F-84F (Italy)
| This page is about the Italian strike aircraft F-84F (Italy). For other versions, see F-84 (Family). |
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Contents
Description
The F-84F was exported to several countries, one of which was Italy. The 102nd Group was the first Italian air group to equip the F-84F and replaced the F-84G in 1956, then later the 101st Group, and finally the 103rd Group. The F-84F was not much liked by the pilots at the time because it had poor flying qualities, however between 1958 and 1959, the F-84F was used by the Diavoli Rossi aerobatic patrol. In addition to the F-84F, Italy also used the reconnaissance variant the RF-84F. Eventually, the F-84F would be replaced by the G.91 and in other groups by the F-104G, and their last use would be by the 5th Air Brigade to escort Pope Paolo VI who went to Israel for the first time in January 1964.
Introduced in Update "Hot Tracks", the ▄F-84F is an assaulter/fighter-bomber, with swept wings that allow it to reach high speeds faster but reduce the aircraft's manoeuvrability due to the loss of speed in manoeuvres. It is more of an energy fight and boom and zoom aircraft, but can also be used as CAS in ground battles or as a bomber in air battles, thanks to its good payloads of a variety of bombs and rockets.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 1,090 | 1,067 | 12500 | 29.7 | 30.9 | 30.7 | 28.8 | 2,000 |
| Upgraded | 1,111 | 1,102 | 26.5 | 28.0 | 45.9 | 38.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1187 | 417 | 533 | 515 | 417 | ~11 | ~3 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 630 | < 600 | < 650 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||
| Wright J65-W-7 | 1 | 6,667 kg | 279 kg/m2 | |||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 8m fuel | 20m fuel | 29m fuel | ||
| 1,260 kg | Axial-flow turbojet | 7,177 kg | 7,838 kg | 8,368 kg | 8,935 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%) | |||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 8m fuel | 20m fuel | 29m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 3,470 kgf | N/A | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
| Optimal | 3,470 kgf (0 km/h) |
N/A | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.39 |
Survivability and armour
The F-84F is quite a sturdy aircraft, but do not expect to take a lot of bullets, because most opponents have cannons which will destroy any aircraft in one burst. It usually is able to take a beating when facing weaker-armed opponents, in which case you may survive long enough to win a engagement.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
 |
 |
|
|
Offensive armament
The F-84F (Italy) is armed with:
- 4 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,200 total)
- 2 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)
Suspended armament
The F-84F (Italy) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| BLU-1 incendiary bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |||
| HVAR rockets | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,700 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,350 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 700 kg | |||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
The F-84F has the somewhat common base armament of 6 x M3 Browning machine guns. This combined with its large ammo capacity makes for an aircraft well-suited to dogfighting. Achieving air superiority should be the primary task for all F-84F pilots, the F-84F also excels in a support role, where most of enemies can't simply run away from it. In air battles, it has access to an air spawn, which means that you are able to engage enemies more quickly, giving the F-84F a very aggressive type of playstyle. It is recommended to bring minimal fuel to boost its acceleration and climb rate, do note that bringing a lot of payload will seriously affect your overall mobility, the more payload the heavier, and slower, the aircraft is. If you are inclined to bring a lot of payload, make sure you dispose of it before entering a dogfight, as more often than not you will be knocked out as your flight characteristics won't be on par with most enemies you'll face. When the first enemies engage with allies, go over them and find targets with low energy states and destroy them. Do not chase lone planes, as although the enemy might look like an easy 1-vs-1 victory, the F-84F's low top speed makes it very hard to catch somebody. Try not to engage in a prolonged dogfight, because the F-84F has rather poor energy retention and when caught slow even good acceleration won't save the plane. In a prolonged turn fight, one may find themselves losing even against jets like the MiG-15. Another thing is that you have an adequate amount of munitions, so in theory you could stay in combat for a long time if you time your shots and selectively engage enemies you have the edge over. Destroying bombers and attackers is also a feasible option thanks to the powerful armament.
