Dev Blog #43
Hello, comrades!
In today’s Dev Blog, we continue our discussion of the F-84E Thunderjet, the latest (in terms of narrative order) but not least significant combat aircraft from the core lineup of Korea. IL-2 Series. Two days ago, in Brief Room #30, Viktor =FB=VikS Sechnoy, our lead historical consultant and mission designer, covered the history and technical features of this aircraft. Today, we’ll showcase high-resolution screenshots of the Thunderjet’s external model and revisit the most fascinating aspects of its career and design.
In today’s Dev Blog, we continue our discussion of the F-84E Thunderjet, the latest (in terms of narrative order) but not least significant combat aircraft from the core lineup of Korea. IL-2 Series. Two days ago, in Brief Room #30, Viktor =FB=VikS Sechnoy, our lead historical consultant and mission designer, covered the history and technical features of this aircraft. Today, we’ll showcase high-resolution screenshots of the Thunderjet’s external model and revisit the most fascinating aspects of its career and design.
In September 1944, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) issued technical requirements for a jet fighter with a top speed of 960 km/h. Republic Aviation completed the preliminary design by February 1945, and the prototype (then designated as XP-84) took its first flight in February 1946. The aircraft’s outstanding performance led to its rapid adoption, with deliveries of the P-84B beginning in June 1947. However, by the fall of 1948, the program was nearly canceled due to operational issues involving structural integrity, balance, and maintenance complexity. These shortcomings were promptly addressed in the F-84E variant, which entered production in May 1949. The F-84E began its service in the Korean War in December 1951.
The aircraft was built around the General Electric J-35A-17 axial-flow turbojet engine, which gave the Thunderjet a narrow profile and small cross-section, significantly reducing drag and enhancing speed. The wings featured a laminar-flow airfoil, designed in-house by Republic, and often were fitted with 230-gallon drop tanks on their tips. Combined with internal fuel capacity, this provided a combat radius of 1,030 km. With underwing drop tanks, the range was extended to 1,476 km, comparable to modern jet fighters.
The F-84E’s fixed forward-firing armament consisted of six M3 .50 caliber Browning machine guns: four were nose-mounted and the other two were located in the wing roots. External ordnance could be carried on two centerline pylons and four underwing hardpoints. With special adapters, rockets could also be mounted on the wingtips instead of fuel tanks. Notably, the eight hardpoints were quite advanced for the era. The maximum ordnance load was 2,000 lbs, and with specialized adapters, the aircraft could carry up to 32 5-inch rockets.
The cockpit of the Thunderjet was standard for its time. The pilot sat on an ejection seat of original design, and the aircraft was equipped with the same A-1CM gunsight used on the Sabre. Basic night-flying equipment included the AN/ARN-6 radio compass, navigation and formation lights, and three landing lights—one on the nose gear and two on the main gear doors. We’ll delve deeper into the F-84E’s cockpit, its appearance, and equipment a bit later.
