The constant amplitude loading and 100% single overloading fatigue studies of domestic high tensile 7075-T73 aluminum alloy were performed to exmine the effect of specimen thickness and its mechanisms on fatigue crack growth behavior. The stage II fatigue crack growth rates tend to increase with decreasing specimen thickness under constant amplitude loading condition and this has relation with stress intensity factors and plastic zone size. The amount of retardation by an overload increased with decreasing specimen thickness when the crack depth and baseline stress intensity factors were constant. The crack depth is one of major factors which affect retardation phenomena by an overload and the amount of retardation increase with decreasing the crack depth. Its main mechanisms are crack closure and decreasing of K at the crack tip by branching and deflection of crack. And they are affected by near surface more severely than central portion of specimen.