Posted on 03/13/2011 4:24:51 PM PDT by naturalman1975
These fly by wire, high speed, low altitude fighter/bombers killed a dear friend, the computer apparently didn’t have the required information to keep it from hitting a hillside.
F-111s flew in VIET-FRIGGING-NAM !!!
Not Australian F-111s. The RAAF flew Canberras in Vietnam.
I remember the FB-111s from Plattsburgh, back in the day.
I supplied equipment to General Dynamics, Fort Worth for the F-111/TFX swing-wing which was a dual purpose craft that McNamara’s “Whiz Kids” insisted be used by both the Navy and USAF. The Navy found they were too heavy for carrier operations and had to be extensively modified. Spent hours in that plant watching them being built. Even though they were not all that successful, still sad to see them scrapped out.
I was at Mtn. Home from 1978-1981, working on the F-111A. The FB-111As were at Plattsburgh, and at Pease, NH.
Our F-14s were cut up and sold for scrap and now they are doing this to another swing wing. What gives?
The Air Force used Aardvarks to hit Kadaffy back in the mid 80s.
Ugly SOBs but excellent penetration bombers in the days before “brilliant” weapons. They had laser target illumination but that’s about it...
There’s an Aardvard sitting in the parking lot of a military surplus store just off of I-30 in Leary, Texas. Nice plane, horrible state of disrepair.
Interesting, my brother was stationed in Mtn Home around that time although I’m not totally sure what he did, I think he worked on the jets though (17 years my senior) and while there the family visited him for a couple of weeks between 76-78 not sure when. All I remember was the camping in the mountains and fishin’, it was a good time for sure.
Oh and a day or two before leaving since my Dad was an old retired AF sarge they had a little fun celebrating with some of the guys. Kinda like a delayed retirement party for Dad I guess. Never seen him drunk before or since and almost wouldn’t have noticed ‘cept for the fact that although he didn’t say much he just sat there on the couch afterward with this goofy grin on his face. He sure had a good time but Mom didn’t care much for it. :)
24 Bought new as F-111C in 60s. Upgrade (Digital avonics Pacer Strike equivilent) late 90s
4 exUSAF F-111A purchased as attrition replacements late 70s
15 exUSAF F-111G (exFB-111A) purchased early 90s for training missions
True, and they were the planes that went after daffy duck Also know as Qaddafi in Libya.
All of which will shortly be replaced by drones.
That makes sense....my background is Navy so the whys and wherefores of the US Air Force often escape me...
Personally, I’m a big fan of the ‘Varks...coolest ejection system ever invented in my view, although I’m not sure I’d like to test ride it.....
The F-111 is almost as much a product of the Navy as it is the Air Force. It began as a joint fighter, before the F-14, but disagreements on performance and mission characteristics caused the Navy to bail and start work on the F-14.
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