The Republic Aircraft Corporation first conceived the F-84 series of aircraft back in 1944 and the prototype XP-84 - by then christened "Thunderjet" - first flew on 28th February 1946.

The Thunderjet underwent many changes and improvements during its operational life, eventually culminating in the F-84G. The last and best of the "straight-winged" models, the "G" also holds the distinction of being the first production fighter aircraft to have in-flight refuelling capability.

Aside from USAF service, many F-84E and G aircraft were also supplied to foreign air forces and of the 12 countries which received them, practically all of them mounted at least one aerobatic team on the aircraft.

Development of the swept-winged F-84F was born out a 1949 proposal to mate an F-84E fuselage with swept-back flying surfaces and utilise existing tooling. As development progressed however, the F-84F, now named Thunderstreak, evolved into an almost entirely different aircraft. As well as service in the USAF, it too was procured by 7 other countries, several of which also formed aerobatic teams on the type.

The final major development of the swept-winged F-84 was a photo-reconnaissance derivative, the RF-84F Thunderflash. Produced in limited numbers and exported, surprisingly, these too found themselves in aerobatic teams !