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Richard Bach’s book Stranger to the Ground (Harper & Row, 1963) is often cited as essential reading for aircraft enthusiasts, especially those interested in Cold War history. It details one flight in bad weather that Bach performed during the 141st Tactical Fighter Squadron’s 1961/62 “Stair Step” deployment to Europe in response to the Berlin Crisis. Operation Stair Step saw a number of Air National Guard units called to active duty and aside from Bach's 141st TFS New Jersey ANG, three other Thunderstreak squadrons were activated and deployed to France: the 110th TFS Missouri ANG; the 163rd TFS Indiana ANG and the 166th TFS Ohio ANG. Each squadron deployed around 25 aircraft each (for a total of 103 aircraft) from November 1961 until returned to State control in July the following year. But Stranger to the Ground has often caused consternation among readers since the subject of its narrative - Bach’s F-84F - is mis-identified in the book as “29405”. This serial number actually corresponds to a Lockheed T-33A-1-LO and it seems that Bach deliberately applied a mild censorship to his text in order to protect the true identity of his aircraft. So I have endeavoured to identify every aircraft deployed by the 141st TFS, New Jersey ANG during the “Stair Step” operation and in doing so I’m 50% certain that Bach’s aircraft was a Farmingdale-built F-84F-30 with serial number 52-6405. The reason that I’m only 50% certain of this identity is that incredibly the 141st TFS deployed not one but two F-84Fs on Operation Stair Step with serial numbers ending in “-405”. The other machine was a Kansas City-built F-84F-25-GK with serial number 51-9405. And as an example of the confusion caused by Bach’s mild censorship, elsewhere in Stranger to the Ground, he identifies Don Slack’s crashed aircraft as “51-9391” when in fact its correct serial number was 52-6391. So while he seems to have retained the last three digits of each aircraft’s serial number, Bach has in this case changed the first part. I doubt we’ll ever know if when Bach stated “29405” he meant 52-6405 or 51-9405 but at least we have a choice of two. So for completeness here is a full list of F-84Fs deployed to Europe in response to the Berlin Crisis: 110th TFS Missouri ANG; Lambert Field, St Louis Above: Red-trimmed 110th TFS MO ANG F-84F 51-9378. Replacement of state markings with US Air Force was common to all of the activated squadrons. (USAF photo) Ordered to active service 01Oct61; released from active service 20Aug62. Assigned to 131st TFW, Air National Guard; to Tactical Air Command 01Jul60; to 7131st Tactical Wing, USAFE 24Nov61. Back to state control with 131st TFW 23Jul62. Operation Stair Step 24Nov61 to 23Jul62 at Toul-Rosieres AB, France F-84F-25-RE 51-1639 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 08Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-1640 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 51-1644 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 10Nov61; 12th FW MacDill 31Jul62 51-1680 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 09Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 51-1697 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 09Nov61; 131st TFW Greater Peoria Airport IL 31Jul62 (transfer from 163rd TFS IN ANG on 09Nov61) 51-1701 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 09Jul62 51-1730 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 08Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 51-1735 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres? (cards missing) F-84F-25-GK 51-9378 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 131st TFW Greater Peoria Airport IL 31Jul62 F-84F-30-RE 51-1817 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 09Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 52-6368 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 09Jul62 52-6372 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 09Jul62 52-6413 110th TFS Toul Rosieres 03Nov61; 12th TFW MacDill 31Jul62 F-84F-35-RE 52-7027 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 122nd TFW Toledo OH 31Jul62 52-7035 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 122nd TFW Toledo OH 31Jul62 F-84F-40-RE 52-6525 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 131st TFS Greater Peoria Airport IL 31Jul62 52-6551 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 52-6572 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 7131st TFW Toul-Rosieres 16Jul62; 12th FW MacDill 20Jul62 52-6598 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 09Jul62 52-6604 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; w/o following accident on 20Apr62; 1/Lt Donald D Doerge uninjured 52-6616 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 131st TFW Capital Municipal Airport, Springfield IL 20Jul62 52-6631 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6634 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 131st TFW MO ANG Lambert MO 16Jul62 52-7080 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 122nd TFW Toledo OH 31Jul62 F-84F-40-GK 51-9531 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 03Nov61; 131st TFW Capital Municipal Airport, Springfield IL 20Jul62 51-9545 110th TFS Toul-Rosieres 09Nov61; 131st TFW Capital Municipal Airport, Springfield IL 20Jul62 141st TFS New Jersey ANG, McGuire AFB Above: 141st TFS NJ ANG F-84F 52-6415; the tail badge is that of Tactical Air Command (USAF official). Ordered to active service 01Oct61; released from active service 20Aug62. Assigned to 108th TFW, Air National Guard; to Tactical Air Command 01Jul60; to 7108th Tactical Wing, USAFE 11Nov61. Back to State control with 108th TFW 15Jul62. Operation Stair Step at Chaumont AB, France 11Nov61 to 15Jul62. F-84F-25-RE 51-1631 141st TFS Chaumont (date?); 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-1651 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-1721 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; w/o 16May62 in crash near Chaumont AB 15Jun62 due to engine failure; Capt Edward A Carpinello uninjured F-84F-25-GK 51-9404 141st TFS Chaumont 01Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-9405 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-30-RE 51-1818 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6391 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; w/o 28Jan62 after crash into Puy de Sancy (6,188 ft/1,886 m) southwest of Aulnat 28Jan62; 1/Lt Donald Slack killed 52-6392 