#f 105 wild weasel

[actionbastard1]

F-105G Thunderchief

[usafphantom2]

Hammers that got hammered. 388th Tactical Fighter wing F-105F Wild Weasels, flying from Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 1972. 📷US Air Force. #thunderchiefThursday

@kadonkey via X

[casposters]

(via F-105G Wild Weasels Digital Art by Stu Shepherd - Fine Art America)

[dangerousthingobservation]

F-105G Thunderchief, serial # 63-8299, wears special markings to commemorate the Air National Guard’s use of the F-105 with ‘Thuds Forever’ on the underwing drop tank along with final flight markings in the form of a peach and the date, ‘May 25, 1983’ and callsign of ‘Peach 91.’ The jet also wears the famous shark-mouth associated with the suppression of enemy air-defense, ‘Wild Weasel’ mission. (Courtesy photo by David F. Brown.)

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 26 of 2023

Title: The Tiger FACs: A Dance With the Devil Authors: Don Bell Tags: A-1 Skyraider, AC-130 Spectre, B-52 Stratofortress, C-123 Provider, CSAR, EC-121 Warning Star, F-100 Super Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, Fast-FAC, H-34 Choctaw, KC-135 Stratotanker, KHM Cambodian Incursion (1970) (Vietnam War), LAO Arrow Head Lake, LAO Ban Ban, LAO Ban Ban Valley, LAO Ban Karai, LAO Ban LaBoy Ford, LAO Barthelemy Pass, LAO Boloven Plateau, LAO Chinese Road, LAO Fishes Mouth Region, LAO Hmong Meo Tribesmen, LAO IDP Interdiction Point, LAO Keo Neua, LAO Khang Khai, LAO Khang Khay, LAO Khang Khay - Chinese Cultural Center, LAO Kingdom of Xieng Khouang, LAO Laos, LAO Laotian Civil War (1959-1975), LAO Lima Site 02 - San Tiau (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20A - Long Tieng (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 32 - Boung Lam (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 36 - Na Khang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 85 - Phu Pha Thi (Laotian Civil War), LAO Luang Prabang, LAO MR Military Region (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR1 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR2 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR5 (Laotian Civil War), LAO Muong Soui, LAO Na Khang, LAO Nong Het, LAO Operation About Face / Kou Kiet (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Barrel Roll (1964-1973) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Commando Hunt (1968-1972) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Rain Dance (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Steel Tiger (1965-1968) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Yankee Team (1964) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Pathet Lao, LAO Plain of Jars / Plaine des Jarres, LAO Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma, LAO Prince Souvanna Phouma, LAO RLA General Vang Pao, LAO RLA Royal Laotian Army, LAO RLAF Royal Lao Air Force, LAO Road Runner Lake, LAO Route 13, LAO Route 19, LAO Route 61, LAO Route 7, LAO Route 7/71 Junction, LAO Route 71, LAO Sam Neua, LAO USAF Project 404 (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Steve Canyon Program - Ravens FAC (Laotian Civil War), LAO Vientiane, LAO Xieng Khouang, O-1 Bird Dog, O-2 Skymaster, OV-10 Bronco, PHL Philippines, PHL US USAF Clark Air Force Base, POW, RF-4, SA-2 Guideline SAM, SAM, SEAD / Wild Weasel, T-28 Trojan, T-39 Sabreliner, THA RTAF Royal Thai Air Force, THA RTAFB Korat Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, THA Thailand, US Ambassador George McMurtrie Godley III, US Ambassador William Sullivan, US Birdair Airlines (Vietnam War) (Laotian Civil War) (Cambodian Civil War), US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US COA CASI Continental Air Services International, US COA Continental Airlines, US Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, US USAF 11th TRS - Atlanta, US USAF 11th TRS - Bullwhip, US USAF 19th TASS - Rustic FAC, US USAF 21st TASS - Rustic FAC, US USAF 23rd TASS - NAIL FAC, US USAF 23rd TASS - OL1 - Rustic FAC (Ubon) (Cambodian Civil War) (Vietnam War), US USAF 25th TFS - Assam Dragons, US USAF 33rd TFW, US USAF 34th TFS - Hatchet, US USAF 355th TFW, US USAF 366th TFS - Stormy FAC, US USAF 388th TFW, US USAF 388th TFW - Seafox (SEAD), US USAF 388th TFW - Tiger Fast-FAC, US USAF 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Sqd - Crown/King, US USAF 40th TFS, US USAF 416th TFS - Det 1 - Misty FAC, US USAF 432nd TRW - Wolf FAC, US USAF 469th TFS, US USAF 553rd TRW - Bat Cat, US USAF 606th Special Operations Sqd - Candlestick, US USAF 6250th Support Squadron - Scatback, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Alley Cat, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Cricket, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Hillsboro, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Moonbeam, US USAF 7th AF Task Force - Big Eye / College Eye / Ethan / Rivet Top / Disco /, US USAF 8th TFW - Wolf FAC, US USAF Eglin Air Force Base FL, US USAF JEST Jungle Environment Survival Training, US USAF United States Air Force, US USMC Ernest C. Brace, US USMC United States Marine Corps, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang, VNM Dien Bien Phu, VNM DMZ Demilitarized Zone - 17th Parallel (Vietnam War), VNM Dong Hoi, VNM DRV NVA 316th Division, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VM Viet Minh, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Mu Gia Pass, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Barrel Roll (1964-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Combat Skyspot (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Steel Tiger (1965-1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Yankee Team (1964-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Route 1, VNM Route Pack I (Vietnam War), VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN SVNAF Da Nang Airbase, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM Song Bong River, VNM Tuy Hoa, VNM USAF Phu Cat Air Base (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975) Rating: ★★★★★ (5 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Aviation.USAF.FAC, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War.Aviation.FAC.Tiger

