F-105 Pilots/Ground Crews

[BLUEHAWK]

The "Lead Sled" or "Thud", has a reputation...

IS it deserved?

What experiences did you have with the aircraft?

:cd: :a:

[afvet462]

I'm a new guy in town and figured this was a good place to start. I spent 20 years in the Air Force as a 462(Aircraft Armament Systems or Weapons Mech.) in loading, weapons release, gun shop and FTD Instructor. The F-105 was the first plane I ever worked on after Tech School. I was assigned to the gun shop at Nellis AFB and the next assignment was on the F-105D/G Wild Weasel at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. The "nickel" was one of the best fighters the Air Force had. It brought a lot of our pilots back home after a mission. IMHO, I don't think the reputation is deserved. All aircraft have their quirks. The F-4 has the glide ratio of a rock, from what I've been told.

However, if you did not put a tail stand underneath the tail when removing the gun system and ammo drum, it had a tendency to sit on its tail. Now who would forget the...? :re:

[DMZ-LT]

Good info afvet , Thanks. Welcome aboard , good folks here , keep posting :a:

[MORTARDUDE]

It was our 2nd or 3rd day in Cambodia and our company had just went thru a 'ville and another company ( A ? ) was following behind when all hell broke loose. Cobras and air strikes were called in. An F-105 made several passes, and I was sitting in the TC hatch on top of the APC when a chunk of shrapnel from a bomb ( 500 lb ? ) just plopped right down ever so gently. Like a dummy I picked it up and it was red hot. I kept it for awhile but lost it somewhere along the line. Always good to see these bad boys show up. Thanks for your post and welcome aboard !!!

Larry

[Bill Farnie]

Welcome to the PF
I gotta say though, I couldn't tell one jet from another but I was sure glad to see em' when we needed em'

Bill

[Yossarian]

People forget that the Thud was the first (and for a long time the only) fighter with sea level supersonic capability. It was also one of the sweetest aircraft ever built.