Republic Aviation Corporation
Republic RF-84F Thunderflash
Republic Aviation
RF-84F Thunderflash
Role Fighter-bomber
Manufacturer Republic Aviation
First flight 28 February 1950
Introduction November 1954
Retired 1972 (USAF)
1991 (Greece)
Primary user United States Air Force
Number built 3,428
Developed into Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech
Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor
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History Republic Aviation Corporation.
RF-84F Thunderflash
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version.
In 1948, 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 Oscar 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
Variants
An Italian F-84F 
The Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech prototype 
One of the YF-84J prototypes - YF-84F
- Two swept-wing prototypes of the F-84F, initially designated YF-96.
- F-84F Thunderstreak
- Swept wing version with Wright J65 engine. Tactical Air Command aircraft were equipped with Low-Altitude Bombing System (LABS) for delivering nuclear bombs. 2,711 built, 1,301 went to NATO under Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP).
- GRF-84F
- 25 RF-84Fs were converted to be carried, and launched from the bomb bay of a GRB-36F bomber as part of the FICON project. The aircraft were later redesignated RF-84K.
- RF-84F Thunderflash
- Reconnaissance version of the F-84F with intakes relocated to the wing-roots, 715 built.
- RF-84K Thunderflash (FICON)
- RF-84F with a retractable probe for hookup with carrier GRB-36Ds and tailplanes with marked anhedral, 25 redesignated from RF-84F.
- XF-84H
- Two F-84Fs were converted into experimental aircraft. Each was fitted with an Allison XT40-A-1 turboprop engine of 5,850 shaft horsepower (4,365 kW) driving a supersonic propeller. Ground crews dubbed the XF-84H the Thunderscreech due to its extreme noise output.[1]
- YF-84J
- Two F-84Fs were converted into YF-84J prototypes with enlarged nose intakes and a deepened fuselages for the General Electric J73 engine; the YF-84J reached Mach 1.09 in level flight on 7 April 1954. The project was cancelled due to the excessive cost of converting existent F-84Fs.
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Republic Aviation Corporation.
RF-84F Thunderflash
Republic Aviation Corporation. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company
RF-84F Thunderflash
General Info
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- Crew: 1
- Length: 38 ft 1 in (11.61 m)
- Wingspan: 36 ft 5 in (11.10 m)
- Height: 12 ft 7 in (3.84 m)
- Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m2)
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Powerplant
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- Empty weight: 11,095 lb (5,033 kg)
- Gross weight: 18,645 lb (8,457 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 23,525 lb (10,671 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 450 US gal (1,700 L) internal fuel
- Powerplant: 1 × Allison J35-A-29 turbojet engine, 5,600 lbf (25 kN) thrust
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Performance
- Maximum speed: 622 mph (1,001 km/h, 541 kn) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 483 mph (777 km/h, 420 kn) at 35,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Range: (1,080 km, (internal fuel)
- Ferry range: 2,000 mi (3,200 km, 1,700 nmi) with external tanks
- Service ceiling: (12,300 m)
Armament
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- Guns: 6 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns, 300 rounds per gun
- Rockets: Up to 32 5-inch rockets
- Bombs: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) bombs, including 1 × Mark 7 nuclear bom
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Links to Youtube & Others
The Bf 108A first flew in 1934, followed by the Bf 108B in 1935. The Bf 108B used the substantially larger, 12.67 litre displacement Argus As 10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine. The nickname Taifun (German for "typhoon") was given to her own aircraft by Elly Beinhorn, a well-known German pilot, and was generally adopted
Republic
RF-84F Thunderflash
Development of the type continue and in 1935 the Bf 108B appeared with the fin and rudder having undergone modifications.
Youtube Link
Conceived as a competitive aircraft the Bf 108 would take part in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Read more in Republic Aviation Corporation. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company
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