The F-105 was developed to meet Air Force requirements for a supersonic, single-seat fighter-bomber able to deliver heavy loads of conventional bombs and rockets and nuclear weapons at high speeds over long ranges. The F-105, popularly known as the "Thud," "Lead Sled," and "Squash Bomber" (if all else failed, the pilot could shut down his engine and squash the target with the aircraft), ended up as the heaviest US single- engine, single-seat fighter ever. The first airplane was delivered to the Air Force on May 27, 1958. The F-105Ds bore the brunt of the Rolling Thunder campaign to bomb targets in North Vietnam. The F-105F replaced the F-100F in the "Wild Weasel" radar- suppression mission. Some later G models were also converted for that role. The F-105 "Wild Weasels" carried both the AGM-78 Standard ARM and the AGM-45 Shrike antiradiation missiles. Despite the huge size of the airplane, Thunderchief crews downed 25.5 enemy aircraft of all types in Vietnam. Thunderchief crews flew 101,000 strike missions and dropped 202,596 tons of bombs. All told, 382 F-105s were shot down over Vietnam. However, on August 2, 1967, F-105 pilots successfully destroyed the Paul Doumer Bridge north of Hanoi, which was one of the most heavily defended targets of the war. Fourteen SA-2 SAMs were launched at the F-105s, but not one aircraft was shot down. Capt. Merlyn H. Dethlefsen and Maj. Leo K. Thorsness were both awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions while flying F-105s during 1967. The F-105B was briefly flown by the Air Force's aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, for six performances in 1964, but the aircraft was found to be unsuitable for airshows. The last active-duty F-105 was retired in 1980 and the last from the Air Force Reserve in 1984.

Contractors:	Republic Aviation Corp.
Locations Built:	Farmingdale, N. Y.
Number Built: (USAF)	833 (833)
First Flight:	October 22, 1955
First Flight Model:	YF-105A
First Flight Location:	Edwards AFB, Calif.
First Flight Pilot:	Russell M. "Rusty" Roth
Models/Variants:	F-105B, D, F, G
Powerplant:	One Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W turbojet of 24,500 lb thrust in afterburner.
Wingspan:	34 ft 11 in.
Length:	64 ft 5 in (67 ft 0 in with boom)
Height:	19 ft 8 in.
Weight:	52,546 lb gross
Armament:	One General Electric M61 Vulcan 20-mm cannon and up to 14,000 lb of bombs (incl nuclear) or missiles.
Accommodation:	Pilot only (pilot and weapons system operator in tandem on F-105F/G)
Cost:	$2.14 million
Max. Speed:	1,390 mph
Range:	2,206 mi.
Ceiling:	51,000 ft.