Republic Aviation's F 84

Two swept-wing versions of Republic's famous family of the -84 Thunderjet fighter-bombers provide a hint of fighter power to come as they fly above snow covered mountains surrounding the USAF flight test center at Edwards, Calif. Know as the F-Model, the fighter-bomber version is shown (above, foreground) in close formation with its sister plane, the high speed FR-84F photo reconnaissance plane. Each is powered by the Wright built J-65 Sapphire turbojet engine which provides 7,200 pounds of thrust. The fighter-bomber design is equipped with four .50 calibre machine guns mounted in the nose and one mounted in each wing root and it can carry much more armament and fuel externally then the 4000-pound plus record set by the "E". The prototype above is being flown with wing root air intake ducts for evaluation tests, although production units due to roll off the production line later this year (19520) will have the standard F-84 air intake system. The RF version featuring the wing root air intake system is equipped with four .50 Calibre machine guns, two installed in each wing, and has provisions for the installation of aerial reconnaissance cameras in the nose. (Taken from 1952 publicity information included with the picture).

These first in-flight photos of Republic's F-84F Thunderjet swept-wing fighter, released by the USAF, show just a sample of the plane's punch-packing prowess as a ground support fighter-bomber. Here it carries 24 fine-inch High Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVARs).

As a fighter, the 'F' is capable of very high speeds and exceptionally long range operations. As a ground support plane, it is designed to carry more armament then the record-breaking loads of its sister model, the F-84E. The F-84F has a wing span of 34' overall length of 43' and it is 14' high./ Its maximum design gross weight at take-off is approximately 25,000 lbs. (Taken from 1951 information release by Republic Aviation).