Was the F-111 used in Vietnam?
The F-111 served in a number of combat operations. There have been 14 combat losses, only one of which was a confirmed shoot-down. The remainder of the losses were mid-air collisions, flight into terrain, or unknown. Ten United States F-111s were lost during combat action in Vietnam, Libya and Iraq.
How good is F-111?
The Navy entirely dropped out of the program after discovering how sluggish the jet was. The Air Force eventually bought around 550 F-111s strictly for long-range ground-attack missions. In a long Air Force career ending in 1998, the F-111 proved to be an effective strike and electronic-warfare plane.
How many bombs can an F-111 carry?
two bombs
External fuel tanks could be carried on the pylons under the wings and jettisoned if necessary. The F-111 could carry conventional as well as nuclear weapons. It could carry up to two bombs or additional fuel in the internal weapons bay. External ordnance included combinations of bombs, missiles and fuel tanks.
How many F-111 were made?
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
| F-111 Aardvark | |
|---|---|
| Retired | USAF: F-111F, 1996; EF-111A, 1998 RAAF: F-111C, 2010 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | United States Air Force (USAF) Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) |
| Number built | 563 (total); 76 (FB-111) |
Are any f111s still flying?
The operational career of the F-111 came to an end on Dec. 3, 2010 at RAAF Amberley, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, as a crew in an F-111C (serial number A8-125) of the Royal Australian Air Force touched down for the aircraft’s last landing. The RAAF had operated the F-111 since 1973.
How fast does an F-111 go?
2,655 km/h
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark/Top speed
The F-111 was a trailblazer for aircraft tech, with examples being its afterburning turbofan engines, sweep-wing, and automatic terrain-following radar. With its pioneering characteristics and a top speed of 1,650 mph, this high-speed variable-sweep wing aircraft has earned its place in military history.
Can the F-111 dogfight?
The Missileer would orbit high over the fleet, basically a flying missile battery. It featured a powerful radar and side-by-side seating for better crew coordination, but lacked any trace of dogfighting capability.
Why did Australia buy F-111?
The Australian government’s decision to acquire 24 F-111s was made in the context of the 1963 federal election and was influenced by the need to replace the Canberra bombers, concerns about Indonesian President Sukarno, and Prime Minister Robert Menzies’s desire to further cement US–Australian relations.
Was the F-111 a failure?
In December 1969, an F-111 experienced a catastrophic wing failure during a pull-up from a simulated bombing run at Nellis Air Force Base. This aircraft only had about 100 hr of flight time when the wing failed.
How fast was the F-111 or aardvark?
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark/Top speed
How many F-111 did Australia have?
The RAAF had operated the F-111 since 1973. Following the F-111s’ retirement, 13 of the surviving aircraft (12 F-111Cs and a single F-111G) were preserved in aviation museums and RAAF air bases. The remaining 23 aircraft were buried at the Swanbank landfill site outside of Ipswich, Queensland, between Nov.
What was the name of the F-111 in Vietnam?
In 1968, the USAF deployed 6 F-111A aircraft (Det 1, 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron) to Takhli AFB, Thailand, to conduct an operational evaluation against targets in North VietNam. Originally code-named Harvest Reaper, this deployment was subsequently renamed to Combat Lancer.
What kind of aircraft is the F-111?
The F-111 is an unusually versatile high performance aircraft, and has been used as a strike fighter, support jammer and also a testbed vehicle for carrying a long range SAR/GMTI radar in high threat environments.
How does the F-111 radar system work?
The F-111’s automatic terrain-following radar system flies the craft at a constant altitude following the Earth’s contours. It allows the aircraft to fly in valleys and over mountains, day or night, regardless of weather conditions. Should any of the system’s circuits fail, the aircraft automatically initiates a climb.
How tall can an F-111 Aardvark fly?
F-111 Aardvark is made by General Dynamics. The F-111 is a multipurpose tactical fighter bomber capable of supersonic speeds. It can operate from tree-top level to altitudes above 60,000 feet (18,200 meters).