After proving itself as airborne artillery in Southeast Asia, the aging F-100 fleet continued to fly with the Air National Guard for several more years, until the late 1970s. While the Monogram F-100D has been around since the 1980s, the ANG hasn’t been very well-represented by decal manufacturers until now.
Caracal
Models
has released the first of at least two sheets of ANG F-100s.
The first sheet includes decals for 10 jets:
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Connecticut ANG F-100D 55-3665
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Connecticut ANG F-100F 56-3769
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Georgia ANG F-100D 56-3093
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Georgia ANG F-100F 56-3752
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Indiana ANG F-100D 56-2979 ("City of Terre Haute"-last F-100 flight in
USAF)
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Indiana ANG F-100F 56-3795
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Missouri ANG F-100C 54-1755
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Missouri ANG F-100D 56-3327 (Ken “Stickshift” Waring’s jet)
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Missouri ANG F-100D 55-2877
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Missouri ANG F-100F 56-3742
Click on
images below to see larger images
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These
are very nicely-done decals, all representing camouflaged jets. Stencils
are included for one jet, and these are the most complete stencils you’ll find
for F-100s. They are accurate for ANG jets, but many won’t be used on
earlier Vietnam-era jets. At that time, stencils for camouflaged F-100s
were not standardized and varied quite a bit from jet to jet.
A
few modelers’ notes:
Many
F-100Ds and Fs serving in SEA were fitted with RHAWS radar warning gear.
They had a wider fuel tank vent fairing on the tail, teardrop-shaped
antenna fairing under the intake, and an azimuth display on top of the
instrument panel glare shield, in place of the two drop tank gauges.
Monogram’s F-100D represents a RHAWS jet, but doesn’t include the
antenna fairing for the nose, or the one that mounts to the back of the fuel
tank vent fairing. Trumpeter’s
F-100D and F represent a non-RHAWS jets. Of
the jets on this decal sheet, 56-3093 and 55-2877 were fitted with RHAWS, so
you’ll need the Monogram kit (which is by far the most accurate F-100 kit,
anyway.).
Decal
77 doesn’t appear in any photos I have of camouflaged F-100s, so you can leave
that one off of your model.
For
all of these jets, you’ll need to convert the kit drop tanks to the 335-gal
variety by inserting a 28” (scale) plug at the panel line at the leading edge
of the pylon. AMS Resin sells new
noses to convert the kits’ 275-gal tanks to 335s.
All of
these jets except for the F-100C had the F-102 afterburner nozzle.
If you have a Trumpeter F-100D or F,
you’ll have to rob one from their F-100C kit.
F-100D
56-3093 is known for having the word “ONE” burned into the right side (only)
of its aft fuselage. Contrary to
popular belief, it was not an ex-Thunderbirds jet.
It was once damaged and fitted with the aft fuselage from another jet.
The decals depict the jet before it was zapped by the 49th FIS
Green Eagles and a Canadian interceptor squadron, so it doesn’t have the
well-known nose art on the right side of the fuselage.
And
finally, the story of Ken Waring’s adventure with 56-3327 is detailed here:
http://www.arcair.com/Stories1/001-100/0001_F-100_ejection/story0001.htm
Overall,
this is an excellent, well-researched, and
much-needed set of ANG F-100 decals. I’m
very much looking forward to future releases from Kursad!
Disclaimer:
Review sample provided by Caracal
Models.
I provided some research materials for these decals.
Ben Brown
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