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Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam
Thud Pilot is the personal account of a combat fighter pilot who flew the Air Force’s premier fighter-bomber in the most dangerous skies over North Vietnam. In the first five years of the Vietnam War, the F-105 Thunderchief conducted 75 percent of the Air Force bombing missions over North Vietnam. Thud Pilot tells the story of the courageous men who flew the F-105 from its earliest combat deployment in 1964, and on through 1966, the year of its heaviest losses. The author’s more significant missions, including his ejection and rescue over North Vietnam are described in detail and are accompanied by map drawings depicting the mission routes from take-off to refueling orbits, the target, and return. The book is full of several ‘firsts’ in the expanding air war over North Vietnam, including ‘Operation Spring High,’ the first counter Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) strike in the history of aerial warfare. The personal perspective from years of combat experience reveals just how the political mismanagement and inane Rules of Engagement made them as much the hunted as they were the hunters. Thud Pilot goes beyond the battle air space and shares the emotional impact on the families left behind.
"1127061809"
Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam
Thud Pilot is the personal account of a combat fighter pilot who flew the Air Force’s premier fighter-bomber in the most dangerous skies over North Vietnam. In the first five years of the Vietnam War, the F-105 Thunderchief conducted 75 percent of the Air Force bombing missions over North Vietnam. Thud Pilot tells the story of the courageous men who flew the F-105 from its earliest combat deployment in 1964, and on through 1966, the year of its heaviest losses. The author’s more significant missions, including his ejection and rescue over North Vietnam are described in detail and are accompanied by map drawings depicting the mission routes from take-off to refueling orbits, the target, and return. The book is full of several ‘firsts’ in the expanding air war over North Vietnam, including ‘Operation Spring High,’ the first counter Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) strike in the history of aerial warfare. The personal perspective from years of combat experience reveals just how the political mismanagement and inane Rules of Engagement made them as much the hunted as they were the hunters. Thud Pilot goes beyond the battle air space and shares the emotional impact on the families left behind.
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Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam

Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam

by Victor Vizcarra
Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam

Thud Pilot: A Pilot's Account of Early F-105 Combat in Vietnam

by Victor Vizcarra

Overview

Thud Pilot is the personal account of a combat fighter pilot who flew the Air Force’s premier fighter-bomber in the most dangerous skies over North Vietnam. In the first five years of the Vietnam War, the F-105 Thunderchief conducted 75 percent of the Air Force bombing missions over North Vietnam. Thud Pilot tells the story of the courageous men who flew the F-105 from its earliest combat deployment in 1964, and on through 1966, the year of its heaviest losses. The author’s more significant missions, including his ejection and rescue over North Vietnam are described in detail and are accompanied by map drawings depicting the mission routes from take-off to refueling orbits, the target, and return. The book is full of several ‘firsts’ in the expanding air war over North Vietnam, including ‘Operation Spring High,’ the first counter Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) strike in the history of aerial warfare. The personal perspective from years of combat experience reveals just how the political mismanagement and inane Rules of Engagement made them as much the hunted as they were the hunters. Thud Pilot goes beyond the battle air space and shares the emotional impact on the families left behind.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781781556450
Publisher: Fonthill Media
Publication date: 02/07/2018
Pages: 160
Sales rank: 637,880
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Col. Vizcarra, was commissioned in 1960, completed Pilot Training in 1961, and was assigned to F-100’s for eighteen months before transitioning to the F-105. While serving in Japan, he deployed three times to Southeast Asia and flew 59 combat missions in the F-105D. During his third deployment, he ejected from his disabled F-105D over North Vietnam and was rescued. He later returned to fly 120 combat missions in the F-100D/F. Promoted to Colonel in 1981, his final assignment was as the Deputy Commander of Maintenance, where he flew the F-4E.

Table of Contents

Foreword 5

From the Author's Sons 9

Preface 13

Acknowledgements 15

Introduction: Fighter Pilot Talk 101 19

1 First Deployment to Southeast Asia 27

2 First Real Combat Mission 45

3 Mid-Air Refueling 50

4 Operation Spring High 57

5 First Combat Damage 76

6 Going Way Up North 84

7 Mayday, Mayday, Mayday 93

8 Third Deployment 97

9 Clipper Two is Down 113

10 Three in a Row 129

11 Any Landing You Can Walk Away From is a Good Landing 136

12 The Home Front 140

Epilogue 151

Appendix: F-105 Combat Statistics 153

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