" A-3 next to an A-4
Posted on 08/23/2018 7:24:05 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
I just got done reading a book on the history of stealth technology. The F-111 was brought up as a perfect example of why stealth was needed.
The F-111’s were originally designed to fly near the ground. Unfortunately, the active radar needed to do that warned opponents that it was coming for a long way off (the radar info was fed directly into the control system to keep from crashing into something). As long as they were third world nations, that was not a problem. It was felt by many that going up against the soviet union would have been suicide for an F-111.
The first stealth aircraft were designed with slide rules and mainframe computers. Not a PC or a SuperComputer in sight.
That’s right. A FReeper with knowledge explained it in an earlier post. The Air Force was better at long range strikes.
I agree it was TFR related. I heard it happened like this. The Viets on the Ho Chi Minh trail shot everything but the last coconut up 500 feet into the path of an oncoming F-111 to confuse the TFR. The F-111 TFR system reacted to the blitz of bicycles, trash, and coconuts (?) by pulling up (horizontal stabilizers fully engaged) and stalling out.
I heard there were two instances of this, but am unsure if three planes were lost. I think the ruskies got one and we recovered the other. The problem got fixed and we did not lose another as far as I know.
I think most pilot types disliked the TFR concept initially and it took quite a few rides for them to get confident in the viability and reliability of the system. Later on, they wouldn't fly without it.
" A-3 next to an A-4
Yep, wing box cracks, I remember well. It too could have been the cause since this was early on the development of the F-111 and there was limited flight time for the flaw to become apparent on inspection of the wing-box and pivot points. But that’s why we tested and observed. Always looking for problems.
But I like the other theory better because the Viets were pretty good at resolving issues with limited resources at hand. Since the F-111s were flying up and down the HO Chi Minh trail, it was likely they knew at some point when an F-111 was coming up or down the trail. Easy to radio ahead and set the trap. Bingo, if they got lucky and timed it right the plan came together. A million dollar airplane destroyed by a wall of coconuts.
I don’t remember losing any test planes to wing-box failure. I do remember seeing pieces of a plane brought back from Cambodia but I did not see the wing-box in the wreckage.
Yep, TFR is now accepted and trusted even though it is hard not to want to override it at times.
They made the most of our B-57 Canberra as well, aka *the Cranberry.* Heavy load capacity [compared to an F4 or A4] lots of fuel for long loiter time until rekief air support arrived, and all the heritage of Glenn Martin's pre-WWII flying boats. Solid aircraft, those.
That doesn't appear to be a practical application.
One of my favorite aircraft.
An AF pilot I know says one of his regrets is being too young to have flown the Aardvark an airplane he dubs a beast capable of fantastic performance and combat feats.
Lets hope at least one version of the F-35 does as well in the long run as the F-111.
I laugh at the F-35 detractors. Those who whisper about it not being to dogfight against an F-16. Most planes can't either. The pilot often makes the difference, but if you put the same skill in an F/A-18 vs. an F-16 the Viper is going to kill the Hornet every time. Why? Because the Viper was designed for close in ACM in the weeds dogfighting. Slanted seat to accommodate G's and turning and acceleration on the deck like nothing else. Vipers were designed to mix it up close and personal with a sky full of ungodly amount of Migs all at once and have a field day with them. Russia never tested that. Hornets are designed to drop bombs and fight if they must, but the goal of attack aircraft is to get in and out and not mix it up in the sticks. Hornets are a stable bombing platform, but the Viper is a knife fighter. The Eagle will just kill you from BVR and a long way out and bug out. The F-15 is undefeated and a great fighter, but even with matched pilots the Eagle does not want to get into a knife fight on the deck with a Viper. Nobody plans for that and it is what happens when the strike mission goes wrong.
The F-35 gets in and out unseen. If you do see him you don't see his buddy flying CAP that already has an AMRAM going up your tailpipe. The F-35's are all integrated and linked and have a clearer picture of the battlefield. In a real world shootout they are capped by invisible and lethal Raptors who own the airspace night or day up or down and all around. I would not want to mess with U.S. Airpower, ever!
“So, the A3D was referred to as “All 3 Dead”.”
Ouch! lol.
Another factor: the Raven (the EW bird) and the Aardvark (the Bomber), being the same airframe, made for a faster strike package. This is what the Navy particularly likes about their current strike package — F/A-18 Hornets led by EF-18G Growlers. Previous to this you had F/A-18’s being led by much slower EA-6B Prowlers.
From the F-111 came the Tomcat.
Thanks for the good info.
How does that work? The Growlers lead and select targets for the F-18’s?
Sorry, I’m an old Grunt.
Thanks.
Please disregard my question about the F-18 and the Growler. I remember that the Growler is an Electronic warfare plane.
Actually, that’s not true. Here’s one reference to a successful escape module ejection:
http://www.ejectionsite.com/f111restore.htm
I flew in the FB-111 and EF-111 when I was a cadet at the Air Force Academy and the pilots I flew with loved the aircraft. Like another oft-criticized aircraft, the F-4 Phantom, the F-111 was a multi-role aircraft; it wasn’t the best at anything, but pretty damned good at a lot of things.
It sounds more like a TOTAL suicide mission to me.
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