IDF F-84G Raam Tank Buster

[AeroplaneDriver]

So I finally have my modeling room, STUDIO, if you will all set up in the new house.  I'm basking in the sheer joy of finally having an entire room dedicated to modeling and nothing else.

So I sit down at the bench and break out the Eduard Hellcat I started back in early summer before the move. 

And it just does NOTHING for me.  Not that it's not a great kit.  Not that I don't love Hellcats.  Not that I didn't have a great WHIF idea for it. 

But it just fell flat.  I realized I was in the mood for something with a whistling engine.  Something for the 50s or 60s.  Something that just fell together out of the box...

So a Tamiya 1/48 F-84G it is....


I started Saturday afternoon.  No Modeling on Sunday, but got back to the bench tonight and have got it mostly assembled, primed, and some silver painted as an undercoat for the chipping, which will be extensive. 

This Thunderjet will be armed with two BFGs.  Standard F-84 drop tanks modified to carry cannons with a LOT of ammunition for a low level tank busting mission.  The gun pods are pretty much done and primed too. 





The gun pods are nicknamed "Flash Gordons" because of their similarity to the old 40s Flash Gordon spaceships. 

But now you're asking yourself what country will operate this tank busting F-84.  What country in the 50s-60s would have a need for a super stable gun platform to take out lots of tanks?

Lets just say that silver undercoating will be revealed because low-level, high-speed over the desert is not kind to a dark blue-green and brown paint scheme...let the speculation begin...

[Old Wombat]

Let's just say I think I know the user & I can't wait to see how this comes along & out!




(India-Delta-Foxtrot)

[Tophe]

The title of this topic made me dream you made a great mix of (twin-boom) Martin Baker TankBuster* and Thunderjet...
*: http://www.unicraft.biz/bigph/tbust.jpg

[DogfighterZen]

Not a big fan of the F-84 but this is interesting...

[chrisonord]

The title of this topic made me dream you made a great mix of (twin-boom) Martin Baker TankBuster* and Thunderjet...
*: http://www.unicraft.biz/bigph/tbust.jpg

That is really  cool Tophe, and looks kit/scratch bodgeable.
I shall be watching this tank Buster build  with  interest. Cool idea 
Chris

[JayBee]

I am darned sure that I can guess the user, and all I will say is Shallom! 

[AeroplaneDriver]

Good progress the past two days on my IDF F-84G Raam.  Weathering and fiddly bits tomorrow and she'll be ready for the shelf. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Oh, that's pretty. 

[Old Wombat]

Seems JayBee & I were right.

Let's just say I think I know the user ...
(India-Delta-Foxtrot)

I am darned sure that I can guess the user, and all I will say is Shallom! 

Awesome work, again, mate!

[silverwindblade]

This is a cool idea, and I really like those gunpods, they look very sleek and practical! I'll be taking note of the idea of converting drop tanks into gun pods myself.

[chrisonord]

Marvellous 
Chris

[AeroplaneDriver]

Following the 1956 Suez War Israel sought to increase its ability to take out armor from the air.  Several platforms were considered but political and economic factors led to the IDF acquiring 28 recently retired F-84Gs from France in early 1957. 

Initially these F-84s were equipped with bombs and rockets, but with back channel and definitely-not-sanctioned-by-the-US-government assistance from Republic Aviation the IDF began testing a cannon armed Thunderjet in the anti-tank role.  A young engineer at Republic had ideas for a cannon armed tank busting aircraft that would be a stable low altitude platform able to absorb a great deal of damage.  He was able to gain enough attention in Farmingdale to advance his ideas through a channel that would both be funded externally and deniable if it failed...

The result was an F-84G that was modified to carry two 20mm cannons in the nose in place of the four .50 caliber machine guns and more importantly two 30mm cannons in modified external fuel tanks.  French DEFA cannons were used in the modification, but with the large volume of the external tank, each gun carried 750 rounds of ammunition instead of the normal 100-200 rounds carried by an internal cannon. 

In IDF service the cannon-armed F-84G was named the Raam, the Hebrew word for the sound of thunder.  The aircraft entered service in late 1957 with 115 Squadron, the "Flying Dragon Squadron".  A second squadron stood up in early 1958 when 110 Squadron received the Raam.  The F-84G served with the IDF until Summer 1974 when it was replaced by the SEPECAT Jaguar in the close support role. 

This model depicts a heavily utilized and war-weary 115 Sqn aircraft in June 1967 at the end of the Six Day War.  This Raam is unique in being the only one to achieve an air-to-air victory, as indicated by the kill marking under the left canopy rail.  In the Six Day War the IDF's F-84s were used in both the anti armor role and for airfield attack.  This aircraft was conducting a strafing attack on a Syrian airfield on the second day of the brief war, when it's pilot was surprised to find a Syrian MiG-19 become airborne in front of him as he rolled in for his strafing attack. He raised the nose slightly and without even switching to 20mm guns, unloaded a 2 second burst of 30mm cannon fire at the MiG, destroying the aircraft before its landing gear was even fully raised. 

This aircraft was heavily damaged in 1972 due to a landing gear malfunction, but the forward fuselage and cockpit section is currently preserved at the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim Airbase in the Negev desert. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Very nice! 

[Old Wombat]

That is stunning!

Great back-story, too!

[Rick Lowe]