Tanmodel 1/48 Republic RF-84F Thunderflash

[gaz45]

This is my entry





There is a lot in the box

The sprues

































The clear parts are very nice





The decals very nice also and a few revised decals



The instructions are very clear and in color





























A color sheet with the different paint schemes



A booklet with the decal placements and the color call outs

















and finally a base to display the finished build

[gaz45]

The history

Development
In 1949, a swept wing version of the F-84 was created with the hope of bringing performance to the level of the F-86. The last production F-84E was fitted with a swept tail, a new wing with 38.5 degrees of leading edge sweep and 3.5 degrees of anhedral, and a J35-A-25 engine producing 5,300 pound-force (23.58 kN) of thrust. The aircraft was designated XF-96A. It flew on 3 June 1950 with Otto P. Haas at the controls. Although the airplane was capable of 602 knots (693 mph, 1,115 km/h), the performance gain over the F-84E was considered minor. Nonetheless, it was ordered into production in July 1950 as the F-84F Thunderstreak. The F-84 designation was retained because the fighter was expected to be a low-cost improvement of the straight-wing Thunderjet with over 55 percent commonality in tooling.


YF-84F and YRF-84F prototypes in 1952.
In the meantime, the USAF, hoping for improved high-altitude performance from a more powerful engine, arranged for the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojet engine to be built in the United States as the Wright J65. To accommodate the larger engine, YF-84Fs with a British-built Sapphire as well as production F-84Fs with the J65 had a vertically stretched fuselage, with the air intake attaining an oval cross-section. Production delays with the F-84F forced the USAF to order a number of straight-wing F-84Gs as an interim measure.

Production quickly ran into problems. Although tooling commonality with the Thunderjet was supposed to be 55 percent, in reality only fifteen percent of tools could be reused.[ To make matters worse, the F-84F utilized press-forged wing spars and ribs. At the time, only three presses in the United States could manufacture these, and priority was given to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber over the F-84. The YJ65-W-1 engine was considered obsolete and the improved J65-W-3 did not become available until 1954. When the first production F-84F finally flew on 22 November 1952, it differed from the service test aircraft. It had a different canopy which opened up and back instead of sliding to the rear, as well as airbrakes on the sides of the fuselage instead of the bottom of the aircraft. The aircraft was considered not ready for operational deployment due to control and stability problems. The first 275 aircraft, equipped with conventional stabilizer-elevator tailplanes, suffered from accelerated stall pitch-up and poor turning ability at combat speeds. Beginning with Block 25, the problem was ameliorated by the introduction of a hydraulically powered one-piece stabilator. A number of aircraft were also retrofitted with spoilers for improved high-speed control. As a result, the F-84F was not declared operational until 12 May 1954.



Thunderflash

RF-84F Thunderflash, the reconnaissance version of the F-84F.
The second YF-84F prototype was completed with wing-root air intakes. These were not adopted for the fighter due to loss of thrust. However, this arrangement permitted placement of cameras in the nose and the design was adopted for the RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance version. The first YRF-84F was completed in February 1952. The aircraft retained an armament of four machine guns and could carry up to fifteen cameras. Innovations included computerized controls which adjusted camera settings for light, speed, and altitude, a periscope to give the pilot better visualization of the target, and a voice recorder to let the pilot narrate his observations. Being largely identical to the F-84F, the Thunderflash suffered from the same production delays and engine problems, delaying operational service until March 1954. The aircraft was retired from active duty in 1957, only to be reactivated in 1961, and finally retired from the ANG in 1972.

Several modified Thunderflashes were used in the FICON project.

Design
The Thunderstreak suffered from the same poor takeoff performance as the straight-wing Thunderjet despite having a more powerful engine. In reality, almost 700 pounds-force (3.11 kN) or ten percent of total thrust was lost because the J65 was installed at an angle and its exhaust had a prominent kink. On a hot day, 7,500 feet (2,285 m) of runway were required for takeoff roll. A typical takeoff speed was 160 knots (185 mph, 300 km/h). Like the Thunderjet, the Thunderstreak excelled at cruise and had predictable handling characteristics within its performance envelope. Like its predecessor, it also suffered from accelerated stall pitch-up and potential resulting separation of wings from the airplane. In addition, spins in the F-84F were practically unrecoverable and ejection was the only recourse below 10,000 feet (3,000 m).

