New F-84 project [Archive]

BHawthorne

05-30-2008, 07:32 PM

I finally managed to secure a fighter cockpit puchase after several months of digging around. Next weekend I get to drive down to Texas to pick up my very own F-84F Thunderstreak. Yea! :)

It's complete cockpit & forward fuselage except for the radio and gunsight. The radio panel shouldn't be much trouble to get and I can machine a copy of the gunsight by taking measurements from the F-84 at KAM. Frankly I'm surprised I was able to pick up a pit that wasn't stripped. The ejection seat, throttle quadrent, stick and rudder pedals are all there with the rest of the instruments. The F-84 wasn't my first choice in fighters I'd want, but heck all those gages look pretty cool. It should prove to be a fun project the next few years. Getting all those instruments to interface with a computer should be a fun challenge.

I should have some detail pics to post later this weekend. :)

Trevor Hale

05-30-2008, 08:05 PM

BHawthorne

05-31-2008, 02:27 AM

Here is a pic of the F-84 from the Barnstormers ad. I got it for $3k for the pit and $1500 for the new trailer thrown in. IMHO, $3k is a steal for how complete it is. :D

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3305/scaled9b08800x600248326kv8.th.jpg (http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scaled9b08800x600248326kv8.jpg)

A few things I'm pondering:
1) I want to dig up the history of the aircraft. Anyone know where the data plate is on a F-84?
2) What paint scheme should I use on the exterior?
3) Do I really want to keep it in the current configuration, or should I cut it down further to make it more movable? 7ft height by 19ft length is a bit of a pain. It would be nice if it was the size of a car so I could store and work on it in the garage. Preserving what is there vs. making it managable to work with?
4) Keep it on the trailer for now or sell the trailer and build a cradle to move it around with? My family already has a trailer just like this one.

warvet

05-31-2008, 02:58 AM

BHawthorne

05-31-2008, 03:16 AM

What did ya pay for the F84 complete? If ya don't mind me askin and not sure why you would lol. Not like Im gonna run down and try and outbid ya :)Good Luck with the project F 84 is very sabre like and Im sure itll be a sweet pit when your done. are all 20 guages in and intact?

Regards

Tim
A340

It was $3000 for what you see in the picture and $1500 for the trailer. No idea what it cost complete. I've only had the option to buy it in this cut form. I'll know a lot more in the next day or so. He's pulling it out of closed storage and carwashing it and cleaning in preperation for me picking it up. Apparently it's pretty dusty at the moment with it being in closed storage for a few years. As far as I understand it's only missing the gunsight and radio. Everything else is there. He's snapping a bunch of detail digital photos and sending them to me this weekend. From just looking at the single pic, it looks like I'm gonna have to learn sheetmetal working. It looks like the nose gear door is pretty rusted away.

For the last few years contacts have been quoting me $6k minimum for stripped cockpits, so I couldn't pass this one up at it's price and completeness.

Pondering... anyone know of a good F-84 FS9 or FSX aircraft? Does AlphaSim have one?

Trevor Hale

05-31-2008, 09:12 AM

Great stuff Brad. I would cut the nose section off, just in front of the Firewall, but that is just my opinion.

Shorter is better.

warvet

05-31-2008, 10:20 AM

BRAD!
WOW my friend that is utterly FANTASTIC! Great score for sure. Hmmmmm I understand why Trev would go that route with nose removal but honestly Brad it truly is a piece of recognizable history. That nose was the last thing a communist Jet saw before BYE BYE happened :) It adds character but if you really need space do it Trev's way if not save its integrity. Paint scheme:http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/airdef/f-84-0000001e.jpg In my opinion I would go with traditional again to preserve historical integrety but hey Brad its up to you, its your Bird and wars over lol. As far as trailer Id sell it and recover some of the pits cost to put towards restoration if your family already has one. All I can say is great score and can't wait to see the inside pics.

Regards
Tim
A340

Trevor Hale

05-31-2008, 10:28 AM

I agree Tim the nostalgia is import, I must be to young but I thought it was the F-86 that went up against the Russian Mig. I don't think I am that familiar with the F-84. You probably know your history better then I do, As I am "MUCH YOUNGER" LOL Just kidding, but the F-86 was the SaberJet, did the F-84 have a name assigned to it?

