The Thunderchief in Europe
The F-105 Thunderchief was designed chiefly for tactical nuclear missions. Accordingly, it stood nuclear “Victor” alert in the Far East—at Kadena, Okinawa, and Osan, in the Republic of Korea—as well as in Europe, at Bitburg and Spangdahlem Air Bases in Germany.
Theo van Geffen and Gerald Arruda note in Republic F-105 Thunderchief Peacetime Operations that the Thunderchief made its European public debut at the Paris International Air Show at Le Bourget in June 1961. At a ceremony on June 9, Gen. Frederic Smith, commander of USAFE, officially accepted the first F-105D (00436) assigned to his command. The 36th TFW sent two aircraft—one for static display and one for the flying program—and the aircraft were switched once. Capt. Doyal Wyrick of the 23rd TFS, 1st Lt. Retterbush, and several maintenance personnel were selected to represent the wing.
F-105 Vs F-4
Then 1st Lt Gary Retterbush stated:
Then-1st Lt. Gary Retterbush recalled that the Paris assignment had gone smoothly and was one of the best temporary duties he had experienced. He said that being paid extra to perform for the crowd was a fighter pilot’s dream. There had been no restrictions on flying the F-105 at the air show beyond avoiding supersonic speeds, and the flight lasted only about fifteen minutes. Retterbush remembered a wager with the Navy crew displaying an F-4: his team believed they could get the F-105 airborne in less runway than the “Double Ugly.” They set the engine to maximum thrust, used water injection, and carried just enough fuel for the demonstration and five extra minutes. In the end, the F-105 lifted off about 150 feet sooner.
On December 15, 1961, Retterbush was forced to eject from F-105D 60-5383 during a short ferry flight from Bitburg to Spangdahlem—a distance that could easily have been covered on foot. The engine flamed out at altitude. Although he managed to restart it, the aircraft would not accelerate, and the engine failed again. Despite the risks, Retterbush decided to attempt a deadstick landing at Cologne Bonn Airport. On short final, the controls froze, so he ejected and was rescued by helicopter. His only injury was a minor back strain.
While serving as an F-105D instructor at Nellis, Retterbush volunteered for combat duty in Southeast Asia (SEA). He was assigned to the 357th TFS at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, which operated F-105D/Fs. In September 1966, he returned to Germany and joined the 7th TFS at Spangdahlem, as the 49th TEW prepared to transition from F-105D/Fs to F-4D Phantoms.
One of the finest airplanes ever built
On February 24, 1967, the final four USAFE F-105Ds left “Spang” for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. Retterbush led the group, which also included Capt. Robert Jackson, Capt. I. Dick Arnold, and Capt. Robert Dorrough, all from the 7th TFS. Although he was flight lead, Retterbush recalled taking off last in exceptionally poor weather. Conditions were below minimums, he said, but the weather officer briefly looked the other way and stretched the truth to allow them to depart. Retterbush had promised the wing commander a flyby, and the four aircraft performed one. He remembered their formation as so low and tight that even people who saw them emerge from the clouds could hardly believe it. During the final turn toward a runway they could not see, the lower wingman politely reminded Retterbush not to forget that he was beneath him.
Retterbush was the pilot who flew both the first F-105D assigned to USAFE and its final F-105D. He said he had greatly enjoyed flying the Thunderchief, considered it one of the finest aircraft ever built, and would always love it. The Thuds first stopped at Torrejón, where a 7th TFS maintenance team was waiting to prepare them for departure the following Monday. They refueled in the air shortly after passing Portugal and again after crossing Bermuda. Retterbush returned to Spang after completing F-4 training at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
F-105 vs. F-4: friendly animosity
Retterbush logged 1,356 hours in the Thunderchief. As he recalled, F-105D and F-4 crews shared a friendly rivalry. “We used to joke that we would trade the F-4’s back seater for 500 pounds of gas any day” said Retterbush. He continued, “Same for the engines, trad one P&W for two GE ones.”
Despite his affection for the Thunderchief, Retterbush later flew the F-4E with the 35th TFS at Kunsan, South Korea, while temporarily assigned to the 388th TFW at Korat Royal Thai Air Base. Using the Phantom’s gun, he shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21 on September 12, 1972, and another on October 8. On both missions, his F-4E carried a back-seater—1st Lt. Dan Autrey on the first and Capt. Bob Jasperson on the second—and was powered by two GE engines.
Republic F-105 Thunderchief Peacetime Operations is published by Key Publishing and is available to order here.
Photos by U.S. Air Force
