The F-100 Units of Usafe

"This book is not only an excellent read, but also a necessary one for anyone interested in military aviation during the Cold War. Gordon skillfully places the F-100 within the context of the global situation during the Cold War, highlighting its crucial role and the perilous proximity to mass destruction." - The Journal of the Air Force Historical FoundationThe North American F-100 Super Sabre served with the United States Air Forces in Europe for a total of sixteen years at the height of the Cold War. The primary mission of the USAFE units that flew the 'Hun' was the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons on targets in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The nuclear mission was practiced on the gunnery ranges of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and North Africa. The pilots, called bomb commanders, sat alert all over Europe to take off at a moment's notice and fly alone into the heart of enemy territory carrying just one atomic bomb often more powerful than those dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War. These dedicated pilots acknowledged that many of their targets were situated so far away that there would be no prospect of return to their home base and their families and friends. The secondary mission of the USAFE F-100 units was to prepare for conventional war. Illustrated with over 275 images, Gordon's detailed analysis of the F-100 Super Sabre units' role in the USAFE is vital for all readers interested in the history of this significant aircraft.