F-105
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I was in a tower at an air display when a 105 was practising, the main part was supersonic down the runway at whatever height he, the C/O, wanted.
The squadron exec was in the tower as duty pilot.
The first run, which was at about 50ft, produced a bang but not a very loud one.
The exec took the mic and growled "Yer gonna have to do better than that Colonel".
Next run produced the loudest bang I have heard, and not only gave the tower a good shaking, it also blew a bloke off a ladder about 2 miles away, fortunately without causing injury.
I later asked the Col. what speed the second run was at, and he said "just under 1.1, and it wouldn't go any faster".
The squadron exec was in the tower as duty pilot.
The first run, which was at about 50ft, produced a bang but not a very loud one.
The exec took the mic and growled "Yer gonna have to do better than that Colonel".
Next run produced the loudest bang I have heard, and not only gave the tower a good shaking, it also blew a bloke off a ladder about 2 miles away, fortunately without causing injury.
I later asked the Col. what speed the second run was at, and he said "just under 1.1, and it wouldn't go any faster".
Gamekeeper
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It may be of interest but there's a "Thud" as a gate guard along with an F-100 at RAF Croughton
Just off the B4031, which is shortly after you cross the A43 roundabout coming from Buckingham on the A421.
It came as quite a surprise when passing on a cross country jaunt to the Cotswolds recently.
RAF Croughton have a website but nothing about the Guardian's sadly...
http://www.croughton.af.mil/
Cheers,
PFR.
Just off the B4031, which is shortly after you cross the A43 roundabout coming from Buckingham on the A421.It came as quite a surprise when passing on a cross country jaunt to the Cotswolds recently.
RAF Croughton have a website but nothing about the Guardian's sadly...
http://www.croughton.af.mil/
Cheers,
PFR.
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Here and there. Here at the moment but soon I'll be there.
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Must be a candidate for largest/heaviest single-engined aircraft. Any thoughts?
I think it held that record in its day and still beats the heaviest F-16s (Block 60 and F-16I) by a few hundred pounds... but the JSF is way heavier by any estimation. The heavy F-16s get to 52,000 pounds, the Thud is a little bigger and some simple crunching says that the Dave C is over 65,000 pounds with any external stores.
Remember when JSF was the Common Affordable LIGHTWEIGHT Fighter?
I think it held that record in its day and still beats the heaviest F-16s (Block 60 and F-16I) by a few hundred pounds... but the JSF is way heavier by any estimation. The heavy F-16s get to 52,000 pounds, the Thud is a little bigger and some simple crunching says that the Dave C is over 65,000 pounds with any external stores.
Remember when JSF was the Common Affordable LIGHTWEIGHT Fighter?
Requiem For A Heavyweight
THE STANDARD JOKE AROUND THE BAR IN THE OFFICER'S CLUB IN THE EARLY SIXTIES WOULD GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS: AN F-4 DRIVER WOULD RAISE HIS VOICE AND DEMAND, "WHAT'S THE SOUND AN F-105 MAKES WHEN IT HITS THE GROUND?" CAME THE ROUSING CHORUS RESPONSE, "THUD!!!" NUMEROUS CHORTLES, SNICKERS, AND GUFFAWS.
"THUD" - THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED NAMES IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN AVIATION. SHE WAS CALLED A LOT OF THINGS THEN...HYPER-HOG, ULTRA LEAD SLED, ULTRA HOG. DROP FORGED BY REPUBLIC AVIATION AND A LOT MORE NAMES THAT ARE UNPRINTABLE. NO ONE EVER CALLED THE F-105 BY HER OFFICIAL NAME "THUNDERCHIEF", EXCEPT THE PRESS. SHE WAS ONE BIG JOKE EARLY IN THAT DECADE. SHE WAS TO ALL, THAT IS, EXCEPT THOSE OF US WHO FLEW HER.
BUT, "THUD" STUCK. AND WE THUD CREWS JUST SMILED A KNOWING SMILE AND QUIETLY CONTINUED SEPARATING THE GIN FROM THE ICE. WE KNEW SOMETHING THE OTHERS DIDN'T. SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND. SHE WAS AS STABLE AS A SWISS FRANC AND SHE COULD HIT. SHE COULD HIT WITH THE GATLIN GUN AND SHE COULD HIT WITH BOMBS - LOTS OF BOMBS. SHE HAD LONG LEGS AT LOW ALTITUDE. SHE WAS FAST. IT WAS VERY EASY TO GO FAST WITH HER - ESPECIALLY ON THE DECK. AND NOBODY ELSE COULD GO THAT FAST.
THEN WE WERE PRESENTED WITH VIETNAM AND WE FOUND OUT SOME OTHER THINGS.
