Republic F-105D Thunderchief "My Karma"
The F-105 Thunderchief, which would become a legend in the history of the Vietnam War, started out very modestly as a proposal for a large, supersonic replacement for the RF-84F Thunderflash tactical reconnaissance fighter in 1951. Later this was expanded by Republic’s famous chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, to a nuclear-capable, high-speed, low-altitude penetration tactical fighter-bomber which could also replace the F-84 Thunderstreak.
The USAF liked the idea, as the F-84 had shown itself to be at a disadvantage against Chinese and Soviet-flown MiG-15s over Korea, and ordered 200 of the new design before it was even finalized. This order was reduced to only 37 aircraft with the end of the Korean War, but nonetheless the first YF-105A Thunderchief flew in October 1955. Although it was equipped with an interim J57 engine and had drag problems, it still achieved supersonic speed. When the design was further refined as the YF-105B, with the J75 engine and area ruling, it went over Mach 2. This was in spite of the fact that the design had mushroomed in size from Kartveli’s initial idea to one of the largest and heaviest fighter ever to serve with the USAF: fully loaded, the F-105 was heavier than a B-17 bomber. The USAF ordered 1800 F-105s, though this would be reduced to 830 examples.
Almost immediately, the F-105 began to be plagued with problems. Some of the trouble could be traced to the normal teething problems of any new aircraft, but for awhile it seemed the Thunderchief was too hot to handle, with a catastrophically high accident rate. This led to the aircraft getting the nickname of “Thud,” supposedly for the sound it made when hitting the ground, along with other not-so-affectionate monikers such as “Ultra Hog” and “Squat Bomber.” Despite its immense size and bad reputation, however, the F-105 was superb at high speeds, especially at low level, was difficult to stall, and its cockpit was commended for its ergonomic layout. Earlier “narrow-nose” F-105Bs were replaced by wider-nosed, radar-equipped F-105Ds, the mainline version of the Thunderchief, while two-seat F-105Fs were built as conversion trainers.
Had it not been for the Vietnam War, however, the F-105 might have gone down in history as simply another mildly successful 1950s era design. Deployed to Vietnam at the beginning of the American involvement there in 1964, the Thunderchief was soon heading to North Vietnam to attack targets there in the opening rounds of Operation Rolling Thunder; this was in spite of the fact that the F-105 was designed primarily as a low-level (and, as its pilots insisted, one-way) tactical nuclear bomber. Instead, F-105s were heading north festooned with conventional bombs.
As Rolling Thunder gradually expanded to all of North Vietnam, now-camouflaged Thuds “going Downtown” became iconic, fighting their way through the densest concentration of antiaircraft fire in history, along with SAMs and MiG fighters. The F-105 now gained a reputation for something else: toughness, a Republic hallmark. Nor were they defenseless: unlike the USAF’s primary fighter, the F-4 Phantom II, the F-105 retained an internal 20mm gatling cannon, and MiG-17s which engaged F-105s was far from a foregone conclusion, as 27 MiGs were shot down by F-105s for the loss of about 20. If nothing else, Thud pilots no longer burdened with bombs could simply elect to head home at Mach 2 and two thousand feet, outdistancing any MiG defenders.
If the Thud had any weakness, it was its hydraulic system, which was found to be extremely vulnerable to damage. However, it was likely more due to poor tactics and the restrictive Rules of Engagement, which sent F-105s into battle on predictable routes, unable to return fire on SAM sites until missiles were launched at them, and their F-4 escorts hamstrung by being forced to wait until MiGs were on attack runs before the MiGs could be engaged. The tropical climate also took a toll on man and machine, with the end result that 382 F-105s were lost over Vietnam, nearly half of all Thuds ever produced and the highest loss rate of any USAF aircraft.
The combination of a high loss rate and the fact that the F-105 really was not designed to be used in the fashion it was over Vietnam led to the type’s gradual withdrawal after 1968 in favor of more F-4s and a USAF version of the USN’s A-7 Corsair II. An improved all-weather bombing system, Thunderstick II, was given to a few of the F-105D survivors, but this was not used operationally.