Operational history

A USAFE F-84F from the 91st TFS at RAF Bentwaters.

An Ohio Air National Guard F-84F in the late 1960s

F-84F Thunderstreaks flown by USAF Thunderbirds

F-84F
Project Run In completed operational tests in November 1954 and found the aircraft to be to USAF satisfaction and considerably better than the F-84G. However, ongoing engine failures resulted in the entire fleet being grounded in early 1955. Also, the J65 engine continued to suffer from flameouts when flying through heavy rain or snow. As the result of the problems, the active duty phaseout began almost as soon as the F-84F entered service in 1954, and was completed by 1958. Increased tensions in Germany associated with construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 resulted in reactivation of the F-84F fleet. In 1962, the fleet was grounded due to the corrosion of control rods. A total of 1,800 man hours were expended to bring each aircraft to full operational capacity. Stress corrosion eventually forced the retirement of ANG F-84Fs in 1971.

On 9 March 1955, Lt. Col. Robert R. Scott, in a F-84F Thunderstreak, set a three-hour, 44-minute and 53-second record for the 2,446 mile flight from Los Angeles to New York.

With the appearance of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, which also used wing-root mounted air intakes, the Thunderstreak became known as the Thud's Mother. The earlier F-84A had been nicknamed the "Hog" and the F-84F "Super Hog," the F-105 becoming the "Ultra Hog".

In what is probably one of the very few air-to-air engagements involving the F-84F, two Turkish Air Force F-84F Thunderstreaks shot down two Iraqi Il-28 Beagle bombers that crossed the Turkish border by mistake during a bombing operation against Iraqi Kurdish insurgents. This engagement took place on 16 August 1962.

The F-84F was retired from active service in 1964, and replaced by the North American F-100 Super Sabre. The RF-84F was replaced by the RF-101 Voodoo in USAF units, and relegated to duty in the Air National Guard. The last F-84F Thunderflash retired from the ANG in 1971. Three Hellenic Air Force RF-84Fs that were retired in 1991 were the last operational F-84s.



General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 43 ft 4¾ in (13.23 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 7¼ in (10.25 m)
Height: 14 ft 4¾ in (4.39 m)
Wing area: 325 ft² (30 m²)
Empty weight: 13,830lb (5,200 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 28,000 lb (12,701 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright J65-W-3 turbojet, 7,220 lbf (32.2 kN)
Performance

Maximum speed: 695 mph (604 knots, 1,119 km/h, Mach .91) at sea level
Range: 810 mi (704 nmi, 1,304 km) combat radius with two droptanks
Service ceiling: 46,000 ft (14,000 m)
Rate of climb: 8,200 ft/min (42 m/s)
Wing loading: 86 lb/ft² (423 kg/m²)
Armament

6× .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M3 machine guns,
Up to 6,000lb (2,727 kg) of rockets and bombs, including one Mark 7 nuclear bomb
Avionics

A-1CM or A-4 gunsight with APG-30 or MK-18 ranging radar
Communications Equipment

AN/ARC-33 or 34 command set radio
AN/APX-6 or 6A IFF set
AN/AR-6 radio compass
AN/APW-11 or 11A radar set
AN/APN-21 TACAN set



That's all for now

[Kevthemodeller]

Jets of the 50's just love them still fly by the seat of your pants stuff.

[Lysus]

Jets of the 50's just love them still fly by the seat of your pants stuff.

That and I liked the simplicity and the variety of the designs.

[Kevthemodeller]

Jets of the 50's just love them still fly by the seat of your pants stuff.

That and I liked the simplicity and the variety of the designs.

Yes I agree just look at the F100 super sabre , another big favourite of mine is the F105 Thud , one of the few early jet that look good in cam.

[Always48]

Nice write up and good choice of plane to build, i was looking at getting this one for the sig. Following of course.

[patrickroos]

+1 on the write up, thanks!

Tanmodel? Looks like a very nice kit overall, great surface detail.
Did that nice base come with the kit?

Good luck!

[TommyKillander]

Looks like a great kit, well worth it's money!

Good luck with the build!


