Near Maidsville in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
The F-84F Thunderstreak
Dedicated to the Clay Battelle High School Graduating Classes of 20202021 in Honor of Carley McCoy and America's Veterans
"Courage is endurance to go one moment more."
Sincere Thanks to AFROTC Detachment 915 WVU. And members of the Community
The F-84F Thunderstreak
The F-84, designed by Republic Aviation Corporation in 1944, first flew in 1946 under the name Thunderjet and had several variations through its lifecycle. In 1948, the swept-wing Thunderstreak you see here was created and in 1954 became operational and joined the Thunderjet, playing a pivotal role in post-war jet aircraft deterrence in the early years of the Cold War with the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). Armed with six 50-caliber M-3 aircraft machine guns, 24 5-inch rockets and 6.000 pounds of bombs, the Thunderstreak was designed as a fighter-bomber capable of attacking ground targets and intercepting high-altitude Soviet bombers.
At least 2,711 examples of this model were ultimately produced with 2,112 under the Republic banner and 599 built by General Motors. NATO allies received 1,301 models with the rest going to the United States Air Force's Tactical Air Command (TAC). The USAF Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team had begun their air shows in the early 1950s with the F-84G Thunderjet. Always trying to display the most advanced fighters of the age, the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak became the team's new aircraft in 1955. The F-84F was retired from USAF active service in 1964 and relegated to duty in the Air National Guard until discontinuing use in 1971.
The Thunderstreak you're standing near was purchased by Carley McCoy at an open auction for fifty dollars at the Morgantown Airport in 1963 he and erected the stand to place it as a landmark for Blacksville. This aircraft is one of 46 F-84F in the United States and 74 in the world on display.
Erected 2020 by The Real McCoy Plane Project 2020.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Cold. A significant historical year for this entry is 1944.
Location. 39° 43.262′ N, 80° 12.041′ W. Marker is near Maidsville, West Virginia, in Monongalia County. Marker is on Mason-Dixon Highway (West Virginia Route 7) 0.3 miles east of Daybrook Road (West Virginia Route 218), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5700 Mason-Dixon Hwy, Maidsville WV 26541, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Blacksville (approx. 0.4 miles away); Mason-Dixon Line (approx. 0.7 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 2½ miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.3 miles away in Pennsylvania); Statler's Fort (approx. 3.4 miles away); Price Memorial Cemetery (approx. 3.8 miles away); Border Heroine (approx. 4½ miles away); Shanks Mill (approx. 4.7 miles away).
Regarding The F-84F Thunderstreak. According to Wikipedia, this plane is the only one of its kind privately owned in the United States.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 197 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 15, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.