F-105D
Contents
Description
The Republic F-105D Thunderchief is a rank VII American strike aiicraft with a battle rating of 11.0 (AB), 10.3 (RB), and 10.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update "Winged Lions". Like its contemporaries, the Su-7 family, the F-105 is a strike aircraft designed for ordnance delivery at high speeds at low altitude, and its design reflects this, with powerful acceleration, excellent control authority at high speeds, good roll rate, and plentiful choices in bomb options, as well as a full range of ballistic computer programming, including CCIP for Rockets, Bombs and Cannons, plus a CCRP function that uses its surprisingly capable AN/ASG-19 radar. While it lacks a true "lock" function, the gun has a radar-ranging gunsight as well as a Search and IFF function that allows it to at least see targets in front and above it to a relatively high degree of efficiency at ranges of up to 37 kilometers, giving it a valuable asset in avoiding enemies as it completely lacks any sort of countermeasures save for chaff. However, it does not have any flares, making it vulnerable to IR missiles that are prevalent at the BR, offset by the aforementioned roll rate and control authority, meaning that it can easily outroll or outmaneuver any air to air missile in-game up to the R.550, which can only be outmaneuvered with range and assuming that the Magic's booster has shut off.
This aircraft was designed in real life by Republic Aviation as a nuclear strike aircraft, and it performs best roaring through valleys and over hills at low altitude, reaching speeds of almost mach 1.2 when clean, and mach 1.05 with a full load of sixteen 750-pound M117 bombs. It also has the capability to pull surprisingly high Gs and turn tighter than expected for an attack aircraft, managing turns of 12-13Gs with empty bomb racks and 4 sidewinders or 13-14G clean with 12 minutes of fuel left in the tank at 1000km/h. These are fairly standard conditions when turning away from a base to head home for more ordnance, or while tussling with MiGs over the battlefield.
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,129 | 2,102 | 12192 | 28.5 | 29.5 | 149.3 | 141.5 | 1,050 |
| Upgraded | 2,206 | 2,167 | 27.5 | 28.0 | 202.8 | 175.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 546 | 2,350 | 827 | 444 | ~12 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 720 | < 950 | < 800 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||
| J75-P-19W | 1 | _,___ kg | ___ kg/m2 | |||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||
| Weight | Type | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | ||
| 2699 kg | Jet | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP) | |||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 7060 kgf | 11060 kgf | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Optimal | ___ kgf (_ km/h) |
~13309 kgf (1109 km/h) |
_.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
Survivability and armour
Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.
- 12.7mm armour plate behind the pilot.
The F-105, like the Su-7, is extremely survivable. Often, cannon bursts from the rear that "kill" the plane will destroy the engine and disable the tail control, but the wings, fuselage and tail assembly will all stay attached. Due to its large size, smaller missiles such as R-60 have an extremely slim chance to detonate even after you appear to have "dodged" it, since the proximity fuze is still live after the missile loses lock. The aircraft can lose a wingtip and a tail fin, but still make it home to base. The aircraft has a chance to put out fires in its spinal fuel tanks, but due to their position above the engine, if the rear one gets set on fire, the engine will likely also burn down. However, the F-105 is good at gliding home and back to base even when the engine is down, or after sustaining heavy damage. The pilot lacks protection from the front and sides, and the aircraft lacks any sort of protection for fuel tanks, engine, control cables or control surfaces, unlike its well-armoured stablemate, the A-7.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The F-105D is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, nose-mounted (1,028 rpg)
Suspended armament
|
This aircraft has many different payloads. For convenience, the aircraft's ordnance has been split into sections. |
|
IMPORTANT: This aircraft cannot carry flares. The countermeasure pods are AN/ALE-38/41 Chaff dispensers, which, unlike modern countermeasures pods or USN countermeasure systems, use neither a common calibre nor dispenser system as flares. The F-105 was never equipped with the AN/ALE-40 combined Chaff/Flare suite used on the F-4E, nor the AN/ALE-29 chaff dispenser used on the A-4 Skyhawks and A-7 Corsairs. |
The F-105D can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load (clean, no pylons)
Air to Air:
Click Expand to show
- 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
Air to Ground Missiles & Rockets:
Click Expand to show
- 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
- 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 32 x countermeasures
- 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
- 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 32 x countermeasures
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (10,500 lb total)
- 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles (6,000 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 32 x countermeasures (4,500 lb total)
- 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 32 x countermeasures
- 9 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 5 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles (5,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 32 x countermeasures (3,000 lb total)
Bombs:
Click Expand to show
- 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
- 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (7,000 lb total)
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (10,500 lb total)
- 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (8,500 lb total)
- 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (10,000 lb total)
- 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (10,500 lb total)
- 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
- 5 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs (11,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
- 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (6,000 lb total)
- 3 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 32 x countermeasures (9,000 lb total)
Multirole:
Click Expand to show
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (3,000 lb total)
- 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (8,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (8,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
- 9 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 9 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
- 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
- 3 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 3 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
- 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total) This payload is best for bombing bases. It takes seven M117 bombs to destroy a base at 9.7, and with 16 bombs, dropping in 5 pairs of 2 and 6 individual drops, an F-105 can easily pickle off four pairs of bombs (8 total) before using the remaining ones to destroy another base, lighting the afterburner, and heading for home.
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total) This payload is one of the best for bombing bases and then switching into an Air to Air role. The AIM-9E missiles are capable against aircraft that are slow, and useful for causing faster aircraft to maneuver to avoid missiles, forcing them to lose speed and giving you a chance to close the gap.
