The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War.

Whether it was the sound of 50,000 pounds of metal uncontrollably impacting the earth, or the light-hearted shortening of the name Howdy Doody’s Indian rival, Chief Thunderthud, the F-105 became known affectionately as the “Thud” by those who flew and maintained it.

Variants Service Dates 108 TFG: 141 TFS: McGuire AFB: Air Guard logo, w/white or black "NEW JERSEY" with AFOUA: F-105B: 1964–1981 113 TFG: 121 TFS: Andrews AFB: Thin blue strip w/white borders and "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA" and 121st TFS logo below cockpit: ... List of F-105 units of the United States Air Force.

F-105G - Two-seat Wild Weasel SEAD version, 61 converted from EF-105F and F-105F. This site deals with various technical aspects of Vietname-Era aviation, primarily the aircraft.

Mar 7, 2024 · The F-105 program featured a slew of variants based on customer requirements. From prototype and test models to production and training models, there were 13 different variants. The all-weather model (F-105D) was the most successful because of its advanced avionics and AN/APN-131 navigational radar.

Oct 3, 2023 · Notable series variants as part of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief family line. YF-105A - Initial prototypes of which two produced; Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 turbojet of 15,000lb thrust. YF-105B - Second prototype of which four produced; J75-P-3 powerplant of 16,470lb thrust; becoming F-105B production models.

Several variants of the F-105 Thunderchief were produced during its service life, including the F-105B, F-105D, and F-105F. The F-105B was the initial production model, while the F-105D was an improved version with a more powerful engine and advanced avionics.

During the war, the two-seat F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel variants became the first dedicated Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) platforms, fighting against the Soviet-built S-75 Dvina (SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missiles.

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.

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 …