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THE 456th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON |
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THE PROTECTORS OF S. A. C. |
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The Republic RF-84F "Thunderflash" |
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BY JOE BAUGER
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RF-84F "Thunderflash". This version had an extended nose that was capable of carrying 6 cameras for use in the photo-reconnaissance role. The jet intake scoops were moved from the nose to the wing roots on the RF-84F model.
A reconnaissance version of the aircraft, the RF-84F Thunderflash had a lengthened nose and modified air intakes, making it the first aircraft capable of night photography
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The RF-84F "Thunderflash"
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The RF-84F Thunderflash was the photographic reconnaissance version of the F-84F Thunderstreak. It had many components in common with the F-84F, but differed in having the jet engine fed by a pair of wing root air intakes, the nose being taken up by a bank of cameras.
The second YF-84F prototype had actually been completed with wing root air intakes, leaving the nose with a solid cover. At that time, it was found that the wing root intakes resulted in thrust losses, and they were not adopted for production F-84F Thunderstreaks. However, the USAF was in need of a replacement for its aging Lockheed RF-80 Shooting Star unarmed reconnaissance aircraft, and concluded that the YF-84F with its wing root air intakes might make a good camera-carrying reconnaissance aircraft.
The first pre-production prototype, designated YRF-84F (51-1828) was completed in February of 1952. It had wing root inlets and a new nose enlarged to accommodate cameras. Four 0.50-inch machine guns were fitted in the wing roots, and a reinforced sliding cockpit canopy was used. Later, a set of dual wing fences were added to each wing.
Forty-one wing-root-intake reconnaissance versions were ordered in June of 1952 under the designation RF-84F. The popular name Thunderflash was given to these aircraft. The first production RF-84F (51-1829) exchanged the sliding canopy of the earlier prototype for the upward hinging canopy and the raised turtleneck that was standard on the F-84F. The first production block aircraft were fitted with the Wright J65-W-3. In June of 1955, the RF-84F-20-RE production block introduced the Wright J65-W-7 of 7800 lbst. Late production RF-84Fs introduced spoilers on the upper surfaces of each wing to boost the maximum rate of roll to 300 degrees per second. This was done mainly to accommodate asymmetric "hang-ups" of underwing tanks.
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The camera bay in the nose could accommodate up to six cameras in forward- facing, tri-metrogen and individual oblique and vertical installations. The vertical camera bay had hydraulically-operated retractable doors, and behind these doors was an aperture for a vertical viewfinder with a periscope presentation on the cockpit panel. Photoflash ejectors could be carried in underwing tanks for nighttime photographic reconnaissance missions.
Specification of the RF-84F:
One Wright J65-W-7 turbojet rated at 7800 lb.st. Performance: Maximum speed (clean), 679 mph at sea level (Mach 0.89), 627 mph at 5000 feet, 607 mph at 35,000 feet (Mach 0.92). The RF-84F is redlined at Mach 1.175 in a dive. Tactical radial (clean): 420 miles at 36,000 feet. Maximum range with two 450 US gallon drop tanks is 2000 miles. Initial climb rate (clean) is 7900 feet per minute. Service ceiling: 46,000 feet. Weights: 14,014 pounds empty, 20,091 pounds combat weight, and 25,390 pounds maximum takeoff. Dimensions were wingspan 33 feet 7 inches, length 47 feet 8 inches, height 15 feet 0 inches, wing area 325 square feet. Armament consisted of four 0.50-inch M-3 machine guns mounted in the outer intake walls.