The aircraft can also be employed in ground strike or destruction of enemy bases with its more than sufficient maximum bomb load of 4 x 1,000 lb Mk.83 bombs and somewhat less impressive selection of 24 HVAR rockets.
Radars
The F-84F is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.
| AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Tracking Range |
Minimum Tracking Range |
Azimuth Tracking Angle |
Elevation Tracking Angle |
| 2,750 m | 300 m | ±9° | ±9° |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High top speed
- Large payload capacity
- Somewhat survivable
- Can be used for many roles
Cons:
- Average overall flight characteristics
- No air-to-air missiles
- No countermeasures
History
Devblog
In the late 1940's, the manufacturer 'Republic' sought to improve the performance of the F-84 in order to bring it closer in line with the F-86 Sabre. As a result, it developed a new variant of the Thunderjet, designated F-84F. The new aircraft featured, among other changes, a new swept wing and a more powerful engine than its predecessor. Although Republic initially intended the new aircraft to be an extensive modernization of the base F-84, possessing a high degree of part compatibility with preceding variants, in the end, only less than 20% of the parts were interchangeable, resulting in the F-84F Thunderstreak becoming its own independent design.
Following its maiden flight in the early 1950's, the F-84F was ordered into production. However, the USAF focus on strategic bombers at the time resulted in some critical component manufacturing processes being prioritized for bomber production, ultimately leading to a staggered production start of the new F-84F.
The Thunderstreak officially entered service with the USAF in 1954, but was quickly phased out of active service due to engine issues before being reactivated in the early 1960's as tensions between the two superpowers began to rise again. Ultimately, the F-84F kept flying under American colors well into the early 1970's before finally being retired as newer aircraft replaced the Thunderstreak in active service.
The F-84F was also widely exported to NATO members. Chiefly among them were Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, China, the Netherlands as well as others. In total, well over 2,100 F-84F Thunderstreaks were built, with the Greek Air Force being the last to retire their F-84Fs in 1991.
Media
- Skins
See also
- Related development
External links
| Republic Aviation Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | P-43A-1 |
| P-47D-22-RE · P-47D-25 · P-47D-28 · P-47M-1-RE · ⋠P-47M-1-RE · P-47N-15 | |
| Jet Aircraft | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-105D | |
| Export | J9 Early* |
| ␗P-43A-1 | |
| ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄P-47D-22-RE · ␗P-47D-23-RA · ▂P-47D-27 · ␗P-47D-30 · ▄P-47D-30 | |
| ◄F-84F · ▄F-84F (Italy) · ▄F-84F (France) · F-84F IAF · F-84F | |
| ␗F-84G-21-RE · ▄F-84G-21-RE · ▄F-84G-26-RE · ␗F-84G-31-RE | |
| Captured | ▀P-47D-16-RE · ▀P-47D |
| *The company was named "Seversky Aircraft Company" before being renamed in 1939 | |
| Italy jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Aerfer | Sagittario 2 · Ariete |
| Fiat | G.91 pre-serie · G.91 R/1 · G.91 R/4 (Portugal) · G.91 Y · G.91 YS |
| AMX International | AMX |
| Panavia | Tornado ADV · ▄Tornado IDS (1995) |
| Foreign: | |
| Vampire | Vampire FB 52A |
| F-84 | ▄F-84F · ▄F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | CL-13 Mk.4 · ▄F-86K |
| F-104 | ▄F-104G · F-104S · ▄F-104S TAF (Turkey) · F-104S.ASA |
| F-16 | ▄F-16A ADF |
| AV-8 | ▄AV-8B Plus |
| Hungary | |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich | ◔MiG-15bis · ◔MiG-17PF · ◔MiG-21MF · ◔MiG-21bis-SAU · ◔MiG-23MF · ◔MiG-29 |
| Ilyushin | ◔IL-28 |
| Sukhoi | ◔Su-22M3 |
| Saab | ◔JAS39EBS HU C |