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total) One of the single most effective payloads, this may be used as a substitute for the above payload if a pilot dislikes having to pickle off eight bombs individually, as now, with a single push of a button, two M118s come sliding off the rails. These two bombs combined are more than enough for a base, but are also effective in their own right as Capture-point clearing bombs, or for destroying aircraft staying on the airfield near the end of a match. Campers beware!
- 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total) Two heavy-duty bullpups and four sidewinders make for a powerful punch against both ground and air targets. The M117s are there merely as additional ordnance, and may be jettisoned where necessary for a cleaner aircraft, or used against enemy targets.
- 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles Four AGM-12Bs is the maximum amount of guided ordnance that the F-105D can carry, if a pilot requires a lot of guided missiles to take out tanks in Ground RB. However, due to the ballistic computer, it is often better to take bombs instead, since you can drop from higher up and on different flight profiles where enemy tanks and SPAAs do not expect air attack. This is compounded by the fact that with this payload, you cannot carry AIM-9Es for self-defense, nor chaff for spoofing radar, and the AGM-12Bs are very small compared to the AGM-12C. While still able to kill ground targets, this payload's effectiveness is sometimes questionable in the face of the other payloads this versatile aircraft is capable of carrying.
Note that nowhere in these payloads are any provisions for the LDGP Mark 82 500lbs bombs provided stock, the LDGP Mark 83 1000lb bomb, or the AGM-12B/sidewinder combinations. This is because the M117s make the Mark 83 effectively redundant, as they carry nearly 210 kilograms of TNT equivalent- the F-105 can carry more of these bombs, and while at first, the Mk 83's additional 66 kilograms of TNT equivalent (for a total of 276kg per thousand-pound bomb) seem like an improvement, the M117 has nearly identical fragment dispersion/vehicle kill radii, as well as only 7mm less armour penetration. Coupled with the aircraft's ballistic computer for precision-bombing, experienced pilots shouldn't need the extra explosive mass to secure a kill, and since on a single hardpoint, the F-105 carries more M117s than Mark 83s (4-6 as opposed to 3 for the Mark 83), even novice pilots may find it easier to use the M117, since they have more M117s to drop. Pilots will also find it easier to acquire the M117 than the Mark 83 on this aircraft, as M117s are available as a Tier I modification, while Mark 83s are in Tier II, and the Thunderchief has far more Tier II modifications that should take a higher priority over the Mark 83, such as the booster or AIM-9B upgrade.
Chaff is not advisable for the F-105D. At this battle rating, the F-105 faces mostly IR missiles, and given its flight performance, pilots must rely on maneuvering alone to defeat the AIM-9Bs, AIM-9Es, R-3Ss, AIM-9Gs that are typical to planes around the 8.7-9.7 BR range, as well as the occasional R-60s, AIM-9Js/Rb 24Js, and rare AIM-7C, AIM-7D and AIM-7E sparrows that it can face from time to time. All of these missiles can be defeated with appropriate maneuvering and avoidance of enemy aircraft, making chaff pods entirely redundant, and at the moment, just something that takes up more space on a hard point that could be used by a bomb, missile, or rocket pod. However, in Ground RB, chaff may be useful in temporarily spoofing early missile and gun AAA. However, no AAA at that BR is entirely radar-based, and most radar-based SPAAGs use their radar to determine only a target solution rather than guide any sort of weapon. For instance, the most common anti-aircraft missile systems in Ground RB- the Roland 1, Type 93, Ozelot, 2S6 and ADATS- all use either IR guidance or a form of Semi-Active beam-riding guidance that completely ignores chaff.
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".
Pros:
- High speed and energy retention for Boom & Zoom tactics
- Effective control authority at speeds in excess of ~700km/h
- Excellent takeoff flaps that may be used during combat
- High pull at speed (~12G)
- Excellent M61 Vulcan cannon with large ammo pool
- Excellent range of payloads
- Shrugs off damage to wings, airframe and fuselage
- Four AIM-9Es for air to air work
- Good search radar
Cons:
- Lacks armour
- Easily set ablaze from the side and rear
- Tail control easily disabled by missiles or gunfire
- Large target while turning
- No flares; vulnerable to IR missiles
- Chaff pods supplant AIM-9Es and/or air-to-ground ordnance, and have a relatively low countermeasure count
- Its own IR missiles are mediocre, and do not pull hard enough or have a high enough track rate for dogfights
- Lacks advanced TV/Laser-guided missiles
- Radar lacks ACM mode, changeable FOV or changeable range, and may only be used as a rangefinder
- High minimum landing approach speed may be difficult for novice jet players
- High payload results in sluggish performance with full loads of bombs
- Extremely high fuel consumption on Afterburner; requires careful management of fuel supply on minimum or 20 minutes fuel load
History
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
Media
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| USA jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| F9F | F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8 |
| F-80 | F-80A-5 · F-80C-10 |
| F-84 | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35 |
| F-89 | F-89B · F-89D |
| F-100 | F-100D |
| F-104 | F-104A · F-104C |
| F-4 | F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II |
| F-5 | F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A |
| F-8 | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| F-14 | F-14A Early · ▄F-14A IRIAF · F-14B |
| F-15 | F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E |
| F-16 | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Other | P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1 |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| FJ-4 | FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 |
| A-4 | A-4B · A-4E Early |
| A-7 | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| AV-8 | AV-8A · AV-8C · AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| A-10 | A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C |
| F-111 | F-111A · F-111F |
| Other | A-6E TRAM · F-105D · F-117 |
| Bombers | |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
