(...) I have both in the stash, but this week I'm unable to find and compare them for you
Cheers
See AlsoIPMS Nederland - 3. KLu F-84F ThunderstreakNew F-84F Thunderstreak - RC GroupsIPMS Nederland - Republic RF-84F Thunderflash1950s Fighter-Bomber: 5 Fast Facts About The Republic F-84F ThunderstreakMichael
As the last week is over I found both kits in my stash and made the thoroughtful comparison. Both had their debut in the early 1970s (Italeri in 1972 and Airfix two years later), both have raised lines and no u/c bay details at all. Surprisingly both are almost spot-on dimensionally and the outline shape differences between two kits are negligible. If you try you can even glue port fuselage half of Airfix kit to the s/board half of Italeri one and in no place the outline shape would differ more than 0.5 mm. The overall length of 184 mm and 142 mm wingspan of both kits follow the original, being 183.8 and 142.2 mm when scaled down into the gentlemen's size. There are only two areas though where the shape differs - one is the width of canopy and dorsal spine (max. 11.0 mm in Airfix, 13.7 mm in Italeri and 11.4 mm on real craft) and also the width of main engine intake (7.7 mm in Airfix, 8.6 mm in Italeri and 7.3 mm in the real bird). These width differences do imply a little on the fuselage maximum width (at the wing leading edge), which is 20.2 mm for the Italeri kit, 19.0 mm for the Airfix one and 18.0 mm for the original scaled down.
Both kits do feature the "long tail" that was introduced in F-84F-45RE and -40GK. You'll have to cut off 3.9 mm off and reshape the vertical tail a bit when modelling earlier "short tail" variant. Looking at the fuselage tail Italeri has too large tailpipe dia and also the brake chute container underneath is much too deep. Airfix has better dorsal fuselage intakes above the wing trailing edge, while Italeri has better replicated two bigger ones under the co*ckpit. However I don't mean the location of fuselage (and wing) panel lines, as most modellers will sand them down and trace the recessed ones. For those who won't I must admit that Airfix panelling lines are more delicate than Italeri ones. co*ckpit interior is the area where these two differ most - almost nothing in Italeri and whole "bathtub" with front and rear walls in the Airfix box.
The wings are very similar - both taper too much. They should be 30.0 mm at the aileron end and both are 29.0 mm short there. At the root they should measure 47.0 mm (at the fairing end), while Airfix gives us 48.5 mm and Italeri still more at 49.5 mm. The problem with shape is that the leading edge sweep in both kits (especially the Italian one) is too big, while that of trailing edge is a dash too small. Nevertheless they follow the drawings with differences rarely exceeding 1 mm. Underwing weapon pylons are located in exactly the same place. The tailplanes look almost identical, although Italeri sweep angle is a bit too small - the difference is less than a milimetre at the tip.
Both kits feature too big (and totally plain) main u/c bays and covers, although the resulting wheel track of 84.0 mm (in both) is acceptable - should be 85.0 mm. Front u/c leg and wheel are better in Airfix kit, while mainwheels in both are severely oversized. My drawings show 10.5 mm diameter, while Italeri gives us 11.9 mm and Airfix even more - 12.1 mm. The Italeri wheels are more finely detailed, but it's Airfix who follows the original rim perforation layout more precisely.
The smaller (230 US gal) drop tanks should measure 73.5 mm length (without fins) and 7.3 mm dia. Airfix offers us 72.5 and 7.8, while Italeri - 69.0 and 7.4 mm. Almost good, but Airfix looks better. The large (450 US gal) drop tanks are totally underestimated by both moulds, measuring just 85.0 mm in length (both) and 9.3 (Italeri) or 9.7 mm (Airfix) diameter. According to the drawings I have they should be 95.7 mm long and 8.9 mm wide. On the other hand the fins (or should I rather say "tail wings") are exaggerated - they span 22.0 mm in both kits, while some 16.8 mm would be quite enough. So either there were two so totally different versions of the 450 US gal tank or both kit makers made the same mistake.
Finally I'd better go for the Airfix kit, as the more detailed one (65 parts vs. 54) and the fuselage side intake doors (under the wing leading edge) being the only one item better replicated by the Italer/Revell kit. Yes, I remember about the main u/c wheels, but here both kits are unacceptable and you'll have to make new wheels from the outset or find something in the spare bin.
So IMHO the new F-84F kit in 72nd scale would be warmly welcome 
Cheers
Michael
Edited by KRK4m