The Thud soldiered on another decade in Air National Guard and Reserve units until February 1984, when the type was finally retired in favor of the F-16, and its spiritual successor, the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
One of the more famous Thuds still left, F-105D 62-4301 joined the USAF in 1963 and was immediately sent overseas to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Itazuke, Japan. In 1965, 62-4301 was one of the first F-105s to go to Southeast Asia, first with the "temporary" 6441st TFW at Takhli, then later in 1965, reverted to the 355th TFW. It would fly well over 200 combat missions, many over Hanoi, from 1965 to 1968, and became a "MiG killer" of sorts: at some point during Operation Rolling Thunder, it strafed an Il-28 Beagle medium bomber at one of the North Vietnamese air bases. Though never officially credited with a kill by the USAF, 62-4301 would carry a kill mark for the rest of its career.
In 1968, with the end of Rolling Thunder, 62-4301 finally left Southeast Asia and returned to Japan, flying with the 18th TFW at Kadena, Okinawa. In 1972, it finally returned to the United States and was assigned to 507th TFG (Reserve) at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. In 1980, 62-4301 made its final stop, as many Thuds did, with the 508th TFG (Reserve) at Hill AFB, Utah (later the 419th TFW). There, it was painted an interesting wraparound scheme of gunship gray and green, with subdued insignia, and got the name "My Karma." After "Thud Out" in 1983, "My Karma" made its last flight from Hill to the Aerospace Museum of California at McClellan AFB.
Though its Hill scheme was pretty cool, it's understandable that the AMC would want to preserve 62-4301 in the Southeast Asia scheme that most Thuds wore during their career. "My Karma's" name is displayed on the nose just below the canopy, but like the rest of the aircraft, the paint has faded. Faintly, it still carries the rattlesnake patch of the 419th TFW at Hill (as indicated by the nose wheel door), and very faintly, the tailcode "ZA" of the 18th TFW can also be made out on the tail. One thing that hasn't faded is the kill mark beneath the canopy. It is displayed with two underwing drop tanks (which the Thud looks very naked without) and a Mk 82 Snakeye bomb to the right.
Though I wish it was in better condition, seeing "My Karma" was my main reason for visiting the AMC. My dad may have photographed this aircraft back during its time at Tinker, shown here: www.flickr.com/photos/31469080@N07/51091441058/in/photoli...
Republic F-105D Thunderchief "My Karma"
The F-105 Thunderchief, which would become a legend in the history of the Vietnam War, started out very modestly as a proposal for a large, supersonic replacement for the RF-84F Thunderflash tactical reconnaissance fighter in 1951. Later this was expanded by Republic’s famous chief designer, Alexander Kartveli, to a nuclear-capable, high-speed, low-altitude penetration tactical fighter-bomber which could also replace the F-84 Thunderstreak.
The USAF liked the idea, as the F-84 had shown itself to be at a disadvantage against Chinese and Soviet-flown MiG-15s over Korea, and ordered 200 of the new design before it was even finalized. This order was reduced to only 37 aircraft with the end of the Korean War, but nonetheless the first YF-105A Thunderchief flew in October 1955. Although it was equipped with an interim J57 engine and had drag problems, it still achieved supersonic speed. When the design was further refined as the YF-105B, with the J75 engine and area ruling, it went over Mach 2. This was in spite of the fact that the design had mushroomed in size from Kartveli’s initial idea to one of the largest and heaviest fighter ever to serve with the USAF: fully loaded, the F-105 was heavier than a B-17 bomber. The USAF ordered 1800 F-105s, though this would be reduced to 830 examples.
Almost immediately, the F-105 began to be plagued with problems. Some of the trouble could be traced to the normal teething problems of any new aircraft, but for awhile it seemed the Thunderchief was too hot to handle, with a catastrophically high accident rate. This led to the aircraft getting the nickname of “Thud,” supposedly for the sound it made when hitting the ground, along with other not-so-affectionate monikers such as “Ultra Hog” and “Squat Bomber.” Despite its immense size and bad reputation, however, the F-105 was superb at high speeds, especially at low level, was difficult to stall, and its cockpit was commended for its ergonomic layout. Earlier “narrow-nose” F-105Bs were replaced by wider-nosed, radar-equipped F-105Ds, the mainline version of the Thunderchief, while two-seat F-105Fs were built as conversion trainers.