51-1828 Republic YRF-84F-RE Thunderflash 51-1829/1831 Republic RF-84F-1-RE Thunderflash 51-1832 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 51-1833/1838 Republic RF-84F-1-RE Thunderflash 51-1839/1873 Republic RF-84F-5-RE Thunderflash 51-1874/1938 Republic RF-84F-10-RE Thunderflash 51-1939/1948 Republic RF-84F-15-RE Thunderflash 51-1949 Republic RF-84F-16-RE Thunderflash 51-1950/1956 Republic RF-84F-15-RE Thunderflash 51-1957/1958 Republic RF-84F-16-RE Thunderflash 51-11250 Republic RF-84F-16-RE Thunderflash 51-11251/11252 Republic RF-84F-15-RE Thunderflash 51-11253/11254 Republic RF-84F-16-RE Thunderflash 51-11255/11256 Republic RF-84F-15-RE Thunderflash 51-11257 Republic RF-84F-16-RE Thunderflash 51-11258/11294 Republic RF-84F-15-RE Thunderflash 51-11295/11296 Republic RF-84F-20-RE Thunderflash 51-11297 Republic RF-84F-21-RE Thunderflash 51-16996/17002 Republic RF-84F-21-RE Thunderflash 51-17003/17015 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 51-17016/17036 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 51-17037/17042 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 51-17043/17058 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 52-7229/7233 Republic RF-84F-21-RE Thunderflash 52-7234/7235 Republic RF-84F-20-RE Thunderflash 52-7236/7243 Republic RF-84F-21-RE Thunderflash 52-7244/7278 Republic RF-84F-20-RE Thunderflash 52-7279/7286 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 52-7287/7295 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 52-7296/7307 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 52-7308/7318 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 52-7319/7339 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 52-7340/7351 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 52-7352/7354 Republic RF-84F-26-RE Thunderflash 52-7355/7377 Republic RF-84F-25-RE Thunderflash 52-7378/7385 Republic RF-84F-30-RE Thunderflash 52-7386/7405 Republic RF-84F-31-RE Thunderflash 52-7378/7385 Republic RF-84F-30-RE Thunderflash 52-7386/7405 Republic RF-84F-31-RE Thunderflash 52-7406/7432 Republic RF-84F-30-RE Thunderflash 52-7433/7472 Republic RF-84F-31-RE Thunderflash 52-7473 Republic RF-84F-35-RE Thunderflash 52-7474/7475 Republic RF-84F-36-RE Thunderflash 52-8717/8766 Republic RF-84F-36-RE Thunderflash 53-7521/7532 Republic RF-84F-35-RE Thunderflash 53-7533/7558 Republic RF-84F-40-RE Thunderflash 53-7559 Republic RF-84F-41-RE Thunderflash 53-7560/7583 Republic RF-84F-46-RE Thunderflash 53-7584/7590 Republic RF-84F-41-RE Thunderflash 53-7591/7616 Republic RF-84F-40-RE Thunderflash 53-7617/7633 Republic RF-84F-46-RE Thunderflash 53-7634/7640 Republic RF-84F-45-RE Thunderflash 53-7641/7697 Republic RF-84F-46-RE Thunderflash 57-6552/6716 May be RF-84F supplied to GermanySerials:
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The RF-84F |
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Deliveries of the RF-84F Thunderflash began in March of 1954, with the 363rd Tactical Reconnaisance Wing at Shaw AFB in North Carolina being the first receipient. By June of 1956, four USAF reconnaissance wings were equipped with RF-84Fs. The last of 715 RF-84Fs rolled off the production lines at Farmingdale in January of 1958. At one time or another, the RF-84F was flown by the 17th, 25th, 32nd, 38th, and 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons, the 13th, 15th, 82nd, and 1561st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons and the 20th and 91st Reconnaissance Squadrons.
The service life of the RF-84F with the USAF was relatively short, and most were replaced by McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo aircraft in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After that, they served with seven Air National Guard squadrons until well into the 1960s.
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The RF-84F In Service With NATO |
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386 of the 715 RF-84Fs built were sent overseas as part of the Mutual Aid Program of assistance to the air forces of NATO nations. This included the West German Luftwaffe (Aufkl. G51 and 52), France's Armee de l'Air (33rd Escadre), Belgium's Force Aerienne Belge (42eme Escadrille) Holland's Koninklijke Nederlandske Luchtmacht (No. 306 Squadron), Italy's Aeronautica Militare Italiano (18 o and 132 o Gruppi), Denmark's Kongilige Danske Flyvevaben (No. 729 Escadrille), Norway's Kongelige Norske Flyvapen (Nr. 717 Skvadron), Turkey's Turk Hava Kuvvetleri and Greece's Royal Hellenic Air Force.
Sources:
- Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and David Donald, Temple Press Aerospace, 1990.
- The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.
- American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982.
- United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
- The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, Ray Wagner, Profile Publications, 1966.
BY JOE BAUGER
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05/04/2009 |
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