Warplanes of the USA: Ohio, Dayton, National Museum of the USAF: Republic

Warplane Survivors USA: Ohio, Dayton, National Museum of the USAF: Republic

(USAAF Photo)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Serial No. 42-76248), 406th Fighter Group prepares for take off, England, 1943.

(IWM Photo)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolts of the 78th Fighter Group at Duxford, England, 1943.

(NMUSAF Photo)

(S. Kaiser Photo)

(Goshimini Photo)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Serial No. 42-23278), "Fiery Ginger IV".  The P-47D "Razorback" Thunderbolt on display in the NMUSAF is an early version of the "D", nicknamed for the ridge behind the cockpit (later P-47Ds had a bubble canopy).  It is painted to appear as the Thunderbolt flown by Colonel Neel Kearby on his last mission.  Colonel Kearby named all of his aircraft Fiery Ginger after his red-headed wife Virginia.  Recovered from the crash site and obtained by the museum, the actual vertical fin of Fiery Ginger IV is also on display.  This aircraft was donated by Republic Aviation Corp. in November 1964.

(USAAF Photo)

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt formation, Pacific Theatre, ca 1945.  

 (USAF Photo)

(NMUSAF Photo)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Serial No. 45-49167), A, painted as (Serial No. 44-32718), C/N 399-55706, "Five by Five".

(NMUSAF Photos)

(Greg Hume Photo)

(Valder137 Photos)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (Serial No. 44-33287), B8-A.  The P-47-40 on display in the NMUSAF was built at the Republic plant in Evansville, Indiana.  In the late 1940s, it was transferred to the Peruvian air force . The aircraft later came to the museum in 1981.  It is painted as the P-47D-30 "Five by Five" flown by Colonlel Joseph Laughlin, commander of the 362nd Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, in early 1945. This aircraft is on loan to the Collings Foundation, American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts. In exchange, the museum received a PT-17, one of only two existing PT-17s that were utilized as trainers for the Tuskegee Airmen during the Second World War.

(USAF Photo)

Republic F-84E-15-RE Thunderjet (Serial No. 49-2424), from the 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing/Group, taking off for a mission in Korea.  This aircraft was shot down by flak on 29 August 1952.

(USAF Photo)

The Thunderjet rose to prominence as the primary strike aircraft for the USAF during the Korean War era. It completed a staggering 86,408 sorties and successfully obliterated 60% of all ground targets in the conflict, including eight Soviet-built MiG fighters. With over half of the 7,524 F-84s produced serving alongside NATO nations, it marked a pivotal role in global defense. Notably, it was also the inaugural aircraft to grace the skies with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team. The USAF Strategic Air Command relied on the F-84 Thunderjets from 1948 until 1957, cementing its place in aviation history.

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic F-84E Thunderjet (Serial No. 50-1143), FS-454.  The F-84E on display in the NMUSAF arrived in 1963.  It is marked to represent the F-84G flown by Col. Joseph Davis Jr., commander of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing in 1953.

(USAF Photo)

Republic F-84F-50-RE Thunderstreak (Serial No. 52-6852) of the 91st Fighter-Bomber Squadron, RAF Bentwaters, UK, Dec 1956.

(USAF Photo)

Republic F-84F-55-RE Thunderstreak (Serial No. 52-6936), Ohio Air National Guard, ca 1950s.

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak (Serial No. 52-6526).  Evolved from the straight-wing F-84, the F-84F prototype first flew in June 1950.  Deliveries began in 1954, with most of the aircraft going to the Tactical Air Command as a ground support fighter bomber.  Republic built 2,112 F-84Fs while General Motors fabricated 599 more.  Of these, 1,301 were delivered to NATO air forces.  Production of a reconnaissance version, the RF-84F, totaled 715 aircraft, including 386 for allied countries.  To accommodate cameras in the nose, Republic moved the RF-84F's air intakes to the wing roots.  Through the late 1950s, the USAF replaced its F-84Fs with supersonic F-100s, and the Thunderstreaks went to Air National Guard units.  However, some F-84Fs temporarily returned to USAF service in the early 1960s due to the Berlin crisis.  The aircraft on display in the NMUSAF was flown to the museum in 1970 following its assignment to the Ohio Air National Guard.  During its career, it served in England, Greece, Alaska and the continental United States.  In 1961 it participated in the mass deployment of 200 fighters across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe in response to the Berlin situation.

(USAF Photos)

Republic RF-84F Thunderflash (Serial No. 51-1847).

 (NMUSAF Photos)

Republic YRF-84F Thunderflash FICON (Serial No. 49-2430), Fighter Conveyor.  The NMUSAF’s YRF-84F participated in two USAF experimental programs, the development of the F-84F fighter-bomber and later testing of the “parasite” fighter concept.  This YRF-84F was the prototype of the F-84F Thunderstreak, which became a standard USAF fighter-bomber in the 1950s.  Consisting of an F-84E Thunderjet fuselage with swept-back wings and tail, it made its initial flight in June 1950.  In 1951 it was modified into the YRF-84F FICON (FIghter CONveyor), and first flew in this configuration in March 1953.  The concept envisioned carrying a “parasite” aircraft under (and partially enclosed within) a B-36 as a way to extend fighter range.  When needed, the fighter was lowered on a boom and released to protect the bomber or to conduct reconnaissance or bombing missions on its own.  After completing its mission, the fighter would return to the Convair B-36 Peacemaker.  The USAF employed FICON aircraft operationally for a brief period in the mid-1950s with RF-84Ks.  By the late 1950s, however, the successful development of mid-air refueling ended the use of parasite fighters.

