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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0850.PDF
866 Military Aircraft of the World . . . FLIGHT North American FJ-4B Fury. Below, McDonnell F4H-1. North American F-100 Super Sabre Originally designed as the firstsupersonic combat aircraft for the U.S.A.F., and a direct replacement for the versatile F-86 Sabre, the YF-100 flew in May 1953. The F-100Awas in full production three months later and several hundred were delivered between then and the end of 1954. Powered by a Pratt andWhitney J57-P-7, rated at 14,500 lb with afterburner, the F-100A has an armament of four M-39 20 mm guns and is employed as a day fighter. During 1955 and 1956 production centred upon the F-100C, withthe uprated P-21 engine and six underwing racks for various stores. Other improvements in this model include a probe for flight refuellingthe internal tanks and a later electronic system for bombing and other functions. The C was built at a rapid rate at both Los Angeles andColumbus, and perhaps a thousand are now in service with the U.S.A.F. in America, Alaska, Germany, North Africa, Japan, Spain, Saudi Arabiaand elsewhere. It can be zero-length launched, with a single large booster. It was succeeded by the F-100D, which, although retaining the fourM-39s, makes provision for a Minneapolis-Honeywell MB-3 autopilot and auto-fire-control system, thus relieving the pilot of responsibilityexcept that of basic monitoring of the mission. The D model has wing flaps, the earlier versions having inboard ailerons and no flaps. Anotherimprovement in the D is flight refuelling for internal and external tanks. This version also was made at Columbus. The only version now in production, and that only at Los Angeles,is the tandem-seat F-100F. Three feet longer than the single-seaters, the F has the same fuel and stores capacity, but carries only two guns.It is used as a trainer, fighter and attack machine. Like all F-lOOs in service it can be equipped as a tanker for Buddy refuelling, as shownin the illustration. F-100F: Span, 39ft; length, 50/r 6in; height, 16ft; gross weight, about33,000 Ib; max. speed, about 85P m.p.h.; range with full stores load, over 1,000 miles North American FJ Fury series The only versions of this Sabre-derivative in first-line service are those based on the FJ-3 and FJ-4, both of which are powered by the Wright J65 Sapphire. All FJs weredesigned and built at Columbus. Compared with earlier versions the FJ-4 has a new airframe, incor-porating techniques developed for the F-100, and it includes inboard aileron/flaps, a slab tail, a single-surface split rudder and provision forflight refuelling. The FJ-4B has multiple speed brakes, increased weapon versatility (including six stores, six Sidewinders and four 20 mmguns), a stronger airframe and a new three-axis control for low-altitude operations and toss-bombing nuclear weapons. This version has aWright J65-W-16A of 7,800 lb thrust. Tests are now in hand on the FJ-4F, boosted by a Rocketdyne AR-1 rocket motor (H.T.P./kerosine). FJ-4B: Span, 39ft lin; length, 36ft 4in; height, 13ft Win; gross weight,over 26,000 Ib; max. speed, over 600 kt; service ceiling, over 45,000/r. Northrop F-89 Scorpion Almost one thousand of these big all-weatherfighters have been delivered to the U.S.A.F., the last being completed at the end of 1957. Powered by two Allison J35 turbojets, rated at 7,500 Ibeach with afterburner, the current models differ chiefly in armament. They are : F-89C, early radar and six 20 mm guns; F-89D, Hughes fire-control, 104 folding-fin rockets; F-89H, six GAR-1/4 Falcon missiles and 42 rockets; F-89J, Hughes MG-12 system, 42 rockets, six GAR-1 /4and two MB-1 Genie nuclear rockets. The J model is being produced by converting earlier types. The F-89 has the lowest accident rate of anymodern jet fighter known to the U.S.A.F.: 23 major incidents per 100,000 hr. Span, 59/f 8m over tip nacelles; length, 53/t lOfn; gross weight,46,000 Ib; max. speed, 600 m.p.h. Northrop N-156F This private-venture project is a simple super-sonic long-range fighter derived from the T-38 trainer. Similarly powered by two J83 or J85 turbojets, giving an aggregate afterburningthrust of about 6,000 lb, the N-156F will be a single-seat aircraft with the following special features: blown flaps; air-load-operated slats;braking parachute; Teflon-surfaced skids supplementing the oversize tyres for operation from unprepared strips; and provision for rocket-boosted zero-length launching. Northrop are energetically promoting the aircraft, particularly to NATO and SEATO nations as an economicalmeans of obtaining flexible Mach 2 performance. Span, 26ft Sin with wing-tip missiles; length, 41ft l\in; height, 13ft;gross weight, 11,500 Ib; max. speed, designed for speeds in excess of Mach 2 (1,320 m.p.h.); max. range, 1,700 n.m. with external tanks. Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Powered by a Wright J65 Sapphireof some 7,200 lb thrust, the F-84F is widely used by the U.S.A.F. and many NATO air forces as a fighter /bomber with nuclear capability.It can be air refuelled, has an internal armament of six 0.50in guns and can carry 6,000 lb of stores. Span, 33ft 6in; length, 43ft 4in; gross weight, 25,000 Ib; max. speed,over 650 m.p.h. Republic F-10S Thunderchief Described by Gen. Otto P. Weyland,commander of the U.S.A.F. Tactical Air Command, as "the most power- ful one-man airplane in the world," the F-105 is being produced in "Buddy" refuelling by two North American F-100D Super Sabres.
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