F-100 vs. MiG-19

I know it’s not exactly modern, this comparison is something I’ve always thought was rather interesting. Both aircraft are widely known as being hte first fighters able to go supersonic in level flight in their respective countries of origin. Both were designed as day only fighters, and evolved into a multitude of variants performing different roles (the MiG-19 obviously having a far larger number of versions not even counting the Chinese J-6 clones). On paper, the MiG-19 is the faster of the too although not by too much, and it also has a better TWR so it is slightly more agile, although the F-100 was never a slouch and was a fairly good dogfighter until airplanes like the MiG-21 completely outclassed it. The F-100 has a much greater range than the comparatively short-legged MiG-19, and it also has a much wider variety of weapons options with its air-to-ground capabilities being much better than that of the MiG. Not only could it carry a huge array of unguided bombs and cluster bombs, but rocket pods of various sizes, external fuel tanks, nuclear weapons, and guided air-to-ground missiles (namely the Bullpup, and of course the Shrike on the F-100F Wild Weasel I aircraft). Both have a heavy set of internal weapons with the MiG-19 boasting three 30-mm cannons and the F-100 having a quartet of the highly effective M-39 20-mm cannons. The F-100 could also carry a quartet of AIM-9 Sidewinders, which was by far the best of all early air-to-air missiles. The MiG-19 to my knowledge could only carry AAM’s in the radar-equipped (resulting in loss of the guns I believe) MiG-19PM version which carried four AA-1 Alkali beam-riding missiles which were never very effective. By the same token, the AGM-12 Bullpup of the F-100 was never the weapon it was supposed to be, and so most of the time F-100’s operated with unguided bombs and rockets for their close air support work. The two-seaters could also be used for Fast-FAC duties.

In short I think the MiG-19 is probably the better interceptor, although as I mentioned it’s AAM selection wasn’t very good and the AA-1 was certainly not a dogfighting weapon, while the AIM-9’s on the F-100 were relatively decent in a dogfight, especially compared to the AA-1.

So while the Farmer is certainly a better air-to-air performer, I think the F-100 is the more versatile aircraft (interception, close air support, ground attack, Fast-FAC, SEAD, and recce in the RF-100A). It can carry a much wider array of A/G weapons than the MiG.

Interestingly enough I don’t think the F-100 and the MiG-19 (in its J-6 form) ever actually met one another in the skies over North Vietnam. The MiG-19 did score some kills against more modern USAF and USN fighters, but since most of the F-100 operations stayed down south I don’t think they met. The F-100 only has one air-to-air kill during the entire Vietnam War which was a MiG-17, which reflects the entrance of the F-4 and F-105 into the conflict.

On a side note I think that both the MiG-19 and F-100 are two of the most graceful fighters of the Cold War. A shame they are so very rare now. I believe there is one flyable F-100F on the air show circuit, but sadly I don’t think the same can be said of the MiG-19. (Not counting the J-6 which might be in limited service somewhere.)

What do you guys think of this classic Cold War matchup?