Republic F-105D Thunderchief - Texas Air Museum, Slaton, TX - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a single-seat, single-engine, supersonic fighter-bomber used by the US Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US 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 F-100, 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. Following adaption, the F-105 could deliver a greater bomb load than the large strategic bombers of World War II like the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. The F-105 was one of the primary strike bombers of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost (nearly half of the 833 produced) including 62 operational losses. Although less agile than smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105's 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.

As the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, the F-105 weighed approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg). It could exceed the speed of sound at sea level and Mach 2 at high altitude, and 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 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".

Source: Wikipedia

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): F-105D Tail Number: (S/N): s/n 61-0093 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Slaton Municipal Airport, Slaton, TX inside / outside: outside Other Information:: http://www.thetexasairmuseum.org/ Access restrictions: None that I am aware of-I visited while the museum was closed.

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