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.
Despite looking at lots of photographs all I can tell is that it's a loose-fitting bag and is removed before flight. It's numbered to match the aircraft, so my guess is that it's the crew's packed lunch bag, left there by the caterers before each mission.
Tail no. ID for the shop trucks that come out to the flight line for repairs/servicing. That pic is from Thailand, that's a real combat veteran right thar. I worked on them stateside from 1/70 to 5/72, McConnell AFB. Then F-102, Delta Daggers in Iceland for my my last year.
I believe it might be a radar reflector. I was told by some Thud Drivers that the jet was very sleek and had a very small radar cross section. This made a radar controlled instrument approach in bad weather difficult. The plate is designed to enhance the size of that return, making it easier for the radar operator to track the jet. juvat
YouTube, Detailed tour around a Republic F-105 Thunderchief, 2:48 The explanation is exactly as Juvat says. I'm guessing a non-metallic, aerodynamic fairing over a corner reflector. I bet that the plane number was on it so that it was easy to identify the aircraft on the flight line.
I never flew a Thud, but my airplane had a bag much like that. It was for the safety pins for the landing gear. It was a checklist item. "X# of pins, Counted and Stowed." I think mine was 13. Take off with one of the pins still inserted and the gear would not come up.
F-105F-1-RE, s/n 63-8347, shown assigned 44th TFS/388 TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. Later upgraded to F-105G-1-RE. Last assigned Det. 1, 561st TFS, 23rd TFW (attached to 388 TFW). Ran off runway at Korat, 17 May 1972 after blowing a tire on landing and burned out.
F105 Wild Weasel. Does anyone know what the hexagonal orange piece above the landing lights is?
ReplyDeleteAl_in_Ottawa
Despite looking at lots of photographs all I can tell is that it's a loose-fitting bag and is removed before flight. It's numbered to match the aircraft, so my guess is that it's the crew's packed lunch bag, left there by the caterers before each mission.
DeleteTail no. ID for the shop trucks that come out to the flight line for repairs/servicing.
DeleteThat pic is from Thailand, that's a real combat veteran right thar. I worked on them stateside from 1/70 to 5/72, McConnell AFB. Then F-102, Delta Daggers in Iceland for my my last year.
I believe it might be a radar reflector. I was told by some Thud Drivers that the jet was very sleek and had a very small radar cross section. This made a radar controlled instrument approach in bad weather difficult. The plate is designed to enhance the size of that return, making it easier for the radar operator to track the jet.
ReplyDeletejuvat
YouTube, Detailed tour around a Republic F-105 Thunderchief, 2:48
DeleteThe explanation is exactly as Juvat says. I'm guessing a non-metallic, aerodynamic fairing over a corner reflector. I bet that the plane number was on it so that it was easy to identify the aircraft on the flight line.
In a revetment, maybe Thailand?
ReplyDeleteThe jungle utes say Virtman.
Deletevietnam
DeleteI never flew a Thud, but my airplane had a bag much like that. It was for the safety pins for the landing gear. It was a checklist item. "X# of pins, Counted and Stowed." I think mine was 13. Take off with one of the pins still inserted and the gear would not come up.
ReplyDeleteI would concur. The F-4s and -16s I worked on had similar bags.
DeleteF-105F-1-RE, s/n 63-8347, shown assigned 44th TFS/388 TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. Later upgraded to F-105G-1-RE. Last assigned Det. 1, 561st TFS, 23rd TFW (attached to 388 TFW). Ran off runway at Korat, 17 May 1972 after blowing a tire on landing and burned out.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Juvat.
ReplyDelete