F-84G Thunderjet Question/help needed

[Martinnfb]

Hello Guys,

I would like to build 84G with a nuke, as far as I understand the Mk.7 would be appropriate weapon of choice. I believe USAF was practising the "over the shoulder drop", most likely with dummies (one never knows  ). Have you seen any picture from such an exercise or possibly a picture of a G with Mk.7?

How can you differentiate between dummy and the real deal weapon ?

 

and yes, I am aware of the pictures from museums , the s/n and place in time is what I am after.

Thank You kindly 

Martin

[Guest Jessie_C]

The training shapes were often painted light blue. Live rounds were overall natural metal with a red-brown fibreglass nose cap like this museum example (the yellow bands are the clamps holding it onto its cart):

 

As Jennings mentioned, anyone trying to take a picture of a bucket of instant sunshine during the Cold War was probably going to end up spending a great deal of time explaining to some humourless security types exactly how they weren't related in any way, shape or form to the Soviet Union.

[Finn]

Here is a small pic:

 

 

Jari

[LSP_K2]

It's odd, but as cool as the F-84's were, there's really not all that much available in the way of books on them, at least that I'm aware of. The Mk 7 would probably be correct. I have one photo of a G refueling in-air with a Mk 7 dummy attached, but it's a pretty poor shot. As to how to tell the real deal from the dummies, I have no idea.

[Finn]

There is another pic here:

 

https://app.box.com/s/3ca2864b8fc8f253e8b0/1/299113674/2373730592/1

 

scroll down to page V-283.

 

Jari

[Martinnfb]

Nobody Thank You Jari.

I was thinking about 20FBW.

[Martinnfb]

It's odd, but as cool as the F-84's were, there's really not all that much available in the way of books on them, at least that I'm aware of. The Mk 7 would probably be correct. I have one photo of a G refueling in-air with a Mk 7 dummy attached, but it's a pretty poor shot. As to how to tell the real deal from the dummies, I have no idea.

can you post it please, poor is better than none

[Martinnfb]

In 1952 the Republic F-84Gs of the 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing crossed the Atlantic supported by aerial refueling to set up shop at their new base, RAF Wethersfield, in order to provide tactical nuclear strike capability for the first time to NATO forces in Europe. Just a year earlier, scientists and engineers at Sandia, one of the development centers in the United States for nuclear weapons, had developed the Mark 7 nuclear bomb, the first tactical nuclear weapon with an explosive yield of 20 kilotons. While the Mark 7 weapon would be carried operationally by many USAF and US Navy tactical attack aircraft, the first aircraft to carry the Mark 7 operationally also happened to be the first production tactical fighter to have not just nuclear capability, but also air-refueling capability. That was specifically the G variant of the Republic F-84 Thunderjet, which had an air refueling receptacle for a flying boom in the left wing root, a more powerful jet engine, and provisions for the Mark 7's special pylon that had the necessary circuitry for nuclear weapons delivery. 

 

 

 

The 20th FBW had been given six months to prepare for the move to Great Britain as well as to become the first tactical nuclear fighter-bomber unit in military history. At the time of the deployment, the F-84Gs and pilots of the 20th FBW were only versed in clear-weather weapons delivery more suited to the bombing ranges in the predominantly sunny southwestern United States, drops being made starting at 20,000 feet in altitude. The weather in Europe, however, was far from ideal for this sort of weapons delivery mode, with a predominantly cloudy maritime climate in the areas that the 20th FBW was expected to operate. 

[Martinnfb]

Not likely.  Cameras and nukes were a deadly combination for whomever was holing the camera.  

I have in mind declassified documentation, we are talking about 50 years old technology, if I can obtain full footage of Soviet Nuclear bangs, how come it is so hard to get some film from Nevada desert, or is it?

[Martinnfb]

 

orange?

 

[Finn]

Of course you could always follow Revell's 1/48 F-84 instructions:

 

http://manuals.hobbico.com/rmx/85-5481.pdf

 

as for colour, although there is a pic of one blue overall, most likely they used standard casings painted like a real one, without the nuclear material inside naturally, for practice drops. 

 

Jari

Edited February 23, 2017 by Finn

[Martinnfb]

omg, he's got camera !

Voldood's replaced Thunderjets for after a while.

[Finn]

Here is a A-4 of VA-34 Blue Blasters, the markings are blue, with a Mk-7:

 

 

Jari

Edited February 23, 2017 by Finn

[LSP_K2]

can you post it please, poor is better than none

 

Here you go (from this Squadron/Signal book). I believe the straps on the training version were white, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[LSP_K2]

I have in mind declassified documentation, we are talking about 50 years old technology, if I can obtain full footage of Soviet Nuclear bangs, how come it is so hard to get some film from Nevada desert, or is it?

 

I think he was referring to photos of the weapons themselves, which was probably a no-no for Joe average air force guys. If you've ever seen the outstanding "Trinity and Beyond" film, you'll realize that our people photographed the heck out of all our nuclear detonations.