Flying the F-105 Thunderchief in Vietnam with Maj Gen Russ Violett

Maj Gen Russ Violett (Rtd) had a 30-year career with the USAF, flying multiple types, including the North American F-100 Super Sabre (in which he had a 2-minute flight before punching out!) and the fantastic Republic F-105 Thunderchief, the Thud. The Thud always brought Russ home in 126 missions over Laos and Vietnam. Our discussion covers the tactics of attacking missile sites, the drawback of major operations half a world away and much more.
★You can learn more about The Friday Pilots, of whom Russ is a member, who meet for lunch each Friday and put the world to rights here: fridaypilots.com/
★ The collection of their tales is The Friday Pilots book is available here: fridaypilots.c...
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Cover Image: DoD 342-C-KE-36175
Footage: Vietnam War: F-105 Pilots Story - Takhli Air Base, Thailand (1967)
Full description at: catalog.archiv...
Local Identifier: 342-USAF-42816A
Department of Defense. Department of the Air Force. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities, 1947 - 1984
Record Group 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, 1900 - 2003
This item av documents the time period:4/28/1967 - 6/7/1967
Footage of F-105s at the Pima Air and Space Museum © The Damcasters 2023
The Damcasters © 2022 by Matt Bone is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

[@ww2Mollison]

Grateful for the interview - "this" is the stuff that adds the necessary color and qualification to learning from History.

[@julianlau5579]

Never have enough with the Thuds, still remember that I had a model of unknown scale at 10yso.😊

[@JerryZielinsky-mt8ti]

The f-105 is my favorite military airplane. It just looks awesome!

[@damcasterspod]

Agreed! Was hoping to do a further video with the General on my last visit walking around one of the Thuds at Pima, but it didn't come together unfortunetly.

[@jeffallen3382]

I agree too!

[@davidca96]

my favorite military aircraft of all time.

[@aBRUSHforCONFUCIUS]

Excellent interview. I love these Thud polits. They really are a cut above the rest.

[@jeffallen3382]

The Thud was such a workhorse!

[@Thunder_6278]

Wow, deployment was 'just go' no new training, just get loaded and fly. Yikes.

[@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624]

Thank you. Maj Gen Russ Violett Sounds like a very, sharp guy. This was amazing, all the details he recalls. The background noise is a little distracting, I'm hearing impaired and have the run the listening volmue quite high.

[@damcasterspod]

Glad you enjoyed it! I apologise for the bumpos through the audio. The General was accentuating his points by tapping on the table where the mic was positioned and I couldn't isolate it better. Our other videos are better!

[@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624]

@@damcasterspod Well, I wouldn't have chalanged the General on that either, in that situation. :0)

[@CaoimhinOMaol]

Grew up in Farmingdale, New York, the home of the Republic Aircraft Corporation. An early memory was driving past the Republic airfield northbound on NY Route 110 and seeing a long row of silver jets parked wingtip to wingtip…105’s all. Later worked security at the by then Fairchild-Republic factory with A-10’s going down the production line. Almost all those production buildings were demolished in the 1990’s.