On March 2, 1978, a routine training mission turned tragic for the crew of a Republic F-105G Thunderchief belonging to the 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW). Major Charles Thomas Fulop and First Lieutenant William A. Stone departed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, piloting F-105G 63-8321, call sign “Thud 71”. Their objective was instrument training, involving approaches and departures at Naval Air Station Point Mugu before returning to George AFB. The 35th TFW had a distinguished history, including operating various 35th Tactical Fighter Wing Aircraft In Vietnam during that conflict, making the loss of any of its airframes and personnel significant.
The Incident Unfolds
The weather conditions near NAS Point Mugu were challenging, characterized by heavy clouds, rain, and fog. After executing an instrument approach, Thud 71 initiated a missed approach, a standard procedure during instrument flight training. However, during the climb-out phase, Major Fulop communicated a problem to Mugu Approach Control, requesting an immediate diversion back to George AFB. Approval was granted.
Shortly thereafter, Approach Control lost the F-105G’s radar transponder signal. Major Fulop then declared an emergency, revising his request for an immediate landing back at Point Mugu. Critically, he reported that the aircraft’s altimeter had failed and he was attempting to ascend above the dense cloud layer to regain visual orientation.
A Pilot’s Final Actions
Moments later, residents in the nearby communities of Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park witnessed the Thunderchief emerging from the overcast sky in a steep dive. Before impact, Major Fulop successfully initiated the ejection sequence for his Electronics Warfare Officer (EWO), Lieutenant Stone, seated in the rear cockpit. Stone parachuted to safety, sustaining a broken arm upon landing.
Eyewitness accounts strongly suggested that Major Fulop remained at the controls, actively maneuvering the stricken aircraft away from populated residential areas surrounding the open expanse of Wildwood Regional Park. Thud 71 ultimately crashed into the terrain on the west side of Hill Canyon. The impact resulted in a massive explosion, instantly claiming the life of Major Fulop. The crash site lies less than two miles from where the original chronicler of this event resided.
Remembering Major Charles T. Fulop
Charles Thomas Fulop was born on October 6, 1946, in Barberton, Ohio. After graduating from Copley High School in Akron, he attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, graduating in 1968. He joined the United States Air Force on May 14, 1969, initially training as a B-52 navigator. Selected for pilot training, he attended Class 73-06 at Laughlin AFB, Texas, graduating with distinction and earning his pilot wings on February 26, 1973. Captain Fulop was subsequently assigned to fly the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II at Homestead AFB, Florida, before transitioning to the F-105G with the 561st TFS, 35th TFW. He married Cheryl P. Lewis in 1969, and they had two daughters. Major Fulop was laid to rest in Sacramento, California.
Major Charles T. Fulop, 35th TFW pilot, standing beside his F-105G Wild Weasel at George AFB
The Republic F-105G Wild Weasel
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief holds the distinction of being the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft ever built. Originally designed for high-speed tactical nuclear delivery and conventional bombing, its robust airframe, speed, and payload capacity made it suitable for adaptation. The F-105F was a two-seat trainer variant, which became the basis for the F-105G “Wild Weasel III”. This specialized version was optimized for the dangerous Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission, tasked with detecting, targeting, and destroying enemy radar sites and surface-to-air missile (SAM) installations – a role prominently executed by 35th Tactical Fighter Wing Aircraft In Vietnam.
Sister ship F-105G Wild Weasel 63-8320, similar to aircraft operated by the 35th TFW, displayed at NMUSAF
USAF F-105G Wild Weasel 63-8320, sister ship to the crashed 35th TFW jet involved in the 1978 incident
Thunderchief Specifications
Incorporating the “area rule” design principle for transonic efficiency, the F-105 fuselage featured a distinctive “wasp waist”. The F-105F/G model measured 67 feet (20.422 meters) in length, with a wingspan of 34 feet, 11 inches (10.643 meters), and stood 20 feet, 2 inches (6.147 meters) high. Its wings, swept at 45°, had a total area of 385 square feet (35.8 square meters). In the F-105G Wild Weasel III configuration, the aircraft had an empty weight of 31,279 pounds (14,188 kilograms) and a maximum takeoff weight capacity of 54,580 pounds (24,757 kilograms).
Performance and Powerplant
The Thunderchief was propelled by a single Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W turbojet engine. This two-spool, axial-flow engine featured an afterburner and water injection system. It generated 16,100 pounds (71.62 kilonewtons) of thrust at Military Power and could reach 24,500 pounds (108.98 kilonewtons) with afterburner engaged. With water injection for takeoff, thrust increased to 26,500 pounds (117.88 kilonewtons). This powerplant enabled the F-105G to cruise at 514 knots (592 mph/952 km/h) and reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.23 (723 knots/832 mph/1,339 km/h) at 36,000 feet. Its combat ceiling was 43,900 feet (13,381 meters), and it possessed a combat radius of 391 nautical miles (450 statute miles/724 kilometers).
USAF F-105G Wild Weasel taking off from Korat, Thailand, armed for a SEAD mission similar to those flown in Vietnam
Wild Weasel Armament
For its SEAD role, the F-105G Wild Weasel III was typically armed with an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon, alongside externally mounted anti-radiation missiles like the AGM-78 Standard ARM and the AGM-45 Shrike. Republic Aviation built 833 F-105s in total, with 65 F-105Fs being converted into the F-105G configuration. The Thunderchief served extensively in Southeast Asia, where 334 were lost in combat. The sister ship to the aircraft involved in the 1978 crash, F-105G 63-8320, achieved three MiG kills during the Vietnam War and is now preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Historic F-105G Wild Weasel 63-8320, noted MiG killer and sister aircraft to Major Fulop’s jet, displayed at the National Museum of the USAF
Conclusion
The crash of F-105G “Thud 71” on March 2, 1978, marked a tragic day, ending the life of Major Charles T. Fulop but highlighting his final heroic act to prevent civilian casualties. While Lieutenant Stone survived thanks to Major Fulop’s actions, the incident underscored the inherent dangers of military aviation, even during peacetime training. The loss was felt deeply within the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, a unit with a proud legacy tied to aircraft like the F-105 Thunderchief, including the demanding missions carried out by 35th tactical fighter wing aircraft in vietnam. Major Fulop’s sacrifice serves as a solemn reminder of the risks faced by military aviators in service to their country.
