The Ohio Air National Guard’s 166th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Lockbourne AFB. Many of these planes enjoyed a long career with both the 166th and later, the 112th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
F-84F 51-1346 was the fourth “F” model produced and is now on display at Rickenbacker ANGB in Ohio. (Photo was taken later in its life: not the A-7 in the background)
Sad end for this F-84: 51-9344 was dumped in a field for some sort of testing or target work.
“ZELMAL” (Zero-Length Launch and Mat Landing) was supposed to solve the problem of having one’s runway cratered and thus reducing the status of one’s squadron to “all dressed up with no place to go”.
A pilot of the 166th FIS is seen, no doubt pondering the eventful takeoff that comes with being shot into the blue from a missile launcher grafted to a truck trailer.
The Jive Bomber 
What is the device mounted on the intake of the ZELMAL F-84? I am continually amazed by the military insanity that produces such bizarre weapons at fantastic cost to the nation. The defense contractors motto should be, “Better slaughter through advanced technology.”
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Good question! If I were to hazard a guess, the device over the intake was a diffuser to deflect the massive inrush of air from the instant/rocket takeoff and thus avoid a flame out.
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