F-105 Thunderchief

[Jeffry Fontaine]

F-105 with increased wing span to allow the addition of one more weapons pylon under each wing.  This idea stems from the long range bombing missions assigned to the F-105 over North Vietnam.  Some of these strike missions required the aircraft to carry up to three fuel tanks which reduced the weapons load.  By increasing wing span and adding one more weapons pylon, the F-105 would then be able to carry air to air missiles for self defense in addition to electronic countermeasures pods.  This would increase the number of available pylons to seven and allow the carriage of three fuel tanks in addition to a large weapons load.    

[Howard of Effingham]

apparently there was a idea/proposal for a RF-105.

no idea where or how they would have done this but i shall graft a F9F-2P recce nose on to a trumpeter F-105D in 1/72.

the end result should look ok in 4 sqn markings.

trevor

[Archibald]

Good idea! As the Jaguar, Thud wings were way too small... what about a VG Thud, with Tomcat wings ? low cost alternative to the F-111, 1969...

[Radish]

Yeah, I agree with Wooksta, just a straight markings derivitive.
For an RF-105, just alter the nose to accept cameras instead of the radar, or modify the standard airfcraft with the addition of a pod like on the RAF Phantom FGR2s.

Wooksta did an all-white RAF F-105F in RAF colours...spotted it in the What If? cabinet at the Midland Air Museum in Coventry last weekend.

Further F-105 ideas are "D"s and "F/G"s in French or Israeli markings.

And a German F-104 would be good.

The Thud would have been a good introduction to the TSR2 being terrific for low-level flight.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Great to see some interest in this aircraft in something other than USAF markings.  The French AdA F-105 would have been a logical progression from the F-100D to the F-105D/F as the next nuclear capable strike aircraft.  Wonder if they would have gone with the internal storage of the weapon or strapped in on to one of the pylons?  

The possibility of an enhanced F-105 with extended wings (and perhaps an extended fuselage) and carrying British or French designed countermeasures pods does sound intriguing.  Perhaps the pods from the Tornado affixed to the outboard pylons on a two seat Thunderchief with the appropriate markings for a stike/attack squadron.  

[XV107]

RF-105s became JF-105 test articles:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0515832/L/

The photo doesn't really show the RF-101 like 'cheek' camera positions to full advantage, though.

And  here:

http://www.topflightimaging.com/modeling/j...delgallery.html

[BadersBusCompany]

Couldnt resist an RAF Thud with a Jaguar....ish nose.

Thoughts???

[Iranian F-14A]

Obviously the F-105 had a weapons bay,so,on the RF-105,this could be occupyed by either more sensors(Cameras,IR linescan,SLAR,etc) or more fuel to extend the range.Personally,as far as extra fuel goes,I'd stick with the external tanks and throw in some specialized sensors into the weapons bay and use the nose for regular optical cameras.Oh,and you'd still have the outboard hardpoints for say,ECM pods or self defense Sidewinders.

[upnorth]

If you're going RAF, how about a buldged weapons bay option like they put on Buccs?

Load her out with Sea Eagles and put her in 12 or 208 markings and do some fishing in the Baltic.

[Radish]

All good ideas.

F-105s usually had an extra fuel tank in the internal weapons bay, plus the two underwing tanks.
I'd go for standard nose (with gun) and a recce pod under the fuselage instead of the usual bombs.
Then underwing tanks and either electronic stuff under the outer wing pylons (perhaps on one?) and a Sidewinder under the other?

Armed reconnaisance= 2 Sqn I reckon.

How about Grey/green uppers, with PR Blue or PR Mauve     undersurfaces? All glossy, but weathered matt in places, full colour insignia and a couple of replacement panels still in natural metal?

Hellfire.....I'm getting turned on by the thought myself! Might need a Trumpeter kit now.  

[GTX]

Well I've had plans to do a Pakistani F-105 for some time now.

Regards,

Greg

[Daryl J.]

In the early days the modelling interweb, back when rec.models.scale was in continuous meltdown, someone suggested that Republic had a version of the -105 that had a similar, but completely different, wing that would have allowed it to take on a F-15 when it came to manoeverability.   It seems as though the wing was about 1 foot greater in chord and some 1-2 feet greater in length and reprofiled for a different mission.   There were some horizontal stab changes too IIRC.  Given the 1/48 F-105G is available again and reasonably priced, splicing two kits wings together to get the new aircraft might be doable, yes?

And the Jaguar nose grafted in is awesome.


Daryl J.

[Archibald]

Great to see some interest in this aircraft in something other than USAF markings.  The French AdA F-105 would have been a logical progression from the F-100D to the F-105D/F as the next nuclear capable strike aircraft.  Wonder if they would have gone with the internal storage of the weapon or strapped in on to one of the pylons? 

The possibility of an enhanced F-105 with extended wings (and perhaps an extended fuselage) and carrying British or French designed countermeasures pods does sound intriguing.  Perhaps the pods from the Tornado affixed to the outboard pylons on a two seat Thunderchief with the appropriate markings for a stike/attack squadron.

An AN-52 A-bomb would probably fit nicely onto the Thud bomb bay.
Add to this two huge, 2200 L drop tanks from a Mirage IV.
And Thuds were based in Chaumont (east of France) circa 1962. The Mirage IIIE was deeply influenced by the Thud.

Lots of good reasons...  

The Mirage IV, Mirage IIIE and Jaguars all carried BOA and Clamar huge ECM pods. And big Martels ARMs...
F-105 would have been a good candidate for the RAGEL mission (long range strike, recon and electronic warfare).

Heck, Thuds in French service for 25 years (1960 - 1985) would have scrapped many aircrafts (Jaguars, Mirage IIIE and even Mirage IV)  

[GTX]

Hi folks,

An idea I'm playing with that I'd like your input on.

Would it be feasible to have an updated F-105 (probably a F or G model) fitted with the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack (from the F-111) in the [typically] unused weapons bay?  I'm thinking a couple of Paveway series LGBs under the wings with the WSO using the Pave Tack to guide them in.  Thoughts, additional suggestions, operators...

Regards,

Greg

[Maverick]

My first choice would be ANG.  They tooled around in -105Gs and Ds for a bit after Vietnam, some Ds even got as far as wraparound cammies.

Mav