The F-105F was the final production version of the Thunderchief and Republic Aviation built 143 of them. It features a lengthened fuselage to accommodate a two-seat tandem cockpit. The aircraft was originally intended for pilot proficiency evaluation and transition training, but during the Vietnam war it became an effective fighter-bomber. Over 80 F models were later converted for the "Wild Weasel" surface-to-air missile suppression mission, becoming the F-105G.

This F-105F-1-RE, S/N 63-8287, was delivered to the Air Force from the Republic plant at Farmingdale, New York, on 15 May 1964. Later that month it was assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. On 31 August 1967 the aircraft was transferred to the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing at McConnell AFB, Kansas. There it was used for training combat aircrews prior to their assignment to Southeast Asia. While serving with the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1970 the plane was nicknamed "Miss Margo" and at another point was known as "Flak Magnet."

On 12 July 1972 the aircraft was transferred to the 507th Tactical Fighter Group of the Air Force Reserve at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. There it was assigned to the 465th Tactical Fighter Squadron. During the summer of 1978 it was deployed to Sculthorpe, England, as part of "Coronet Oriole." The following year it traveled with the 465th to Italy as part of "Coronet Palomino."

The aircraft was transferred on 1 October 1980 to the 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Air Force Reserve, at Hill AFB, Utah. The following summer it went with that squadron to Skrydstrup, Denmark, under "Coronet Rudder." On 25 February 1984 this aircraft was one of the three F-105Fs flown in the Air Force's "Thud-Out" retirement ceremony at Hill AFB. Its pilot that day was Lt. Col. James "Gringo" Webster and the backseater was Col. Thomas "Zipgun" Coady. Coady was the highest combat time Thud pilot in the Air Force, with 1,850 flight hours---1,000 of which were in combat.

On 10 March 1984 this F-105F became the last Thunderchief to fly when Capt. Joe Gelinger flew it from Hill AFB to Chanute AFB for static display. The back seat was empty for this final mission. The aircraft became the property of the National Museum of the United States Airforce System. It is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum from the USAF Museum.