Trev

Michael Carter

05-31-2008, 10:31 AM

The Thunderstreak I beleive it was.

warvet

05-31-2008, 10:46 AM

Trev,
Lol your hilarious :) Actually it was the F86 but the F84 did as well but acted more as a ground pounder low level Attack, sort of a beefed up version of the WWII P47 Thunderbolt

And yes Thunderstreak or Thunderjet both named used! In Korea.

Tim
A340
Canada

Trevor Hale

05-31-2008, 11:15 AM

ROFL..

Perfect. Glad I wasn't totally out to lunch :)

Learned something new every day :)

Thanks Boys!

Geremy Britton

05-31-2008, 12:21 PM

yep pics would be great ! great buy :)

andarlite

05-31-2008, 02:09 PM

Pondering... anyone know of a good F-84 FS9 or FSX aircraft? Does AlphaSim have one?

Here's one that will work with both FS9 and FSX from AVSIM:

f84g_v11.zip

Here's another one from Flightsim.com:

f84f_ita.zip

Regards,
Henry

BHawthorne

05-31-2008, 03:47 PM

Here's one that will work with both FS9 and FSX from AVSIM:

f84g_v11.zip

Here's another one from Flightsim.com:

f84f_ita.zip

Regards,
Henry

Cool, thanks. I'll look into downloading those this week. :)

I've also pondered with my attention to detail if it wouldn't just be better to model up a new FX9/FSX aircraft. Sorta like what Gecko6 is doing for his A-7D pit. I'll shoot him off a PM over at FO forums. :)

The more I think about it, the more I beleive I shouldn't cut it down. I think I'll shoot for preserving the whole section. Maybe I can just use that cockpit for measurements to actually make an exact 1:1 replica to be used for the simpit instead. Then just restore the real thing for display and simpit the reproduction that has a better sized footprint.

BHawthorne

06-01-2008, 07:42 PM

Just got photos from the seller. Looks like it's going to be a long and fun project. Pictures to be posted in the next few messages. :)

Trevor Hale

06-01-2008, 08:02 PM

Why don't you post them in the gallery here too Brad!

Trev

BHawthorne

06-01-2008, 08:07 PM

Why don't you post them in the gallery here too Brad!

Trev

Ah good idea. I'll do that. :)

This thing is sort of a mixed blessing seeing the photos for the first time. The cockpit is pretty much all there, but this thing is gonna be a huge time sink to get it where I want it to be. I basicly am going to have to redo the sheetmetal on the aircraft skin and the interior needs to be totally rebuilt part by part. I've definitely got something that'll take up the next few years of hobby time now. :)

Edit: Ok, all the photos are uploaded the the gallery. Ug, that was a lot of uploading. :)
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/search.php?searchid=6058

Matt Olieman

06-01-2008, 08:39 PM

FANTASTIC PHOTOS Brad!!!!!!! Thanks!!!! :) :) :)

Trevor Hale

06-01-2008, 11:11 PM

Your photo's are incredible! It really is amazing that they were able to fight with these things with such archaic instruments.

Oh oh!!!! Looks like someone let all the steam out of them though. How you going to put all that back in?

LOL

Great stuff, and thanks for upload those. What a treat, I bet you just can't wait.

Trev

BHawthorne

06-01-2008, 11:18 PM

I see tons of work. The good thing is I don't have to scavanger around for much. I just have to rebuild. :)

Trevor Hale

06-01-2008, 11:20 PM

LOL, well your going to have a beauty when she is done.

Hard part will be figuring out where to start :)

Michael Carter

06-01-2008, 11:20 PM

Your aircraft was built in '51. That has been standard Air Force numbering for awhile. 9345 is probably the build number, or like a car, the VIN number. Except that, unlike an automobile, that number may not tell you much.

There is no telling what Fairchild-Republic was doing back then, and not sure you will be able to find out.

BHawthorne

06-02-2008, 12:47 AM

LOL, well your going to have a beauty when she is done.

Hard part will be figuring out where to start :)

I'm thinking take everything out of the interior and treat the interior cockpit and the exterior fuselage as 2 seperate projects. With the interior parts taken out I'm not so apprehensive about the prospect of storing the fuselage section at a monthly storage place. There would be nothing left inside it for curious people to pilfer. That's the current plan anyways. That'll allow me to take my time redoing all the panels at home.