Had it not been for the Vietnam War, however, the F-105 might have gone down in history as simply another mildly successful 1950s era design. Deployed to Vietnam at the beginning of the American involvement there in 1964, the Thunderchief was soon heading to North Vietnam to attack targets there in the opening rounds of Operation Rolling Thunder; this was in spite of the fact that the F-105 was designed primarily as a low-level (and, as its pilots insisted, one-way) tactical nuclear bomber. Instead, F-105s were heading north festooned with conventional bombs.
As Rolling Thunder gradually expanded to all of North Vietnam, now-camouflaged Thuds “going Downtown” became iconic, fighting their way through the densest concentration of antiaircraft fire in history, along with SAMs and MiG fighters. The F-105 now gained a reputation for something else: toughness, a Republic hallmark. Nor were they defenseless: unlike the USAF’s primary fighter, the F-4 Phantom II, the F-105 retained an internal 20mm gatling cannon, and MiG-17s which engaged F-105s was far from a foregone conclusion, as 27 MiGs were shot down by F-105s for the loss of about 20. If nothing else, Thud pilots no longer burdened with bombs could simply elect to head home at Mach 2 and two thousand feet, outdistancing any MiG defenders.
If the Thud had any weakness, it was its hydraulic system, which was found to be extremely vulnerable to damage. However, it was likely more due to poor tactics and the restrictive Rules of Engagement, which sent F-105s into battle on predictable routes, unable to return fire on SAM sites until missiles were launched at them, and their F-4 escorts hamstrung by being forced to wait until MiGs were on attack runs before the MiGs could be engaged. The tropical climate also took a toll on man and machine, with the end result that 382 F-105s were lost over Vietnam, nearly half of all Thuds ever produced and the highest loss rate of any USAF aircraft.
The combination of a high loss rate and the fact that the F-105 really was not designed to be used in the fashion it was over Vietnam led to the type’s gradual withdrawal after 1968 in favor of more F-4s and a USAF version of the USN’s A-7 Corsair II. An improved all-weather bombing system, Thunderstick II, was given to a few of the F-105D survivors, but this was not used operationally.
The Thud soldiered on another decade in Air National Guard and Reserve units until February 1984, when the type was finally retired in favor of the F-16, and its spiritual successor, the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
One of the more famous Thuds still left, F-105D 62-4301 joined the USAF in 1963 and was immediately sent overseas to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Itazuke, Japan. In 1965, 62-4301 was one of the first F-105s to go to Southeast Asia, first with the "temporary" 6441st TFW at Takhli, then later in 1965, reverted to the 355th TFW. It would fly well over 200 combat missions, many over Hanoi, from 1965 to 1968, and became a "MiG killer" of sorts: at some point during Operation Rolling Thunder, it strafed an Il-28 Beagle medium bomber at one of the North Vietnamese air bases. Though never officially credited with a kill by the USAF, 62-4301 would carry a kill mark for the rest of its career.
In 1968, with the end of Rolling Thunder, 62-4301 finally left Southeast Asia and returned to Japan, flying with the 18th TFW at Kadena, Okinawa. In 1972, it finally returned to the United States and was assigned to 507th TFG (Reserve) at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. In 1980, 62-4301 made its final stop, as many Thuds did, with the 508th TFG (Reserve) at Hill AFB, Utah (later the 419th TFW). There, it was painted an interesting wraparound scheme of gunship gray and green, with subdued insignia, and got the name "My Karma." After "Thud Out" in 1983, "My Karma" made its last flight from Hill to the Aerospace Museum of California at McClellan AFB.
Though its Hill scheme was pretty cool, it's understandable that the AMC would want to preserve 62-4301 in the Southeast Asia scheme that most Thuds wore during their career. "My Karma's" name is displayed on the nose just below the canopy, but like the rest of the aircraft, the paint has faded. Faintly, it still carries the rattlesnake patch of the 419th TFW at Hill (as indicated by the nose wheel door), and very faintly, the tailcode "ZA" of the 18th TFW can also be made out on the tail. One thing that hasn't faded is the kill mark beneath the canopy. It is displayed with two underwing drop tanks (which the Thud looks very naked without) and a Mk 82 Snakeye bomb to the right.
Though I wish it was in better condition, seeing "My Karma" was my main reason for visiting the AMC. My dad may have photographed this aircraft back during its time at Tinker, shown here: www.flickr.com/photos/31469080@N07/51091441058/in/photoli...