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Nukes under NATO Thunderstreaks


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Over on Britmodeller there was a short thread on the F-84F in combination with the Mk 7 nuke. The poster asked also asked about the NATO countries. I consulted the book 'Jachtvliegers' by former Dutch 312 squadron F-84F pilot Steve Netto. It's the first Dutch book that openly stated there were (are) nukes at Volkel air base. The writer gives a six-page account of the Cuba crisis, during which he stood on nuclear alert with 4, 8 and then 12 Streaks. He reports several times that the weapon was a B28. That surprised me, I had always associated the Streak with the Mk 7.

 

I never read about the combination of an F-84F with a B28, but considering his very serious tone, and the deep impression that it made on him, I don't think he would remember that wrong. Also, something had always puzzled me, but it starts to make some sense now. The Volkel-based 311 and 312 nuclear strike squadron Streaks mostly flew with an asymmetric drop tank configuration, always leaving the left inboard pylon free, obviously for the nuke. Here are two examples:

 

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But that empty pylon never was the type unique for the Mk7. So why would they do that? I'm starting to think now that the absent Mk 7 pylon indicates that indeed a different nuke was used. I guess the B28 could be mounted under a 'standard' pylon, since it's a lot smaller than the Mk7. Or to be more specific, maybe a pylon that looked like the standard fuel tank pylon, but wired for the nuke.

 

The book 'Gestaag Gespannen' reports that 311 squadron became the first non-US strike squadron in 1960. This book reports that the weapon used was the Mk7, it does not mention the B28. It also has a photo of the last 312 squadron F-84Fs leaving Volkel for Eindhoven in 1965, appropriately in the 'Volkel' asymmetric fuel tank configuration. I also checked 'Thunderstreaks en Thunderflashes in Nederland', but as usual it is very vague on the subject of nuclear weapons.

 

So we're talking about the 1960 to 1965 period specifically. I would guess the USAF used the Streak in the nuclear role up to roughly 1960, switching over the F-100. Other NATO countries got strike squadrons only after 1960 since 311 squadron was the first in 1960. Maybe that could explain the difference in the weapons used? Does anyone know more on this subject?

 

Rob

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9 hours ago, Finn said:

Rob if you go here:

 

https://app.box.com/s/3ca2864b8fc8f253e8b0

 

go to the Modern Thermonuclear Weapons PDF and on pg V-438 you'll see a Mk 28EX under a F-84F, the pylon is different than the Mk 7 pylon.

 

Jari, excellent, many thanks! It confims that the B28 could be mounted under a standard-looking inboard F-84F pylon.

 

If anyone has more information on nukes under NATO F-84Fs, please let us know. For example, was that asymmetric configuration used by other countries too?

 

Rob

 

 

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