RF-84F Thunderflash : request for information and Superpack WiP

[+Gunrunner 314]

Download available here

 

All right, I'm working again on my RF-84F superpack, I know no one cares about the little recon plane, but at least that guarantees Paulopanz or Ludo won't beat me to it.

 

This thread will serve to track the WiP and to motivate me to progress regularly, it will also serve to gather any information and feedback you might have to contribute.

 

The big idea follows :

 

Legend :

Done

In progress

To be done

Awaiting information

 

Historical means only planes known to be available for the given time frame are represented, it's not 100% accurate, but as accurate as sources, motivation and gameplay allow.

 

Semi-Historical means it contains both planes verified historically to be active and part of the represented squadron AND planes randomly chosen from planes known to have served with, depending on the available sources, the wing or the service at the time to fill the gaps.

 

Generic means the plane numbers are chosen randomly from the pool of planes assigned to the nation, squadron numbers assigned randomly from the possible numbers and no sources allows to verify the plane was or was not in flying order at a given date.

In some extreme cases it might mean a generic skin with no serial at all to avoid.

 

 

RF-84F_US (Early Republic Seat, US pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 32nd TRS

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1956, Sembach DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 32nd TRS, Late '57

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1957, Sembach, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 38th TRS, Late '55

Silver, Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1955, Sembach, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 38th TRS

Silver, Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1956, Sembach, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 38th TRS, Late '57

Silver, Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1957, Sembach, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 302nd TRS, Late '55

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1955, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 302nd TRS

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1956, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 302nd TRS, Late '57

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1957, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 303rd TRS, Late '55

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1955, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 303rd TRS

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1956, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, US Air Force in Europe, 303rd TRS, Late '57

Silver, Semi-Historical, 17 planes, circa late 1957, Spangdahlem, DE

United States of America, Pacific Air Forces, 15th TRS, Late '58

Silver, Semi-Historical, ?? planes, circa late 1958, Kadena, JP

United States of America, Pacific Air Forces, 45th TRS, Late '58

Silver, Semi-Historical, ?? planes, circa late 1958, Misawa, JP

 

RF-84F_FR1 (Early Republic Seat, French pilot, no spoilers, inactive brake chute)

France, Armée de l'Air, ER 4/33

Silver, Semi-Historical, 14 planes, circa late 1956, Akrotiri, Cyprus, UK

 

RF-84F_FR2 (Early Republic Seat, French pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

France, Armée de l'Air, GR 1/33

Silver, Generic, 24 planes, circa late 1956, Cognac, FR

France, Armée de l'Air, ERT 2/33

Silver, Generic, 23 planes, circa late 1956, Cognac, FR

France, Armée de l'Air, ERT 3/33

Silver, Generic, 23 planes, circa late 1956, Cognac, FR

 

RF-84F_FR3 (Late Republic Seat, French pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

France, Armée de l'Air, [GR|ER] 1/33

Camo, Generic, 16 planes, circa late 1962, Cognac, FR

France, Armée de l'Air, [ERT|ER] 2/33

Silver, Generic, 16 planes, circa late 1960, Cognac, FR

Camo, Generic, 16 planes, circa late 1962, Cognac, FR

France, Armée de l'Air, ERT 3/33

Silver, Generic, 16 planes, circa late 1960, Cognac, FR

Camo, Generic, 16 planes, circa late 1962, Cognac, FR

 

RF-84F_NATO1 (Early Republic Seat, Euro pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

Netherlands, Koninklijke Luchtmacht, 306 Sqn.

Silver, Historical, 16 planes, circa late 1956, Eindhoven, NL

Belgium, Force Aérienne Belge, 42 Sqn.

Silver, Historical, 14 planes, circa late 1956, Brustem, BE

Belgium, Force Aérienne Belge, 42 Sqn.

Camo, Historical, 16 planes, circa late 1960, Brustem, BE

Norway, Luftforsvaret, 717 Skv.

