Zenith Press

F-100 Super Sabre At War

by  Thomas E Gardner

Reviewed By  Ed Kinney , IPMS# 2989

MSRP: $ 19.95 Catalog # 144273 ISBN: 0760328609 www.mbipublishing.com It's been said that timing is everything. Coming on the heels of Trumpeter's just-released F-100D in 1/32nd scale, timing in this case could not have been better, offering yet another reference source for the modeler. This book is published in soft cover; it contains 128 pages, 90 of which are in color, 20 black and white photos and 25 diagrams, some of which are taken from both flight and maintenance manuals. In point of fact, this book, while loaded with color photos, tends to focus more on the technical aspects of the "Hun". It begins with "The origin of the species"; covering the roots of the first U.S. aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. This bird also marked the beginning of the "century series" of fighter aircraft. Comparisons are found here to other aircraft of that era. Next is a brief synopsis of the features of the machine. In Section 3, (Flight Test) there is a plethora of performance data and flight characteristics including coverage of probably one of the most viewed films of the Super Sabre's tendency toward roll coupling (also referred to as the "Sabre Dance") that took the life of North American's test pilot, George Welsh. Moving on, the next chapter deals with the various models of the aircraft (A through F). Weapons and systems are covered next, which include numerous line drawings from the T.O. manuals. Also included is a chapter on the "Hun" in Foreign Service around the world, followed by coverage of the "F" models and their role as "Wild Weasels" in Southeast Asia. The final chapter is devoted to the offspring of the Super Sabre, the F-107, and is a most interesting read. Finally, in the appendix section, you'll find full aircraft specifications and dimensions along with an excellent set of aircraft line drawings in the modelers section. A breakdown of significant dates is also found here. In conclusion, if you're a fan of the Super Sabre, you'll want to add this publication to your personal library. In this writer's opinion, it's well worth the price just to have the drawings. Check out their website www.mbipublishing.com for other related subjects. Zenith Press, an imprint of MBI Publishing Company, encompasses combat memoirs; battle and unit histories; books on civil and military aviation, biographies of prominent military figures; titles on espionage and national security issues; books on military weapons and equipment; and titles on policing, firefighting and rescue.

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