At the dawn of the Atomic Age of Flight, just a year from the shadows of World War II, the Republic F-84 Thunderjet carved its path through the heavens, eclipsing the legendary speeds of the P-51 Mustang by nearly 200 miles per hour. As the first jet warplane to roll off the American production lines in mass, it stood on the brink of revolutionizing the skies.
With its sleek lines and straight-wings, the F-84 soared with a singular purpose: to redefine the rules of aerial engagement.
Abandoning traditional pistons for the raw power of an Allison J-35-A-13C turbojet, it shattered the national speed record, thundering through the atmosphere at a groundbreaking 607.2 miles per hour.
Yet, the Thunderjet was more than a mere speed demon; it was a symbol of a new, terrifying chapter in military strategy. As the inaugural fighter-bomber capable of wielding a nuclear weapon, it marked the onset of a fearsome chapter in global warfare.
But the journey of this pioneering aircraft was not without its turbulence. Plagued by a litany of mechanical malfunctions and daunting maintenance challenges, it earned the notorious title of “Mechanic’s Nightmare.”
As the clouds of the Korean War gathered on the horizon, the F-84 Thunderjet was poised to demonstrate its true mettle, proving that its legacy was not to be defined by early tribulations…
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Groundbreaking is perhaps not the best description?
Excellent. Thank You
That's not a Meteor, It's a Gloster Whittle.
One of the most cogent and informative comments sections. Everyone is making interesting points that clearly comes from first-hand experiences. Thanks!
That's NOT a Gloster Meteor you are showing!
Very cliched narrative. All very well back in the 1950s but a more analytical approach would be more appropriate in this day and age.
God the yanks really wasted tax payers monies on wars all over the world even up to today while there is no real health care, and 3.8 million homeless, and no meaning ful domestic investment in the American people.
Hardly a nightmare, that's just more clickbait. After its teething problems were sorted it served well enough in combat. It then went on to become the base of a swept wing version of even higher performance.
Finally, a video that explains how a jet engine works.
One of my A&P Instructors in the '80's had been Air Force in the '50's and he referred to this aircraft as "The F-84 Blunderjet by Repulsive Aviation."
At 6:30 , the announcer is talking about the GE J-35 , while the clip shows them wheeling out a Jumo 004B ( note the size of the engine , the exhaust nozzle , and the pod shape of the cowling ). Whoever did the research for the videos should be spanked with a DVD .
At 12:16 , the announcer misidentifies a formation of MiG-17s as MiG-15s.
F-84, the original lead sled
Gloster E28/39 not Meteor.
I thght the P-80 Shooting Star was america's first true jet fighter??? (other than clumbering the Bell-59)
Although by todays jets these are about gone and we may have a few on hand today nonetheless this was a good jet fighter.
The high losses of the F-84, like the high losses of the later Republic F-105, were due to their use as ground attack fighter bombers. The tactics for hitting ground targets were not any different than that used during WWII, with both planes essentially making shallow angle dive bombing runs on the targets. This forced the planes to have to fly through walls of steel flak from AAA, which by this time were increasingly lethal. It wasn't until the high losses of the Vietnam War, as well as the poor accuracy of this type of bombing that standoff methods of bombing and smart bombs were developed.
That is NOT a Gloster Meteor, that is footage of the Gloster E. 28/39 research plane, & only the 2nd pure-jet aircraft to fly. Very sloppy research & editing. I gave up on this vid, after that.
I was sceptical when it was claimed the F-87 Saber was contemorary to the 'First Jets the Thunderjet & the Shooting Star'
By 4.17 with a Gloster E 28 / 39 appered as 'the Gloster METEOR' I just gave up watching and wrote this before checking out.
Subscribe? I don't think so thanks
If you are going to talk about a Meteor, then show one.
That…. is not the Gloster Meteor…
As a kid, I saw a bunch of these fly over New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1955. What impressed me was that their low-level approach was silent, with a crashing roar only as they passed overhead.
It`s really just a streaked out P47M with a jet engine.
Nope
The narration sounded like it was written by Republic Aviation's PR department.
It's always sad when it's obvious that the narrator knows nothing about the subject. 🙁
Good old films of the aircraft. Very poor descriptions .
Without stealing the tech from the Germans this hunk of junk wouldn't even been a thing
Sloppy, Not a Meteor.
Well, you blew any chance of getting a like or sub out of me at 4:20. Imagine having the incredible gall to call yourself "Only Planes" when you're such an ignorant noob that you don't know the difference between a Gloster Meteor (2 engines, one in each wing) and a Gloster E28/39 (one engine in the fuselage. Wait, I'd better say "body" because you probably don't know what a fuselage is!). maybe check your "facts" before posting so you don't look like an idiot.
Um no one had worked out a jet? 262 pilots might beg to differ and better weapons too. Just let down by engines
Total nightmare for everyone involved 🤣🤣 especially the guy in charge of finding appropriate footage. But loved the old Clark tugs
So where/when did the F-84 sweptwing version come in? Or was that a much different aircraft?
My hometown airport in Ohio hosted n ANG squadron of thunderstreaks. They flew almost every weekend. I watched them many times growing up
and visiting my great aunt's farm just a mile from the airport.
Thanks in advance for any replies….
I like the Information but the narration needs work. Mispronouncing common words, showing one aircraft while talking about another. This is amateur stuff. I want my aviation history to be better.