Recently, I got a sudden surge of interest in this aircraft. I find it an interesting aircraft because it seems that the Thunderstreak was the heavy-fighter of its day. It had the straight-line performance of the F-86 combined with the heavy load carrying capabilities of the earlier F-84G and F-80C (yes, the F-80C could carry much more than the 2,000 pounds you always see quoted in books). It had a very long range and a very potent series of weapons options, including bombs ranging from 100 to 2,000 pounds. It could also carry the fearsome Tiny Tim 12-inch rocket as well as nuclear bombs.
I have several questions about the F-84. I’ve heard it was tricky to fly. If so, what were Thunderbird performances like when they used the F-84F?
Also, if the aircraft had four weapons hardpoints, where was the nuclear weapon to be carried? Was there a special fifth hardpoint used only for tactical nukes?
Also, what aircraft in service at the time were contemporaries of the F-84….foreign aircraf that is.
Was it a popular aircraft with pilot’s?
Also, how was it in air-to-air combat and as an interceptor.
I know it’s a lot of questions, but anyone who could shed some light on any of them I’d be grateful too.
Thanks.
By: adrian_gray - 12th February 2011 at 19:35
Date was Mar 11, 1957
Collison between T-33 and Thundersteak – 3 crewmen killed –
That’s great, Paul – thank you very much! With that I can find the accident reports – if the price for 1950s ones is a reasonable as the price for the 1940s ones I got, they’ll be well worth it. One of my uncle’s saw the collision, and my brother ploughed up a small relay from the T33 (knowing him, he was ploughing very slowly looking for bits!) that I now have.
Apologies for the delay in replying – my time online has been a bit limited these last few days.
Adrian
By: paulmcmillan - 11th February 2011 at 09:51
Tom,
I hope you don’t mind my pushing in with another 81st FBW F-84 casualty. Does anyone have any gen on this?
Doug
Yes..
9th June 1955 Pilot JOHN L CASWELL JR. F-84F 52-6522 WEST RAMAGATE, UK 81 RAN OFF RUNWAY
By: lindoug - 11th February 2011 at 09:19
F-84F 52-6522
Tom,
I hope you don’t mind my pushing in with another 81st FBW F-84 casualty. Does anyone have any gen on this?
Doug
By: TomDocherty72 - 10th February 2011 at 18:39
Hi Graham, thanks for confirming that.
Tom
By: TomDocherty72 - 10th February 2011 at 18:36
Hi Paul, thanks for the F-84 pilot details, I already had the 72 Sqn info.
Cheers
Tom
By: ghaynes - 9th February 2011 at 16:48
Hi Tom,
It was assigned to the 91st FBS/81st FBW at Bentwaters. Confirmed by the pilot of the camera ship F-84F, Harry Eckes, who was also assigned to the 91st FBS.
Regards.
Graham
Hi Graham,
What a great photo. Can you confirm which squadron and base it was with from your research as I seem to be getting a lot of conflicting possibilities in this thread at the moment? Which FBW/Sqn/Base?
By: paulmcmillan - 9th February 2011 at 16:06
I don’t like loose ends, so.. DaveW on RAFCommands has kindly filled in the last detail on the 2 crew of the Meteor…. Who were
F/O’s J Clegg and EN Boakes
By: paulmcmillan - 9th February 2011 at 13:48
Hi All,
Many thanks for pinning it down so quickly. I was hoping to find out which unit it was with and now I do! It landed at Woodbridge following the collision and according to my source the pilot checked straight into sick bay with shock! Can anyone confirm that the 91st TFS was based at Woodbridge?
USAF Pilot was Lieutenant Bernard Maldonado aged 24 of Mineapolis Minnesota
Meteor was an NF.12 serial WS638 of 72 Sqn both crew bailed out, pilot injured
By: paulmcmillan - 9th February 2011 at 13:41
If I may ride in on the coat-tails of this thread… Andy, your book sounds the very thing for unravelling the collision witnessed by one of my uncles.
Two aircraft collided in the Wethersfield circuit, with one crashing at Cornish Hall End (possibly described as Finchingfield, being in the same parish). I’d guess 1950s, one may have been a T-33, and I believe that both crashed with fatal results. If you can find anything, given the scantness of information there,l I’d be very grateful!
Adrian
Date was Mar 11, 1957
Collison between T-33 and Thundersteak – 3 crewmen killed –
F-84F
Lt. Col Franklin Q. Smith aged 38 of San Diego California
T-33
Capt. Raymond W. Clark aged 32 of Fairfield, Maine
1st Lt. John I Watkins aged 27 of Cleveand, Ohio
I leave it to someone else to dig out aircraft details – Couldn’t help myself…..
