1:72 F-105D Thunderchief

The F-105D Thunderchief in 1:72 scale from Trumpeter

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American Republic F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bomber in 1:72 scale from Trumpeter. The D version is the single-seat all-weather form of the type, the one that did most of the combat work over North Vietnam.

The real subject

Republic Aviation designed the Thunderchief as a single-seat, single-engine strike aircraft able to carry a load at high speed and low altitude. It was the largest and heaviest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft of its day. Power came from a single afterburning turbojet, fed by unusual air intakes recessed into the leading edge of the swept wing. The aircraft was one of the few fighter-bombers with an internal bomb bay in the fuselage, which in practice was often taken up by a fuel tank while the armament hung under the wing and the fuselage. Compared with earlier machines, the D version received a more capable radar for all-weather attack, and you can recognize it by its longer and deeper nose.

Building and painting tips

The air intakes in the wing root are on show, so fill and sand their seams carefully. Finish the cockpit and the landing gear bays before closing the fuselage. For the period four-color Southeast Asia scheme, soft transitions sprayed with an airbrush from close range at low pressure work well; you can sketch the color boundaries in advance. Cover the surfaces with a gloss coat before the decals and unify everything with a matte coat once dry.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of American Vietnam War subjects
• Modelers interested in Cold War strike aircraft
• Anyone who wants to practice soft transitions in multi-color camouflage
• Builders assembling a run of combat aircraft in 1:72 scale

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.