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On the left is NACA High-Speed Flight Station’s North American F-100A (52-5778) Super Sabre with a modified vertical fin. On the right is an Air Force's North American F-100A (52-5773) with the original vertical fin configuration. 1955.

NACA added a larger vertical fin to the airplane in December 1954, adding 10 percent more surface area. Later North American installed an even larger fin, having 27 percent greater area, as well as wingtip extensions. The modifications solved the dangerous directional stability and roll coupling problems that the F-100 was experiencing. The F-100 series went on to a long and distinguished service life.