SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I'd like to see a model of that F-105 in Thunderbird livery. BTW I heard an ex-Air Force co-worker refer to the F-105 as the "Lead Sled".
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Reminds me of the Supermarine Scimitar.Remember, the Thud was the only aircraft in Air Force history that had to be withdrawn from combat because nearly half the fleet had been shot down or crashed*, leaving too few to be tactically useful. It also quickly failed as a Thunderbird team aircraft, when one broke in half during practice for only its seventh show.
Great pictures! Thanks GreenKnight 121.Here are some photos taken during their Apr 26 1964 to May 9 1964 show career:
View attachment 617300View attachment 617301View attachment 617302View attachment 617303View attachment 617304View attachment 617305View attachment 617306View attachment 617307View attachment 617308
I wonder if that counts as a myth busted. He was a B-52 simulator technician (he said "repairman").Yep, "Thud" was certainly not used as an endearing term.
And the F-100 was often called the "Lead Sled" because of the enormous amount of runway it used to get airborn.
Yep, "Thud" was certainly not used as an endearing term.
And the F-100 was often called the "Lead Sled" because of the enormous amount of runway it used to get airborn.
Could have been just a case of mis-quoting or something to that effect.I wonder if that counts as a myth busted. He was a B-52 simulator technician (he said "repairman").
One of my favorites, by the way, is for the cold-war era Douglas A3D, often called the "Whistling Sh*tcan"
the highest noncombat accident rate of any USAF fighter.
I like this story and it's the one I'm sticking with.From here....
http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/fishlm/folksongs/thud.htm
The WWII P-47 had been nicknamed the Hog, and the follow-on F-84 had become the Super Hog. It was quite natural then that the F-105 would get tagged with Ultra Hog. Transition problems resulting in "controlled flight into terrain" gave rise to the name Lieutenant-eater, but that didn't stick. No one really knows what direction the nickname might have taken but for television, Buffalo Bob Smith, and the Howdy Doody show. Howdy Doody, it was alleged, was the illegitimate son of a Strategic Air Command bomber pilot, and Howdy, assisted by Mickey Mouse, was now writing standardization manuals at HQ, USAF. Buffalo Bob Smith, many others contended, was the role model for any number of Air Force Generals, while Clarabelle the Clown trained USAF stan/eval officers. On the television show, intermittently making mischief with the villainous Mr. Bluster, was a bumbling, drooling, semi-evil Indian named Chief Thunderthud. It had a nice ring to it. Thunder THUD. Thud, as in the noise made by a large heavy object hitting the ground. So, the F-105 became the Thunderthud, and finally, in life and legend, just The Thud.
Whatever the nickname - an amazing machine!
View attachment 617340
Don't forget Lightning, Mustang, Tomahawk, and many others.Add to the list:
Mossie, TseTse, Spit, Lanc, Hali, Chippie, Meatbox...
I'm aware of the formal names - but was posting British nicknames for their types - which don't seemed to be as colorful as their yankee counterparts'.Don't forget Lightning, Mustang, Tomahawk, and many others.
I believe the name Jug came from the fact that the early marl 47 fastbacks looked lie a huge jug. remember this was the 40s and the us was still fairly rural.Thunderbolt was too long a name. Thud might fly as a nickname, but Jug does suit.