F-105 Thunderchief fighter used during the Cold War and Vietnam goes on display in Dixon Illinois

DIXON – Veterans Memorial Park is getting an F-105 Thunderchief fighter plane to add to its display.

"I wanted to get a good representation for the guys in the Air Force," said Al Wikoff, the park's artifact coordinator. "It's a fighter used during the Cold War and pressed into service during the Vietnam War. It's a supersonic plane and designed to carry the one big bullet [nuclear bomb].

"The Air Force offered us some trainers and some small Piper Cub planes, and I turned them down. I wanted something with a little more bite to it and more growl."

Dixon City Council member Ira "Clark" Kelly, also a member of the Veterans Memorial Park Commission, announced the acquisition at Monday's meeting.

This plane, coming from Jackson, Miss., was manufactured by Republic Aviation Corp. in 1955. Like all other "Thuds," it was designed to seat a pilot only. A second seat was added when it was refurbished.

It was retired from service in 1984, its camouflage coat painted white to weather the heat in Jackson, where it has been on display.

A team of local veterans plans to go to Aurora next week to see a similar fighter, to get an idea of how to break down the plane for transport, team member Jim Reubin said. They will go to Jackson in March to disassemble the Thud.

"They're using me as a tech adviser, because I was in the Air Force for 20 years," Reubin said.

He was an F-4 and F-15 mechanic from 1961 to 1981, and the F-105 is similar, said Reubin, adding that they'll need to take the wings and possibly part of the tail off to bring the plane to Dixon.

The artifacts

The Thunderchief will bring the number of artifacts on display at Veterans Memorial Park to six. There is a landing ship tank anchor; a 1967 modified 1F Cobra helicopter; a 1955 155-mm howitzer; a 1983 M-60-A-3 tank; and a 1967 Vietnam-era ambulance, model 37.

Such artifacts are donated by the military to veterans organizations, which pay only to transport them to their parks. Local veterans will pay to bring the Thunderchief to Dixon, although they're not yet sure how much it will cost.

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