FROM 1966 TO 1968 SHE WAS THE ONE TO CARRY THE BIG IRON DOWNTOWN. SHE WASN'T EXACTLY DESIGNED FOR IT, BUT THUDS HAULED 75% OF THE SMASH CARRIED DOWN ROUTE PACK SIX. AND IN COMBAT, SHE MAINTAINED A 90 PERCENT IN-COMMISSION RATE.
MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS USED TO TAKING HITS FROM ANYONE AND EVERYONE, FOR WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE COULD TAKE OTHER KINDS OF HITS, THE REAL KIND, AS WELL, AND STILL FLY. AS AN EXAMPLE, NUMBERS 0512 AND 0376 (TWO DASH TENS) TOOK DIRECT SAM HITS AFT AND CAME BACK HOME. SO DID 0167 (A DASH FIVE), RETURNING WITH THE ENTIRE RIGHT STABILATOR SHOT OFF.
BUT SHE WASN'T PERFECT. NO REAL LADY IS. SHE COULDN'T TURN WORTH A DAMN. WE FOUND THAT OUT EARLY ON IN USAFE; ANYTIME WE TRIED TO ENGAGE A HUNTER OR A MARK SIX. WE FIGURED EVEN A FRISBEE WOULD OUTTURN THE THUD.
TO IMPROVE HER CHANCES IN THE AIR COMBAT ARENA, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL IN 1967 TO UPGRADE EACH THUD BY EXTENDING ITS WINGS 18 INCHES; REMOVING THE DUCT PLUGS AND DEPLACEMENT GEAR TO DECREASE WEIGHT; INCREASING INTERNAL FUEL CAPACITY BY SEALING THE BOMBAY; INSTALLING A LARGER TANK; INCREASING THRUST BY 5000 POUNDS; AND ADDING OTHER COMBAT IMPROVEMENTS.
AH, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN! SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SUPER THUD!!
SHE DIDN'T ALWAYS COME BACK. SHE DIED A LOT. HER CORPSES LINE THUD RIDGE, HANOI, THANH HOA, AND A LOT OF OTHER PLACES UP NORTH. SHE WROTE THE EPITAPH FOR A LOT OF GOOD MEN LIKE KARL RICHTER. OVER HALF THE INVENTORY WAS GONE BY THE END OF 1968; MOST LOST IN COMBAT.
SHE BECAME A LEGEND AND LEGENDS FLEW HER. ROBBIE RISNER, KARL RICHTER AND LEO THORSNESS, TO MENTION A FEW. SHE WAS FLOWN BY OTHER GREATS SUCH AS DAVE WALDROP, BILLY SPARKS, AND PETE FOLEY. AND SHE WAS HANDLED BY MANY UNKNOWNS LIKE BOB GERLACH, JIM STILES, AND ME.
AS A WEASEL, SHE REIGNED SUPREME. SHE KILLED SAM SITES, SAMS, MIGS, AND EARNED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR TWO MEN; LEO THORSNESS AND MERLYN DETHLEFSEN.
THE THUD PILED UP THOUSANDS OF COMBAT HOURS ON EACH BIRD AND SHE WAS SAID TO BE WEARY AND WORN OUT. BUT ASK ANY F-15 DRIVER WHO TRIED TO PACE HER AT LOW ALTITUDE DURING RED FLAG 80-2. IT WAS "CHECK TWELVE, TURKEY", AND I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE CLUB BACK AT NELLIS. SHE'S THE ONLY BIRD I KNOW THAT CAN GIVE YOU "THE BIRD" WHETHER PARKED ON THE RAMP, TAXIING OUT, OR IN-FLIGHT.
SHE ENTERED THE INVENTORY ON 26 MAY 58 AND ON 12 JULY 1980, SHE MADE HER LAST SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT AT GEORGE AFB BEFORE GOING ON FOR A BRIEF STINT WITH THE GUARD AND RESERVE.
SHE STAYS WITH US AS AN AMERICAN CLASSIC AND A REAL THOROUGHBRED. SHE COULD BREAK YOUR BACK BUT NEVER YOUR HEART. SHE IS GENUINELY LOVED BY ALL WHO FLEW HER AND A LOT WHO DIDN'T.
THE EPITAPH FOR ANOTHER AMERICAN LEGEND, JOHN WAYNE, "FEO, FUERTEY FORMAL" FITS THE F-105:
SHE WAS UGLY, SHE WAS STRONG, BUT SHE HAD DIGNITY.
By Blake Morrison
THE STANDARD JOKE AROUND THE BAR IN THE OFFICER'S CLUB IN THE EARLY SIXTIES WOULD GO SOMETHING LIKE THIS: AN F-4 DRIVER WOULD RAISE HIS VOICE AND DEMAND, "WHAT'S THE SOUND AN F-105 MAKES WHEN IT HITS THE GROUND?" CAME THE ROUSING CHORUS RESPONSE, "THUD!!!" NUMEROUS CHORTLES, SNICKERS, AND GUFFAWS.
