republic fighter bomber united_states_air_force capable conducted majority strike bombing missions early years vietnam war aircraft removed combat high loss rates originally designed single seat nuclear attack aircraft seat version later developed specialized suppression enemy air defenses role surface air missile sites commonly known crews follow capable north american armed missiles cannon design tailored high speed low altitude penetration carrying single nuclear weapon internally flown entered service deliver greater bomb load american heavy bombers world war boeing flying fortress primary attack aircraft vietnam war sorties flown aircraft lost including operational non combat losses produced smaller fighters credited kills war single seat primary aircraft delivering heavy bomb loads military targets seat wild variants dedicated suppression enemy air defenses platforms fighting soviet built nato reporting surface air missiles pilots awarded medal honor attacking north vietnamese surface air missile sites shooting day dangerous missions required suppressing enemy air defenses strike aircraft accomplished missions left area largest single seat single engine combat aircraft history weighing approximately pounds exceed speed sound sea level reach high altitude carry bombs missiles later replaced strike aircraft phantom swing wing wild variants remained service replaced specialized wild development design phase started internal project replace characteristic wing root air place cameras pointed nose design team led examined configurations settling large single engine fighter bomber experimental specifically new aircraft intended primarily low altitude penetration deliver single internally carried nuclear bomb emphasis placed low altitude speed flight characteristics range aircraft fitted large engine relatively small wing high wing loading stable ride low altitudes drag speeds traditional fighter attributes secondary consideration enthusiastic united_states_air_force awarded republic contract aircraft september march reduced order fighter bombers tactical reconnaissance aircraft citing approaching end korean war time mock completed october aircraft grown large intended abandoned favor powerful anticipating protracted development engine expected aircraft use smaller near end entire program canceled number delays aircraft june officially ordered weapon system designation prototype flew october second following january spite powered potent engine pounds force thrust prototype attained speed maiden flight expected generate lbf aircraft featured conventional wing root air slab sided typical early jets republic viewed prototypes representative true capability aircraft numerous changes prior production insufficient power aerodynamic problems drag experience led redesign fuselage conform area rule giving characteristic wasp waist combination distinctive forward swept variable geometry air regulated engine speeds engine redesign enabled attain production march placed order order conduct nuclear mission fire control system ranging radar allow toss bombing integrated pre production flew trainer variant added plan june canceled reconnaissance variant canceled july production accepted air_force june requested named continuing sequence company thunder named aircraft official month later fulfill air_force requirement weather attack republic proposed variant version featured enlarged nose housing bombing navigation system designed radar operated air air air ground modes navigation radar cockpit featured vertical tape instrument displays adverse weather operation ability carry nuclear weapon added reconnaissance development restarted based model took maiden flight june plans build cut short secretary defense decided equip seven combat wings type november production cut favor air_force adopting navy phantom longer term program final built seat trainer variant based model inches longer provide room rear cockpit aircraft similar flight performance preceding total completed production ended designed short nuclear campaign leading shortcomings evident lengthy conventional war poor layout fuel tanks self sealing subsequent upgrades improved reliability weapons capacity existing response surface air missile sam threat experienced skies vietnam dozens converted anti radar wild aircraft culminating design overview mid wing swept wing tail surfaces single engine fed wing roots leaving nose free housing multi mode radar fuselage provided room gallons fuel internal bomb bay bomb bay measured feet inches originally carry single nuclear weapon typically held additional gal fuel tank featured wing centerline inner wing centerline capable accepting fuel gal drop tanks outer dry stations wired missiles bombs vulcan initially designated barrel style cannon installed left nose short range air air missile carried outer wing designed primarily low level low altitude speed greatest asset dealing enemy fighters managed air air victories based combat experience updated better seat additional armor improved gun sights electronic counter measures pods wings flight characteristics north american sabre pilot recalled awe size seeing time manage reach air intake lip running jump cockpit good visibility layout particularly introduction tape instruments advanced electronics easy learn operate landings performed mph range provided good roll control speeds distinctive opened slightly engaged allow larger flow exhaust gases highly effective speeds loss control spin complications adverse required deliberate effort pilot spontaneous spin recovery rapid initial reaction fighter pilot community new aircraft lukewarm massive dimensions troubled early service life garnered number nicknames addition aforementioned nicknames included bomber lead ultra names arose predecessors nicknamed super respectively according pilots crews nickname inspired character chief television series aircraft offensive capabilities referred triple threat bomb fall positive aspects responsive controls strong performance high speed low altitude outfit electronics won pilots term known mother pilot colonel said nickname justified originally spoken respect air fraternity special modifications rear seat modified project radar radar scope offered high resolution aircraft weather night low level strikes especially dangerous targets unit 13th tactical fighter squadron dubbed ryan raiders starting april aircraft later converted wild iii standard effort attacks fitted communication system project north vietnamese force followed soviet air defense doctrine pilots rigid direction ground controllers radio links nicknamed colonel computer filled rear cockpit bounced voice communications radio channel delay resulting time combat martin charge strategic signals intelligence ordered air_force cease immediately believed intelligence obtained monitoring channels benefits experience vietnam demonstrated need better visual blind bombing capability march air_force ordered development upgraded bombing navigation system incorporating navigation system improvements navigation radar solid state radar redesignated furthermore digital long range navigation receiver replaced problematic receiver additional housed long raised dorsal spine modified bombing navigation system known system achieve bombing circular error probability feet altitude aircraft flew vietnam total received modification wild began operating seat north american specially equipped suppression enemy air defenses mission vietnam nicknamed wild aircraft achieved number victories north vietnamese surface air missile radars second crew member navigator trained electronic warfare officer information