THUD -- Restored War Bird

[garypmarquis]

The F-16 , AKA, the "lawn dart", as we called it, sould not be compared to the "LEAD SLED." The differences being, the f-16 does not carry the payload of the "sled." AND , The "thunderchief" wasmore robust, giving it greater survivorbility. Signed, G.P.M., TSG RET, USAF, 461/454. "IYAAMYAS!"

[Ogti9g9]

Respect the thud.

[losteroni]

The Air National Gaurd used to fly these out of a base just south of Houston Texas . We were out at the municipal dump one day when two of them took off in echelon right over our heads . we instinctively ducked even though they were probably at least 4 or 5 hundred feet over our heads !

[jasontford1]

I beleive this is my uncles plane. Capt. Larry D. Wiggins. He was the only pilot during the whole war that followed through on his mig kill and got gun camera footage of the aim-9 actually hitting the mig. It was a big deal at the time. Records say he finished the mig off with his 20mm but he says he never fired it at the mig. Anyway, google Capt. Larry D. Wiggins usaf and all kinds of stuff comes up. He's in his 70's now and just baptized me last week. He's great.

[mossmusic]

Wow, thanks for the upload!

[Mitch70832]

Tell John Shatz there are some of us still out there! I was a weapons load toad in the 13th TFS exactly when John was there! Fes Cannady (34th TFS), Duane Mitchell (13th TFS), Tom Mitchell (34th TFS) and me, Larry Mitchell (13th TFS). All weapons load guys when John was there, all still friends getting to be old guys today! SALUTE! (We Mitchell's were NOT directly related, just happenstance!)

[stargazer444]

I hope to see one fly again they are awesome I use to watch them many times come and go early 80s Dobbins AFB from HWY 41

[pbgoodwin1]

what was the tail #?

[dorkf1sh]

Keep in mind that the word "fighter" is only half this aircrafts designation, and the least important half in relation to the design goals. It was built from the ground up to deliver tactical nuclear weapons, back in the times when the U.S. Air Force was in love with the idea of all things nuclear. Of course it seems madness today to think of the casual use of nuclear weapons, but in the midst of the Cold War we really did expect to have to stop hordes of Soviet tanks at any moment.

[336kgf]

If only they would have an F105 flying again. That would rock.

[hornitpilot]

I have build a 1/6th scale turbine powerd 105 thunderchief have a look at my channel

[336kgf]

@hornitpilot I am talking about building the REAL thing, right down to the supersonic top speed and all of the other fun stuff. There is still a civilian F-100 out there.

[thrax777]

is this a SA-2 missile infront of the aircraf ?

[xfire7]

glad to see one kept :))

[biukucanoe]

The lesson of the F-105 was that a fighter shouldn'be a big overweight bomber.

What we needed was a lightweight fighter - the F-16... which is being replaced by the ... 65,000 lb Lighting II JSF which will replaced the 105 as the biggest single engine fighter ever.

[jondude20]

OUTSTANDING!!