54-1558 (20th FBW) crashed 1 mi N of Finchingfield, England Mar 11, 1957 following collision with F-84F 52-6671
Paul
By: TomDocherty72 - 9th February 2011 at 13:27
Meteor/F84 collison – F-84 colour photo
As mentioned by Doug, here is the photo of 52-7105 taken from my book. Photo courtesy of Harry Eckes.
Regards.Graham
Hi Graham,
What a great photo. Can you confirm which squadron and base it was with from your research as I seem to be getting a lot of conflicting possibilities in this thread at the moment? Which FBW/Sqn/Base?
By: ghaynes - 9th February 2011 at 07:44
As mentioned by Doug, here is the photo of 52-7105 taken from my book. Photo courtesy of Harry Eckes.
Regards.
Graham
The 91st was based at Bentwaters but would have used Woodbridge if it was more convenient. There is a photo in Graham Haynes book on RAF Bentwaters and Woodbridge of 52-7105 on page 73. Perhaps if Graham sees this post he will upload the photo.
By: lindoug - 9th February 2011 at 06:32
The 91st was based at Bentwaters but would have used Woodbridge if it was more convenient. There is a photo in Graham Haynes book on RAF Bentwaters and Woodbridge of 52-7105 on page 73. Perhaps if Graham sees this post he will upload the photo.
By: adrian_gray - 8th February 2011 at 23:17
If I may ride in on the coat-tails of this thread… Andy, your book sounds the very thing for unravelling the collision witnessed by one of my uncles.
Two aircraft collided in the Wethersfield circuit, with one crashing at Cornish Hall End (possibly described as Finchingfield, being in the same parish). I’d guess 1950s, one may have been a T-33, and I believe that both crashed with fatal results. If you can find anything, given the scantness of information there,l I’d be very grateful!
Adrian
By: brewerybod - 8th February 2011 at 21:36
In 1957 the 79th Fighter Bomber Squadron (part of the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing) were based at RAF Woodbridge with F-84F’s.
But 1957 was the year the 79th started converting to the F-100,so by the November of that year when the collision occured they might have fully gone over to F-100’s ?
By: TomDocherty72 - 8th February 2011 at 18:52
Sorry Andy, should have paid more attention to the posts. You quote 20th FBW , as does Thunderbird, whilst Lindoug gives 81st TFW – perfectly possible as it only had wing damage and after repair may have been re-assigned? Can you confirm it was on the 20th FBW strength at time of collision and where based?
By: TomDocherty72 - 8th February 2011 at 18:49
Hi Andy,
Yes – you got me. I thought I was doing a great job of remaining incognito. left PWK Finnigley and after a longish career as ALM about to retire in 6 months.
By: TomDocherty72 - 8th February 2011 at 18:47
Hi All,
Many thanks for pinning it down so quickly. I was hoping to find out which unit it was with and now I do! It landed at Woodbridge following the collision and according to my source the pilot checked straight into sick bay with shock! Can anyone confirm that the 91st TFS was based at Woodbridge?
By: AndyMarden - 8th February 2011 at 10:13
It was indeed 52-7105, the incident took place on 25th November 1957.
20th FBW is quoted as the unit in “US Military Aircraft Mishaps 1950-2004”.
Andy Marden
PS Are you the same Tom Docherty that was at Prestwick Mil ATCC c 1985 – so was I
By: lindoug - 8th February 2011 at 06:31
The F-84F in question, I think was s/n 52-7105 ? ,if so, then it served with the 91TFS,81TFW .
It ,in fact, had the full U.S.AIR FORCE nose title .
However, I suspect it had at first served with the 20th because some of their aircraft moved over to the 81st ,because the 20th only had them for about a year before the F-100 came along.
In 1957 the USAF would have had full nose titles because the change from the early nose buzz numbers took place around 1955.
By: Thunderbird167 - 7th February 2011 at 17:23
I’ve narrowed it down to three candidates.
The “Buzz number” gives you the last the numbers of its serial.
FS is the code for the F-84 series.52-7105
52-9105
53-7105
Based on these my guess would be 52-7105 for the following reasons
52-9105 is in a batch deliverd to France
53-7105 was delvered to Germany
52-7106 was used by 20th FBW at Wethersfield and therefore 52-7105 was probably with the same unit
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