The F-105 was the first USAF fighter-bomber to surpass Mach 2. It was used as a fighter and ground attack aircraft during its long and illustrious career. The "Thud" flew over half of the USAF ground attack missions during the Vietnam war.

Republic built 10 pre-production and 65 production B models. The F-105B was used at Chanute Technical Training Center in the Fuel Specialist course.

This F-105B-5-RE, S/N 54-0104, was the seventh Thunderchief airframe off the Republic assembly line and was the first "true" B model. It flew for the first time at the Republic plant in Farmingdale, New York, on 24 April 1958 and was accepted by the Air Force at Edwards AFB, California, on 7 July 1958. It was used briefly as a flight test aircraft at Edwards the rest of that year, but then spent the balance of its career as a maintenance trainer. It was stationed first at Brookley AFB, Alabama, then at Amarillo AFB, Texas. It was transfered to the 3345th Maintenance Support Group at Chanute in March 1968. After retirement it was painted to resemble the B models flown briefly by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Squadron during their ill-fated 1964 show season. It was on display in Chanute's "Thunderbird Airpark" until base closure, when it was moved to the museum.

This aircraft is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum from the National Museum of the United States Airforce.