Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-105>HA2552
F-105G Thunderchief 63-8336, 17tgh WWS/388 TFW, Korat RTAB, 1973
General Background
The F-105 earned the nickname Thud after the character Chief Thunderthud on the Howdy
Doody TV show. The main mission of the F-105G was the detection and destruction of North
Vietnamese SAMs that would then allow other aircraft to safely carry out their assignments. In
order for the F-105Gs to do this they were always “First In Last Out” and piloted by volunteers.
The F-105 was the only U.S. aircraft withdrawn from combat due to high losses. Having flown
20,000 sorties over Vietnam 382 of the 833 F-105s produced were lost.
The Aircraft
In 1964 F-105F 63-8336 was delivered to the 23rd TFW as a two-seat combat capable trainer. In 1971 63-8336 underwent extensive modifications to convert it to an F-105G Surface-To-Air Missile (SAM) suppression attack aircraft known as “Wild Weasel”. They were equipped with sensors that could detect enemy radar signals once they were turned on, electronic jamming equipment and anti-radar missiles that could be launched to eliminate the SAM radar causing the missile to lose guidance. F-105G named “Patience” and Buzzard artwork refers to a cartoon of the day.
Specifications :
| Manufacturer: | Republic Aviation |
| Number Produced: | 65 |
| Year Of Conversion From F-105F: | 1970 |
| Year Of Last Flight | 1983 |
| Crew: | 2 X (1 Pilot / 1X Navigator - Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) |
| Role: | Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions |
| Powerplant: | 1 X P7W J75-P-19W After-Burning Turbojet With Water Injection Producing 26,500 |
| Pounds Of Thrust | |
| Maximum Speed: | 1,372 mph (2,208 km/h) @36,090 ft (11,000 m) |
| Service Ceiling: | 48,500 ft (14,782.8 m) |
| Maximum Range: | 1,493 miles (2,403 km) |
| Fuel: | 450 US Gallon Tank Under Starboard Wing |
| 650 US Gallon Tank On Center-Line | |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 67 ft (20.4 m) |
| Wing Span: | 34 ft 11 in (10.6 m). |
| Height: | 20 ft 1 in (6.1 m) |
| Gun: | Nose Mounted 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan Cannon |
| Missiles: | AGM-78A Standard Anti-Radiation Missile - Range 75 miles |
| AGM-45A Shrike Anti-Radiation Missile - Range 10 miles | |
| Pods | AN/ALQ-5 – Automatic Jamming System |