Thunderchief

Book excerpt: This book continues the story of Republic's Mach-2 F-105 Thunderchief where previous books on this aircraft left off. Designed for nuclear strike during the Cold War but pressed into service delivering conventional weapons in Southeast Asia, the Thunderchief rose to the challenge. Initial Air Force requirements, design and development, flight testing, early problems, operational introduction, Vietnam service, and all continued systems development and improvement are covered in vivid detail. In-depth sidebars discuss topics such as specific aspects of flying the F-105, how the aircraft got its name, and the historic "Thud Out" ceremonies that ended the aircraft's service life. Author Dennis Jenkins uses rare archival Air Force documentation and original Republic factory material and photos never before seen by the public to tell the complete story of this legendary jet fighter-bomber. The book highlights the fact that the F-105 was one of the first aircraft ever designed as a total weapon system--an integrated and complex series of navigation and armament systems--which gave the Thunderchief an aerial battlefield capability second to none and allowed the aircraft to deliver 75 percent of all the ordnance dropped on North Vietnam. An example of the detail the author employs in this book is in the Vietnam War chapter, in which he describes the combat loss of a specific Thunderchief, identifies it by aircraft tail number, and, when possible, even includes the names of the crew. Other examples include his mention of exact numbers and types of ordnance and weapons expended and specific details on even minor battle operations. This book is a treasure trove of information for military historians and serious enthusiasts of the F-105, the heaviest and most powerful single-engine, single-seat aircraft ever built.