                The Republic F-84E Thunderjet

     Republic's initial concept for the F84 was to put a jet
engine in the P47, but the designer, Alexander Kartveli, soon
decided to start from scratch.  Looking very similar to the
P-80 from Lockheed, the XP-84 first flew on February 28,
1946.  The YP-84A were preseries aircraft, and the first
production run was the P-84B.  Delivered in April 1947, they
included 6 x .50 cal machineguns (four in the nose, two in
the wingroots), wingtip drop tanks, a large belly mounted
airbrake, teardrop canopy, pressurized cockpit and ejection
seat.  Several other versions followed, and in 1948 the F-84E
Thunderjet was delivered, with a Allison J35-A-17 5,000 pound
thrust engine.  The F-84E had provisions for up to 4,500
pounds of bombs or 32 .5 inch rockets.  843 were built.
SPECS:  Top speed 613 mph; cruise speed 481 mph; range 1,950
miles; ceiling 43,220 feet; rate of climb 6,061 fpm.
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