Description: They were the Tiger FACs, the forward air controllers who flew fast-moving F-4E Phantoms over the deadly skies of Laos and North Vietnam in an air war that history forgot to mention. These are their stories, in their own words, of missions in AAA-filled skies with supersonic angels as their wingmen. They challenged the enemy down in the weeds, eyeball-to-eyeball; cutting the supply lines that plunged through the mountains and karst formations of Laos on their way to South Vietnam. The mission required flying sorties up to six hours long with four to six air-to-air refuelings. It demanded extraordinary teamwork and bravery, and this small group of men paid the price, suffering up to eighty percent of the combat damage of a seventy-two aircraft wing. Their stories are often irreverent and far from today's political correctness, yet they are filled with the reality of war. "The Tiger FACs" will take you back to experience the days and nights of these fighter crews at Korat Air Base in Thailand. It is a recantation of the life and times of the men who chose to fly and fight, and while you won't experience battle damage, you will feel what they lived, and know, without doubt, that you are on their wing.

[nocternalrandomness]

F-105G Thunderchief “Wild Weasel”

[fullafterburner]

The Hunter Killers, by Dan Hamilton.

A pretty good read. It doesn't get into too much depth in terms of air power in Vietnam, but does give a good portrayal of some of the action of the Wild Weasels flying F-105s. I recommend pick up this one.

[ravenkult]

F-105 Wild Weasel by Antonis (rOEN911) Karidis https://www.artstation.com/artwork/nYVLJ1

[skyfire85]

Everything you wanted to know about Wild Weasels, but were afraid to ask.

Radkingrib’s Easy-As-Shit Guide to Spotting a Wild Weasel v2

   Here is my standalone guide and commentary on how to spot a Wild Weasel aircraft. This guide is simple yet comprehensive and will cover how to identify a Wild Weasel apart from a common fighter aircraft. We will also take a look at SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) aircraft, which do the same thing.

What is a Wild Weasel?

   The term Wild Weasel refers to aircraft that perform what is now known as Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, specifically sniffing out and destroying Surface to Air Missiles. Wild Weasel mostly refers to aircraft of this role in the Vietnam Era and up to Desert Storm, but has become an unofficial title for modern aircraft of the same role.

   The term Wild Weasel was created in the Vietnam War as the Soviets began circulating the S-75 Dvina (NATO callsign SA-2 Guideline) Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM for short) among it’s satellite states. This missile was designed to kill heavy bombers but what was revolutionary about it was the fact that it was radar guided and pretty accurate, as well as being a high explosive missile the size of a telephone pole. The real danger is their mobility- able to be deployed almost anywhere and operated with relative ease- and the ability to conceal their position until the missile was well on it’s way. These missiles could hide, track, and kill practically any unsuspecting aircraft with little to no warning, and kill they did.

