Question about markings on F-105G 38320

Yeah, there is no solid information that the three MiG kill stars can be attributed to THIS aircraft. Units were not very careful with that custom. If you go through the references, it's difficult to credit a particular airframe to a kill. Sometimes the victory mark was for the pilot and it traveled with him to another airframe that had his name on the canopy rail. Sometimes they changed the canopy rail name to his on the machine he used for the kill. Aviation artists have also added to the confusion with their interpretations. For example, Fujimi's 1/72 A-4C kit from a couple of decades ago show the Skyhawk downing a MiG-17, but the aircraft is shown in markings it carried years after the kill. The cover painting on Shiffer's book on the F-84 Thunderjet shows Jacob Kratt shooting down a MiG, but the Thuderjet depicted is one that he flew later on in the U.S. that had his three MiG kills marked.

There's not much we modelers can do about it other than try to model to an instant in history depicted in snapshots of the time. If you do that, you won't be making the historical error. 

Are you looking to find out if the markings were carried by that aircraft in actuality as depicted on the decal sheet, or to see if that aircraft is credited with those kills? Or at least the claims were made from this particular aircraft?

There is a least one photo of this A/C carrying these markings. The story I've seen is that one kill was with a sidewinder. one with the 20mm gun, and one with a MER which was cleaned off the A/C and run into by a MiG-17. Other sources state that this A/C didn't score all these kills and in some lists of F-105 kills they aren't credited. I'm just seeking more clarification if possible on this murky situation.

Thanks for the help,

Tom

I just checked my two best sources in my library, Vietnam Air War Debrief, and a Wings of Fame article in Volume 15. This aircraft was credited with one shared confirmed kill using the 20mm gun in December 1967 while still in F-105F configuartion. It also has two other claims that were either not confirmed or were disallowed. The only other F-105F to have any confirmed kills was 63-8301 which scored with MOH recipient Leo Thorseness in April 1967, and a different aircrew on the same date as 8320 in December 1967, both with the 20mm gun. No F-105Gs (which were all upgraded survivng F-105Fs) scored any confirmed air victories, and no F-105F or G scored a confirmed kill with a Sidewinder.

Thanks to both of you for your help. I was able to find several photos of this A/C in these and other markings, including both RK and JB tail codes at various times. As you said the Dec. 67 MiG-17 kill is the only confirmed kill. I've not found anything yet on on other two claimed kills. I'm sure the stories are interesting and If I come up with anything I'll share the info.

Thanks Again

Tom

look here...

https://books.google.com/books?id=2jJfBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=f-105+63+8320&source=bl&ots=JR8hY5JNOv&sig=PeuB8XObj-tvl1RyXmP5OIM6TA8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CFIQ6AEwC2oVChMIvdin8eSkxwIVUaWICh17Hwx6#v=onepage&q=f-105%2063%208320&f=false

So the kill marks did not stay on the actual aircraft but could be transferred on to another ac to follow the pilot who scored them?

I thought the kill marks stayed with the airframe for good.

Kill Marks can do both. The famous F-4D 463 has 6 stars from several Mig Killers that flew it. Steve Ritchie only killed two Migs in that Phantom. But other pilots scored four more kills in it. And Ritchie could paint five Red Stars on any bird assigned to him.