I have been looking at F-105 Thunderchief stuff, It is the mutha of the Century Jet Fighters, I would like to know more about its capabilities, Cockpit Controls etc.

Would it still be effective today?

Thunderchief was one of most famous aircraft during Vietnam war that were flown by USAF pilots... These pilots of THUD (F-105 have more than one name) have faced one of most dangerous mission in whole world during Vietnam war. Because of no thank to politics horrible jobs of handing Vietnam war, our aircraft had to use the same air route over Vietnam repeatedly toward targets on ground, instead of the way we do now, flying from different locations in guerrilla war.

However, back to Thud, these jets were very powerful, VERY FAST, carried so heavy weapon loading like F-4 Phantom and often took so many of pounding from AAA (Anti-aircraft artillery) while being shot repeatly by SAM (Surface to Air Missiles) and Thud have done many of jobs. But at the same time, we lost so many of pilots, again, no thank to poltiic.

Even F-105 also was a very powerful fighters and they have shot down several very higly agile MiGs that were flown by north vietnam pilots.

Can you image how it would feel, when you scream toward target at the speed of sound at sky being filled with flak and cannons (from AAA) shells and enemy SAM everywhere? You had to keep going faster and faster, bomb away then evade hard, and every small mistakes you make would cost your life. F-105 pilots have been through through these many times and I have huge respect for these.

Thunderchief was one of great aircraft during old day of vietnam war, but it is no longre an efficient fighter/attack aircraft during modern time anymore, but they will never be forgotten, just like F-4 Phantom II was one of greatest fighter in entire invertory of US Air force and Navy during old times.

However, I will go and seek for good stories and informations about F-105 for you to read.


Chaoic out...

[edit on 9-9-2006 by Chaoic_Black_Dragon]

Sorry for double posts, it was accident. Can anyone please erase this post.


Chaoic out...

[edit on 9-9-2006 by Chaoic_Black_Dragon]

Someone said that Thunderchief was a bad fighter, but as what I known, if F-105 drop the bombs it carried, then no mig fighter could shoot it.

Originally posted by emile
Someone said that Thunderchief was a bad fighter, but as what I known, if F-105 drop the bombs it carried, then no mig fighter could shoot it.

They must have not studied enough about F-105 Thunderchief. But yes it is true that F-105 lacks the abilties to turn into tight turning radius like any of pure fighters aircraft do, but have you not seen the records of THUD pilots that have shot down MiGs ni vietnam war? That is because pilots were very discplined and were well trained to face any kind of situations.

However, even it carries bomb, it is hell FAST aircraft, MiG-17s would often have very diffcult time trying to catch these fast bastards. But at the same time, if F-105 were chased by MiG-21s, thats different story, thats what air covers such as F-4C/D/E are for...

However, F-105 was damn good aircrafts that came in while carrying massive bombs loads while defending herself against any of enemy fighters.


Chaoic out...

The book Pack 6 written by a Thud pilot put it best. If you wanted to take a bridge out with an F-105, simply taxi it onto the bridge and raise the landing gear, and it would squat there forever, blocking the way. As for it being effective today, no. It's too old, and there are too many newer fighters that could catch it and gun it down. They were tough birds, but the times have changed too much for them.

I suppose they are but planes like the F-105 Thud and F-4 Phantom today would only be good as 'Bomb Trucks', Jammers/Tankers etc. I guess they would be a good bomber force being able to carry loads of bombs and having the agility and speed of a fighter.

The F-105 and the F-4 are a bit like each other, Just that the Thud had NUCLEAR capability

Maybe i would keep them for that role when all the B-52s get shot down.

Does AMARC have any airworthy F-105s out there? Do some still fly for airshows?.

Emile, its not that it was a bad fighter. It just wasn't a fighter at all (except when the situation demanded it had to be). The F-105 was a ground attack aircraft *with an internal bomb bay*. It was great, it was not, however, a fighter.

Originally posted by waynos
Emile, its not that it was a bad fighter. It just wasn't a fighter at all (except when the situation demanded it had to be). The F-105 was a ground attack aircraft *with an internal bomb bay*. It was great, it was not, however, a fighter.

Sounds like peoples opinion on the F/A-18.

Originally posted by Browno
The F-105 and the F-4 are a bit like each other, Just that the Thud had NUCLEAR capability

The F-4 was also capable of carrying nukes, the B-61 (AKA the silver bullett). The B-61 was designed to fit on small tactical aircraft.

Originally posted by emile
Someone said that Thunderchief was a bad fighter, but as what I known, if F-105 drop the bombs it carried, then no mig fighter could shoot it.

The combat record of the F-105



Air victories : 32


4.04.1965 F-105D (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
14.10.1965 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
29.06.1966 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
18.08.1966 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
21.09.1966 F-105D (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
4.12.1966 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
10.03.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
26.03.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
19.04.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 5 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
28.04.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
30.04.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
12.05.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
13.05.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 5 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
3.06.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
23.08.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
18.10.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
27.10.1967 F-105D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)
19.12.1967 F-105F (USAF) - 2 x MiG-17 (Vietnam)



Losses in air to air combat : 34


4.04.1065 J-4 (Vietnam) - 2 x F-105D (USAF)
14.10.1965 J-4 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
23.04.1965 J-5 (Vietnam) - 2 x F-105D (USAF)
24.04.1965 J-5 (Vietnam) - 2 x F-105D (USAF)
7.06.1966 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
29.06.1966 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
7.07.1966 MiG-21F-13 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
11.07.1966 MiG-21F-13 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
19.07.1966 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
17.08.1966 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105F (USAF)
5.12.1966 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
14.12.1966 MiG-21F-13 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
19.04.1967 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105F (USAF)
25.04.1967 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
28.04.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
30.04.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 3 x F-105D (USAF)
12.05.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105F (USAF)
23.08.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
7.10.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105F (USAF)
9.10.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
25.10.1967 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
18.11.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
- 1 x F-105F (USAF)
20.11.1967 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
17.12.1967 MiG-21PF (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
3.01.1968 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
5.01.1968 MiG-17 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105F (USAF)
4.02.1968 MiG-21PF (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105D (USAF)
11.05.1972 MiG-21 (Vietnam) - 1 x F-105G (USAF)

Browno, check out "Stranger to the Ground" by Richard Bach. Bach was a Thud pilot who went on to have a very successful writing career. His tale of one stormy night in the F105 is second to none, and as a pilot I feel his ability to capture the spirit and emotion of flight is as accurate as it gets. Reading "Stranger to the Ground" was like listening to the collective airman's soul sing its tale in beautiful and haunting poetry.

If you like it, check out Antoine StExupery and Ernest K. Gann. As for Bach, well, his claim to fame was "Jonathan Livingston Seagull....hard to believe it was written by a military man...