Republic F-7C Thunderstorm

[Spinners 15,986]

Republic F-7C Thunderstorm - 428th and 429th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, USAF Vietnam, 1968

 

 

During late 1958 the Langley Laboratory made the breakthrough that led to the realisation of a valid variable-sweep wing and by early 1959 Tactical Air Command (TAC) could see that this massive technological breakthrough could be the key to help them in their search for a tactical strike fighter to replace both the F-100 Super Sabre andthe F-105 Thunderchief. Pretty soon however the numerical values for unrefuelled range and payload that TAC had attached to their mission requirements had the effect of turning all the paper studies from F-105 sized machines to much larger tactical bombers with a corresponding increase in cost and price and this reduced affordability was of great concern to TAC.

 

In the Autumn of 1959 TAC wisely decided to split their requirement into a smaller tactical fighter to replace the F-100 and a larger tactical bomber to replace the F-105, B-57 and B-66. The larger aircraft would evolve into Specific Operational RequirementNo.183 that would launch the important TFX (tactical fighter experimental) programme and eventually lead (via a tortuous route) to the outstanding but highly compromised F-111 family whilst the smaller aircraft would lead to Specific Operational Requirement No.182 or TAX (tactical aircraft experimental).

 

Issued in March 1960 SOR182 called for a single-seat tactical fighter aircraft with “reduced dependence of paved runways” and with “the ability to carry a nuclear bomb at supersonic speed at tree-top height”. Requests for Proposals were immediately sent out to industry and Republic Aviation’s proposal soon gained the support of TAC by virtue of its use of a variable-sweep wing but also by the use of the existing J75 turbojet and F-105 avionics. With the end of F-105 production on the horizon Republic Aviation pushed hard for SOR182/TAX and in February 1961 they were rewarded with a contract for 24 prototype and pre-production YF-110 aircraft and 400 production F-110A machines and Republic wasted no time in bestowing the name of ‘Thunderstorm’ to the latest of their long line of fighter aircraft.

 

Republic Aviation were fortunate in being awarded the contract before Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara had got into his stride and the programme largely escaped McNamara and his whiz-kids. Development moved swiftly and during 1962 the programme was re-designated F-7 under the new tri-service designation scheme and the first prototype took to the air on December 22^nd 1962 a full year ahead of the F-111A. Entering service in June 1965 the F-7A was followed by the F-7B two-seat trainer version and the more advanced F-7C version that first deployed to Vietnam in March 1968 when a two-squadron wing transferred to Takhli Royal Thia AFB, Thailand in a deployment called ‘Combat Lancer’.

 

 

Soviet green wheels replaced with white!

 

 

Edited January 9, 2013 by Spinners

[+Heberth 159]

the last screenshot is AWESOME in the biggest level!

[Spinners 15,986]

Thanks mate! New loading screen...

[+Julhelm 266]

Next you should do a WW2 Luftwaffe Thud

[Spinners 15,986]

Next you should do a WW2 Luftwaffe Thud

 

 

 

lol. Why not?!

 

 

[Viggen 644]

I like it!

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Damn Spinners... that is pretty epic!

[Spinners 15,986]

Cheers!

 

It's now in the downloads section.

[+Heberth 159]

i think i got the first download!!!

[mdatelmi 124]

Wow...looks very cool!

 

Mmmm...a "reversed" Wings over Vietnam will be interesting...

 

A two seat Mig-27 as Wild Weasel?

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

realy have to say i like it! What about a navy version too and do you have plans for the twoseater?

[+Stary 2,427]

that shot with Skyraiders is EPIC Spinners!

 

 

 

and the skin is great too!

[Spinners 15,986]

that shot with Skyraiders is EPIC Spinners!

 

 

Thanks!

 

[Spinners 15,986]

Republic F-7J Thunderstorm - VF-1 'Wolf Pack', US Navy, 1975

 

In May 1968 the Armed Services Committees of both houses of Congress refused to authorise further funds for the F-111B forcing the Department of Defence to issue a stop-work order to General Dynamics. Whilst this was initially received as good news by the US Navy they soon felt that they had been forced to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire when the Republic Thunderstorm was forced upon them and Grumman's promising VFX submission (Model 303 'Tomcat') and associated AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 missile were allowed to pass into history. Entering service in 1971 the F-7J Thunderstorm was Republic's first naval aircraft and served with both the USN and the USMC seeing extensive action in Vietnam and also seeing action with two USMC squadrons during the 1991 Gulf War.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2013 by Spinners

[Spinners 15,986]

Republic F-7C Thunderstorm - No.1 Squadron, Belgian Air Force, 1971

 

 

 

 

 

[+KnightWolf45 1,147]

in shock great work man

[dsawan 624]

exotic, good job.