I have space to park the thing in the back yard, but I'm not too anxious to try my luck with the neighbors...lol. Later in the year I'm looking into a 10x20' tent garage for the backyard. I saw this tent on eBay. I'm sure I can probably find something like it locally.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8500/garagewi0.jpg

AndyT

06-02-2008, 03:04 AM

I was looking at that same tent at Wal-Mart for about $150 complete yesterday. 10 X 20

BHawthorne

06-02-2008, 07:25 AM

I was looking at that same tent at Wal-Mart for about $150 complete yesterday. 10 X 20

Ah, good pricing considering the size.

One thing I've noticed when looking at the front instrument panel is it looks like a previous owner threw random gagues in to fill the panel. That's a minor irratation, considering eBay has most F-84 gagues all the time listed. The side panels and all that hard stuff seems original though according to the pictures. Sort of confusing as to why the easy to replace instruments are wrong, but the hard to find ones are still original...*chuckle*

Maybe it has to do with it being last at a techical training wing? I also noticed inert stencled on the ejection seat. Maybe this aircraft was a non-flying training piece before demil.

BHawthorne

06-05-2008, 07:58 PM

I got a copy of the F-84F flight manual TO 1F-84F-1 for reference today. Also learned a bit more about the history of the aircraft. Was stationed at Luke AFB with the 3600th, Sheppard with the 3750th. I've been in contact with a bunch of people the last few days trying to get some information on the history of the aircraft. I hop in the truck after work tomorrow and head down to Texas for the pick up. I hope to have more information to post soon. :)

If I'm not too tired Sunday night, I'll throw online a few more pics.

BHawthorne

06-08-2008, 07:50 PM

Well, after a heck of a lot of driving I'm back at home and the trailer is on the side of the house. Seeing it in pictures is one thing, but wow is it big. I'll put up a few camera phone pics I shot of it when I picked it up. Also got a few of it on the side of the house. It's taller than the rain gutters on the roof line. The neighbor has a good humor about it all, so no problems there. Now to head over to walmart in the next day or so and get one of those tent canopies to hide it in while not working on it. :D

Edit: New pics up at the below link. Didn't have time to take too many. It was getting ready to rain.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/search.php?searchid=6102

BHawthorne

06-09-2008, 08:21 PM

I hope people don't mind I'm posting after myself a few times. I'm using this thread as a daily log for the work in progress. :)

Today I took out the instrument panels and the left and right aux panels to evaluate them and begin cleaning them up a bit. It surprised the heck out of me how easy it is to strip a cockpit. It took all of 20 minutes. 6 9/16 nuts unscrewed and 6 regular screws later and it was stripped. A few wiring harnesses were cut by previous owners or in the demil, but the remaining wiring harnesses all unscrewed easily by hand.

I got a few surprises while doing the panel taredown. I found a few loose panels I thought I had missing behind the rudder pedals. Also the largest surprise I found was the fuselage serial data plate is intact. It's on the right rear cockpit firewall between the ejection seat and some lines and wiring. The pic of the data plate is a bit blurry.

Here is a link of pictures for today:
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/search.php?keywords=F-84F+6-9-8

Matt Olieman

06-09-2008, 08:46 PM

I hope people don't mind I'm posting after myself a few times. I'm using this thread as a daily log for the work in progress. :)

Are you serious.... I love it, this is fantastic and so much appreciated and impressive. Thank you Brad.

Matt Olieman

BHawthorne

06-13-2008, 11:27 PM

Just moved the cockpit to where I'm going to start working on it. Today I took detailed pics of the right and left panels, the compartment where the guns used to be and the ejection seat. It rained hard last night, which turned the dirt in the cockpit into red mud...ug. I've got some cleanup to do this weekend. The canopy doesn't seal correctly at the moment, which lead to standing water in the floor of the cockpit. No harm done other than a bit wet floor though. I got a tarp to throw over the canopy section in case it rains now. Hopefully that'll do until I get the 20x20ft work tent built. It's being shipped next week.

