This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Harry McCown (Mac)
to remember
Loisel, John Simon, Col USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Coeur d'Alene
Last Address Plano, Texas Norfolk, Nebraska
Date of Passing Jan 20, 2010
Location of Interment Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery (VA) - Dallas, Texas
During the war in the Pacific Theater, Colonel Loisel flew 300 combat missions over the course of three consecutive years, longer than any U.S. pilot. Flying a P-38 "Lightning" in the 475th Fighter Group, Loisel downed 11 Japanese airplanes. Before war's end he reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in command of the group.
Loisel remained in the military and in 1950 returned to combat in the F-80 Shooting Star in Korea. He retired from the Air Force in 1970 with more than 5,500 flying hours.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model Republic F-84F Thunderjet Length 37.43 ft | 11.41 m Width 36.42 ft | 11.10 m Height 14.99 ft | 4.57 m Engine(s) 1 x Wright J65-W-3 turbojet engine generating 7,220lbs of thrust. Empty Weight 13,830 lbs | 6,273 kg MTOW 28,001 lbs | 12,701 kg Max Speed 695 mph | 1,118 km/h | 604 kts Max Range 860 miles | 1,384 km Ceiling 45,997 ft | 14,020 m | 8.7 miles Climb Rate 7,400 ft/min (2,257 m/min) Hardpoints 2 Armament 6 x 12.7mm machine guns 24 x 5in rockets
Up to 6,000lbs of external ordnance. Accommodations 1
Major Variants
* XP-84 Thunderjet - First prototype model (1946); General Electric J35-GE-7 turbojet engine. * XP-8A Thunderjet - Prototype (25 total); Allison J35-A-15 * P-84B Thunderjet - XP-8A porduction model. * P-84C Thunderjet - Revised electrical system; J35-A-13C engine; Later redesignated as the F-84C. * F-84 Thunderjet * YF-84A Thunderjet - First swept-wing variant * F-84D Thunderjet - J35-A-17D engine; Re-engineered landing gear system; thicker wing systems. * F-84E Thunderjet - Post-Korean War model featuring improved system components; Enlarged cockpit; Lengthened fuselage. * F-84G Thunderjet - J35-A-29 engine * F-84F Thunderstreak - Swept wing; Wright J65-W-1 turbojet engine (later models with Wright J65-W-3 engines). * RF-84F Thunderflash - Final development model of F-84 series; Reconnaissance variant with J65-W-7 engine.