"THUD" - THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED NAMES IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN AVIATION. SHE WAS CALLED A LOT OF THINGS THEN...HYPER-HOG, ULTRA LEAD SLED, ULTRA HOG. DROP FORGED BY REPUBLIC AVIATION AND A LOT MORE NAMES THAT ARE UNPRINTABLE. NO ONE EVER CALLED THE F-105 BY HER OFFICIAL NAME "THUNDERCHIEF", EXCEPT THE PRESS. SHE WAS ONE BIG JOKE EARLY IN THAT DECADE. SHE WAS TO ALL, THAT IS, EXCEPT THOSE OF US WHO FLEW HER.
BUT, "THUD" STUCK. AND WE THUD CREWS JUST SMILED A KNOWING SMILE AND QUIETLY CONTINUED SEPARATING THE GIN FROM THE ICE. WE KNEW SOMETHING THE OTHERS DIDN'T. SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND. SHE WAS AS STABLE AS A SWISS FRANC AND SHE COULD HIT. SHE COULD HIT WITH THE GATLIN GUN AND SHE COULD HIT WITH BOMBS - LOTS OF BOMBS. SHE HAD LONG LEGS AT LOW ALTITUDE. SHE WAS FAST. IT WAS VERY EASY TO GO FAST WITH HER - ESPECIALLY ON THE DECK. AND NOBODY ELSE COULD GO THAT FAST.
THEN WE WERE PRESENTED WITH VIETNAM AND WE FOUND OUT SOME OTHER THINGS.
FROM 1966 TO 1968 SHE WAS THE ONE TO CARRY THE BIG IRON DOWNTOWN. SHE WASN'T EXACTLY DESIGNED FOR IT, BUT THUDS HAULED 75% OF THE SMASH CARRIED DOWN ROUTE PACK SIX. AND IN COMBAT, SHE MAINTAINED A 90 PERCENT IN-COMMISSION RATE.
MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS USED TO TAKING HITS FROM ANYONE AND EVERYONE, FOR WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE COULD TAKE OTHER KINDS OF HITS, THE REAL KIND, AS WELL, AND STILL FLY. AS AN EXAMPLE, NUMBERS 0512 AND 0376 (TWO DASH TENS) TOOK DIRECT SAM HITS AFT AND CAME BACK HOME. SO DID 0167 (A DASH FIVE), RETURNING WITH THE ENTIRE RIGHT STABILATOR SHOT OFF.
BUT SHE WASN'T PERFECT. NO REAL LADY IS. SHE COULDN'T TURN WORTH A DAMN. WE FOUND THAT OUT EARLY ON IN USAFE; ANYTIME WE TRIED TO ENGAGE A HUNTER OR A MARK SIX. WE FIGURED EVEN A FRISBEE WOULD OUTTURN THE THUD.
TO IMPROVE HER CHANCES IN THE AIR COMBAT ARENA, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL IN 1967 TO UPGRADE EACH THUD BY EXTENDING ITS WINGS 18 INCHES; REMOVING THE DUCT PLUGS AND DEPLACEMENT GEAR TO DECREASE WEIGHT; INCREASING INTERNAL FUEL CAPACITY BY SEALING THE BOMBAY; INSTALLING A LARGER TANK; INCREASING THRUST BY 5000 POUNDS; AND ADDING OTHER COMBAT IMPROVEMENTS.
AH, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN! SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SUPER THUD!!
SHE DIDN'T ALWAYS COME BACK. SHE DIED A LOT. HER CORPSES LINE THUD RIDGE, HANOI, THANH HOA, AND A LOT OF OTHER PLACES UP NORTH. SHE WROTE THE EPITAPH FOR A LOT OF GOOD MEN LIKE KARL RICHTER. OVER HALF THE INVENTORY WAS GONE BY THE END OF 1968; MOST LOST IN COMBAT.
SHE BECAME A LEGEND AND LEGENDS FLEW HER. ROBBIE RISNER, KARL RICHTER AND LEO THORSNESS, TO MENTION A FEW. SHE WAS FLOWN BY OTHER GREATS SUCH AS DAVE WALDROP, BILLY SPARKS, AND PETE FOLEY. AND SHE WAS HANDLED BY MANY UNKNOWNS LIKE BOB GERLACH, JIM STILES, AND ME.
AS A WEASEL, SHE REIGNED SUPREME. SHE KILLED SAM SITES, SAMS, MIGS, AND EARNED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR TWO MEN; LEO THORSNESS AND MERLYN DETHLEFSEN.
