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Portraits of Thunderchiefs, the Rolling Thunder Pilots of the Vietnam War

http://cademartin.com/overwar/
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The F105 Thundercheif.... aka the "Thud Bomber". I remember reading the book (years ago) called, "Thud Ridge".

If you haven't, you should read it.

Second the Read, Thud Ridge is a pretty stark account of a unique part of the war, well worth the time!

Also a good read is the life of Robin Olds, one of the best pilots of the war!
 
For a short time I was stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, on the army side of the base. It was a good deal 'cause it got me out of Vietnam for awhile, had to go back unfortunatley. Anyway they had F105's at the air base. They'd take off in the early AM making the wall lockers in my hooch rattle and bang as they hit their afterburners. Later they would come back and very occasionally one of them apparently got a kill. That guy would break off and scream down the runway just a few feet off the ground, do a roll, hit the afterburner and go vertical out of sight. A thrill that's with me today. Sadly and also on occasion one would be missing out of the fornation. At the far end of the strip the Air Force had piled a large amount of sand. Twice I witnessed one come in low and slow and the guys would eject and the Thud would crash into the sand. I was never told but assumed the plane could not safely land for some reason and the sand was there to recover as much as possible.
 
I was just a little to late to see the F-105s fly, they had already retired them.
I did see a F8F Crusader fly at a air show, Man, that sucker sounded mean and looked the part, I was impressed!
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I was just a little to late to see the F-105s fly, they had already retired them.
I did see a F8F Crusader fly at a air show, Man, that sucker sounded mean and looked the part, I was impressed!
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The F8F was the Bearcat. It was F8U Crusader later renamed to F8 Crusader. I am stickler for the right designation of aircraft types. :D

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Lol, I'm Air Force, don't care about Navy crap!






Hide::oops:
Besides, only real men fly the F-104!
Got that Freewing 90mm version, HOT!

Yes the F-104 Starfighter was an assume fighter but it had problems as well. In West Germany it was called Witwenmacher ("The Widowmaker"). I wouldn't mind an RC F-104 but the flying club I am in only has a grass runway not a paved surface and it costs quite a bit.

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