Nostalgia: Republic RF-84F Thunderflash photo reconnaissance aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force with registration TP-19 of 306 squadron at the National Military Museum in Soesterberg.
The Thunderflash was developed from the Thunderstreak. Six cameras were built into the nose. In 1956, 24 were delivered to the Royal Air Force as a replacement for the Lockheed RT-33A. The aircraft were assigned to 306 squadron which was stationed at Laarbruch (West Germany) and later on at Deelen Air Base. The aircraft served until 1963, some were then transferred to Greece and Turkey. The TP-19 was transferred to the Greek Air Force on April 23, 1963. In 1987 it was discovered that there were still seven Thunderflashes flying around at the Greek airbase Larissa including the P-5 of 306 squadron. The Greek Major John Noitis flew this aircraft in 1988 to Volkel Air Base. There the aircraft was sprayed in the Dutch colours and received its former registration TP-19. Thanks to the mediation of the American Embassy in The Hague the aircraft was donated to the Military Aviation Museum.
I am Jaap van den Berg and photography has become a great passion of mine since 2010. Since then I travel all over the world to take pictures of military aircrafts. But besides aircraft I also love to photograph other subjects like landscapes, architecture, flowers, animals, .. Read more…