Republic
F-105B Thunderchief 
F-105B fuselage as it currently sits
in Florida
tail section, including vertical stabilizer and 'flower petal' air
brakes
drop tanks for the F-105B 
port wing as it currently sits
starboard wing, with gear extended, as it currently sits
Aircraft Background:
Formerly
assigned to the Florida Military Aviation Museum at Clearwater-St.
Petersburg Airport, when the museum closed the aircraft were removed
from the facility and placed in outside storage. Officially
a part of the U.S. Air Force Museum, Wright Patterson AFB collection,
the F-105B has just been placed on indefinite loan to MAPS Air Museum
for restoration purposes. We are currently collecting funds to
load and transport the airframe from its current location in Florida to
MAPS Air Museum. If you would be willing
to contribute to the recovery fund to collect all the parts for this
aircraft, please contact one of the Directors @ MAPS Air Museum. Aircraft's History:
A
replacement for the Republic F-84 tactical fighter/bomber, the F-105 was
designed to carry conventional and nuclear weapons internally or
externally. MAPS' F-105 is one of 75 F-105B
variants. Notable
facts: when the F-105 entered service with the U.S. Air Force, it was
the largest and heaviest fighter in the inventory. Once we
transport the F-105 to MAPS, we will have 3 different airframes used by
the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds (the others include the F-4
Phantom and the F-100 Super Sabre; the
F-105 was used very briefly by the flight demonstration team, only
completing 6 shows. When one of the airframes broke up mid-flight,
the ensuing investigation revealed extensive modifications would be
required if the Air Force wanted to continue using the F-105 for the
Thunderbird act. It was then decided to revert to the F-100D
airframe. Specifications:
Span:
34 ft. 11 in.
Length: 63 ft. 1 in.
Height: 19 ft.
8 in.
Weight: 46,998 lbs. max.
Armament: 1 M61
Vulcan 22mm cannon, up to 8,000 lbs mixed ordinance
Engine: Pratt & Whitney J75-P-5 with 23,000 lbs
thrust in afterburner mode PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed:
1,375 mph.
Cruising speed: 581 mph.
Range:
2,200 miles
Service Ceiling: 48,100 ft. Crew Chief: Crew Chief's Update (Restoration Progress):
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