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic RF-84K Thunderflash (Serial No. 52-7259), c/n 215.  The RF-84K was a reconnaissance and nuclear strike fighter that was intended to be carried toward a target as a "parasite" underneath the Convair GRB-36 Peacemaker bomber.  At the time, jet aircraft possessed relatively short range and aerial refueling was not yet proven, so this provided a method to extend their range.  The U.S. Air Force applied this parasite concept to the FICON (FIghter CONveyer) project, which became the RF-84K.  The mission profile called for the recon aircraft or attack fighter to leave the carrier aircraft (a modified strategic bomber) upon reaching hostile territory, make a dash to the target and perform its mission.  The aircraft then returned to the waiting carrier, hooked up underneath it and was carried back to a base.  In 1952, as it tested two F-84 FICON prototypes, the USAF ordered 25 RF-84Ks and began modifying 10 B-36s into GRB-36 FICON carriers.  The RF-84K design was a modification of the RF-84F, the USAF's most numerous and advanced tactical reconnaissance aircraft at the time.  The only major differences were the RF-84K's retractable hook in the upper part of the nose, rods on either side behind the cockpit, and downward angled horizontal stabilizers (to fit inside the GRB-36's bomb bay).  The RF-84K entered service with the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) in 1955.  For the next year, pilots of the 91st SRS successfully flew their RF-84Ks, but they experienced many near disasters while separating or hooking back up to the GRB-36 carrier aircraft.  By 1957, the development of more capable strategic reconnaissance aircraft, along with greater range provided by dependable aerial refueling, made the parasite aircraft concept obsolete.  The 91st SRS's RF-84Ks were transferred to other units flying RF-84Fs and thereafter flew conventional missions from runways.  The NMUSAF's aircraft is marked as it appeared while serving in the 91st SRS in the mid-1950s

(NMUSAF Photo)

Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech (Serial No. 51-17060).

(NMUSAF Photo)

Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech (Serial No. 51-17059).

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech (Serial No. 51-17059).  The turboprop-driven XF-84H was a joint Air Force/Navy project designed to combine the speed of jet aircraft with the long range, low fuel consumption, and low landing speed of propeller-driven aircraft.  The XF-84H’s modified F-84F airframe included a T-tail and a triangular fin behind the cockpit to reduce the effect of torque from the propellers.  Between July 1955 and October 1956, two XF-84Hs made 12 test flights.  11 of these flights ended with emergency landings.  Although the XF-84H was one of the fastest single-engine, propeller-driven aircraft ever built, it never approached supersonic speed.  Due to poor performance and high maintenance requirements, the XF-84H never became operational.  The aircraft on display in the NMUSAF was the first of the two prototypes produced by Republic, and it flew 8 of the 12 test flights.  The museum obtained the aircraft from Kern County, California, in 1999.

(USAF Photos)

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor (Serial No. 46-0680).  The XF-91 was America’s first rocket-powered fighter to fly faster than the speed of sound. It was originally conceived in the mid-1940s as an interceptor.  The Thunderceptor’s rocket engine supplemented its main turbojet engine, greatly increasing the aircraft’s speed and climb rate.  With its afterburning turbojet and rocket engine in operation, the XF-91 possessed a remarkable climb rate of nearly 30,000 feet per minute.  Republic built two prototype XF-91s, the NMUSAF’s aircraft was the first one built, and it first flew in May 1949.  Although the F-91 fighter program was canceled due to lack of funding, the prototypes were extensively tested and modified.  The Museum’s XF-91, the only remaining example, was transferred from Edwards AFB, California, in 1955.

Republic F-105B Thunderchief (Serial No. 57-5793).

(NMUSAF Photos)

(Martin McGuire Photo)

Republic F-105D Thunderchief (Serial No. 60-0504), "Memphis Belle".  The aircraft on display in the NMUSAF is painted and marked as it appeared while serving in the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand.  The nickname "Memphis Belle II" refers to the B-17F that carried the same artwork during the Second World War.  The two red stars under the cockpit represent the two MiG kills it claimed during the Southeast Asia War. It arrived at the museum in April 1990.

(Dsdugan Photo)

(NMUSAF Photos)

Republic F-105G Thunderchief (Serial No. 63-8320), WW, C/N F97.   The F-105G on display in the NMUSAF began operational service in 1964 as a standard F-105F.  In 1967 it joined the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing in Thailand, where it flew combat missions for nearly three years.  During this time, it became one of a select few USAF aircraft to claim three MiG kills.  In 1970 it was fitted with electronic counter-measure equipment and joined the 388th TFW for "Wild Weasel" duty, attacking enemy surface-to-air missile sites.  In 1972 the aircraft was modified to the improved F-105G "Wild Weasel" configuration.  After another year in Thailand, it was assigned to the 35th TFW at George Air Force Base, California.  It remained there until February 1980 when it was flown to the museum.  It is marked as it appeared while assigned to the 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in 1972-1973.

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