Reviews
The title is a brief but accurate description of the contents of the book. I first read Chapter 5, Wild Weasels - F-105F/G in detail because of my personal experience as a Wild Weasel 'Bear' with over 900 hours flying in the Thud. I read that chapter with a critical eye and I can attest to the accuracy and attention to detail exhibited by the author. He explains the events that precipitated the need for the Wild Weasel mission. He then leads the reader through the many modifications, first to the F-105F and then to the F-105G. Detailed drawings of the evolution of all the cockpit equipment configurations are presented. In the chapter, he also pays homage to the first Weasels, the F-100s and mentioned the incorporation of F-4s into the Weasel mission. The early development of the 105 is dealt with the same attention to detail. The author begins with the YF-105A and then takes the reader through the various versions, including versions that never saw the light of day. As with the Weasel chapter, the author speaks not just of the aircraft itself, but of all the systems incorporated in the F-105 including the weapons systems. Each change or addition is authenticated with official Air Force documents. I was unfamiliar with much of the early development and what little I 'knew' was hearsay. After reading Thunderchief, I feel like I'm a 105 expert. In the appendices, the author catalogs the Thunderchiefs by serial number. He also chronicles aircraft loses by date with cause of loss and crew status. Did I mention the multitude of color photographs with each aircraft meticulously identified along with where the photographs were taken? Superlatives fall short in describing this outstanding work!, Jenkins' magnificent monograph stands as a potent panegyric to this icon of Vietnam-era American airpower., All told, Thunderchief is a real showcase not to be missed by F-105 admirers and former operators and maintainers.
Synopsis
This book continues the story of Republic's Mach-2 F-105 Thunderchief where previous books on this aircraft left off. 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., Forward by Colonel Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson, Jr USAF (Ret.) Provides a level of detail unseen in any previous work on the F-105, including the complete history of this airplane in every sense of the term. Reveals new recently declassified Air Force material about the F-105's unique and highly dangerous Wild Weasel missions during the Vietnam War. Authored by one of America's top aviation writers, this book continues the story of Republic's Mach-2 F-105 Thunderchief where previous books on this aircraft left off. The Republic F-105 Thunderchief gained fame in the skies over Southeast Asia, carrying weapons it was not designed to use in a war it was not supposed to fight. It had been conceived to carry the new tactical nuclear weapons designed by the national laboratories during the early 1950s. Its target would be the Soviet Union during the height of the cold war, operating from well-equipped bases in Germany and Japan. Instead, it found itself in the jungles of Thailand, surrounded by heat and humidity, trying to fight a war as dictated by politicians 7,000 miles away. Too many missions were flown with only a few bombs per aircraft, simply so Washington could count sorties. Too many crews never came back. This is the complete history of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, from its inception in the early 1950s to its retirement in the mid-1980s. The F-105 holds the distinction of being the only American combat aircraft withdrawn from service simply because there were not enough of them remaining to be tactically useful. The Thunderchiefs flew 159,795 combat missions in Southeast Asia, resulting in the loss of 334 aircraft, most of them to North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire. This was almost half the combat-capable F-105s built. One hundred fifty-six crewmembers were listed as killed in action or missing in action. Two pilots received the Medal of Honor. After the Air Force withdrew them from Southeast Asia, leaving the war to the newer and more plentiful McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the remaining Thuds settled into a quiet routine stateside until they were finally retired on 25 February 1984. By then, only 221 airframes were left of the 833 produced. In 2018, there is not a single flyable Thunderchief, although at least 100 of them are in museums, available to be admired at one's leisure., 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.
