F-105F Thunderchief |

Our F-105F Thunderchief is a two-seater, of the type used by Wild Weasel squadrons in Vietnam that attacked and destroyed the radars that guided enemy antiaircraft guns and missiles.

F-105 Thunderchief on the field at the Pacific Coast Air Museum, seen from directly forward.

The F-105 was designed as a tactical fighter-bomber that could carry conventional and nuclear weapons. It's a menacing-looking Cold War warrior.

F-105F Thunderchief on the field at the Pacific Coast Air Museum. View is from ground level looking up at the right side of the nose. The open bomb bay is visible.

The F-105 had an internal bomb bay and could carry bombs on external pylons. It was also armed with a 20mm revolving cannon.

Nose of the F-105F Thunderchief, seen from the left front. The nose is painted with a snarling tiger's mouth. The refueling probe is extended.

The Thunderchief was widely used in Vietnam, and conducted a huge number of bombing raids. Many were lost to enemy fire.

TheMuseum's F-105F Thunderchief, viewed from the right side. This photo shot in 1970 at Andrews Air Force Base

Photographed on September 19, 1970, this is our F-105F at Andrews Air Force Base. Photo by Frank MacSorley.

Old photograph of the Museum's F-105F Thunderchief when it was still in service with the US Air Force, 1978, Lakenheath, England.

This is the Museum's Thunderchief when deployed to Lakenheath, England. Photo taken June 18, 1978. Photo courtesy Dave Tompkins.

F-105F Thunderchief History

The F-105 Thunderchief was developed by Republic Aviation as a follow on to their F-84F Thunderstreak. A higher-performance fighter-bomber was envisioned and following a proposal to the USAF, a contract for two YF-105A prototypes was awarded.

First flying in 1955, the aircraft was very large and could carry a huge complement of weapons. The type entered service in August 1958 and continually evolved with new engines and performance levels.

The final production version of the Thunderchief was the F-105F which was a stretched version with two seat capability. Outfitted with Radar Homing and Warning (RHAW) electronics, jamming pods, a missile-launch warning receiver and other avionics, the "Wild Weasel" version of the aircraft served in Vietnam beginning in 1966. The F-105s continued in active service until 1973 and then in the Air National Guard until retired.

The history of our aircraft is being researched and will be added to this site when available.

Dimensions & Weights

Span

34 ft 11 in

Length

64 ft 5 in

Height

19 ft 8 in

Maximum takeoff weight

52,838 lbs

Accommodation

Two: Pilot & Electronic Warfare Officer

Performance

Maximum speed

1,390 mph

Cruising speed

778 mph

Range

2206 miles

Service Ceiling

51,000 ft

Powerplant

One Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W of 24,500 lbs thrust with afterburner

Armament

Fixed: One M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon

Disposable: Over 12,000 lbs. of ordnance

Electronics and Operational Equipment

Electronic Countermeasure Equipment

Crew Chief

Don Ricci

Country of origin

USA

Manufacturer

Republic

b/n or serial number

63-8331

type

Tactical Fighter/Bomber

ownership

This aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.

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