The P-84B was the first production version of the Thunderjet. An initial contract approved in January 1946 had called for 15 pre-production YP-84As and 85 production P-84Bs.
The engine of the P-84B was a 4000 lb. st. Allison J35-A-15C, the same as that of the YP-84A. The P-84B differed from the YP-84A service test aircraft in having an ejector seat for the pilot. It had a radio compass, and new M-3 machine guns to replace the six M-2 guns.
New orders in June of 1947 added 141 more P-84Bs to the contracts. These covered production blocks 21 and beyond. In these aircraft, the machine gun armament was supplemented by retractable launchers for eight 5-inch rockets mounted underneath the wings outboard of the landing gear.
Delivery of the P-84B began in the summer of 1947 to the 14th Fighter Group at Dow Field. The last P-84B was delivered in February of 1948.
The designation of the P-84B was changed to F-84B on June 11, 1948.
80 obsolete F-84Bs were transferred to the US Navy during the 1950s, where they were used as target drones. These aircraft were redesignated F-84KX, and were given the BuAer numbers 142269/142348.
Two F-84Bs (46-641 and 46-661) were used in experiments in which they were attached to the wingtips of a modified EB-29A. It was hoped that this would help to increase the range of jet escort fighters, enabling them to be towed by bombers into the combat area and released when needed. However, this three-plane combination crashed during a test flight on April 24, 1953, and the project was abandoned shortly thereafter as being much too dangerous for aircrews.
Specification of the P-84B:
One Allison J35-A-15C, 4000 lb.st. Performance: Maximum speed 587 mph at 4000 feet. Initial climb rate 5200 feet per minute. Service ceiling 40,750 feet. Range 1282 miles. Weights were 9583 pounds empty, 16,475 pounds gross, 19,689 pounds maximum takeoff. Dimensions were wingspan 36 feet 5 inches, length 37 feet 5 inches, height 12 feet 10 inches, wing area 260 square feet. Armament consisted of six 0.50-inch machine guns, four in the fuselage and two in the wing roots.
Serials of the P-84B:
45-59497 Republic P-84B-2-RE Thunderjet 45-59498/59531 Republic P-84B-3-RE Thunderjet 45-59532/59556 Republic P-84B-11-RE Thunderjet 45-59557/59581 Republic P-84B-16-RE Thunderjet 46-533/567 Republic P-84B-21-RE Thunderjet 46-568/602 Republic P-84B-26-RE Thunderjet 46-603/637 Republic P-84B-31-RE Thunderjet 46-638/673 Republic P-84B-36-RE Thunderjet
Sources:
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Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and David Donald,
Temple Press Aerospace, 1990.
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The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.
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American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner,
Doubleday, 1982.
- United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
