Republic F-105 Thunderchief Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions

Republic F-105 Thunderchief Pilot's Flight Operating InstructionsKnown as the Thud, Republics F 105 Thunderchief entered service in 1958, and flew in a variety of roles through 1984. The largest single engine fighter in the U. S. A. F. inventory,the F 105 could exceed Mach 1. 0 at sea level, and achieve Mach 2. 0 at high altitude. It could carry up to 14,000 pounds of ordnance, or about as much as most WWII heavy bombers. The F 105 served as the primary strike aircraft in the early years of the Vietnam conflict,

Known as the ÒThudÓ, RepublicÕs F-105 Thunderchief entered service in 1958, and flew in a variety of roles through 1984. The largest single-engine fighter in the U.S.A.F. inventory,the F-105 could exceed Mach 1.0 at sea level, and achieve Mach 2.0 at high altitude. It could carry up to 14,000 pounds of ordnance, or about as much as most WWII heavy bombers. The F-105 served as the primary strike aircraft in the early years of the Vietnam conflict, and its pilots flew over 20,000 missions. These included Òwild weaselÓ flights intended to suppress North Vietnamese air defenses. The dangerous aspects of these missions help account for the aircraftÕs high loss rate Ñ out of 833 F-105s produced, 320 were lost in combat in S.E. Asia. Originally printed by the U.S. Air Force, this handbook provides a fascinating glimpse inside the cockpit of one of historyÕs great planes. Classified ÒRestrictedÓ, the manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form.