guide pilot targets interim solution limited required multiple aircraft conduct successful strike lacked speed endurance effectively protect resulting wild iii designation popularly unofficial supplemented sensors electronic equipment anti radiation missiles conventional bombs giving offensive capability lacking aircraft flew january began arriving southeast_asia flying mission june assigned 13th typical early mission single accompany flights provide protection enemy ground fire strategy effective reducing losses aircraft suffered heavy casualties lost july august attacks high risk environments saw operating flights mixed single seat seat suppressing sites attacks strike force attacking route fall began upgraded definitive wild incorporated considerable new specific including upgraded warning system required redesign free additional weapons electronic permanently installed long underside fuselage thirty aircraft fitted carry standard anti radiation missile typical mission carried single standard balanced gal fuel tank gal centerline fuel tank costs notes costs approximately united_states dollars adjusted inflation operational history introduction entered service 4th tactical fighter wing august squadron fully operational december piloted commander 4th tactical fighter wing set world record miles hour miles circuit difficulties fire control system experienced early typically required hours maintenance flying hour problems addressed lack resulted entire fleet briefly grounded modified ballast replacing cannon fuselage wing reinforcement addition smoke generator briefly flew demonstration team shows fatal accident airframe led super sabre relegated squadrons replaced service definitive advanced radar fire control system gave weather capability radar added terrain avoidance radar capability completely new instrument panel fitted replacing type instrument vertical tape instruments easier read combat order accommodate new radar larger radar dish forward fuselage redesigned increasing overall length inches entered service september fully operational early overseas units formed west_germany 36th tactical fighter wing air base 49th tactical fighter wing air base october wings primary tactical nuclear strike role nato deployed pacific 18th tactical fighter wing okinawa converting 8th tactical fighter wing converting like early career plagued maintenance problems flight failures origins nickname obscure claim stood sound crashing ground entire fleet grounded december june issues worked production run early upgraded engine failures fuel system problems persisted gradually changing anticipated mission nuclear conventional bombing look alike upgrades increased aircraft capacity conventional bombs fuselage centerline added equipment launch air ground missiles june delivered conventional bombs test time record single engine aircraft times heavier american engine heavy bombers world war boeing flying fortress aerial required long missions named famed world war vietnam war spite troubled early service life dominant attack aircraft early vietnam war carry twice bomb load farther faster wild role combat mission war involved attack august anti aircraft artillery site des mission carried aircraft 36th tactical fighter wing deployed air base japan thailand lost war occurred mission pilot managed return aircraft strike mission took place january destruction bridge early additional squadrons deployed air bases thailand start operation rolling thunder march large numbers shipped bases participate intense bombing missions april total aircraft including sent nicknamed dragon jaw day enemy encountered second run bridge total faced escorted flight super evaded escorts altitude cloud cover instead focusing bomb laden lost thought lost later claimed north downed claimed probable kill vietnamese pilot believes comrades shot piloted narrowly escaped chief staff general mad hear shot korean war era north vietnamese proved resistant aerial bombing multiple missions flown damage bridge aircraft december pilots regiment downed losses typical combat mission carried gal wing mounted fuel tanks gal fuel tank bomb bay bombs required going returning distant flying vicinity routinely travel mountainous terrain nicknamed evade air defenses surrounding city colonel pilot vietnam noted demands flying close gave simply room error august support successful attacks bridge flying low altitude missions conducting dive bombings forced range north vietnamese anti aircraft guns coming heavy fire escorted protect enemy fighters officially credited air air victories north vietnamese aircraft cost aircraft lost enemy fighters north vietnamese pilots claimed shot additional confirmed victories shot cannon fire victory shared missiles unofficially credited downing air air missile second cannon fire centerline rack bombs directly path surprised dedication ceremony took place honor graduates served vietnam assembled parts different seen service vietnam placed permanent static display ceremony included entire cadet wing superintendent commandant cadets representative members press conclude ceremony flight fly formation feet ground fly singly feet formation portion happened planned flight leader col james black matt came single file pass exceeded speed sound feet ensuing sonic boom broke hundreds windows people sustained cuts medal honor recipients pilots received medal honor captain awarded medal honor kevin mike wild mission march flying serial number aircraft damaged ground fire elected stay skies steel works sam site found destroyed captain awarded medal honor wild mission april flying serial number johnson protected attempted rescue crew shot process destroying running ammunition johnson continued act draw away rescue aircraft phase retirement production ended type replaced vietnam war aircraft primarily phantom october tactical fighter wing based thailand unit vietnam began return wild versions end war gradually replaced wild rapidly withdrawn service end vietnam war built combined lost southeast_asia including lost enemy action lost operational accidents following war began transferring remaining aircraft units late 1970s aging difficult maintain retired flight tactical fighter squadron february variants pre production prototypes engine model pre production aircraft engine initial production model navigational radar built test aircraft built allocated built reconnaissance version built ordered completed proposed dual control trainer canceled built definitive production model weather capability advanced including navigational radar built proposed reconnaissance version built proposed trainer version cancelled completed seat trainer version lengthened forward fuselage fully combat capable dual controls taller fin increased takeoff weight flight took place june total built featured navigational radar initial designation wild version converted seat wild improved version conversions variant navigational radar operators united_states air force air force reserve air national guard survivors specifications data great book fighters quest performance general characteristics crew variants weapons length wingspan height wing area root tip weight loaded weight max takeoff weight powerplant dry thrust thrust zero lift drag drag area aspect ratio performance maximum speed mph combat radius nmi ferry range nmi service ceiling rate climb min wing loading thrust weight lift drag ratio time altitude min armament guns vulcan cannon rounds total wing centerline stations plus internal bomb bay capacity ordnance including conventional nuclear bombs missiles radar fire control system modified aircraft
Republic F-105 Thunderchief