These Republic F-84F Thunderstreak fighters were on display in the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was a cornerstone of the Belgian Air Force during the early years of the Cold War. Arriving in the mid-1950s as a successor to the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjet, the Thunderstreak was a crucial part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP), which provided modern American military equipment to NATO allies. Belgium became a significant operator of the F-84F, with an order of 197 aircraft. These jets were delivered to the 2nd and 10th Wings, which were based at Florennes and Kleine Brogel airbases, respectively. The Thunderstreak was the first swept-wing aircraft and the fastest in Belgian service at the time, even capable of breaking the sound barrier in a steep dive, a feat that made national headlines.
Designed primarily as a fighter-bomber, the F-84F’s main role within the Belgian Air Force was ground attack and close air support. It was a rugged and durable platform, capable of carrying a heavy payload of bombs, rockets, and its six .50 caliber machine guns. In a wider NATO context, the F-84F was also certified to carry the Mark 7 nuclear bomb, making it a critical part of the alliance’s nuclear deterrent strategy. This dual-role capability underscored its importance in the face of the perceived Soviet threat in Europe.
The Belgian F-84F fleet served for nearly two decades, undergoing various paint schemes from natural metal to NATO camouflage. Despite its robust nature, the aircraft experienced a high attrition rate due to accidents and maintenance issues, which led to its gradual replacement. The F-84F was eventually phased out of front-line service in the late 1960s and early 1970s, making way for more advanced supersonic jets like the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter and the Dassault Mirage 5. However, many retired F-84Fs found a second life as decoy aircraft, modified to resemble the new Mirages to mislead potential adversaries. This final, creative use cemented the F-84F’s long and impactful history in the Belgian Air Force.