(Illustration of an SA-2 site in Southeast Asia)

(photo of an F-105 hit by an SA-2 over  North Vietnam)

   After a few American planes were shot down and the lethality of these weapons in the hands of the Vietnamese became apparent and conventional attempts at destroying SA-2 sites proved ineffective, the USAF created an experimental program called Wild Weasel, which would equip fighter aircraft with the means to detect and destroy these missiles by tracking their radar signal, kind of like a game of flashlight tag, only at Mach 1.

   General Wild Weasel tactics split a unit into two components, a “decoy,” and a “striker.” The decoy would fly ahead, spot the missiles, and distract them while the striker would swoop in and destroy the site. Decoys are almost always the dedicated Wild Weasel airframe, while strikers can be conventional aircraft, although a two plane team of both Wild Weasel aircraft has proven to be just as if not more effective, as the two can interchange on the fly.

   It was a dangerous task- among the most dangerous missions any airmen would undertake in Southeast Asia, but the program would see success, and the tools and methods pioneered over the jungles of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos continue today in SEAD. Numerous technologies in electronic warfare, ordnance, and air combat techniques were created by Wild Weasel and translate across the board to today’s aerial battlefield.

   In layman’s terms, a Wild Weasel aircraft hunts missiles on their own turf and has several characteristics unique to it’s field that other aircraft generally don’t possess all at once; a Weasel must be agile like a fighter, have a good sense of “smell” like an electronic warfare aircraft, and the firepower of a ground attack aircraft, all in one airframe.

How to Spot a Wild Weasel

There are a few things to look for on a Wild Weasel that can easily be noticed.

1) Two Seats: 

   A Wild Weasel aircraft generally has two crewmen: a pilot and an EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer). The idea is that the pilot does the flying and shooting from a background of air combat, and the EWO operates the radar and detection equipment from the background of Electronic Warfare (EWO’s like Jack Donovan were taken from duty on B-52′s and the like, and often were uncomfortable in the back seat of fighter jocks like Al Lamb, although teamwork often remedied this). Therefore a Wild Weasel aircraft should be a two seat variant of a single seat fighter. *Note that some Wild Weasels and modern SEAD aircraft may not follow this rule; for example the modern F-16 Wild Weasel is a single seat aircraft, as modern doctrine dictates that the pilot multitask to avoid critical delays inherent to working with another crewman (kind of like how it’s sometimes easier to do a group project by yourself than with another person), although this may double the pilot’s load. Some aircraft like the EA-6B Prowler however still have multiple crewmen. This rule is a safer bet for Vietnam Era airframes like the F-105F/G.

(F-105F/G, noting the “pit” that houses the EWO)

2) Anti Radiation Missiles: 

   Using specialized equipment to detect a SAM site is less than half the battle; a Wild Weasel must be able to kill the site. In this vein, development went into making a weapon that functions like the opposite of a SAM; it uses the SAM’s radar signal and flies towards the site to kill a static missile site. The first of these is the AGM-45 Shrike, a repurposed Air-to-Air missile that could track a radiation source, adapted for Air-to-Ground duty. It was finicky, undersized, and had shorter range than the SA-2, but could hit a SAM site better than conventional rocket and bomb attacks could and helped Weasel pilots shoot what they sniffed out.

(Same photo as above, but pointing out the Shrike missile on the outboard hardpoint)

   Another Anti Radiation missile used in Southeast Asia was the AGM-78 ARM, which improves upon some of the limitations of the Shrike. This is a bigger missile that can pack more of a punch than the Shrike, although the per weapon cost was greater than the Shrike.

(F-105 Wild Weasel with both a Shrike and ARM missile, the latter being shown by the arrow)

   Modern Anti Radiation missiles include the AGM-88 HARM, which improves on the Shrike in just about every respect; it’s big enough to pack a punch against ground targets, and is much more reliable in tracking the target. These are employed today on modern jets.

