F-84C Kitbash
F-84C-11-RE 47-1531 in Oregon ANG service. This is a model of the only Thunderjet to serve, albeit very shortly, with the ORANG.
Fuselage and canopy are Tamiya 48th F-84G shortened 15" in scale. I made the masters for the early wings and main gear doors using Tamiya, RevMonProMod, and Aires parts, and sheet stock. I made the masters for the early wheels by combining parts from several kits. The speed brake is a combination of Tamiya and RMPM parts. I scratch built the master for the early pilot seat using sheet lead and various plastic stock. The masters were handed over to Harold at AMS Resin and he resin cast the wings, main gear doors, wheels and pilot seat for me. The nose gear well and intake splitter part, the cockpit, and the tailpipe and shroud are from Harolds F-84G resin set. The instrument panel is sheet stock. I made the graphics for the decals for the instrument panel and all exterior, except for national insignia, using PhotoShop. The decals were printed on clear decal film using an Epson inkjet printer. NMF is Testors Metalizers, and other paints are Testors Enamels.
The Blackbird in one of the photos is a Testors YF-12A 48th kitbashed to F-12B as a "what if" in ORANG livery like used on their F-15s based at Portland.
The last two photos are the only two reference photos I've been able to find.
You put some serious effort into this Bruce and it turned out great. How long did the project take you?
All that extra effort has paid off handsomely in this build. Well done!
Boy, when you said "kitbash", you meant KITBASH...! That's a mighty fine lookin' early F-84. But I'd like to see more of the G-model peeking out in that one pic. AND, more pics of that SR-71...they both look like they're pretty neat builds.
That's one helluva project. Great result!
Al, took about too months once I got serious about it. It is well to note I did the masters for the wings and early pilot seat about five years before I did the F-84C build. Thanks all for the kind comments. Since I have a kinda-sorta evening free, I'll add more articles.
All that work and research has really paid off, Bruce, great result.
i just found this article. i hope that you read it and reply. the reason that i am absolutely stunned by this is because i know what happened to this plane and until now i didn't know that it was the only one.
on to the explanation... when i entered high school in 1969, i went to Benson Polytechnic HS specifically because of the aviation course that they offered. i was able to attend that class in september of 1971 and in the classroom was a certain F-84C of the Oregon ANG. unfortunately by that time the tail had been removed and taken to the foundry (Benson was noted for all of the wide variety of industrial courses that they offered, so pattern and foundry were two of them) and smeltered.. during my two years in the aviation shop, we cut off the wings just outboard of the main landing gear and those were also melted down. it is my understanding that the aviation class that was once the pinnacle of education at Benson, it is little more than a small engine repair class and all that is left of the thunderjet is the ejection seat and the panel. those may well be gone now. but bravo on building this one of a kind jet and bringing a smile to an old face.
thanks a ton, Bob