Book Review of
Scale Plans No. 66
1/72 Scale
Republic F-105 Thunderchief
MMP Books
ISBN: 978-83-66549-17-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $11.99
ISBN: 978-83-66549-17-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $11.99
HISTORY:
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was an American supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it was the only American aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates.
It was originally designed as a single-seat, nuclear-attack aircraft; a two-seat Wild Weasel version was later developed for the specialized Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role against surface-to-air missile sites. The F-105 was commonly known as the "Thud" by its crews.
As a follow-on to the Mach 1 capable North American F-100 Super Sabre, the F-105 was also armed with missiles and a rotary cannon; however, its design was tailored to high-speed low-altitude penetration carrying a single nuclear weapon internally. First flown in 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. The single-engine F-105 could deliver a greater bomb load than some American heavy bombers of World War II such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses (out of the 833 produced). Although less agile than smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s were credited with 27.5 kills.
During the war, the single-seat F-105D was the primary aircraft delivering heavy bomb loads against the various military targets. Meanwhile, the two-seat F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel variants became the first dedicated SEAD platforms, fighting against the Soviet-built S-75 Dvina (NATO reporting name: SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missiles.
Two Wild Weasel pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for attacking North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile sites, with one shooting down two MiG-17s the same day. The dangerous missions often required them to be the "first in, last out", suppressing enemy air defenses while strike aircraft accomplished their missions and then left the area.
When the Thunderchief entered service it was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg). It could exceed the speed of sound at sea level and reach Mach 2 at high altitude.The F-105 could carry up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of bombs and missiles.
The Thunderchief was later replaced as a strike aircraft over North Vietnam by both the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the swing-wing General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. However, the "Wild Weasel" variants of the F-105 remained in service until 1984 after being replaced by the specialized F-4G "Wild Weasel V".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter-bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: 22 October 1955
Introduction to service: 27 May 1958
Retired: 25 February 1984
Primary user: United States Air Force
Produced: 1955–1964
Number built: 833
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the UK.
This cover art shows a color photo of two F-105’s flying in formation above the clouds. Both are in wave pattern camouflage of two shades of green over a grey undercarriage. The both have white JB on their rudders.
The book contains 4 line-drawing profiles that are 16 ½” x 11 ¾ format, printed on both sides. They are folded in ½ to fit the 8 ¼” x 11 ¼” sized book.
They are all in 1/72nd scale.
The first line drawing has a side-view of a F-105A, F-105B and a F-105D-10-RE on the face-side.
The reverse side has two more side-views of the F-105D-10-RE and interior illustrations of the fuselage.
The second line drawing has a 3-view of the F-105D-31-RE on its face side and a 2-view of it on the reverse side.
The third line drawing shows a 3-view of the F-105D-31-RE and its rockets.
The reverse side shows a 3-view of a F-105F.
The fourth line drawing shows a 6-view of a F-105F on the face side.
The reverse side shows a 3-view of a F-105G.
This is a neat little inexpensive book on F-105 variants. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a F-105 and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of MMP Books and all MMP titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was an American supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it was the only American aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates.
It was originally designed as a single-seat, nuclear-attack aircraft; a two-seat Wild Weasel version was later developed for the specialized Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role against surface-to-air missile sites. The F-105 was commonly known as the "Thud" by its crews.
As a follow-on to the Mach 1 capable North American F-100 Super Sabre, the F-105 was also armed with missiles and a rotary cannon; however, its design was tailored to high-speed low-altitude penetration carrying a single nuclear weapon internally. First flown in 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. The single-engine F-105 could deliver a greater bomb load than some American heavy bombers of World War II such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses (out of the 833 produced). Although less agile than smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s were credited with 27.5 kills.
During the war, the single-seat F-105D was the primary aircraft delivering heavy bomb loads against the various military targets. Meanwhile, the two-seat F-105F and F-105G Wild Weasel variants became the first dedicated SEAD platforms, fighting against the Soviet-built S-75 Dvina (NATO reporting name: SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missiles.
Two Wild Weasel pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for attacking North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile sites, with one shooting down two MiG-17s the same day. The dangerous missions often required them to be the "first in, last out", suppressing enemy air defenses while strike aircraft accomplished their missions and then left the area.
When the Thunderchief entered service it was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg). It could exceed the speed of sound at sea level and reach Mach 2 at high altitude.The F-105 could carry up to 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) of bombs and missiles.
The Thunderchief was later replaced as a strike aircraft over North Vietnam by both the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the swing-wing General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. However, the "Wild Weasel" variants of the F-105 remained in service until 1984 after being replaced by the specialized F-4G "Wild Weasel V".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter-bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: 22 October 1955
Introduction to service: 27 May 1958
Retired: 25 February 1984
Primary user: United States Air Force
Produced: 1955–1964
Number built: 833
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the UK.
This cover art shows a color photo of two F-105’s flying in formation above the clouds. Both are in wave pattern camouflage of two shades of green over a grey undercarriage. The both have white JB on their rudders.
The book contains 4 line-drawing profiles that are 16 ½” x 11 ¾ format, printed on both sides. They are folded in ½ to fit the 8 ¼” x 11 ¼” sized book.
They are all in 1/72nd scale.
The first line drawing has a side-view of a F-105A, F-105B and a F-105D-10-RE on the face-side.
The reverse side has two more side-views of the F-105D-10-RE and interior illustrations of the fuselage.
The second line drawing has a 3-view of the F-105D-31-RE on its face side and a 2-view of it on the reverse side.
The third line drawing shows a 3-view of the F-105D-31-RE and its rockets.
The reverse side shows a 3-view of a F-105F.
The fourth line drawing shows a 6-view of a F-105F on the face side.
The reverse side shows a 3-view of a F-105G.
This is a neat little inexpensive book on F-105 variants. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a F-105 and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of MMP Books and all MMP titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.