(AGM-88 HARM missile on a Navy jet, presumably an EA-18 Growler, the Navy’s electronic warfare variant of the Super Hornet)

*This rule is not a strict requirement of Wild Weasel and SEAD aircraft. Early Weasels did not have Anti Radiation Missiles to use and had to rely on old fashioned rockets, bombs, and cannons to destroy SAM sites. After introduction, however, these planes rarely flew without them. 

3) Electronic Countermeasures:

    The Wild Weasel program ran in conjunction with Operation Iron Hand, the joint Air Force/Navy operation to eliminate Anti Air defenses in the Southeast Asian theatre, which meant there was some overlap in roles and technologies.

    The Navy, in the pursuit of hunting AA defenses, saw that chaff (deploying metallic debris behind the aircraft to create a false radar signature against radar guided missiles) wasn’t enough to stop SAM’s from killing their targets; the SA-2 would calculate the last known trajectory and simply airburst at the point of intersect, still killing the target. The Navy then decided to try another approach: jamming the missile directly. 

   This lead to the creation of an Electronic Countermeasures pod, a device that would fit onto a standard aircraft hardpoint like a missile would, and could be activated to put out a radar signal that would confuse the missile’s tracking, making it appear at a different spot or disappear altogether. This device changed the Electronic Warfare landscape and gave pilots a real shot at evading missiles that may be fired at them. This technology could also be installed permanently into the aircraft as an integral system, as is done on some modern aircraft like the F-15.

(F-4G Phantom II Wild Weasel with full Weasel loadout, including ECM pod)

*Note that sometimes this system is integral or not present on the aircraft as mentioned above. This means it may not be readily apparent that the aircraft has ECM. The F-105 Weasels didn’t have ECM, as they were employed as bait and ECM was seen as a detriment to drawing the missiles into giving away the site’s position.

4) Identification Markings

    This method of spotting is harder to look for but is a surefire method of telling apart a Weasel from an ordinary aircraft, and that is the markings of the aircraft. Wild Weasels in the 35th and 37th Tactical Fighter Wings, the main units for Wild Weasel and SEAD missions in the USAF, are given the tail code WW, as has been used in Vietnam. The first Wild Weasel squadron was the 354th Wing, and many followed with specific tail codes to look for. Knowledge of specific units is critical here, but seeing a WW code is easy to spot.

(35th TFW F-16′s out of Misawa, note the WW tail codes and full SEAD loadout)

   Other identifying markings on a Wild Weasel is the image of a Weasel and/or the acronym “YGBSM” (You Gotta Be Shitting Me, uttered by Jack Donovan and the motto of the Wild Weasel program). This motto is present on Wild Weasel patches and may be on the plane as well, although this isn’t consistent.

(This F-16 tail design from the 20 FW flagship F-16 #92-9320 is a good example of Wild Weasel markings without the WW tail code)

(A vintage Wild Weasel patch featuring the namesake and motto)

*Note that this rule is my personal final factor in determining whether the aircraft in question is indeed a Wild Weasel. If the plane possesses neither the markings nor the physical traits of a Weasel, it is indeed not a Weasel.

5) Airframes to Look For:

   Wild Weasels have taken many forms over the years. While the mission evolved during the course of the Vietnam War and after, so did the requirements of the airframes, and naturally these have changed numerous times. Knowing which planes were used as Weasels and which weren’t is critical to identification. 

   In Vietnam, the first Weasels were the F-100 Super Sabre, which proved to be ill suited for the task and had a high loss rate. This mission passed into the use of the F-105 Thunderchief, a much bigger and heavier aircraft but possessed the carrying capacity and speed necessary for the role. Attempts were made to use the F-4 Phantom II during the War, and through much trial and error these efforts eventually succeeded when the Thunderchief was put out of production, and this was used through the end of the War until the introduction of the F-16. The Navy put the A-4 Skyhawk to use as a Weasel in parallel with the Air Force’s Weasels.

(F-100F on the tarmac)

(Model of an Iron Hand A-4 Skyhawk, note the Shrike missile. This is not technically a Wild Weasel but performed as the Navy’s equivalent.)

The SEAD role is now passed to the F-16 Falcon, although some might argue that the Falcon doesn’t qualify as a true Wild Weasel, the argument being that the last aircraft specifically outfitted for Weasel duty was the F-4G, with the Falcon pulling duty due to it’s multirole nature. Nearly every former Wild Weasel unit operate the F-16, the rest being disbanded or repurposed, however.

