FlyPast 01.2018

WW2 DESERTER OR PATRIOT?

112 FLYPAST January 2018

C OLD WAR 1946-1991 /// GREEK THUNDERFLASH GREEK THUNDERFLASH GREEK THUNDERFLASH

112 FLYPAST January 2018

pointing K-22As. According to

the pilots, the K-38s were rarely

used because the RF-84Fs flew at a

maximum of 10,000ft (3,0448m).

The first mission was carried out by

five RF-84Fs, while the sixth stayed

at Souda as reserve. Papadopoulos

aborted due to a problem transferring

fuel from the external tanks.

Printzios was approached by two

unknown interceptors,

most likely from the

Turkish Air

Force, while flying at 10,000ft to take

images of Morphou in the northwest

of the island. Jettisoning his tanks, he

executed violent evasive manoeuvres

and descended to low level. He landed

at Rhodes to refuel.

Tasked with photographing Kyrenia

on the north coast, Roulia was

approached by a pair of Lightning

F.3s. He was ordered to leave the

area but nevertheless continued. He

finally aborted the mission when the

Lightning pilots executed manoeuvres

around his Thunderflash, their jet

wash causing such turbulence it was

impossible to take sharp images.

Dimopoulos and Papasis were the

last to reach Cyprus. They

were tasked with

taking pictures

of St Hilarion

castle in the

Kyrenia

mountain

gunnery range. Two Lightnings

intercepted them about 15 miles

(24km) off the west coast.

The RAF jets flew either side

and slightly behind the RF-84Fs

and ordered them to leave Cypriot

airspace. Again, the pilots ignored the

warning and the British interceptors

tried to harass them. Dimopoulos

was affected by the Lightnings’

turbulence and aborted, but Papasis

calmly ignored the aggressive

circling and carried out his mission

successfully.

The recce missions over Cyprus

were not carried out again due to the

presence of the RAF Lightning crews.

It was later discovered that the Turkish

Air Force had a plan to bomb Souda

to prevent further operations, but this

was not carried out.

D a o  ng RF-5

The Korean War-era RF-84F wasn’t

a recce jet that HAF commanders

planned to keep in service for a long

time. Other NATO air forces, such

as Germany, had replaced RF-84Fs

with more capable Lockheed

RF-104G Starfighters and planned

to procure the export version of the

unknown interceptors,

most likely from the

Turkish Air

area but nevertheless continued. He

finally aborted the mission when the

Lightning pilots executed manoeuvres

around his Thunderflash, their jet

wash causing such turbulence it was

impossible to take sharp images.

Dimopoulos and Papasis were the

last to reach Cyprus. They

were tasked with

taking pictures

of St Hilarion

castle in the

Kyrenia

mountain

An image of RF-84F

28732 captured by

the K-17C camera on

another Thunderfl ash.

Thunderfl ash 28728

was among the world’s

last three airworthy

examples in March 1991.

A trio of RF-84Fs –

former Luftwaffe 37660

is leading with ex-USAF

11947 in the foreground.

A Wright J65W-7 axial-

fl ow turbojet from a

RF-84F.