Special Hobby’s 1/72 F-84F gets its third re-release – this time with Luftwaffe decals and an actual piece of Thunderstreak skin, as CHRIS CLIFFORD explains.
If you’re a fan of Republic’s F-84F Thunderstreak, you will undoubtedly be happy with Special Hobby’s new-tool 1/72 kit, which has already been issued with USAF (see a full build here) and French markings in two different boxings. Now, though, there’s a third option… this time offering West German Luftwaffe schemes and labelled ‘Reborn Luftwaffe’ (SH72505). However, the really interesting addition involves a free section of real F-84F skin, taken from the hulk of Luftwaffe airframe 51-9517/DD-107, flown by Uffz Rolf Hoffmann. This machine crashed in the then Czechoslovak Socialist Republic – along with 52-6546/DD-108 (flown by StUffz Helmut Kraus) – on October 22, 1959, due to poor weather and technical difficulties.
Both pilots ejected and were swiftly captured; while the communists at first denied they captured the aircrew, they revealed the fact officially around three weeks later, but the men were not repatriated to West Germany until December 2 that year.
Above: The sliver of real F-84F skin offered with Special Hobby's latest 1/72 Thunderstreak boxing.
This kit offer…
