And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
My Grandmother was stationed at Richard-Gabaur Air Force base in the 70's. You could tell which Phantom's had been overseas as they all had new tails installed.
I remember standing next to the runway in 1977 Richmond Int. Airport in Virginia.....The Air National Guard was flying some of the last remaining F-105's, and it was hard to imagine how big a fighter they were....I remember the pilot hitting full throttle and the wheels settling into the fresh asphalt....a short roll, light the afterburner and it was gone....
F-105 were thoroughly consumed in Vietnam because idiots were in charge. as a low level high speed interdiction intruder it was excellent. it could hit 900 kts on the deck; no mean feat. it had a gun. it was the finest USAF attack aircraft to come out of the 1950s. it was never considered a fighter except in the minds of those who did not fly it. It was rugged. I had seen one or two fly missing major components, and on fire. It was also delicate requiring a fine touch of the maintenance troops and skillful piloting. Massive, fuel consuming, awesomely bomb laden, looking fast sitting still, and frightening as hell if it flew over you. It looked good, like carved from solid.
Just as I thought, Thud Butt. Read or heard a story once about one in an incident in North Vietnam. One was being chased by a MIG. Since it was a fighter bomber, its air to air was not so good. The 105 pilot dropped down on the deck, just ten's of feet above the ground. He then pushed the speed beyond Mach 1. Next, He did a rapid pull up. The following MIG plowed into the ground. The Thud pilot knew that the type of MIG suffered sever control reversal when it went supersonic and used it to his advantage and collected a kill for it.
The F-86 came apart in the middle after a few bolts were remove. I read somewhere the aircrew could swap out a complete engine in 3 hours.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a Thud with it's tail off.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I thought, but again late to the party.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's an F=105.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother was stationed at Richard-Gabaur Air Force base in the 70's. You could tell which Phantom's had been overseas as they all had new tails installed.
ReplyDeleteI remember standing next to the runway in 1977 Richmond Int. Airport in Virginia.....The Air National Guard was flying some of the last remaining F-105's, and it was hard to imagine how big a fighter they were....I remember the pilot hitting full throttle and the wheels settling into the fresh asphalt....a short roll, light the afterburner and it was gone....
ReplyDeleteWhen they were phased out, the Air Force pulled all the engines and destroyed them.
ReplyDeleteDamn shame. Beautiful plane, especially when allowed to fly the way it was designed.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteF-105 were thoroughly consumed in Vietnam because idiots were in charge.
ReplyDeleteas a low level high speed interdiction intruder it was excellent.
it could hit 900 kts on the deck; no mean feat. it had a gun.
it was the finest USAF attack aircraft to come out of the 1950s.
it was never considered a fighter except in the minds of those who did not fly it.
It was rugged. I had seen one or two fly missing major components, and on fire.
It was also delicate requiring a fine touch of the maintenance troops and skillful piloting.
Massive, fuel consuming, awesomely bomb laden, looking fast sitting still, and frightening as hell if it flew over you. It looked good, like carved from solid.
Just as I thought, Thud Butt. Read or heard a story once about one in an incident in North Vietnam. One was being chased by a MIG. Since it was a fighter bomber, its air to air was not so good. The 105 pilot dropped down on the deck, just ten's of feet above the ground. He then pushed the speed beyond Mach 1. Next, He did a rapid pull up. The following MIG plowed into the ground. The Thud pilot knew that the type of MIG suffered sever control reversal when it went supersonic and used it to his advantage and collected a kill for it.
ReplyDelete