F-105G Thunderchief #63-8320 Det.1 561st TFS 1973

F-105F-1-RE s/n 63-8320 began operational service in 1964 as a standard F-105F. In 1967 it joined the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing in Thailand, where it flew combat missions for nearly three years. During this time, it became one of a select few USAF aircraft to claim three MiG kills. In 1970 it was fitted with electronic counter-measure equipment and joined the 388th TFW for "Wild Weasel" duty, attacking enemy surface-to-air missile sites. In 1972 the aircraft was modified to the improved F-105G Wild Weasel III configuration deployed with Detachment 1 of 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: WW) from George Air Force Base California to Korat RTAFB February 1973-September 1973. 63-8320 is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The Wild Weasel concept was originally proposed in 1965 as a method of countering the increasing North Vietnamese SAM threat, using volunteer crews. The mission of the Wild Weasels was to eliminate Communist Surface to Air Missile sites in North Vietnam. The casualty rate for all Wild Weasel aircraft over the course of the Vietnam War was 63%. Wild Weasels became so effective in the Vietnam War that 90% of North Vietnamese radar sites would turn off if Wild Weasels were in the vicinity.

Typical load for an F 105 G mission was 1 centre fuel tank, 1 wing mounted fuel tank on the left inner pylon, 2 AGM-45 Shrikes on the outer pylons and 1 AGM-78B ARM on the other inner pylon. F-105G Wild Weasel III didn't need an ECM pod because they carried the ALQ-100 pods on the fuselage.