Republic F-84F Thunderstreak | |
|---|---|
| Country | USA |
| Role | Fighter-bomber & Reconnaissance aircraft |
| First flight | 3 June 1950 |
| Built | 3428 |
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American 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.
| Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Allex |
| Localisation | Uknow |
| Photos | 24 |
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From Straight-Wing to Swept-Wing
The F-84F Thunderstreak was a major redesign of the earlier straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet. By the early 1950s, the advent of the MiG-15 proved that straight-wing fighters were obsolete for high-speed combat. Republic Aviation responded by “sweeping” the wings and tail surfaces at a 40-degree angle and installing a much more powerful Wright J65 turbojet. Although it shared a model number with the Thunderjet, the Thunderstreak was essentially a new aircraft, serving as a primary strike fighter for NATO forces throughout the 1950s and 60s.
| Attribute | Standard Specification (F-84F Thunderstreak) |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter-Bomber / Strike Aircraft |
| Crew | 1 (Pilot) |
| First Flight | February 14, 1950 |
| Powerplant | 1 × Wright J65-W-3 turbojet |
| Thrust | 7,220 lbf (32.1 kN) |
| Maximum Speed | 1,118 km/h (695 mph / Mach 0.91) |
| Combat Radius | 1,300 km (approx. 810 miles) |
| Armament | 6 × .50 caliber Browning M3 machine guns |
| Ordnance | Up to 2,722 kg (6,000 lbs) of bombs/rockets (including Mk 7 nuclear bomb) |
Design Innovations & Unique Features
- The “Deep” Fuselage: Because the Wright J65 engine was larger than the Thunderjet’s engine, the F-84F features a distinctive oval-shaped air intake and a deeper fuselage to accommodate the increased airflow and larger engine dimensions.
- All-Moving Tailplane: To maintain control at transonic speeds where traditional elevators become ineffective, later models of the F-84F were equipped with an “all-flying” slab tail.
- The RF-84F “Thunderflash”: A dedicated reconnaissance version was built with air intakes moved to the wing roots. This allowed the nose to be packed with a specialized camera suite for high-speed photo-intel missions.
- Zero-Length Launch (ZEL): In one of the most daring Cold War experiments, the F-84F was tested with a massive rocket booster to launch from a trailer without a runway, intended for use if airfields were destroyed in a nuclear exchange.
Operational History: NATO’s Shield
- Strategic Air Command: The F-84F was a key component of SAC, tasked with the “Tactical Nuclear Strike” mission during the height of the Cold War.
- The 1961 Berlin Crisis: Following the construction of the Berlin Wall, F-84Fs were rapidly deployed to Europe as a show of force, highlighting the aircraft’s role as a cornerstone of NATO defense.
- The “Thunderbirds”: Before moving to the F-100 Super Sabre, the USAF demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, flew the F-84F for the 1955-1956 seasons.
- European Service: The Thunderstreak saw extensive service with the air forces of West Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, remaining in frontline service well into the 1970s.
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