Tommy

[gaz45]

+1 on the write up, thanks!

Tanmodel? Looks like a very nice kit overall, great surface detail.
Did that nice base come with the kit?

Good luck!

Yes the base came with the kit mate

[gaz45]

Ok time to make a start



First up the pilots seat



Rear baulkhead



Here i decided to fill the IPM's juswt incase they were seen



The instrument panel for this there is a decal but the detail of the part is much better




The cockpit tub and the head rest





The sub assembles made up



And the sub assemblies put together to make up the cockpit















There is no engine as such with this kit but there is the intakes and the exhaust











The next part was the cameras. Here there was a slight problem with the instructions in perticular 2 clear parts that were numbered wrong regarding the fit.
G7 is G15 and vice versa










Now for the camera baulk head i decided to atach the camera harness and the 2 lower boxes then slide in the camera and fit the 2 higher boxes afterwards





One remaining front baulk head where i will attach the clear part after painting



The front landing gear wheel bay





The 4 cameras in the nose section. I have numbered these on the paper so i know which goes where



The nose section camera holding frame





The holding frame for the forward mounted camera



The fith camera





You will notice that i have not yet fitted the lenses to the cameras this i plan to do when they are fixed in their final positions and when i've painted the edges of them

The rest of the fuselage/cockpit sidewall detail









That is all for now Thanks for taking a look and any and all of your comments are welcome.
Happy modeling

[Avgas]

Looks like a decent kit.

[gaz45]

It is mate i would recomend this kit to anyone

[AdamLuscombe]

Looks nice

[gaz45]

Now with the interior all assembled and primed it was time for some painting so that i could get the 2 fuselage halves buttoned up.

First up the cockpit Primed with badger grey Then painted in Model air barley grey with the instrument panels painted in mr hobby flat black and the head rest and arm rests painted with tamiya X-7 red.







The blades primed with badger grey and painted up in model air steel.



The intakes were primed in badger black and painted up in vallejo metal color dark alluminium.



The exhaust primed in badger grey primer and the end painted in tamiya x-10 gunmetal.



The cameras were primed grey and painted up with the model air barley grey and the camera fixings in the flat black.



The front wheel well was primed in the grey and painted up with tamiya xf-4 yellow green.



The fuselage halves were primed with the black primer and the just dry brushed with the barley grey.







When this was all dry it was time to start fixing the internals to half of the fuselage.











Then on to button up the 2 halves and here the fit was really good.











Thats were it stands for now when it is fully dry i will check the seams for any sanding or filling.

Thanks for takinf a look and your comments are much appriciated.

[gaz45]

Next up the intake shrouds





Now its time to assemble the wings and again they went together really well











And the fit to the fuselage was great with just a little filler needed at the joint where the intake cover meets the wings



























and lastly for today the air brakes and a couple of bits for the wings and here there is a parts no. error the instructions would have you put the longer ones on one side and the shorter on the other when there needs to be one of each on each wing











That is all for now thanks for taking a look

[Icemannique]

nice job so far !

[gaz45]

Next up i masked off the canopy along with the nose and the camera windows













Then i attached the aireal if thats what it is



Next the pylons were built and fitted







I filled the 2 small gaps on the edges of the intakes with vallejo plastic putty






While the filler dried i made up the landing gear



Here there was a small section of the tyre missing which i thought i would have to fill but there was another piece that covered this











Now to put some primer on this with Ultimate black primer















While the primer dried i made up the drop tanks





Time to put the metal finish on this using vallejo metal color dark alluminum









And finally for today i painted up the tyres with mr hobby tire black





Thats all for now thanks for looking and for your comments

[gaz45]

Right here we go time to get this finished

I've got the nose section masked up ready to paint this with Model Air US dark green RLM73







The wheel wells masked off ready for Tamiya XF-4 Yellow green





Now masked up to paint on the red using Tamiya X-7







Also the black behind the canopy using Ultimate black primer



The drop tanks painted up in the same Metal Color Dark Alluminium they just need the red tips



With that all dried and clear coated it was time to lay the decals
This is where the kit lets itself down T he best way I found to do these is to just dip them in water then put them straight onto a paper towel any more than that and they just break apart.
With that said here is the end result











That's all folks thanks for looking and your comments