SEAD

   The modern term of SEAD is applied to what was formerly Wild Weasel. The nature of the modern battlefield means that what in the past had to be specially made into the airframes is now either standard with most fighters or is a modular system that can be put onto hardpoints. This is a good thing, as now the Navy can put the same equipment on an EA-18 Growler or F-18E Super Hornet that can be put on an F-16 or F-15E in the Air Force, which means saving money and time.     What does this mean? This means an EA-18, normally a general electronic warfare jet, can be loaded with HARM’s, deploy off a supercarrier, and perfrom SEAD/DEAD (Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses) without being a permanent SEAD/DEAD aircraft. Similarly, the F-15E Strike Eagle, with it’s integral ECM, can be loaded to perform SEAD/DEAD in a pinch very similarly to how older Weasels have done before. 

More Info

   And there you have it folks! I hope you’ve learned something and enjoyed the read. The Wild Weasel program and missions are a very interesting topic to examine in depth.     While I am not able to give you more info on this right here, I can absolutely recommend checking out The Hunter Killers by Lt. Col (Ret.) Dan Hampton. Dan provides his own perspective on the story of the Weasels (as a former F-16 SEAD pilot and Air Force instructor himself), as well as providing first hand accounts of the pilots and EWO’s who flew in Southeast Asia and an in depth look at the political, technical, and strategic situation regarding the Weasels in Vietnam. I couldn’t recommend reading it any more than this; download/buy it and strap in for a ride.

(Cover of The Hunter Killers, featuring a Weasel crew and their Thunderchief)

[actionbastard1]

Vertical Limit

[usafphantom2]

Interview with F-105 Thunderchief Vietnam veteran pilots Vic Vizcarra and Paul Metz

Hush KitOctober 17, 2023

Paul Metz in his F-105G in 1972.

In the explosive tragedy of the Vietnam War, the USAF’s Republic F-105 Thunderchief was a sleek supersonic hooligan raining down destruction. Fast, and extremely tough, the F-105 was a worthy descendent of the P-47. We spoke to Vietnam veterans Vic Vizcarra and Paul Metz to find out more about the experience of flying the ‘Thud’ into war.

(answers are by Vic unless otherwise marked)

Vizcarra and his F-105.

Describe the F-105 in three words..

VV: Stable weapon platform

PM: Big, Rugged, Fast

What was the best thing about the F-105?

VV: Its speed

PM: Low attitude, high speed was unlike any airplane I have flown. Above 600 knots it was a thoroughbred racehorse. At 800 knots even better.

..and the worst?

VV: Turning ability

PM: It had a high wing loading and was not an air-to-air dogfighter.

What is the biggest myth about the aircraft? That it couldn’t hold its own in a dog fight and how it got the nickname “Thud” which I cover in the answer to your question #11.

What was your first combat mission like? Relatively easy since the target was not heavily defended.

What was your most memorable experience flying the F-105? First flight since it was before the two-seat “F” Model. Only time in my Air Force career where I took off by myself in a plane I had never flown before. The Check Out process consisted of doing an engine start and all after start checks with an Instructor pilot standing on a stand next to the cockpit and observing the student the day before the first flight. Then The Powers At Be wanted students to go home and think about it overnight.

What was the role of the F-105 in Vietnam? It was the primary fighter-bomber conducting 75% of all Air Force Strikes in North Vietnam the first five years of the war.

How would you rate it in the following categories

A. Instantaneous turn rates Comparable to the majority of US Air Force Fighters.

B. Sustained turn Slightly below the majority of US Air Force fighters.

C. Climb rate Good. Best Climb Was At Mach 0.9 until Intercepting and Maintaining 400 Kts.

D. General agility Good stable flight characteristics throughout its flight envelope.

E. High angle of attack performance? Excellent, Sufficient stall warning aircraft is about to depart

F. As a bomber Superior. Could carry largest weapons load further and faster than any other single engine Fighter-Bomber.

G. As a fighter Adequate. Maintained a positive air-to-air exchange record in Vietnam Even though That was not its mission.

H. As a SEAD platform Excellent. Duel seat F-105 “F” and Follow-On “G” Models were the primary Wild Weasel Platforms In Vietnam Era.

