North American F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre (nicknamed The Hun) was the first of the Century series of fighters developed by America during the Cold War.
First flown in May 1953 it had a fairly short life as a fighter, but went on to serve as a fighter bomber, tactical nuclear bomber, defence suppression aircraft (also known as Wild Weasel) and, finally, as a target tug with the last flight in 2001. One of its more glamorous roles was to be used by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds display team.
It saw active service in Vietnam and was also used by the air forces of Denmark, France, Nationalist China and Turkey. Approximately 2300 of all marks were built.
The museum’s aircraft, 54-2163, was built in 1954 as a ‘D’ model. It was used by the Americans before being delivered as a lend-lease aircraft to France during 1958. During this time it was assigned to NATO’s 4th Tactical Airforce in Germany as a nuclear strike aircraft. When France left NATO in 1967, it was withdrawn to France for use as a conventional fighter bomber.
It was returned to American control and flown into RAF Sculthorpe in May 1977, which, at that time, was a USAF base. This also turned out to be its last flight. It was passed to the Museum in 1978 and was repainted in the markings it wears today to represent an aircraft that actually flew in Vietnam.
The Super Sabre can be found outside next to the Control Tower.
