Republic F-105 Thunderchief

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was an American supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it was the only U.S. aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates. Originally designed as a single-seat, nuclear-attack aircraft, a two-seat Wild Weasel version was later developed for the specialized Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role against surface-to-air missile sites. The F-105 was commonly known as the "Thud" by its crews.

As a follow-on to the Mach 1 capable North American F-100 Super Sabre, the F-105 was also armed with missiles and a rotary cannon; however, its design was tailored to high-speed low-altitude penetration carrying a single nuclear weapon internally. First flown in 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. The single-engine F-105 could deliver a greater bomb load than some American heavy bombers of World War II such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses (out of the 833 produced). Although less agile than smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s were credited with 27.5 kills.

During the war, the single-seat F-105D was the primary aircraft delivering the heavy bomb loads against the various military targets. Meanwhile, the two-seat F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel variants became the first dedicated SEAD platforms, fighting against the Soviet-built S-75 Dvina (NATO reporting name: SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missiles. Two Wild Weasel pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for attacking North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile sites, with one shooting down two MiG-17s the same day. The dangerous missions often required them to be the "first in, last out", suppressing enemy air defenses while strike aircraft accomplished their missions and then left the area.

When the Thunderchief entered service it was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg). It could exceed the speed of sound at sea level and reach Mach 2 at high altitude; the F-105 could carry up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of bombs and missiles. The Thunderchief was later replaced as a strike aircraft over North Vietnam by both the McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the swing-wing General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. However, the "Wild Weasel" variants of the F-105 remained in service until 1984 after being replaced by the specialized F-4G "Wild Weasel V".

Variants

• YF-105A: Two pre-production prototypes with P&W J57 engine model.
• YF-105B: Four pre-production aircraft with P&W J75 engine.
• F-105B: Initial production model with AN/APN-105 navigational radar, 71 built.
• JF-105B: Test aircraft built from re-allocated RF-105B airframes; three built.
• RF-105B: Proposed reconnaissance version of the F-105B; none built. Three were ordered but completed as JF-105Bs.
• F-105C: Proposed dual-control trainer; canceled in 1957, none built.
• F-105D: The definitive production model, all-weather capability because of advanced avionics, including AN/APN-131 navigational radar; 610 built.
• RF-105D: Proposed reconnaissance version of the F-105D; none built.
• F-105E: Proposed trainer version of F-105D; cancelled in 1959, none completed.
• F-105F: Two-seat trainer version of F-105D with lengthened forward fuselage. It was fully combat-capable and had dual controls, taller fin, and increased takeoff weight; its first flight took place on 11 June 1963. A total of 143 were built. It featured the AN/APN-148 navigational radar.
• EF-105F: Initial designation for a Wild Weasel/SEAD version, 54 converted from F-105Fs.
• F-105G: Two-seat Wild Weasel/SEAD improved version of EF-105F conversions. The variant used the AN/APN-196 navigational radar.

Users

• United States
  • United States Air Force
    • United States Air Force Reserve
    • United States Air Force Thunderbirds
  • United States Air National Guard

See Also

• Blackburn Buccaneer
• Nanchang Q-5
• Sukhoi Su-7
• Sukhoi Su-17