THE THUD PILED UP THOUSANDS OF COMBAT HOURS ON EACH BIRD AND SHE WAS SAID TO BE WEARY AND WORN OUT. BUT ASK ANY F-15 DRIVER WHO TRIED TO PACE HER AT LOW ALTITUDE DURING RED FLAG 80-2. IT WAS "CHECK TWELVE, TURKEY", AND I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE CLUB BACK AT NELLIS. SHE'S THE ONLY BIRD I KNOW THAT CAN GIVE YOU "THE BIRD" WHETHER PARKED ON THE RAMP, TAXIING OUT, OR IN-FLIGHT.
SHE ENTERED THE INVENTORY ON 26 MAY 58 AND ON 12 JULY 1980, SHE MADE HER LAST SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT AT GEORGE AFB BEFORE GOING ON FOR A BRIEF STINT WITH THE GUARD AND RESERVE.
SHE STAYS WITH US AS AN AMERICAN CLASSIC AND A REAL THOROUGHBRED. SHE COULD BREAK YOUR BACK BUT NEVER YOUR HEART. SHE IS GENUINELY LOVED BY ALL WHO FLEW HER AND A LOT WHO DIDN'T.
THE EPITAPH FOR ANOTHER AMERICAN LEGEND, JOHN WAYNE, "FEO, FUERTEY FORMAL" FITS THE F-105:
SHE WAS UGLY, SHE WAS STRONG, BUT SHE HAD DIGNITY.
By Blake Morrison
Blake Morrison is a former F-105 pilot and Editor, Fighter Weapons Review.
Last edited by SASless; 22nd Dec 2006 at 18:51.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The mission was briefed for 4x4 ship north of the DMZ and was ingressing at 300k at 16k. Charlie, in a single Mig 21 was identified by AEW and called in to the formation. The Mig was at 21k on a 180 at 700k. As the Mig rolled in to attack, Atoll from 6 o'clock 2 miles, one of the trail formation identified the intended target and called the bandit but due to excessive R/T chatter the target aircraft did not get the call.
After launch the Mig 21 exited north and disengaged. His target was the No 3 in one of the lead formations and it was believed that the Mig had been visual with only this formation.
The target aircraft was hit by an atoll missile in the starboard side of the jet pipe below the stabliator and detonated. The expanding rod warhead was contained by the steel jet pipe and all the pilot noticed was a momentary fluctation in his JPT. The mission was continued and the aircraft recovered with the rocket motor protruding from the side of the aircraft.
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One remembers cutting hay in central Georgia and having the bejeesus scared, but thrilled, out of him when the last US users of the Thud, the GA ANG flying the WW F-105Gs, would scream overhead on the low level route that ran across our farm. Minding my own business on the tractor, then it sounded like God was pissed off at me personally and a shadow would go over to rapidly fade from view. Would have hated to be on the receiving end of anything more lethal than noise from them!
Gamekeeper
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Great thread
Thanks Helpful Stacker for the identity.
Anybody got any history of our "Thud" at Croughton (63-428). Seems she was at Heyford earlier as a BDR.
Blake, your piece is inspiring - great to read. Thanks PFR
Thanks Helpful Stacker for the identity.Anybody got any history of our "Thud" at Croughton (63-428). Seems she was at Heyford earlier as a BDR.
Blake, your piece is inspiring - great to read. Thanks PFR
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
It was certainly Blake's writing and not mine....just did an edit to clarify the previoius post.
Never-the-less SASless, was a great read - thanks for posting.............
The target aircraft was hit by an atoll missile in the starboard side of the jet pipe below the stabliator and detonated. The expanding rod warhead was contained by the steel jet pipe and all the pilot noticed was a momentary fluctation in his JPT. The mission was continued and the aircraft recovered with the rocket motor protruding from the side of the aircraft.
The target aircraft was hit by an atoll missile in the starboard side of the jet pipe below the stabliator and detonated. The expanding rod warhead was contained by the steel jet pipe and all the pilot noticed was a momentary fluctation in his JPT. The mission was continued and the aircraft recovered with the rocket motor protruding from the side of the aircraft.
For a strike plane it also managed to rack up 27.5 MiG 17s kills.
In answer to my previous post the Crougton Thud is the one that used to be at Upper Heyford though it seems to be wearing a different s/n.
For you Typhoon promoters.....all but 2 of those kills were made by gun...the other 2 by missile. Thus 25:2 ratio of gun over missile kills and done by an airplane that did not turn well at all.
Now explain why having a gun is not necessary!
Now explain why having a gun is not necessary!
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The Thud was also known as the ‘The Squash Bomber’ early in her career; detractors of the programme (politicians, of course) claimed that the F-105 was so big and heavy and needed so much runway to get airborne with a full load, that that only way it would destroy a target was by taxying over it and squashing it!
Also very nearly went back into production in the late sixties to replace losses sustained in SEA.
Great looking intakes, aren’t they?
Also very nearly went back into production in the late sixties to replace losses sustained in SEA.
Great looking intakes, aren’t they?