Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2020 17:07:11 GMT -5
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Pilots loved the Thud. Except for test pilots, who were paid to find faults, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief seems to have had no detractors. Aviators as well as ground crews and maintainers graced the airplane with the kind of brand loyalty
Though it had a gun, the F-105 was never intended to be a fighter. It probably should have been designated A-for-attack. Its small, highly swept and loaded wings helped make it superfast and stable down low, but at the cost of maneuverability. The Thud was a bomber from the outset, and its large internal bay was a first for fighters. (The Convair F-102 had three small weapons bays in its belly, but they held only missiles, not bombs.
Pilots loved the Thud. Except for test pilots, who were paid to find faults, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief seems to have had no detractors. Aviators as well as ground crews and maintainers graced the airplane with the kind of brand loyalty
Though it had a gun, the F-105 was never intended to be a fighter. It probably should have been designated A-for-attack. Its small, highly swept and loaded wings helped make it superfast and stable down low, but at the cost of maneuverability. The Thud was a bomber from the outset, and its large internal bay was a first for fighters. (The Convair F-102 had three small weapons bays in its belly, but they held only missiles, not bombs.