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6405 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6414 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6415 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-30-GK 51-9445 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-35-RE 51-17061 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6442 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6490 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6495 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-7019 141st TFS Chaumont 01Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-35-GK 51-9457 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-40-RE 52-6609 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-7066 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-7073 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-40-GK 51-9516 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-9530 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-9546 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-9547 141st TFS Chaumont 01Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-50-RE 52-6847 141st TFS Chaumont 02Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 163rd TFS Indiana ANG, Baer Field, Fort Wayne Above: 163rd TFS IN ANG F-84F 52-6426. Some of the Stair Step Thunderstreaks carried the "ten year" zero prefix to the serial number but unusually this aircraft omitted the customary dash suffix to the zero. (Gordon Macadie) Ordered to active service 01Oct61; released from active service 20Aug62. Assigned to 122nd TFW; Air National Guard; to Tactical Air Command 01Jul60; to 7122nd Tactical Wing, USAFE 07Nov61. Back to State control with 122nd TFW 16Jul62. Operation Stair Step at Chambley AB, France 07Nov61 to 16Jul62. F-84F-25-RE 51-1628 163rd TFS Chambley (date?); 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1657 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1673 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1676 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1688 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1695 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-1699 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 F-84F-25-GK 51-9383 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-9385 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-9400 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 17Jul62; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-30-RE 51-1781 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 52-6404 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 F-84F-35-RE 51-17077 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 17Jul62; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-17080 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 17Jul62; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-17086 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 17Jul62; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6426 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 52-6458 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 52-6475 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 19Jul62; (390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62?) 52-6520 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 52-7021 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 17Jul62; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-7023 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 52-7043 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 F-84F-40-RE 52-6543 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; w/o in crash-landing near Chambley AB 15Mar62 due to engine fire; pilot uninjured F-84F-40-GK 51-9518 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 7122nd TFW Chambley 19Jul62; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-9540 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 51-9542 163rd TFS Chambley 08Nov61; 390th TFS Chambley 31Jul62 166th TFS Ohio ANG, Rickenbacker ANGB, Lockbourne Above: 166th TFS OH ANG F-84F 52-6936 (Jack Friell/Sculthorpe Heritage Centre). Ordered to active service 01Oct61; released from active service 20Aug62. Assigned to 121st TFW; Air National Guard; to Tactical Air Command 01Jul60; to 7121st Tactical Wing, USAFE 24Nov61. Back to State control with 121st TFW 18Jul62. Operation Stair Step at Etain-Rouvres AB, France 24Nov61 to 18Jul62. F-84F-25-RE 51-1654 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-1672 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-1725 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-1739 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-1744 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-1757 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-25-GK 51-9403 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 F-84F-30-RE 51-1785 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-1791 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 51-1810 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 16Jul62 52-6379 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6381 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6418 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-30-GK 51-9415 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; w/o following engine flame-out near Etain AB 30Jan62 51-9433 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-35-RE 51-17073 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 389th TFS Chaumont 31Jul62 52-6493 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-35-GK 51-9490 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 51-9501 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-40-RE 52-6526 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6629 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 7121st TFW Etain 20Jul62; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 F-84F-55-RE 52-6924 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 7121st TFW Etain 20Jul62; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6936 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 7121st TFW Etain 20Jul62; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6963 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 52-6993 166th TFS Etain 08Nov61; 391st TFS Etain 31Jul62 Above: almost the entire Stair Step F-84F deployment (101 aircraft versus the 103 deployed) at Bluie West One circa late October 1961 (USAF photo) This post was in part prompted by some queries in this thread by Jessica:

