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F-105 Thunderchief MiG Killers of the Vietnam War.
Republic F-105D-31-RE Thunderchief 62-4284 was a triple MiG killer.
Captain Max C. Brestel shot down two MiG-17 fighters with this airplane,
10 March 1967. Captain Gene I. Basel also shot down a MiG-17 while
flying this fighter bomber, 27 October 1967.
10 March 1967: Captain Max C. Brestel, United States Air Force, a pilot assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, was flying a Republic F-105D-31-RE Thunderchief fighter-bomber, serial number 62-4284. His call sign was “Kangaroo 03″. During an attack on the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill, the single most heavily-defended target in North Vietnam, Captain Brestel engaged and shot down two enemy MiG-17 fighters. This was the first time during the Vietnam War that an American pilot shot down two enemy airplanes during the same mission.
Captain Gene I. Basel also shot down a MiG-17 while flying this fighter bomber, 27 October 1967.
62-4284 is the only F-105 Thunderchief officially credited with shooting down three enemy fighters during the Vietnam War.
10 March 1967: Captain Max C. Brestel, United States Air Force, a pilot assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, was flying a Republic F-105D-31-RE Thunderchief fighter-bomber, serial number 62-4284. His call sign was “Kangaroo 03″. During an attack on the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill, the single most heavily-defended target in North Vietnam, Captain Brestel engaged and shot down two enemy MiG-17 fighters. This was the first time during the Vietnam War that an American pilot shot down two enemy airplanes during the same mission.
Captain Gene I. Basel also shot down a MiG-17 while flying this fighter bomber, 27 October 1967.
62-4284 is the only F-105 Thunderchief officially credited with shooting down three enemy fighters during the Vietnam War.
I hope it remains in a place of honor somewhere. I love these old jets.
ReplyDeleteYes and my favorite of all time is the Skyraider.
DeleteTypical Republic Aircraft Company plane. Does all the work, but the sexier planes get all the press.
ReplyDeleteWWII - P-47 one of the best fighters, fighter bombers, escorts, could soak up damage like none other. P-51 gets all the FanBois.
Korea - F-84 does all the dirty work, bombing, strafing, fighter work, in all sorts of crappy weather. F-86 gets all the FanBois.
Vietnam - F-105 kills things in air, on ground, sucks up tons of damage and keeps going and going. F-4 gets all the FanBois.
Poor Republic.
I love Republic planes. Favorite WWII is the P-47.
DeleteMy dad flew F-84Gs in Korea right after the armistice. He loved the solidness and strength of the aircraft. The 84G was designed to vertically (up) lob a nuclear bomb and then scoot out of the way.
And the Thud. Nothing says Vietnam Air like a flight of Thuds.
We need more Republic Aircraft Corporations in this world.
My dad flew F-84Gs in Korea right after the armistice. He loved the solidness and strength of the aircraft. The 84G was designed to vertically (up) lob a nuclear bomb and then scoot out of the way.
DeleteNeat and Skyraiders were my favorite. I was the finds manager for the South Vietnamese Air Force the last two years and we grounded the Skyraiders to save money after the dems cut off funding, but they went back up once the invasion started. The pilots loved them.