MEDWAY AIRCRAFT PRESERVATION SOCIETY Ltd
We restore and preserve historic aircraft and artefacts for public display.
Patron: Her Majesty The Queen
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
This aircraft arrived at the MAPSL workshops from the Southend Air Museum in 1983. It had its initial service with the USAF before being transferred to the Belgium Air Force where it was the first Belgian fighter to exceed the sound barrier. It was subsequently obtained by the RAF Museum but was being kept in deep store .
The restored Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was delivered to RAF Museum Cosford In April 1989 in the livery of the USAF Display team livery. This picture includes members of the detachment of the US Department of Defense, which had its offices at Airport Works from where they administered the Department’s contracts with companies all over the South-East of England. They were delighted to have this picture to send home as a souvenir.
It is important to realise that, in the early days, finance was raised by the efforts of the members through the sale of artefacts and memorabilia at public events such as Air Shows. The Medway Branch RAeS provided a small annual donation to the group for such items as stationery and correspondence. The avionics company also gave valuable support-in-kind, of the sort that failed to come to the notice of Lord Weinstock of GEC (ironically dubbed “Generous Electric Company”) which had taken over Marconi-Elliott at that time.