One of the next Jetmads projects is a 1/32nd Republic F-84F Thunderstreak resin kit. Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php/?id=100057836780108&story_fbid=928779255726625 V P.

F-84F Thunderstreak, Royal Netherlands Air Force, P-171, No.311 Squadron, Volker AB, 1963. Kit: Special Hobby 1/72 F-84F Thunderstreak (SH72395) Aftermarket: Dutch Decal Republic F-84F Thunderstreak / RF-84F Thunderflash / Hunter (Royal Dutch AF) (DD72105) Paints: Vallejo Weathering: Ammo & Abteilung Superb new kit by Special Hobby, painted with Vallejo Model Air acrylics and weathered with Ammo panel liners and Abteilung oil paints. Fuel tanks are from Valom F-101 kit - otherwise built straight from the box. WIP:

Here's my first entry. Something I've wanted to do for many years, is build a half decent kit of one of the Shepherds Grove Thunderstreaks. A base which is quite close geographically to me & the nearest base that had Thunderstreaks so it has to be this historically popular subject, 52-6675 of the 78th FBS 81st FBW. So this is it, the Microscale sheet which I really hope has survived & doesn't disintigrate into a million specs when I get to apply it. I've got a collection of Sword kits but will be starting off with the fantastic new Special Hobby kit.

Hello to everybody! Here is my second F-84 finished within the single type group build. Very glad I was able to finish it within 3 months of the GB. Moreover I received this kit just days before the start so it even did not spend any time in the stash! Thunderstreak has been a very significantly reworked version of Thunderjet that only for political reasons retained F-84 designation. A side by side comparison clearly shows that the two have pretty much nothing in common! Undercarriage probably being the most similar part of the two. Thunderstreaks quickly replaced Thunderjets in USAF as well as in airforces of many NATO countries. However unlike its elder brother, Thunderstreak did not have a long military conflicts usage history. The most prominent use of F-84F was with French Air Force during the Suez Crisis including temporary 'transition' of French aircraft to Israel for a short period starting on October 30th to support Israeli offensive against Egypt on Sinai. French aircraft continued to be flown by French pilots but as they were based on airbases in Israel - the French tricolor roundels were repainted with David Stars immediately after aircraft landed at Lod airbase. The new kit from Special Hobby is very well engineered, fit is excellent. It provides good level of details on the surfaces, nice cockpit. Some areas such as wheel bays are quite simplistic though and would benefit from p/e sets or resin replacements. Such aftermarket goodies are nor yet there so my decision was to go with full out-of-box construction. The only aftermarket used was Eduard seatbelts from spares. While the kit is good and simple for construction - decals are not so much. The kit provides full set of decals for all the squadron and operation Kadesh demarcations (not for the black area on the spine and olive drab area on the nose). It is of course possible to just paint these large areas but I decided to use the supplied decals. Decals in the kit are of new type promoted by Eduard and Special Hobby where carrier film is on top of the paint rather than below it. This allows to peel-off carrier film after application. I first applied all the stencils and those worked well - but film was keeping tough to the plastic so I did not remove it. Next step was large coloured decals and here I got some issues. First of all decals are quite fragile. If film is somehow damaged - the paint under it disintegrates into small fractions impossible to collect. The highest risk is on curved surfaces. In my case the tail pipe red band was a total disaster so that I finally repainted it. Secondly after application the film may start to raise just by itself. I did not remove it on purpose but in fact it self-peeled off from several decals. Unfortunately sometimes it peels off with some paint including (naturally) where decals overlap. I think next time I use Eduard decals I will plan to remove the film at least from the largest decals. Paints are Vallejo Metal Color for metallic surfaces. Most others are Gunze or Vallejo acrylics. Before and after decals application the model was covered with Vallejo Gloss Metal Varnish. For final cover I added some satin to avoid super-glossy effect. Lastly some more group photoes - with other Republic jet Thuds and with some counterparts such as Hunter and Super Sabre for size comparison. Thanks for looking! Dennis

