North American F-100D Super Sabre – 113 Filo, Azmi GÜROL, Turkish Air Force 1971

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA2119: F-100D Super Sabre, 0-63390, of 113 Filo, Turkish Air Force based at Malatya Erhac on November 10, 1971. This was the date that the pilot First Lieutenant Azmi GÜROL ejected from his F-100 following a malfunction and explosion during a weapons sortie. Production run of only 350 models.

Length 7.75 inches Wingspan 6.5 inches

In the early 1950s Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) began receiving F-100 Super Sabres and in 1972 when the USAF phased out their F-100 Super Sabres from their active service a large number of aircraft went to ANG units, Denmark and Turkey. Over the years the Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) received approximately 206 F-100D and F variants. In 1974 the Turkish F-100s saw heavy use during the conflict between Turkey and Greece over the ownership of Cyprus. The last Turkish F-100D was retired in 1982. This F-100D is ex-USAF 401ST TFW, # 56-3390 / 0-63390

The “D” variant was the ultimate version of the F-100 with 1,274 aircraft being produced. The production of the F-100 ended in August 1959. The F-100D arrived in Southeast Asia in 1962 with its primary mission being close air support and ground attack within South Vietnam. This role was eventually taken over by the A-7 Corsair II. The aircraft became affectionately known as “The Hun”, short for “one HUNdred”. The last F-100 left Vietnam in July 1971 but not before 242 of these aircraft was lost. The “Hun” was eventually replaced by the F-4 Phantom II and the F-105 Thunderchief.