Aeroplane: Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
USA
fighter-bomber
1952
|
Span
|
10.05 m (32.8 ft) |
Length
|
13.1 m (42,6 ft) |
Take-off weight
|
12,700 kg (27,998 lb) |
Maximum speed
|
1118 km/h (604 kt) |
Ceiling
|
13,700 m (44,500 ft) |
Range |
3,724 km (2,010 NM) |
Armament
|
six 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Browning M3 machine guns and 2,720 kg (6,000 lb) of ordnance (bombs, rockets or fuel tanks) on four underwing pylons |
Powerplant
:
Wright J-65-W-3 turbojet engine, rated at 32 kN (7,220 lb) or W-7 rated at 34 kN (7,800 lb) |
|
The main strike aircraft of the NATO in the 1950s.
An American fighter-bomber aircraft. It was developed as an upgraded version of the F-84E Thunderjet, the main change was the introduction of swept wings. The development was plagued with many problems with the engine and the airframe and the first production aircraft entered service in the USAF as late as 1954. It was rather brief, due to the long birth process combined with rapid development of turbojet aircraft. As a result, when the F-84F was entering service, it no longer was a modern aircraft and was soon replaced by aircraft with more advanced equipment and better performance.
Until 1957 a total number of 2348 were built. Some USAF aircraft were capable of carrying Mark 7 nuclear bomb with the yield of 20 kilotons. The RF-84F Thunderflash photo reconnaissance version was also developed. The F-84F and RF-84F were used in combat by France during the Suez Crisis in 1956.
The example on display, serial number 52-7157 was donated by the Museum of Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
Back