RF-84F Thunderflash – Фото и Видео

Фотогалерея RF-84F Thunderflash, The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version.

Источник: RF-84F Thunderflash on Wikipedia

The RF-84F Thunderflash was a jet-powered reconnaissance aircraft developed by Republic Aviation Corporation in the 1950s. It was based on the F-84F Thunderstreak fighter-bomber, but had a redesigned nose section that housed six cameras for aerial photography. The RF-84F could fly at speeds of up to 0.86 Mach and had a range of 1,304 km. It was armed with six 12.7 mm machine guns for self-defense.
The RF-84F entered service with the US Air Force in 1954 and was also exported to several NATO allies, including Belgium, France, Italy and Turkey. The Thunderflash performed various reconnaissance missions over Europe, Asia and Africa, sometimes operating from aircraft carriers or detachable wing pods of B-36 bombers. One of its most notable achievements was the night-time surveillance of Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974.
The RF-84F was gradually replaced by more advanced reconnaissance aircraft, such as the RF-101 Voodoo and the RF-4 Phantom II. The last Thunderflash was retired from the Hellenic Air Force in 1991. Some of the surviving aircraft are preserved in museums or displayed as gate guardians.