TAMIYA 1:48 REPUBLIC F-84G THUNDERJET

 

Reviewer: Geoff Goldfen  (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted:  April 2001

Aircraft:
 The Republic F-84 family is renowned for it's involvement in the Korean war in the 1950's as well as it's series of aircraft with the "Thunder" prefix.   The F-84G was a variant described as being out of sequence because it was a Thunderjet straight wing model (the F-84F being the first swept wing Thunderstreak version), the last of that particular sub-family.  It was the first fighter aircraft able to deliver tactical nuclear weapons because of incorporated system advancements.   It also featured the multi-framed canopy which differed from earlier Thunderjet variants (although these were subsequently fitted with the multiframes retroactively) plus a retractable in-flight refuelling probe.  F-84G's served in Korea mainly as air to ground attack aircraft and 1900 G-models were exported to overseas customers, many of whom accepting the F-84G as their first post-war jet aircraft frontline fighter, including USA and France.

The Kit:
 For regular readers of SMAKR I am sure that when you saw a Tamiya kit being reviewed on you must have immediately guessed the author.  I believe this will be my fourth Tamiya kit in a row, including in-the-box previews, for the site.  Inside the box is the typical detail and crsip parts that we are all familiar with when it comes to Tamiya and they haven't let the modeller down in any department.  Like all of their kits, you just want to start building right away!

Construction:
 Using the adage that a "good" (as in problem-free) review is a short review then this will be one of the quickest reviews around.  The kit goes together almost perfectly, not a drop of filler needed anywhere and the sandpaper has been put aside for another job?!  Well not quite that simple, a couple of small fix jobs are required.  I'll touch on these in a moment.

The cockpit is adequate enough for all but the experienced modeller who wants as much detail as he can possibly get his hands on to reproduce a replica of the real thing.  Seat, stick, floor, pedals, instrument panel and console detail is all provided, even decals for the instrument panel and slightly oversized seat harnesses are included.  I did not add anything extra in the cockpit and used the kit parts, giving it an Interior Green finish with black panels and drybrushing consoles to pick out the detail with white. Tamiya even include some small metal shots to use as nose weight.

The fuselage halves go together very well but you will need to blank off the interior to prevent a see through model.  The nose ring presented some fit problems because it seemed a touch larger than the nose area, and a small delicate sanding job should fix this up.  The major components of wings and tailplanes also fit near perfectly.  The wing tip tanks, however, were a bit problematic in fit and needed a bit of coaxing and sanding to remove seam lines.  Tamiya also cover those who wish to build the Thunderjet without wing tip tanks.  Flaps are also separate so can displayed open or closed.

A good novelty is the nose gun which you can display with an open access panel to inspire a decent diorama or similar static display. The airbrake is probably best molded closed because the detail behind it is lacking, likewise the wheel wells which have nothing much other than seam lines and a small amount of plumbing.

Stores options for the Thunderjet include bombs and drop tanks and you are sort of "required" to add these as the decision to have an aircraft with stores has been made up by Tamiya - the pylons being molded onto the wing surface for you. 

There are a few parts of the model - detail wise - that could be enhanced for the modeller who just has to do something to make this kit anything but simply a straight out of the box job.  The small air ducts could be opened a little more and one can spruce up the wheel wells and airbrake bay.  But I didn't get too much into this side of things, just happy with another near faultless build.

Versions & Decals:
Tamiya supplies no less than three sheets of decals, the main one for USAF insignia and various unit markings and the other two simply cover unique and common stencilling on the aircraft versions.  There are three examples that can be built and I chose the one that adorns the boxcover in natural metal finish and olive drab anti glare panels.  I used a combination of straight silver and Humbrol polished aluminium metalcote to achieve the desired finish I wanted which took me ages.

Overall:
To say that a Tamiya kit should be recommended, would be like saying water is recommended to quench thirst.  The kit is great to build and is well detailed.  Perhaps the only criticism would be in some of the areas that the manufacturer appears not to have done complete research in, some of the panels, ducts etc seem out of position compared to reference material, and a simple bulkhead inside the air intake so one does not use the model as a make believe telescope either.  But hey, I had to pick on something!  Obviously highly recommended for all modelling skills.

 

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