Chunky but Sweet

At long last, this week the Air Force released pictures and a brief description of its F-100 "air superiority fighter," which has been the subject of well-informed gossip for more than a year. Named the Super-Sabre by its builder, North American Aviation Inc., it is described as "the U.S. Air Force's first operational jet fighter to exceed the speed of sound in level flight." This cautious wording is intended to head off protests from North American's competitors, especially Douglas Aircraft Co., whose F4D (built for the Navy, not the Air Force) is claimed to be supersonic too.

Radically different in appearance from its predecessor, the gracefully modeled Sabre, the F-ioo is a rather homely, chunky job. Most of its workhorse look comes from its wide tailpipe and the wide air intake in its nose, which give it a chopped-off look. The wings are swept back at 45DEG (the Sabre's sweepback: 35DEG), and the engine is a Pratt & Whitney J-57-7 turbojet, which delivers 10,000 Ibs. of thrust with afterburner (the Sabre's thrust: about 6,000 Ibs.).

The Super-Sabre's performance has been given only in round numbers. Its speed: "supersonic"; its operating radius: 560 nautical miles; its service ceiling: 50,000 ft. Besides fighting other fighters, it. can serve as a fighter-bomber. Structurally, the F-100 makes liberal use of titanium. It has an elaborate air-conditioning system to protect the pilot from the heat generated by high speed, and a drag-chute keeps it from running off small or slippery fields.

According to West Coast air gossip, the F-100 is a sweet plane to fly. One test pilot who was flying it for the first time radioed back to earth: "If I were ten years older, this plane would be a great substitute for sex." It exceeded the speed of sound on its first test flight. So far it has logged more than 100 hours of flight, and very few bugs have shown up. North American claims that it is eight months ahead of its schedule, and can go into full production in three more months.

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