Republic AP-63 F-105D Thunderchief

Republic AP-63 F-105D Thunderchief

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The following text from Aviation Week is not unique to the aircraft pictured:
05/18/1964. F-105 CRASHES. Los Angeles- Three Republic F-105 crashes- including one which killed a member of USAF's Thunderbirds- were being investigated last week. A 40-member Air Force investigating team is probing the May 9 crash which killed Capt. Eugene J. Devlin during a routine six-aircraft Thunderbird flight at Hamilton AFB, Novato, California, USA. An eye witness at Hamilton said Devlin was on the left of the three-plane first element, which had just completed a low pass over the field. Then, as they rose in a vertical climb, when Devlin's aircraft was in about a 45-deg. attitude travelling about 300 kt (345 mph, 556 kmh) it broke in half and blew up. The second crash occurred May 13 when a F-105D experienced a power failure on takeoff at Nellis AFB, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and plowed into several homes killing the pilot and four persons on the ground. The third F-105 crash occurred after a power failure May 13 about 230 mls (370 kmh) southeast of Okinawa, Japan. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a Navy ship.
05/25/1964. F-105 GROUNDED FOR INSPECTION. Los Angeles- Air Force has launched an intensive aircraft-by-aircraft inspection of its Republic F-105 fleet as a result of four recent crashes which have killed two pilots and four persons on the ground. The fourth crash occurred May 14 over Wendover, Utah, USA, after the pilot experienced a cockpit fire warning. The fire was verified by his wingman and pilot parachuted to safety.
06/15/1964. New York- Crash of a fifth Republic F-105 last week- after it has been removed from restricted flight status following a complete inspection- suggested the Air Force will probably re-inspect all F-105s cleared so far.... The June 1 crash occurred 17 mls (27 kmh) southwest of McConnell AFB, Witchita, Kansas, USA, when Capt. Billy Sparks parachuted to safety after reporting a fire. The USAF has found a correlation between high fuel consumption and recent accidents.... A sticking fuel pump float that has failed to shut off fuel flow.... resulted in pumping of excess fuel out of the venting system. Ignition of the the vented fuel during high power operation is a possibility.
12/14/1964. F-105B FIX. Washington- Thirty-eight B models of the Republic F-105 supersonic fighter grounded last May probably will not be returned to operational service until sometime next year following a major structural modification program. B models were grounded May 8 when one of the aircraft disintegrated during a vertical turn maneuver by the Thunderbirds USAF precision flying team. Fix involves a major strengthening of fuselage station 350 aft of the cockpit and along the aircraft's spine. Following the grounding, the Thunderbirds did not fly again until September, when the group switched back to the earlier North American F-100.


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The following text from Aviation Week is not unique to the aircraft pictured: 05/18/1964. F-105 CRASHES. Los Angeles- Three Republic F-105 crashes- including one which killed a member of USAF's Thunderbirds- were being investigated last week. A 40-member Air Force investigating team is probing the May 9 crash which killed Capt. Eugene J. Devlin during a routine six-aircraft Thunderbird flight at Hamilton AFB, Novato, California, USA. An eye witness at Hamilton said Devlin was on the left of the three-plane first element, which had just completed a low pass over the field. Then, as they rose in a vertical climb, when Devlin's aircraft was in about a 45-deg. attitude travelling about 300 kt (345 mph, 556 kmh) it broke in half and blew up. The second crash occurred May 13 when a F-105D experienced a power failure on takeoff at Nellis AFB, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and plowed into several homes killing the pilot and four persons on the ground. The third F-105 crash occurred after a power failure May 13 about 230 mls (370 kmh) southeast of Okinawa, Japan. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a Navy ship. 05/25/1964. F-105 GROUNDED FOR INSPECTION. Los Angeles- Air Force has launched an intensive aircraft-by-aircraft inspection of its Republic F-105 fleet as a result of four recent crashes which have killed two pilots and four persons on the ground. The fourth crash occurred May 14 over Wendover, Utah, USA, after the pilot experienced a cockpit fire warning. The fire was verified by his wingman and pilot parachuted to safety. 06/15/1964. New York- Crash of a fifth Republic F-105 last week- after it has been removed from restricted flight status following a complete inspection- suggested the Air Force will probably re-inspect all F-105s cleared so far.... The June 1 crash occurred 17 mls (27 kmh) southwest of McConnell AFB, Witchita, Kansas, USA, when Capt. Billy Sparks parachuted to safety after reporting a fire. The USAF has found a correlation between high fuel consumption and recent accidents.... A sticking fuel pump float that has failed to shut off fuel flow.... resulted in pumping of excess fuel out of the venting system. Ignition of the the vented fuel during high power operation is a possibility. 12/14/1964. F-105B FIX. Washington- Thirty-eight B models of the Republic F-105 supersonic fighter grounded last May probably will not be returned to operational service until sometime next year following a major structural modification program. B models were grounded May 8 when one of the aircraft disintegrated during a vertical turn maneuver by the Thunderbirds USAF precision flying team. Fix involves a major strengthening of fuselage station 350 aft of the cockpit and along the aircraft's spine. Following the grounding, the Thunderbirds did not fly again until September, when the group switched back to the earlier North American F-100.