Republic F-84 Thunderjet

Republic Aviation · United States · first flew 1946 · fighter

The F-84 Thunderjet is an American single-engine turbojet fighter-bomber with straight wings.

Recognition (WEFT)

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

• Straight, unswept wings (the swept-wing F-84F is a different aeroplane)
• Single jet engine in a slim fuselage
• Wingtip fuel tanks, and a multi-framed canopy on late models

A straight-winged single-engine jet with an intake in the nose and fuel tanks on the wingtips. Late models have a heavily framed canopy.

Specifications

• The Republic F-84 Thunderjet has a length of 11.61 m (38 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 11.1 m (36 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 1001 km/h (622 mph).
• Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Republic began the design in 1944 as a jet replacement for the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the F-84 first flew on 28 February 1946. It entered service in 1947 but suffered structural and engine problems, and was not considered fully operational until the F-84D of 1949.

Variants

The straight-wing models ran from the F-84A to the F-84E and the definitive F-84G. The swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash were separate aircraft.

Where you'll see it

It was the USAF main strike aircraft of the Korean War. Many of the 4,450 F-84s built served with NATO nations; it first flew with the Thunderbirds and was the first fighter able to carry a nuclear weapon.

Related aircraft

• Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Bubble-top)
• Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
• Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Razorback)
• Republic P-43 Lancer
• Avia S-92
• Bell X-1
• Commonwealth CA-15
• de Havilland DH 108 Swallow

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