In 1964, the team transitioned to the supersonic fighter-bomber, the F-105B Thunderchief.
The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War with over 20,000 sorties flown and was known for it’s high speed and low-altitude attack capabilities.
Although it was a smaller aircraft, the single-engine fighter-bomber could deliver a larger payload than the largest bomber platforms from World War II, like the B-17 Flying Fortress.
The U.S. Marine Corps pilots and flight crews are onboard the British carrier to conduct cross-training with their United Kingdom counterparts in preparation for the UK’s Carrier Strike Group deployment coming up in Spring 2021. The carrier will deploy with the brand-new F-35B Lightning II’s onboard….and ready for action.
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>>CLICK the photos for a much closer look….
>>In the sixth photo above….showing Major Brandt taking off from HMS Queen Elizabeth….note the position of the main engine, directing thrust almost downward….as his supersonic short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B takes off from the ski-jump forward flight deck.