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.

2019年11月29日 · A fast mover designed to carry a nuclear weapon, the F-105 Thunderchief became the Vietnam War’s most important conventional fighter-bomber.

2019年11月4日 · The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was an American fighter-bomber that earned fame during the Vietnam War. Entering service in 1958, the F-105 underwent a series of mechanical issues that led to the fleet being grounded on multiple occasions.

2019年6月22日 · After its long-delayed entry into USAF service, the Thunderchief, in its all-weather strike F-105D/F configuration, soon proved to be a capable weapon whose performance attracted recruits. Its stability, unbeatable low-altitude speed and impressive size were unprecedented for a fighter.

2010年7月28日 · Its bombload and range soon made the F-105 the Air Force’s primary fighter-bomber in Vietnam. Republic’s F-105 Thunderchief was developed as a supersonic close-air-support aircraft with a nuclear weapon delivery capability.

The F-105, nicknamed the "Thud," evolved from a 1951 project by to replace the F-84F fighter-bomber. The prototype first flew in October 1955, and Republic delivered the first production aircraft to the U.S. Air Force in 1958.

Although designed as a nuclear strike aircraft, the F-105 could carry a total of over 12,000 pounds of conventional ordnance -- a heavier bomb load than a World War II B-17. The F-105 was gradually replaced by the F-4 Phantom, and the USAF …

The F-105 was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing in at about 50,000 pounds. The Mach-2 capable F-105 conducted most of the strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet Nam War.

2023年11月28日 · In the first five years of the Vietnam War, the F-105 conducted 75 percent of Air Force bombing missions over North Vietnam. They were incredibly dangerous, yet Thud pilots were expected to ...