The Super Sabre was originally planned to be both a successor to the popular F-86 Sabre and to become the USAF's first operational supersonic fighter. When the 'A' model was rushed into service in 1954 there followed a series of fatal crashes that temporarily grounded the aircraft. Although the cause was quickly discovered and fixed, the Super Sabre suffered attendant production delays and did not remain in front-line service for long. Most of the type was relegated to National Guard service or sold overseas before the end of the decade. The 'D' model was a much more successful attempt to make use of the airframe, but this time as a supersonic fighter-bomber which entered service in 1956. The F-100D flew numerous fighter and bomber missions in the early part of the Vietnam War but was later replaced by newer types, most notably the F-4 Phantom and F-105 Thunderchief.
