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Description
Acree and O’Donnell testing the AGM-78 over the White Sands Missile Range in October 1967. O’Donnell was a seasoned EWO, having flown fifty-three combat missions in Wild Weasel I. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was a 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 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 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 Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (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.
The Thunderchief 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" .

Role: Fighter-bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: 22 October 1955
Introduction: 27 May 1958
Retired: 25 February 1984
Primary user: United States Air Force
Produced: 1955–1964
Number built: 833
Unit cost: US$2.14 million (F-105D, in 1960 dollars)

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

General characteristics
Crew: 1 (2 for F-105C/E/F/G variants)
Payload : 14,000 lb (6,700 kg) of weapons
Length: 64 ft 4.75 in (19.63 m)
Wingspan : 34 ft 11.25 in (10.65 m)
Height: 19 ft 8 in (5.99 m)
Wing area: 385 ft² (35.76 m²)
Airfoil : NACA 65A005.5 root, NACA 65A003.7 tip
Empty weight : 27,500 lb (12,470 kg)
Loaded weight: 35,637 lb (16,165 kg)
Max. takeoff weight : 52,546 lb (23,834 kg)
Powerplant : 1 × Pratt & Whitney J75 -P-19W afterburning turbojet
Dry thrust: 14,300 Ibf (63,74kN)
Thrust with afterburner : 24,500 Ibf (109 kN)
Zero-lift drag coefficient : 0.0173
Drag area: 6.65 ft² (0.62 m²)
Aspect ratio : 3.16
Performance
Maximum speed : Mach 2.08 (1,372 mph, 2,208 km/h) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
Combat radius : 780 mi (680 nmi, 1,250 km)
Ferry range : 2,210 mi (1,920 nmi, 3,550 km)
Service ceiling : 48,500 ft (14,800 m)
Rate of climb : 38,500 ft/min (195 m/s)
Wing loading : 93 lb/ft² (452 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight : 0.74
Lift-to-drag ratio : 10.4
Time to altitude: 1.7 min to 35,000 ft (11,000 m)
Armament
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon , 1,028 rounds
Hardpoints : 5 total: 4× under-wing, 1× centerline pylon stations plus an internal bomb bay with a capacity of Up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of ordnance, including conventional and nuclear bombs, and AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-12 Bullpup missiles.
Avionics
NASARR R-14A radar
AN/ASG-19 Thunderstick fire control system
AN/ARN-85 LORAN (AN/ARN-92 in Thunderstick II-modified aircraft)

Other Images of this aircraft:

Documentaries on this aircraft:
Wings: Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Great Planes: The Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Search & Destroy - The Wild Weasel Strike Force

Be sure to follow me on Dailymotion !

Description
Acree and O’Donnell testing the AGM-78 over the White Sands Missile Range in October 1967. O’Donnell was a seasoned EWO, having flown fifty-three combat missions in Wild Weasel I. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was a 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 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 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 Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (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.
The Thunderchief 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" .

Role: Fighter-bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: 22 October 1955
Introduction: 27 May 1958
Retired: 25 February 1984
Primary user: United States Air Force
Produced: 1955–1964
Number built: 833
Unit cost: US$2.14 million (F-105D, in 1960 dollars)

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

General characteristics
Crew: 1 (2 for F-105C/E/F/G variants)
Payload : 14,000 lb (6,700 kg) of weapons
Length: 64 ft 4.75 in (19.63 m)
Wingspan : 34 ft 11.25 in (10.65 m)
Height: 19 ft 8 in (5.99 m)
Wing area: 385 ft² (35.76 m²)
Airfoil : NACA 65A005.5 root, NACA 65A003.7 tip
Empty weight : 27,500 lb (12,470 kg)
Loaded weight: 35,637 lb (16,165 kg)
Max. takeoff weight : 52,546 lb (23,834 kg)
Powerplant : 1 × Pratt & Whitney J75 -P-19W afterburning turbojet
Dry thrust: 14,300 Ibf (63,74kN)
Thrust with afterburner : 24,500 Ibf (109 kN)
Zero-lift drag coefficient : 0.0173
Drag area: 6.65 ft² (0.62 m²)
Aspect ratio : 3.16
Performance
Maximum speed : Mach 2.08 (1,372 mph, 2,208 km/h) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
Combat radius : 780 mi (680 nmi, 1,250 km)
Ferry range : 2,210 mi (1,920 nmi, 3,550 km)
Service ceiling : 48,500 ft (14,800 m)
Rate of climb : 38,500 ft/min (195 m/s)
Wing loading : 93 lb/ft² (452 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight : 0.74
Lift-to-drag ratio : 10.4
Time to altitude: 1.7 min to 35,000 ft (11,000 m)
Armament
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon , 1,028 rounds
Hardpoints : 5 total: 4× under-wing, 1× centerline pylon stations plus an internal bomb bay with a capacity of Up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of ordnance, including conventional and nuclear bombs, and AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-12 Bullpup missiles.
Avionics
NASARR R-14A radar
AN/ASG-19 Thunderstick fire control system
AN/ARN-85 LORAN (AN/ARN-92 in Thunderstick II-modified aircraft)

Other Images of this aircraft:

Documentaries on this aircraft:
Wings: Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Great Planes: The Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Search & Destroy - The Wild Weasel Strike Force

Be sure to follow me on Dailymotion !