Silver, Historical, 24 planes, circa late 1956, Rygge, DK

Greece, Polemikí Aeroporía, 348 Mira

Silver, Generic, 16 airplanes, circa late 1955

 

RF-84F_NATO2 (Late Republic Seat, Euro pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

Netherlands, Koninklijke Luchtmacht, 306 Sqn.

Camo, Historical, 16 planes, circa late 1962

Belgium, Force Aérienne Belge, 42 Sqn.

Camo, Historical, 15 planes, circa late 1962

Camo, Historical, 24 planes, circa late 1968

Denmark, Flyvevåbnet, 729 Esk.

Silver, Generic, 4 planes, circa late 1962

Camo, Historical, 19 planes, circa late 1962

Camo, Historical, 18 planes, circa late 1968

Norway, Luftforsvaret, 717 Skv.

Camo, Historical, 24 planes, circa late 1962

Camo, Historical, 19 planes, circa late 1968

Greece, Polemikí Aeroporía, 348 Mira

Camo, Generic, 16 airplanes, circa late 1964

Camo, Generic, 16 airplanes, circa late 1974

Turkey, Türk Hava Kuvvetleri

Silver, Generic, 24 airplanes, circa late 1964

Camo, Generic, 24 airplanes, circa late 1974

 

RF-84F_DE2 (Martin Baker seat, German pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

Germany, Bundesluftwaffe, AG 51

Camo, Generic, 36 planes, circa late 1962

Germany, Bundesluftwaffe, AG 52

Camo, Generic, 36 planes, circa late 1962

 

RF-84F_TW (Early Republic Seat, US pilot, painted spoilers, active brake chute)

Taiwan, Zhonghuá Mínguó Kongjun, 4th CRS

Silver, Historical, 22 planes, circa late 1958, Songhang, TW

Edited October 8, 2012 by Gunrunner

[Slartibartfast 153]

As to this little Recce Bird you are wrong its a great little bird for those days when the sun is shining and you have a 10000ft runway... Thank you for taking the time out to do this...

[+Soulfreak 6,522]

38 TRS RF-84F:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/38th_Tactical_Reconnaissance_Squadron_-_Republic_RF-84F-25-RE_Thunderflash_-_51-17011.jpg

[+Gunrunner 314]

Thanks, I unfortunately already had that one, so far I have 6 numbers (which is a tad short) and no explanation on the way bands were (or not) applied, the sites of former 38th TRS personnel start with the Voodoo, maybe I'll try mailing them if any of them has time to spare helping.

[+hgbn 91]

Looking forward to superpack :clapping: :clapping:

 

If you need info on the RDAF birds. Then do I have some stuff

[+Gunrunner 314]

Oh hgbn, then I'll take you on your offer, I have all the crashes of the RDAF birds and all C-xx planes listed, however I'm missing a lot of informations on the early years, individual planes introduction dates, squadron code - Serial associations, so far I have only 5 of those confirmed (51-1865 as KA-G, 53-7574 as KA-F, 53-7581 as KA-J, 53-7649 as KA-K and 53-7651 as KA-B) of which one crashed in '61.

 

Any help on that front would be welcome and would avoid having only those 4 and the rest as placeholders.

 

Also if you could confirm the date at which the transition from natural metal/KA-X codes to camouflage/C-xxx was made, it would be better than my guesstimate based on photographs placing it in the first quarter of the 60's.

 

Oh, and color pictures of the camouflage would help, I only have one very inappropriate for color reference, and drawn profiles but I tend not to trust those to much.

 

Here, just for you in the meantime...

[+hgbn 91]

Ok let me dig a bit in my stuff There was no fixed date in which they changed from natural metal to the 2 tone camo.. IIRC I have some pics with mixed aircrafts.

[+hgbn 91]

http://flymuseum.dk/fly/217-republic-rf-84f-thunderflash.html The underside color is the same as RAF PRU blue. topside dark grey and dark green....

 

 

I know I have seen a list of serials somewhere..