What was the mission of the F-105G and why was it so dangerous?

PM: The F-105G Wild Weasel was a role created in the turmoil of battle. It was a concept to counter the SA-2 radar guided surface to air missile (SAM). The concept was that the 2-seat F-105G would enter the target area ahead of the larger strike force and entice the SAM operators to shoot at the F-105G, the Wild Weasel. Then while the Weasels are dodging the SAMs, the strike force would attack and bomb the target and then quickly exit the target zone. Then, when the strike force was safe, you, the Wild Weasel, could exit the target area. This became an acronym which is stil used by the Weasels of today, “FILO” (“First In, Last Out“). The Weasel mission was obviously dangerous and many Weasels were shot down by SAMs and enemy anti-aircraft artillery (Triple A).

I. In terms of combat effectiveness and survivability? Excellent. The aircraft was known for its toughness and ability to return to base with extensive battle damage, especially after a third hydraulic line was added along the top of the aircraft spine away from the redundant duel flight control lines that ran together along the top of the bomb bay. A hit on one line usually meant both lines would be cut. Original layout provided redundancy in peacetime operations but not in combat.

J. Cockpit layout and comfort? Best ergonomic designed cockpit, way ahead of its time. Allowed the aircraft to be designed as a single crew platform.

What is the biggest myth about the type?

PM: I don’t know if there were any myths that stuck. Early in its life there were several accidents and there were suggestions of it being a “widow maker”. Meant originally as derogatory comment the nickname Thud was supposedly the sound it made when hitting the ground — “Thud”. In the end it became a dive bomber, a far cry from the role of low level nuclear bomber it was designed for. “Thud driver” is a mark of honour to those who flew her.

What should I have asked you? You didn’t miss a thing! Excellent list of questions.

Did the aircraft have a nickname? Yes, “Thud”. There are a couple of myths about the origin of the nickname “Thud”. The most popular myth was that it came from a character named Thunderchief In a kids TV Show. But here is the real origin, you can take this to the bank. When the F-105 came into the inventory it was way ahead of its time and initially encountered a lot of maturation problems, Especially with maintenance. The aircraft experienced many aborts, ground and air. This and designed with a bomb bay, Gave the Non-F-105 fighter community ammunition to razz the new F-105 community with the rhetorical question, “What sound does an F-105 make when it hits the ground?…….Thud!

Which weapons did you deploy and which was the most spectacular from the cockpit? The most common weapons load was the Mk 117 750-lb bomb with six loaded on the Multiple Ejector Rack (MER) carried On the centerline station on the belly, plus one on each outboard station. The outboard station bombs were replaced With AIM-9 Sidewinder Missile For self defense when MiG-17s started appearing. When SAMs started appearing, the ‘Winders were replaced with QRC-160 Electronic Jamming pods. The most spectacular from the cockpit was the CBU-58 which was a bomb that would split in half and release 650 Bomblets that had small vanes causing the bomblet to spin and arm. The bomblets would spread over a large area causing destruction of soft targets and personnel. Great Weapon Against Flack Sites. Beauty of the weapon was you didn’t have to be precise or that accurate upon release. Another spectacular weapon was the M-118 3,000 Lb bomb because of its size. We carried two, one at each inboard wing station.

What was hardest about your combat deployment? Leaving the Family. This was pre-internet days so communicating with the family took close to two weeks to establish continuity between discussions.

Do you love the aircraft? Definitely. I feel honoured to have flown it with fellow pilots during an era In which this aircraft joined the annals of history.

@hush_kit .net

Both pilots have books and I recommend them.

