@ United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
January 2014
While visiting relatives in Colorado, I was able to get access to the Cadet Area of the USAF Academy. The primary feature of the area is a large, square pavilion known as The Terrazzo. Four aircraft mark the corners of The Terrazzo, one being this F-105. The Thunderchief was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing approximately 50,000 pounds. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War and was the only U.S. aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates. Out of the 833 produced, 382 aircraft were lost, including 62 operational (non-combat) losses. First flown in 1955, the Thunderchief was in service from 1958-1984 and was commonly known as the “Thud” by its crews. This display aircraft was built from components of ten different combat Thuds and has been on display here since 1968.
