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F-105D Tail 086 Flying over Richmond, VA as a member of the Virginia Air National Guard. Photo courtesy Paul Bentley. |
Another D Model, on the Richmond, VA ANG apron. Tail number 731. Also courtesy Paul Bentley. |
Survivors
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This section is dedicated to photos of the types of aircraft that flew from Takhli and "survived" the Vietnam era. And in particular to F-105s and B-66s, both of which left the active inventory roughly within a decade of the final closure of US operations at Takhli. The KC-135 tankers and F-111 Aardvarks continued on in service in large numbers and even the U-2s flew well into the years beyond Takhli. But the heavy F-105 losses and B-66's age meant this was their last war. This will not be all inclusive but meant more to show that these old warbirds did not simply fade away, but served on honorably until relieved of duty, and even now are maintained with respect at many locations. Below then, are some examples - if you have photos of others, this is the place for them...|
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F-105D Tail 086 Flying over Richmond, VA as a member of the Virginia Air National Guard. Photo courtesy Paul Bentley. |
Another D Model, on the Richmond, VA ANG apron. Tail number 731. Also courtesy Paul Bentley. |
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F-105D at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ. Photo courtesy Menko Christoph, Alberto Young, and Jose Benavidez. |
A 'B' Model, at the Chillicothe, MO Municipal Airport. Paint scheme based on the Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Team. Personal photo. |
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F-105D 62-360 at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Maintained in excellent condition, this photo and the plaque photo on the right courtesy David Castiaux. |
The plaque for 62-360. Reads - The F-105D was a versatile, supersonic fighter-bomber built by Repbulic Aviation. #62-360 served tours of duty in South Korea, Japan and Thailand. It was assigned to Tinker AFBs 507th Fighter Group in 1972 and again from 1976 to 1979. The Oklahoma ALC performed depot maintenance on the single-seat from 1977 until 1980 and produced over 4,000 of its J75 engines. The USAF withdrew the last F-105D from service in 1980. Characteristics - Span 35' Length 64' Height 20' Weight 52838 Lbs Top Speed 1390 MPH Range 2206 Miles Ordnance 12000 Lbs Dedicated March 16, 1983 |
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F-105D Tail 088 of unknown heritage. Now on static display at Grissom AFB, IN. Photo courtesy Steve Victor. |
