super Sabres were relocated to French air bases as Escadres (squadrons) No. 3 and No. 11.
The French-operated F-100s were the first F-100s to see service, as they were used for Close Air Support (CAS) during the war in Algeria. French F-100s eventually served until 1978, when they were replaced in the CAS role by the brand-new SEPECAT Jaguar. Thus, the Super Sabres were returned to the United States for storage and scrapping.
One model of the D type is conserved at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace museum, in the Paris Le Bourget airport.
Media
- Skins
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
References
- Baugher, J. (1999, November 27). F 100 Sabre with Foreign Air Forces. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f100_9.html
| North American Aviation | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| P-51A | P-51 · P-51A |
| P-51C | P-51C-10 |
| P-51D | P-51D-5 · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · P-51D-30 |
| P-51H | P-51H-5-NA |
| Twin-engine fighters | F-82E |
| Jet fighters | F-86A-5 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-35 · F-100D |
| Strike aircraft | A-36 · PBJ-1H · PBJ-1J |
| FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 | |
| Bombers | B-25J-1 · B-25J-20 |
| Export/Licence | ▂B-25J-30 · ␗B-25J-30 |
| ▄Mustang Mk IA · F-6C-10-NA · ␗P-51C-11-NT · ␗P-51D-20 · J26 David · J26 · P-51D-20-NA · ␗P-51K | |
| F-86F-30 ▅ · ␗F-86F-30 · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅ · ␗F-86F-40 | |
| ◄F-86K · ▄F-86K (Italy) · ▄F-86K (France) | |
| ␗F-100A · ▄F-100D · ␗F-100F | |
| Captured | ▅P-51C-11-NT |
| Canadair Limited license-built the F-86 as the CL-13 for use in Canada and export to Europe. | |
| Fiat license-built the F-86K for the Italian Air Force though another 120 NAA built F-86Ks were also sold to the Italians. | |
| See Also | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · Canadair Limited · Fiat Aviation |
| France jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | M.D.450B Ouragan · M.D.450B Barougan · M.D.452 IIA · M.D.452 IIC · Mystere IVA · Super Mystere B2 |
| ▄F-86K · ▄F-100D · ▄F-8E(FN) | |
| Mirage IIIC · Mirage IIIE · Milan · Mirage 5F · Mirage 2000C-S4 · Mirage 2000C-S5 · Mirage 2000-5F · Mirage 4000 | |
| Mirage F1C · Mirage F1C-200 · Mirage F1CT | |
| Strike aircraft | ▄F-84F · F-84F IAF · ▄F-84G-26-RE |
| Etendard IVM · Super Etendard · Alpha Jet E | |
| Jaguar A · Jaguar E · Mirage 2000D-R1 | |
| Bombers | S.O.4050 Vautour IIA · Vautour IIA IDF/AF · S.O.4050 Vautour IIB · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late) |
| Belgium | ▄Meteor F Mk.8 · ▄Mirage 5BA · ▄F-104G · ▄F-16A · ▄F-16AM |
| Netherlands | ◘Sea Hawk Mk.50 · ◘Hunter F.6 |
.png){kind=link}