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F-84 Thunderjet/Thunderstreak/Thunderflash


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A real oddball: YRF-84F, one of the FICON airplanes.

YRF-84F49-2430NMUSAFJun101.jpg

Yea, I'll say! First thing I noticed was the birdcage canopy. This is what Joe Baugher's site has to say about this one-of-a-kind F-84.

49-2430 Republic YF-84F Thunderstreak

Originally on F-84E contract as YF-96A. Later modified as YRF-84F parasite fighter in combination with GRB-36F.

I recall reading that when Republic redesigned the F-84 with a swept-wing, the USAF wanted to redesignate it as the F-96, but couldn't get funding for a "new" aircraft, so they just added a new letter to the F-84 series. That's the way I remember it anyway. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know.

Mark

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There is just something about this bird that is unique, especially with the fuel tanks mounted.

As for the Thunderscreech, something about that sound just makes me sick...

Stands to reason, the sound the Thunderscreech made would make people sick.

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53-7543 at Little Rock AFB, AR. The first photo was taken when I was going through flight engineer school in 2007, and the second after a repaint, and a spurious tail number change to 51-1882, when I went through instructor school in 2010. I suspect the Arkansas Guard folks changed the serial number to reflect an actual RF-84F that flew with the unit.

Mark

100_3636.jpg

100_0230.jpg

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A few pics of the F-84F under restoration at the Warner Robins AFM in July 2010. This aircraft sat outside in a partial restored state until moved into one of their new building for a complete overhaul. Harry

F-84F3.jpg

F-84F2.jpg

F-84F1.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I finally found some of my other F-84F pics. I took these on September 8,2001 on my way back from a Orlando, Fl. vacation. These are scanned 35mm pics. I was still using my Canon A-1. Big Har posted a pic of the F-84F under restoration at Warner Robins AFB. This is the same plane when she was parked outside. Don M.

F-84FWRdisplay8.jpg

F-84FWRdisplay.jpg

F-84FWRdisplay2.jpg

F-84FWRdisplay3.jpg

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Yea, I'll say! First thing I noticed was the birdcage canopy. This is what Joe Baugher's site has to say about this one-of-a-kind F-84.

49-2430 Republic YF-84F Thunderstreak

Originally on F-84E contract as YF-96A. Later modified as YRF-84F parasite fighter in combination with GRB-36F.

I recall reading that when Republic redesigned the F-84 with a swept-wing, the USAF wanted to redesignate it as the F-96, but couldn't get funding for a "new" aircraft, so they just added a new letter to the F-84 series. That's the way I remember it anyway. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know.

Mark

History sez it was a USAF political decision related to getting funding for aircraft because of the Korean conflict. North American was also affected as the Sabre Dog was originally the YF-95A. 49-2430 progressed through a series of designations, originally did not have the fiberglass-tape canopy braces, originally called Thunderjet, then Thunderstreak. It was the Thunderstreak prototype, then later, modified to test AV for FICON (as it now exists) that lead the way to the RF-84K Thunderflash. Probably for some misguided promo by ... who knows ..., the second YF-84F SN 51-1344 with deepened fuselage was, for an unknown period, falsely designated as FS-430-A, with 92430 on the tail as SN 49-2430. The photo at the link below was supplied to me by Raymond Puffer, USAF Flight Test Center.

My link

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  • 4 weeks later...

Progress on War Eagles F-84F!

After seven months of hard work we have reached a point where we are finally painting. Through out the summer we workied in the sun cleaning the airframe and getting it ready to paint. Last week we moved it inside the hangar and today the work started to pay off! Today was just a "test" day where we learned how to use the spray equipment and tested it to see how it worked. By the time we quit we had primed about a quarter of the airfram. Pretty good when all we set out to do was get a feel of what we will do next week.

For many years I was to eager to say: "They should repaint that airplane!" or words to that effect when I saw a museum aircraft that needed work. After a while I finally came to the realization that unless I was going to "put up" I needed to just "Shut up". So now I am involved and I can tell you after a 40 hour week at the job that pays and then another few hours at the job that doesn't, I can tell you I have a good deal of respect for those folks that take on this kind of task.

Next week we should get to shoot the camo.

Moving inside the hangar last week:

F-84Fmoveintohangar5T6Oct115.jpg

Inside:

F-84Fmoveintohangar5T6Oct117.jpg

And after some primer:

F-84Fprimer5T6Oct112.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

For the past seven months we have been attempting to get an F-84F presentable for display. As of this afternoon we have finished with the camouflage. Over the next week we hope to paint the U.S. insignia and start on the stenciling (anybody have reference for stencil placement?). In the next couple of days I intend to polish out the canopy and paint the wheel wells. I am on vacation from the real job, so I hope to leave town for a few days. This volunteer stuff can take a good deal of time!

F-84FPainting5T6Nov115.jpg

F-84FPainting5T6Nov116.jpg

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Looking great Jinx! I have some pictures of a german machine that shows stencils which appear to be in english. It is only of one side though due to it being in a museum. If you are interested send me a PM with an email adress and I'll send what I have. The pictures are about 8 mega pixel.

Edited by Lieuwe
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