USAF F-105 Thunderchief vs VPAF MiG-17The F 105D Thunderchief was originally designed as a low altitude nuclear strike aircraft, but the outbreak of the Vietnam War led to it being used instead as the USAFs primary conventional striker against the exceptionally well defended targets in North Vietnam and Laos. F 105 crews conducted long distance missions from bases in Thailand, refuelling in flight several times and carrying heavy external bombloads. The MiG 17 was the lightweight, highly