Sword Models is to release 1/72nd Republic F-84F Thunderstreak kits. First boxings expected in February 2023. Source: https://www.facebook.com/swordmodels/posts/pfbid02Lnf2uw1V1Cu71NkrjvmQPrfBGNEuvS6nkKjPtAvfn8edpCmnWCVCZ3He2CLaDFojl - ref. SW72146 - Republic F-84F Thunderstreak https://swordmodel.cz/cs/home/171-sw72146-f-84f-thunderstreak.html - ref. SW72147 - Republic F-84F Thunderstreak https://swordmodel.cz/cs/home/172-sw72147-f-84f-thunderstreak.html V.P.

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, FS-852, 91st FBS, 81st FBW, RAF Bentwaters, Suffolk ,UK, 1958 Subject; Republic F-84F Thunderstreak fitted with long range fuel tanks. Manufacturer; Sword Scale; 1/72 Kit number; SW72146 Aftermarket; Out of the box Paints; Exterior, AK Xtreme Metal Aluminium, Polished Aluminium, Duraluminium and Dark Aluminium. Burnt Metal and Jet Exhaust on the tail pipe. AK RC259 Olive Drab and XF69 NATO Black on the upper panels. XF7 Flat Red on the tail fin stripe. Interior; Tamiya XF4 Yellow Green, various Tamiya X and XF and Posca pens for detailing and LP65 Rubber Black. Primer; Mr Surfacer 1200. Varnish; AK Gauzy Shine Agent. Weathering; Flory Dark Dirt wash, Abteilung oils and Tamiya weathering palettes.

Hi! Anniversary of Operation Musketeer/Mousquetaire/Kadesh/Suez war is approaching and I have been thinking about building one of more colourful aircraft taking part for a start. French F-84Fs and RF-84Fs, with various stripes and squadron badges, fit this description nicely. From gathered material I figured out about the identification stripes (single yellow stripe with black outline until the end of October, yellow-black stripes from 1st November on) and from available articles and books I learned about not so uniformed reality of improvised use of yellow paint on Cyprus, planes wearing both types of stripes and white, dark gray and possibly even blue stripes. Still, what bothers me the most are supposed Israeli markings on French fighter-bombers and reconnaissance planes, based in Israel. Israeli markings had been mentioned in several publications and there are plenty of colour profiles of both Thunderstreaks and Thunderflashes with stars of David, but I have not seen a single photo of the actual aircraft with such markings. In fact, all the photos of French planes in Israel bases show them marked with standard French cocarde. Any thoughts? Cheers Jure

The first batch of F-84F's arrived from the French in 1959, however Turkey would receive enough aircraft to equip 9 squadrons between 1959 and 1966 from several other NATO countries. The Thunderstreak had a fairly short active service life with the Americans, but soldiered on for other air forces for many years, the Turks using theirs until 1974, when they were replaced by the Northrop F-5. Almost all the 300 aircraft were scrapped. The Turks were probably the only country air force to use the F-84F in action, when two aircraft engaged and shot down two Iraqi Il-28s that strayed into Turkish airspace. I'll be using the older Airfix 1/72 kit with decals out of my spaces box. I picked up this kit, as you can see, on special from my LHS way back when I was a poor student and happy to buy 5 dollar models to feed my plastic addiction. It's floated around in my stash for many years, so it's time to build it.

Source: http://www.themodellingnews.com/2014/04/guess-who-is-about-to-launch-new-f-84f.html#more Strong rumours say KittyHawk is working on a 1/32nd Republic F-84F Thunderstreak kit. Time will tell. V.P.