Today's pics:
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/search.php?keywords=F-84F+6-13-8

Matt Olieman

06-14-2008, 11:45 AM

Nice update pics of your cockpit. Thanks Brad!!!!! :)

Matt O.

Michael Carter

06-15-2008, 12:52 AM

Yeah, that really looks good. Lot's of cleanup, but that doesn't cost anything but your time.

Hard to find fighters this old that are as complete as yours. Nice find.

BHawthorne

06-15-2008, 03:40 AM

Yeah, that really looks good. Lot's of cleanup, but that doesn't cost anything but your time.

Hard to find fighters this old that are as complete as yours. Nice find.

Yep, was the main reason for me picking this one. Very little is missing. Given a bit of work this thing should look pretty nice. It's definitely been in the elements though. It's got dirt in some of the craziest places. I got a few new instruments and panels via UPS on Friday. Picked up a much better shape cabin pressure altitude gague and an an/arc-33 for the right panel. Also have a few other goodies coming next week. I like the fact I can find NOS gagues and panels for this aircraft pretty easily so far.

Michael Carter

06-18-2008, 09:03 AM

Near as I can tell, it was used as a training aircraft for at least a little while. Both Luke and Sheppard AFB's are flight training bases, and it looks as though it was assigned twice to a training class.

Possibly assigned to the 3750th Tactical Training Wing. Or just 50th Tactical Training Wing.

That's my best guess.

AndyT

06-18-2008, 03:16 PM

With all the '51' on those cards it might have been used to chase bogeys over the desert.... :roll: :D

Michael Carter

06-18-2008, 09:44 PM

That's the bird's tail number, preceded by type or model #

Deadman

06-25-2008, 12:37 AM

Deleted
Deleted

BHawthorne

10-12-2008, 05:13 PM

Small update on the project. I'm still in the process of pulling out the cockpit interior to be rebuilt. My goal is initially to get the throttle, stick and rudder pedals working. If anyone has insight into wiring real controls to something like USB send me a PM. Any suggestions would be appreciated. :)

I've also managed to get most of the missing instrument panels. I've yet to find a replacement gunsight though. A 24" LCD looks like would do faking the intrument panel gagues if I went the glass cockpit route. I have most of the real gagues but they're in pretty bad shape. I think it might be more affordable to simulate them with a 24" Samsung behind the instrument panel. I need to track down a few model airplane buiders to help with the paint scheme for the fuselage and markings. I'm wondering if it's possable to find out what the Sheppard and Luke AFB paint schemes were for the F-84F and pick the more interesting of the 2.

BHawthorne

10-19-2008, 09:45 PM

Today I finished stripping down the MIP down to the faceplate. Man that thing was dirty. It was interesting to see how the instruments were mounted, and the panel lighting and the instrument eyebrow lighting was done. I never thought about those parts of the main instrument panel before. I ziplock bagged all the mounting and lighting hardware and cleaned up the panel itself. It looks to be made of .195" Al sheet green primered and flat black top coat. I'm going to whip up a CAD drawing of the panel so I can reference it later in the build. It has a production stamp on the back of it that reads 37FS1115-7?? (I can't make out the last 2 numbers).

MIP Pics:
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3724/f84fmipbackyd6.th.jpg (http://img72.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmipbackyd6.jpg)http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1720/f84fmipfrontgq5.th.jpg (http://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmipfrontgq5.jpg)
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1785/f84fmiplabel2uy1.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmiplabel2uy1.jpg)http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9662/f84fmiplabel3rv6.th.jpg (http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmiplabel3rv6.jpg)http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5764/f84fmiplabel4zy5.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmiplabel4zy5.jpg)
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1889/f84fmipstampfw2.th.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=f84fmipstampfw2.jpg)

BHawthorne

10-23-2008, 12:18 AM

Yesterday I got a packet from the National Air and Space Museum archive division outlining the F-84F information they have in archives. They have 54 rolls of microfilm technical drawings and 6034 pages of technical manual resources available. I also have someone emailing me a PDF of the -25-RE parts breakdown manual for the aircraft. Looks like I'll have access to a lot of information soon. :D

What a typical packet from NASM archives division looks like:
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/8717/nasmpacketod2.th.jpg (http://img372.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nasmpacketod2.jpg)http://img372.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)