Republic F-105 Thunderchief: Books - History and Deployment

Republic F-105 Thunderchief - Peacetime Operations

The F-105 Thunderchief was primarily designed for tactical nuclear operations. For this reason, it was on nuclear "Victor" alert in Europe (Bitburg and Spangdahlem Air Bases in Germany) and the Far East (Kadena on Okinawa and Osan in the Republic of Korea).
After President John F. Kennedy took office in January 1961, his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, shifted the USAF's focus more and more to conventional warfare including, through modifications, the mission of the F-105.
When the air war against North Vietnam was initiated in earnest on March 2, 1965, the USAF needed an aircraft with a load-carrying ability, and the only aircraft that could do that job was the Thunderchief.

This book not only gives in-depth accounts of various historical F-105 events, with inputs from the pilots involved, but is also lavishly illustrated with over 150 images, many of which have never been published before.

Republic F-105 Thunderchief (Osprey)

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was the fastest and most successful strike fighter of the Cold War. Designed to deliver nuclear weapons at low altitude and then fight its way back to base, by the early 1960s it was the primary weapon in the USAF's tactical strike arsenal.
Thunderchief pilots in Europe, the Far East and the USA stood on short-notice alert, ready to take on the formidable defenses of their Communist Bloc targets. The F-105 was, however, to become a legend in a very different conflict. As direct American involvement in Vietnam increased, F-105s were deployed - initially as a deterrent, but ever more as conventional attack fighters against insurgency in Laos and Vietnam. With the start of the bombing campaign against North Vietnam, the Thunderchief became a vital element in attacks against some of the most heavily defended territory in modern history.

Contents: Introduction - Design and Development - Technical Specifications and Variants - Operational History - Conclusion - Bibliography and Further Reading.

F-105 Thunderchiefs - A 29-year Illustrated Operational History

One of the U.S. Air Force's most important fighter bombers, the F-105 Thunderchief was in operation for almost thirty years. It played a key role in the Vietnam War. This book details the histories of the 103 F-105s that are displayed around the world.

Part One of the work summarizes the 29 years of F-105 operations, focusing on events, aircraft configurations, units and bases. The individual histories and photographs of each surviving F-105 from its production to its static display are contained in Part Two. Appendices provide a mapped-out, state by state "Thunderchief Tour," and the fate, by serial number, of all 117 of the F-105s that survived their operational career only to end up in scrap yards.

Roll Call - Thud : A Photographic Record of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief

A photographic record of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. Information is included as to where each plane served, who flew it and the ultimate fate of each THUD.
Contains photographs of different serial numbers, including the two F-105s that were flown on Medal of Honor missions.

F-105 Thunderchief MiG Killers of the Vietnam War (Osprey)

Despite its 'F-for-fighter' designation, the F-105 was designed and purchased to give the USAF an aircraft capable of the delivery of nuclear weapons at very high speed, long range and below-the-radar altitudes. However, when the Vietnam War began it also emerged as USAF's best available tactical bomber for a 'limited conventional' war as well. Extensively targeted by MiG-17s and MiG-21s the F-105 pilots developed innovative tactics that allowed them to compete in air-to-air duels with their smaller, more manoeuvrable enemies.
Illustrated throughout with extensive photographs detailing weapon loads, internal features and action shots of actual engagements, this volume examines the conduct of the Rolling Thunder strike missions and the tactics used for attack and defence by the attack, escort fighter and radar monitoring elements within strike formations.

Contents: Development and early service - Attacks from Korat and Takhli Royal Thai Air Bases with bombing moving closer to Hanoi - Air-to-air armament - 1967 - 'Wild Weasel' F-105Fs and F-105Fs involved in Iron Hand missions - Appendices: list of F-105 MiG kills, basic F-105 statistics and data - plates commentaries.

F-105 Wild Weasel vs SA-2 ‘Guideline' SAM (Osprey)

The Vietnam war was the first conflict that saw extensive use of surface-to-air anti-aircraft missiles, and thus became a training ground for the tactics of this new type of battle. This Duel presents this story in the context of two of the main opponents: the F-105 Wild Weasel, America's top fighter-bomber and the NVA's best anti-aircraft missile.