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F-105 Walkaround
Restoration Specialist John Shatz describes how squadron maintenance crews in the Vietnam War came to love a beast like the F-105 Thunderchief. Twice a day, almost every day, the aircraft had to be ready for strike missions into North Vietnam, where anti-aircraft defenses and MiGs awaited them. More than half of the 610 Thunderchiefs built were lost on those missions; a surviving example is on display at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. (05:30)
Video: airspacemag.com
Related Article
Thuds, the Ridge, and 100 Missions North
How the Republic F-105 got good at a mission it was not designed to fly.
By Carl Posey
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Comments (3)
I likewise was a Maintenance Officer at Korat RTAFB, Thailand, assigned to the 17th Wild Weasel Squadron, 388th TFW.
Posted by William H. Guoan, Ph.D. on August 1,2010 | 12:37 AM
I probably loaded that 421st Thud when my squadron ran low on planes in early 1967. I was jammer driver and arming specialist on a 105 Load Crew at Korat, June 1966/June 1967. 13th TFS Wild Weasels. An interesting note was there were 3 Mitchells at Korat at that time, not related, but all 21 year-old kids then. Me (Larry)from Illinois, Duane from Virginia and Tom from South Carolina. Duane and I were in the 13th, Tom was in the 34 TFS, all at the same time, all Load Team members on the flightline. There was also a pilot with the last name of Mitchell at that time, never met him, don't recall what squadron. Along with another Load Toad, Fes Cannady of the 34th TFS from North Carolina, were are all still friends and in contact with each other 40-odd years later. I'll bet we could still load that Thud today! Anyone out there who can remember how to drive that hulk?! P.S. One of our few surviving 13th TFS planes (0069) is on a pole in a field near Lincoln, NE on I-80. Duane and I both loaded her many times back then.
Posted by (A1C) Larry G. Mitchell on September 15,2010 | 12:21 AM
I was a load team member on the F and G models. I was the number 2 man on the team woking the cockpit switches. I came in in 1972 and was stationed at McConnel and then moved to George in California. I went to Utapo Thiland from 74 to 75 and went back to George to work on the Thuds until 1978 when they started going to the Guards. It was a great plane
Posted by Ron Mead on April 28,2012 | 09:00 PM