INTERMEDIATE BUILD
Matthew Porter readies his Hobby Boss 1/48 F-105D Thunderchief for a Vietnam sortie with the aid of aftermarket munitions and markings.
Designed initially as a nuclear strike platform, Republic’s F-105 Thunderchief evolved into a highly capable supersonic fighter-bomber and was used exclusively by the United States Air Force.
First flown in 1955, the ‘Thud’ entered service in 1958 and, at the time, was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000lb. With highly swept wings and forward-angled air intakes, it was instantly recognisable and could haul up to 14,000lb of bombs and/or missiles – more than a World War Two B-17 Flying Fortress.
The F-105 won its combat spurs in a conventional war, flying through the heavily defended skies of North Vietnam. Operating from two bases in Thailand, Thunderchiefs flew more than 20,000 sorties between 1965 and 1973, during which 382 aircraft were lost – almost half of the 833 airframes produced. While it was less agile than the smaller North Vietnamese MiG fighters, USAF F-105s were credited with 27.5 kills, using their 20mm cannons or AIM-9 Sidewinders. After the Vietnam war, the Thunderchief was…
