After posting this picture the other day, I went back and looked closer. Clearly this is an aircraft in rehab, possibly a museum project or one with a cockpit not normally open for display. There is a lot wrong or missing there.
Some notes:
- Drag chute handle is in deployed chute position. Should be vertical and stowed.
- Kick panel and right lower instrument panel section missing.
- Refueling handle, emergency gear handle, emergency brake handle all missing.
- DCU-94 (PAL) weapons control panel on center pedestal missing control knob.
- Right and left hand rear-view mirrors missing.
- Gooseneck map light along left canopy rail missing.
- Gun camera, camera periscope and film pack mount missing.
- Rubber radar hood missing.
- Several square weapons panel status light lenses missing.
Other than that she looks as good as the day she was retired.
And, you can't see either right or left hand consoles which offered all of the radios, IFF-SIF, auto-pilot, stab-aug and other controls as well as the two side fold-out panels that offered access to still more weapons controls that weren't needed often but had to be accessed in flight.
1 comment:
The Collins Foundation (http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm)is on a mission to restore a flyable F-105 (they already have the only privately held flyable F-4 as well as a TA-4).
In their words:
"In an effort to secure an F-105, the Collings Foundation has spent the last few years trying to work with the Air Force. However, the Service chose to oppose the project—even though it would occur at no cost to the US Government and include hold-harmless provisions to ensure that the Air Force was no longer legally liable for the aircraft. They are turning their backs on our veterans and the 120 American POW heroes that combined have spent over 300 horrific years in camps like the "Hanoi Hilton" in North Vietnam that support this effort. Faced with this obstacle, the Collings Foundation turned to Capitol Hill and is now working to secure an F-105 through legislation. The issue is currently being decided and we need your support. All of the crews that bravely flew in the skies of South East Asia never questioned the risk/reward; they just did what was right. It is time the US Government does the same.
"We urgently need your help to right this wrong. These Medal of Honor Recipients and POW’s gave so much to all of us Americans. Now need you on their team, backing them up. Every person that reads this needs to call. Do not rely on others doing this for you. Our nations heroes deserve better and your opinion really matters and you can be a hero to these brave men. We need you to call Chairman Ike Skelton, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today. If you do not act the Air Force will destroy the remaining potentially flyable F-105’s, ensuring that our veterans will never be adequately honored-we cannot let this happen!
"Please call 202-225-2876 right now and tell Chairman Skelton’s staff that you want to be on record that this is an issue for Representative Skelton as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and that:
"You strongly urge Chairman Skelton to support Congresswomen Tsongas’ Amendment that would transfer an F-105 to the Collings Foundation; the F-105 will not fly with out Chairman Skelton’s support.
"You support our nation’s veterans and are disturbed by the US Government’s unwillingness to support this initiative.
You would stress that the Collings Foundation has never in the past nor ever will seek any funding from the federal government.
"You oppose any other compromise legislation that would threaten the success of the F-105 transfer.
"Tell the staffers of Chairman Skelton that you would like your call counted and documented.
Please forward this to all that would be outraged that our government would resist honoring our veterans."
Regards,
Jeff McDonald
Son of a F-105 Crew Chief
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