Posted on 02/01/2010 5:41:40 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Aardvark's Asian Airshow Adieu
Posted by Robert Wall at 1/30/2010 10:19 PM CST
The F-111 has been one of the most spectacular air show aircraft in modern times, thanks to its ability to trail a “wall of fire.”
But with the Royal Australian Air Force due to retire its F-111s this year, the long-range interdiction aircraft is saying fair well to the air show circuit. The Singapore Airshow will be the last Asian event where the F-111 will show off its ability to dump fuel, set it alight, and trail it.
During its daily air display, the F-111 will twice create its wall of fire, with a total burn time of over a minute.
Here’s some pictures from the dress rehearsal:
The RA-5C could also do that. Kinda suprising whe you see it the first time not knowing what it’s about.
Looks like two sources of fuel. Must be an exchange pilot from somewhere they breed guys with two as.... (nevermind.)
The original IR countermeasure? :)
Kinda’ like the Blue Angels routine of extending landing gear while inverted. The crowds love it, but really inconsequential operationally. The airshow crowd definitely has a taste for the useless displays.
Wonder what page in the tech order, that little “trick” shows up.
Fire In The Hole!
Perhaps Barney Frank and Harry Reids long lost boy.
the F-111 is one of the most beautiful airframes ever built.
The procedure is to open the dump gate, which is located between the exhausts, and then go zone 5.
I saw an F-4 Phantom do that once, while it was taking off from NAS Cubi Pt. It wasn’t during an airshow. I was shocked, and was sure it was going to crash. After a few seconds, the fire went out, and the aircraft continued on it’s way, like nothing had happened. I never did figure out what that was.
I kind of assume that trick displayed the ability to control a dirty aircraft while inverted, low, slow, and in tight formation.
Cool.
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