Hi guys here is my Kinetic F-84F in the colors of the Dutch 311 squadron. This kit seems to have very deep panel lines but I did not experienced it as very problematic. In fact I liked this kit very much. Decals are from Dutch Decal and the cockpit oi from Aires. Erik

Hi all, I came across this and thought I'd post it in case the data within it is useful. Martin http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/268825-148-republic-f-84f-thunderstreak-by-hobbyboss-a-first-look/&page=5

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak & RF-84F Thunderflash Warpaint Series No.100 The F-84F Thunderstreak was originally planned to augment the USAF's front-line fighter requirements in the early 1950's; however, engine and aerodynamic teething problems delayed production until 1954. Although the Thunderstreak was not classed as a superior or outstanding aircraft, its performance being overshadowed by the F-86 Sabre, the aircaft was produced in large numbers and served with the USAF and many other nations air forces for many years. The underpowered Wright J65 engine did not give the F-84F the aerodynamic ability to perform as a fighter and was therefore quickly reduced to the fighter-bomber role. As such, it served with the USAFs Tactical and Strategic Air Commands and also with numerous European air forces. It provided a much-needed deterrent during the critical early years of the Cold War and the 1960s, especially with NATO air forces. The book has been well researched by Charles Stafrace; with both the R-84F Thunderstreak and the RF-84F Thunderflash being covered in this 100th edition from Guideline Publications. As is usual with all the previous Warpaint Series, this book is superbly illustrated by Richard J. Caruana. Each profile image shows full colour details of the colour schemes and marking placements. In addition, there are short narratives alongside each image on the respective aircraft and, in some cases, close up details of the nose art or emblem are illustrated. The story and history of the aircraft is supplemented with informative tables of reference data, including production numbers and allocations. Many of the 2,000 plus airframes also served with foreign nations, mainly as part of the NATO deterrent force during the Cold War period. Details of countries allocations and squadrons can be found within the text and additonal tabulated data. Both airframe types are covered, the F-84F Thunderstreak and the RF-84F Thunderflash, and full colour profile illustrations are provided; as with the views above of some RF-84F Reconnaissance fighters. Included within the book are two A3 size general arrangement plans which have been drawn at 1:72 scale; a small section of the RF-84 plan has been reproduced above as an example. The plans are printed back to back; with the F-84F Thunderstreak on one page and the RF-84F Thunderflash on the other. The plans are stapled in place thereby allowing easy removal if required. Some of the photographs, both colour and black-white, are very impressive and could provide ideas for modelling dioramas, as with the refuelling scene above. There are quite a few tabulated lists in this edition, as shown by the list above of aircraft belonging to the Turkish Air Force; this listing also includes the origins of the aircraft transferred. Conclusion The Republic F-84F and its sister the RF-84F may not have been the most powerful, or best looking, aircraft in the USAF's inventory but it did fill a necessary gap; although it appeared too late for the Korean Conflict and was virtually obsolete to be of any use in Vietnam. This book is one that should appeal to those with an interest in early jets, especially those at the forefront of the change from straight-wing to swept-wing types of the United States Air Force. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

1/48th Republic F-84F Thunderstreak by HobbyBoss in 2013 - catalogue ref.81726 Source: http://scalemodels.ru/modules/news/img_5748_1358082281_fe7282025aafa40f1fabea15ab64034f79f0190e.jpg.html V.P.

Encore Models is to rebox in 2016 the HobbyBoss (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932988-148-republic-f-84f-thunderstreak-by-hobbyboss-released/?hl=thunderstreak) 1/48th Republic F-84F Thunderstreak kit - ref. 48006(?) Sources: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_AT/Squadron_MMD.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_AT/Bilder_AT_1.htm V.P.

This is the 1/48 Kinetic Kit reboxed by Italeri. Nice kit, need the quickboost nose part as the kit intake is the wrong shape. Overall silver is Mitheril Silver from Games workshop. Red spine is humbrol all the markings are the kit decals which are great. Italian Aerobatic Display Team "Diavoli Rossi" 1958 This was an enjoyable model apart the canopy which really is designed to be open! Julien

Pics by Darwin from the SAC Museum in Nebraska Pics By Darwin from the Combat Air Museum in Kansas