Republic F-105 Thunderchief

The supersonic strike fighter built for high-speed nuclear and conventional attack missions.

Overview

Republic Aviation United States ICAO: F105 1955–1964 $2.1 million (1960)

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was developed in the 1950s as a high-speed fighter-bomber for the U.S. Air Force. Designed initially for nuclear strike, it later became a primary conventional attack aircraft during the Vietnam War. The aircraft was one of the largest single-engine fighters ever built.

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W
Engine type
Jet
Thrust
26,500 lbf · 118 kN
Avionics
NASARR R-14A radar, AN/ASG-19 Thunderstick fire control system, AN/ARN-85 LORAN
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
1
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
64 ft 4 in  ·  19.62 m
Tail height
19 ft 8 in  ·  6.00 m
Fuselage diameter
4 ft 3 in  ·  1.30 m
Wing span
34 ft 11 in  ·  10.65 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
53,000 lb  ·  24,000 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
14,300 lb  ·  6,500 kg
Fuel capacity
2,800 gal · 10,600 L · 8,500 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
1,210 kt  ·  1,392 mph  ·  2,241 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
—
Range
1,917 nm  ·  2,210 mi  ·  3,550 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
48,500 ft  ·  14,800 m
Rate of climb
38,500 ft/min  ·  196 m/s
Takeoff distance
—
Landing distance
—
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A U.S. Air Force Reserve Republic F-105B Thunderchief from the 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron taking ff.

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Operational Context

Republic F-105 Thunderchief — supersonic fighter-bomber

The F-105 first flew in 1955 and entered service in 1958. It featured a swept wing and area-ruled fuselage to support sustained supersonic performance. The aircraft was designed to carry a nuclear weapon internally while maintaining high-speed penetration capability at low altitude.

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney J75 turbojet producing approximately 24,500 pounds of thrust (109 kN) with afterburner, the F-105 exceeded Mach 2. Maximum takeoff weight exceeded 52,000 pounds (23,587 kg). In conventional configuration, it carried a substantial external bomb load on multiple hardpoints.

The Thunderchief flew the majority of early U.S. strike missions over North Vietnam. Specialized Wild Weasel variants conducted suppression of enemy air defenses. Although losses were significant, the aircraft played a central role in tactical air operations during the 1960s.

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