Review

 The F-84E was considered a large improvement over the "D" version when it was introduced into operational service in May 1949, a few years after WWII. The capture of German research on the improvements in air-to-air combat due to swept-back wings was quickly applied to the F-86 Sabre and the F-84 Thunderjet.

Although the F-84D and E were fitted with the same J35-A-17 engine, the performance of the latter version - which is the subject of Revell-Monogram's 1:48 model (No. 5494) - increased significantly due to a redesigned airframe.

At first glance, the kit's instructions seemed confusing, and I thought certain steps, such as the wing assembly, were a bit crowded and hard to understand as they pertain to the smaller pieces. I recommend customers read the instructions several times.

The box art shows an awesome and realistic picture of two F-84E Thunderjets, including a close-up showing many details.

The first step was the cockpit, which assembled without any problem. I did encounter trouble with the left and right fuselage pieces, however. After attaching the cockpit, airflow dividers and speed brake, the left and right fuselage pieces wouldn't mate properly. After a long trial-and-error session consisting of cutting and repositioning, it finally went together.

Next came the tail assembly, which was a snap, and then the wing assembly. I recommend the modeler pay close attention here - this step has a lot of little parts that could easily be overlooked.

Following completion of the wings, it was time to apply them to the airframe. Having built the belly fuel tanks and speed brake already, I was ready for my favorite part - the weaponry. The only drawback was the lack of options. There were only two choices - fuel tanks and bombs, or bombs and rockets.

After painting came the application of decals. The process went quite well, but I ran into two problems. First, after applying the nose tip decal, I noticed it touched the nose-gear door, and it continued to slide around. Second, the decal that extends from the rear of the canopy to the tail also moved. I tore it trying to reposition it. However, I was able to finally put it into position and disguise the rip.