[tacticalstaff2847]

GENERAL JOSEPH W. RALSTON >U.S. Air Force >Biography Display

He has served at wing level in the Tactical Air Command, Military Airlift Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Special Operations Command. After three years with the NATO command he returned to the United States to become deputy for materiel for Tactical Air Command, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. 12. July 1980 - August 1983, Special Assistant, later, Executive Officer to the commander, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He entered the Naval War College in August 1974, graduating with highest distinction in August 1975. The general was then assigned to the Plans Division, Plans and Policy Directorate, Headquarters U.S. 1. Maurice Matloff and Edwin M. Snell, Strategic Planning for Coalition Warfare, 1941-42, UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II (Washington, 1953), discusses the Allied command structure at some length. In October 1983 General Delauter become commander of the 23rd North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Tactical Air Command Division at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

get redirected here -packs-tactical-gear.jpg" loading="lazy" style="clear:both; float:left; padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px; max-width: 370px;"> General Delauter moved to 4th Allied Tactical Air Force headquarters at Heidelberg, West Germany, in August 1981 and served as assistant chief of staff for the Offensive Operations Division until November 1982. He then became the 4th Allied Tactical Air Force's deputy chief of staff for support. 20. July 1994 - June 1995, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Prior to his Office of the Secretary of Defense assignment, Mr. Mayo was the Chief, Organization Division, Manpower, Organization and Resources Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. 6. Initially Admiral Harold R. Stark, as Chief of Naval Operations, and Admiral King, as Commander in Chief, U.S. Gen. Sir Colville Weymss, head of the British Army Staff; Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur T. Harris, head of the Air Staff; and Admiral Sir Charles Little, head of the British Admiralty Delegation. Administratively the elements under Kirk were controlled by Admiral Stark's headquarters in London.

10. June 1976 - July 1979, Tactical Fighter Requirements Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. In February 1971 he transferred to Langley Air Force Base, Va., and served on Tactical Air Command's inspector general staff as chief of the Operations and Scheduling Branch. According to a release, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, General Officer Commanding of the Rising Star Corps briefed him about the current situation, operational preparedness and efforts to fight against misadventures of adversaries in joint operations of the Army and the Air Force. In May of 1941, as squadron operations officer for the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, General Darrow was an aircraft commander on the first massed flight of B-17s from the mainland to Hickam Field, Hawaii. 6. October 1970 - December 1971, F-105 Wild Weasel instructor pilot, 66th Fighter Weapons Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. After completing combat crew training at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the general was assigned as an F-100 Super Sabre pilot with the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Etain Air Base, France, where he was a member of the famed 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the Black Sheep. After graduation in July 1963, he was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as commandant of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School and later was vice commander of the 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing.

He is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, including 147 combat missions over Laos and North Vietnam. The general is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours, including 275 combat missions over Vietnam. 9. June 1975 - June 1976, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. 4. Command. You are responsible to the Combined Chiefs of Staff and will exercise command generally in accordance with the diagram at Appendix A. Direct communication with the United States and British Chiefs of Staff is authorized in the interest of facilitating your operations and for arranging necessary logistic support. A draft had been submitted to the Combined Chiefs of Staff as early as 30 October 1943, but the failure of the U.S. 18. December 1991 - July 1992, Director of Operational Requirements, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory's directive, in a long delay. By military order of the President, effective July 1, 1939, these boards exercise their functions under the direction and supervision of the President as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States.

[skyfire85]

Wow, that Thud has been on display there since 1987.

Here she is landing at Korat RTAFB in 1972

Found this guy hanging out in Blissfield Mi today.

[vbeserk]

Republic F-105 Thunderchief equipped for the Wild Weasel role

[vietnamwarera]

Back in the States, an air force and industry-accelerated modification program turned out the first of a series of two-seater F-100s configured to seek and destroy Sam sites. They were the first editions of the Wild Weasels, and at least we got some specialized hardware into the act. The early electronic sensing gear installed in the 100s was just nibbling on the edge of missile-hunting technology, but it was a big step in the right direction.             The 100s were older and slower than the Thuds, which led to the early Weasles' macho slogan 'first in and last out.' It's true that from the first time the Weasels went up North, they probed in front of the strike force on the way in and they swept to clear our tails on the way out. However, in the case of the F-100s, 'first in and last out' also meant that they were so much slower than we were that they had to head for the target well beffore we did, and once we hit the target, we flew right on by them while they had to struggle out behind us as best they could. That speed differential ceased to be a problem when the Weasels got their F-105s.

Going Downtown: The War Against Hanoi and Washington by Jack Broughton, page 176.

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[classicnavalair]

@ClassicNavalAir .@AncientSubHunt @PlaneThought41 More Vietnam F-4E + Wild Weasel F-105 love. #PhantomFriday https://t.co/vqBCUZZ7Vu