[+hgbn 91]

51-1865 = KA-G later C-865

51-1946= C-946

51-1937= C-937

51-11269= C-269

51-11281= C-281

51-11264= C-264

51-11274= C-274

 

52-7248= C-248

52-7283= C-283

52-7385= C-385

 

53-7551= C-551

53-7642= C-642

53-7647= KA-D on camo, C-647

53-7648= C-748

53-7649= KA-K, C-649

53-7651= KA-B, C-651

53-7670= C-670

 

This is what I can dig up atm..

 

Letter kode KA-A- KA-K 11 aircrafts from 1957-60 C-xxx used after 1960

[+Gunrunner 314]

hgbn, thanks, that's one more, plus dates and limits of the KA-X squadron numbers, and an interesting thing, is 53-7648 as C-748 a typo or do you have photographic evidence ?

I had another with a mismatch but found pictures to suggest it was a typo in the list I found.

 

All right, this is where the 38th TRS is with stock F-84F serials and a decal version of the fuselage bands, if the variation of number of bands matter they'll be a decal (not perfect, otherwise I'll paint it, which will be cleaner and will nicely avoid the alignement problems (well, I'll still have to spend some time aligning pixels over the airbrakes, but that's almost trivial compared to the wings).

Edited October 27, 2011 by Gunrunner

[+hgbn 91]

[+hgbn 91]

It must be a typo.. they always used the last 3 digits from the USAF serial after the C

 

it is a typo.. sorry just double checked

[+Gunrunner 314]

No problem, it's fairly common, between typos and improperly interpreted pictures, retracing the life of planes is a sport for the borderline insane, especially when what are supposed typos are not.

[+hgbn 91]

Found 2 more

 

52-7253 C-253

52-7324 C-324

[+hgbn 91]

http://www.pbase.com/fanjetuk/image/43540339

[+paulopanz 2,876]

Fantastic job!

 

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[Wrench 9,843]

variations in fuse bands on USAF aircraft in the 50s designate Wing commander (usuall 3, sometimes 4) squadron commander (usually 2, sometimes 3), flight commander/lead, (usually 1, rarely 2)

 

somebody wasn't following the discussion of the F-84E/G for it's various users

 

try this site for serials and histories:

 

http://millionmonkeytheater.com/RF-84F.html

[+Gunrunner 314]

Thanks Wrench, I was being a complete idiot, didn't even occur to me to check on the other F-84 variants threads... and yet another list of serials to check against the four I already have... good thing I'm already insane.

[Slartibartfast 153]

Thanks Wrench, I was being a complete idiot, didn't even occur to me to check on the other F-84 variants threads... and yet another list of serials to check against the four I already have... good thing I'm already insane.

Aaaaahhhh Sanity its overrated...

[Wrench 9,843]

sanity? phhhhhffttt...ain't worth keeping!!

[+Gunrunner 314]

Well, the 38th TRS will now be a historical skin with 12 planes, including 4 with bands, 011 and 373 with triple black bands, 313 with a single black band and 343 with a black-red-red-black band.

 

Should be done today, except for the decorated tanks, I'll probably spend some time on the French next.

[+Gunrunner 314]

And once it's finished I realize it's the scheme for the 38th TRS as part of the 66th TRW, starting in late '57 and not the scheme for it as part of the 10th TRW as useful for the NATO Fighters 1956 campaign... :mega_shok:

 

Oh well, on to the next thing...

[+paulopanz 2,876]

Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[+Gunrunner 314]

OK, fine, I now have almost enough information to do a large part of the four RF-84F squadrons for '56, I do however miss a few things in the color department, so far I have gathered that :

 

___________56__________57

302 TRS....chevron..........stars

303 TRS....chevron..........stars???

38 TRS.....red arrow........stars

32 TRS.....red arrow........stars

 

The question is, why 38 TRS, formerly a blue squadron, ends up as black when moving to the 66th TRW and what color does 303 TRS ends up with, since it was the black squadron before ?

Edited October 28, 2011 by Gunrunner

[+hgbn 91]

 

Looks like the 303 used chevrons