A Heller 1/72 scale kit of a Republic F-84 G Thunderjet.The aircraft depicted on the box lid was flown by the 1st Escadre de Chasse of the French Air Force in 1955. The kit also contains decal options for an aircraft of 331 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
This kit is currently for sale on Ebay. If you would like to view the auction, please look here.
The prototype Republic F-84 first flew on the 28th February 1946 and officially entered service with the United States Air Force in December 1947, although due to numerous structural design and engine problems, the aircraft was not considered fully operational until the 1949 F-84D model.
The F-84G variant as featured in the Heller kit was introduced in 1951.
During the Korean War, the F-84 Thunderjet was the USAF's principal strike aircraft and flew over 86,000 combat missions and was credited with destroying 60% of all ground targets as well as eight Soviet-built MiG fighters. 335 Thunderjets were lost during the war.
In total 7,524 F-84's were produced and over half served with NATO air forces including Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Turkey.
The F-84 Thunderjet was the first production fighter aircraft to utilise in-flight refueling and the first capable of carrying a nuclear weapon (the Mark 7 nuclear bomb).
The Thunderjet remained in service with the USAF until the mid 1960's when it was replaced by the Super Sabre.
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