Vietnam Era F-105 Thunderchief arrives at Aviation Heritage Park

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Aviation Heritage Park is welcoming a new addition, a Vietnam-era F-105 Thunderchief, set to arrive from Texas.

Known as the “Thud,” this aircraft played a major role in the Vietnam War, conducting the majority of bombing strikes in the early years and carrying out 75% of all sorties flown during Operation Rolling Thunder. With its top speed of nearly 1,400 mph and the capacity to carry over 14,000 pounds of ordnance, the F-105 Thunderchief was a powerful and formidable aircraft. However, due to its large size and limited maneuverability, it suffered high loss rates and eventually became the only American aircraft withdrawn from combat because of those heavy losses.

“The Thud has got a special place in the heart of a lot of people who were in the Vietnam era,” said Bob Bubnis, Executive Director of Aviation Heritage Park. “We’re going to have it painted to look like it would have during the Vietnam era, flown by the people we’re honoring, which is Lieutenant Colonel Billy Sparks and General Joseph Ralston. Both are local heroes who flew numerous missions in the F-105.”

The arrival of the aircraft represents an opportunity for the park to honor the legacy of these local aviators, both of whom served with distinction.

“Lieutenant Colonel Sparks was a Wild Weasel pilot who flew into dangerous territories to destroy enemy surface-to-air missile sites,” explained Bob Pitchford, a member of the park’s Restoration Committee. “And General Ralston, who’s the highest-ranking airman from Kentucky, served as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later as the Supreme Commander of NATO.”

The aircraft, a two-seat F-105F variant, will be transported in two separate loads.

“We’re going to have two semis coming through,” Bubnis said. “One with the fuselage, and the other with the wings and tail section. It’s going to come down Three Springs Road and turn over here at the Pickleball Court parking lot, then head to the museum for restoration.”

While the aircraft, which previously resided at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Texas, is in an unrestored state, the Aviation Heritage Park team has ambitious plans. The Thud currently features a distinctive “Flying Tiger” paint scheme, complete with the shark’s mouth that once adorned Vietnam-era jets. However, the restoration will include a return to standard Vietnam camouflage.

“She’s a Republic F-105F Thunderchief,” said Pitchford. “She’s been outside for all her life, and her paint job is very faded. But we’re going to give her a full restoration, and it’s going to take months, possibly a year.”

For Vietnam War veterans and aircraft enthusiasts, the F-105 holds a special place.

Known as a “Supersonic Locomotive,” it was capable of speeds over twice the speed of sound while carrying as much bomb weight as a B-17. Despite the challenges faced by its pilots and the aircraft’s high casualty rates, the Thunderchief is remembered as a workhorse of the Vietnam War.

“The Thunderchief bore the brunt of the bombing campaign in North Vietnam,” said Pitchford. “We’re excited to showcase this important part of history and to tell the stories of the incredible local heroes who flew these missions.”

Residents are encouraged to visit the Aviation Heritage Park as the restoration progresses. The park anticipates high interest from the community, the reassembly process will begin early tomorrow morning.