F-105F/G Thunderchief 'Wild Weasel'...

[Lucky13]

YGBSM
"You gotta be shittin' me!"​

This was the natural response of an educated man, a veteran EWO on B-52s and the like, upon learning that he was to fly back seat to a self-absorbed fighter pilot while acting as flypaper for enemy SAM's.

His exact words were: "You want me to fly in the back of a little tiny fighter aircraft with a crazy fighter pilot who thinks he's invincible, home in on a SAM site in North Vietnam, and shoot it before it shoots me, you gotta be shittin' me!"




Now, having invested in the Trumpeter 1/32 F-105G Wild Weasel, I've found a couple of the obvious 13's...well, at least one it seems, as the other wasn't upgraded to a 'G'...

The question is tough....were this one flying Wild Weasel missions in the Vietnam?

F-105F-1-RE s/n 63-8313
USAF 49th TFW.
1969-70: USAF 357th TFS (355th TFW).
Upgraded to F-105G-1-RE.
1972: USAF 561st TFS (388th TFW).
USAF 35th TFW.
Georgia ANG 128th TFS.
03/1983: Sent to be a target on the Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

 

[fubar57]

Email sent Jan.

Geo

 

[Wayne Little]

F-105 is a big mother!

 

[Lucky13]

At 26 inches, she is indeed a big mother....

Cheers Geo!

 

[fubar57]

Can't be 100% certain Jan but the Dragons were stationed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base from 67-70 so there is a good chance your bird was there.

Geo

 

[FLYBOYJ]

"The 357th was reactivated in July 1962 at George Air Force Base, California as the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron under the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and equipped with Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs. After a period of organization at George, the unit moved to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas in mid-1964.

The squadron deployed for operations under the control of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), initially operating temporarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan in the fall of 1964, then from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in early 1965, flying combat missions over South Vietnam in support of the US Advisory forces and friendly South Vietnamese units, returning to McConnell in late 1965. The unit almost immediately re-deployed to Thailand, this time to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in early 1966 as part of the deployment of its parent wing, which became permanently assigned to PACAF's Thirteenth Air Force.

The squadron remained in Thailand engaged in combat operations over Indochina until 1970, flying frequent missions over enemy-held territory in South and North Vietnam. Its combat actions earned it a Presidential Unit Citation and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat V. It was inactivated at Takhli on 10 December 1970 as part of the drawdown of US Forces in Southeast Asia in the early 1970s.

The squadron activated briefly at McConnell AFB in March 1971, but moved to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona later that month and was reassigned to the reformed 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and equipped with the new A-7D Corsair II ground support aircraft. It achieved operationally-ready status in 1972. In late 1972, the unit deployed its Corsairs to Korat RTAFB and was attached to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Forward Echelon), which had deployed to Korat from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. From Korat, the squadron's aircraft conducted combat operations in South Vietnam, returning to Davis-Monthan in July 1973."

 

[Wurger]

 

[Lucky13]

Much obliged gentlemen!

 

[Lucky13]

 

[Lucky13]

I'd suspect that this, those in colour and the B/W photo, is one and the same bird, as I can't remember seeing two F/G's, with the same '313' at the end of the S/N...

Thanks for the email and pics Geo!

 

[pbehn]

I always think that the air intakes are way too small...obviously not.

 

[syscom3]

I think the 2nd picture has the Falcon AA missile. A dismal failure and the Thud squadrons quickly got rid of it.