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Tailpipes of F-84E and F-84G


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According to the Detail and Scale book: 'The nozzle was extended aft a few inches further than the edge of the rudder." However the overall length of BOTH the E and the G is 38.5 ft. If you look at pictures of both airframes side by side, you will see the slight difference. There is what appears to be about a 2 inch difference in distance between the rudder and tail cone end.

In the Schiffer book, which is pretty much comprehensive on the F-84 and all variants of it, the main differences between the E and G are the addition of the in-flight refueling boom on the G. The G used a blow in door for additional air while on the ground. The G was the first variant to use the reinforced canopy. This canopy was retrofitted to previous versions. The other change was the use of a different engine which increased top speed to over 620mph. The G used the J35-29

If you are attempting to convert the F-84E into a G, all you need is the different speed brake. A difference of a few inches when scaled down appropriately (1/48 scale I presume), is negligible, unless you want to get out a micrometer and be a perfectionist. A bit of creativity will allow the construction of the blow in door, and the refueling probe shouldn't be that hard, I think it may even be included with the F-84E, I don't know I don't have one sitting here at present.

Brian

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That conversion is easier than E-G. You will need to fill in the blow-in door, and remove the refueling booms. The slotted speed brake is not that difficult to construct, or I believe it is included in the Eduard photetch set. It is fine to use the reinforced canopy, as I said above, it was retrofitted to all airframes. One thing I neglected to mention is the use of a different gunsight, but for the casual modeller, nothing to worry about. In looking at pictures, they appear to be almost the same. What markings are you going to use?

Brian

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  • 10 months later...

Not as simple as it is represented -- F-84 straight-wing series changed constantly even on the production line with many undocumented changes made on the fly (no pun intended). That info from two men I interviewed who worked on the series from the first XP onward for a couple years. One said he was the one instrumental in getting the access port on the canopy added after hearing numerous complaints from maintainance crews. The blow-in doors were not added until G Block 20. Blow-in doors were retrofitted to some earlier G blocks, mostly to those still at the factory before being delivered. Braced canopies were not "retrofitted" as the bracing was nothing more than fibreglass tape epoxied to existing canopies. First bracing attempted was a single strap; as that didn't do the job, the "birdcage" bracing was adopted. Bracing was often added in the field so the applications were not consistent dimensionally. The ejector (tailpipe) went through many variations including but not limited to length and shape. Some ended flush with the aft rudder line. Some extended up to four inches aft of the rudder line. Some were oval and nearly straight sided with very little compound curve. Others were oval or round with very noticable compound curve. The latest on E and G were generally of the latter type (compound curve) with round exit and the formation lights stacked or oval with the formation lights laterally placed. The overall length of the series varied because of the variety of the ejector shrouds. The specific difference in length of XP to D vs E and G was fifteen inches added at station 157-1/2. The fifteen inches was not just a plug at that point for the upper fuselage as it was distributed in the upper fuselage and canopy and cockpit. Therefore --

Rule One: Check photos and as many references as you can find if you have AMS for accuracy. Otherwise, just enjoy the build and resulting model.

Rule Two: See Rule One.

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