Australia's Flying Pig: The F-111
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- Опубліковано 22 жов 2024
- This video took way too long to edit, but hopefully it's worth it. The F-111 is one of my favourite aircraft, and this video is my way of justifying a deep dive on its history.
Sources:
docs.google.co...
Still the fastest plane the RAAF ever had. When I stood next to one, I couldn't believe how big they were.
I was an Instrument and autopilot tech and instructor on the F111D and F111A from 1971 to 1980 in the USAF. I was tech rep for the Australian Blackhawks stationed at Townsville AU in 2005 to 2006. I liked living in Australia very much. My dream would have been to be a tech rep on the Australian F111s and be stationed in the lovely town of Brisbane, Perth, Gladstone, or Townsville. These are the towns or cities I have be to in Australia and I liked them all.
When the F111 was being considered for decommissioning in the mid 1990's a Pig (F-1/11)was sent to Canberra to photograph Defence Headquarters at Russell Officers. It was the beginning of a day long meeting on an upper floor of the building. The Squadron sending a reconnaissance variant to Canberra made sure the curtains were open in the room at Russell Officers of the meeting. A pig with a pavetac pod did a fast subsonic low level pass and photographed those inside the meeting as well as white boards charts and maps. The photographer was developed and sent to Russell Offices just after lunch. Each of the ADF and Government members present for the meeting were very clearly identified in the photograph, were named with a message "We know what you are trying to do." On the basis of this photograph ADF decided to proceed with the digital upgrade the F1/11 and this instance because folklore amongst the F1/11 community.
I’ve seen the F-111 fly so low over a lake, it left a wake. Pulling up just before the tree line. We felt the heat from the engines. My father used to joke, that it was so low we could see the pilot hadn’t shaved that morning. 😆
I was the one that caught the record breaker at RAAF Williamtown NSW. The record of 31 minutes toping out at 55,000 feet, wheels off at Amberley to wheels on East Sale has been set from RAAF Base Amberley west of Brisbane to RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria
The CO flying the Pig was beaming. It was just before lunch the day after the record and the CO Pilot and Nav'O was off to the O's Mess to brag amongst all the F-18 Pilots and 3 Hornet Squadrons. He gave me a guided tour of his jet before Lunch.
I did read somewhere that at least two flights were made using the RF-111 over East Timor after INTERFET begun operations for reconnaissance purposes.
Good video mate. I have fond memories of seeing these as a kid. Had family in the RAAF and begged to be taken to airshows all the time. You might however want to add some kind of intro to your videos. Doesn't need to be pretty or very long but just a few seconds of anything before you start talking would really help I think. And don't feel you need to rush. :)
You sound like all of us when we were kids and we had a school assignment that involved a speech.
Thanks!
I've thought about adding an introduction, but I'm just not super sure how to go about it. I'm still learning all this youtube stuff. Pacing myself is still something I need to work on. I should be able to solve it all with enough practice.
Retired in 2010 and we still haven't managed to replace the capability that we lost when we retired it.
Wrong. If you know anything about Link16 and Link32 in the F-35 Lightening coupled with the Super Hornet with 11 Hard Points for weapons being used as a Weapons Magazine then you will know that the F-35 has the ability to acquire the smart weapons from the Super Hornet aircraft so a package of one F-35 + three Super Hornets and a Growler to Jam coupled with Boeing P-8 Poseidon and a KC-30A Tanker can do far more damage over a target for a much longer time than the wonderful F-1/11 could do. 😊
@@alistairmills7608
The Australian F-111 had a combat range of around 2,150 km, the F-35 is about 1,100 km. One of the many great strengths of the F-111 was its large internal fuel capacity and long range. The F-35 is a great, if not the best, multi-role fighter and force multiplier, and Australia made a good choice to purchase it, but I believe that we need a long range platform. 6 or so x B-21's would be a good addition.
@alistairmills7608 So what your saying 7 aircraft working together can replace 1 F111?
The worst part of loss of capability, there is still nothing on drawing board and won't be. US and Australia are counting on f35 ,US f35 and f15ex.
@@chrisholznagel7428
A small fleet of B-21's (6ish) would be handy but I doubt that the US will allow their sale in the near-term.
Well edited and argued. Your question 'why' and observation 'strange purchase' go well together. You note the geopolitical changes at the start of the 1960s. The trigger was Indonesia 'acquiring' West Papua (now West Irian) in 1961 and moving troops towards the border of Papua New Guinea which was a protectorate of Australia after WW2. Australia thought they were going to be in a war with Indonesia after running down their army, navy and air force after WW2. The US intervenes and tells Indonesia not to invade on Australia's behalf and the quid pro quo was buying the F111 in 1963. Strange is right. No other country bought the F111 because no other country saw its merits and no other country had the same 'special' reason to buy the plane. I don't think you speak to fast. Great video.
Yes it was commonly termed to be "Confrontation" in the press of those days
Robert J Arts book called
"The TFX decision;: McNamara and the military" is a most excellent book
What was that round thing looking suspiciously like a UFO at 7:05 covering the Canberra?
Excellent video. I loved the F-111s. So proud to see the kangaroo on them.
F111 was favourite jet as kid, remembering going to Australian Airshow n seen dump n burn, definitely louder then F16, F18. There was rumour that RAAF F111 were get upgrade of stealth features like intakes n Raven EW tail but RAAF went with F18G.
i come from port stephens myself
I think it's a really good looking jet. I've seen them "dump and burn" and it looks stupid imo.
11:10 ufo :-)
Probably as real as any sightings so far. There is another F111 video doing a dump an burn that look like a ufo near the end of the video. I can't find it anymore.
This is a very good video.
But please slow down your speach and concentrate on clear pronunciation of words. Many of the words run into each other making 25% of the audio unintelligible.
It tends to sound like someone quickly tapping out Morse code rather than speach. Very hard to listen to.
Sorry about that, my last video had the same issue. I'm going to try and pace myself more when I record my next video.
Yeah, nah, that's rubbish blondie. There's nothing wrong with the speed. That's normal Australian speaking cadence. But if it's still for some reason too fast for you, open up the settings cog in the bottom right of the video, and knock the playback speed down by 5%-10%.
Australia should have bought F-14 Tomcats instead! Real fighters
One of the reasons why the R.A.A.F got the F111 was because of the threat of Indonesia,the F111 could go to Jakarta and back without refuelling plus a heavy payload all at 25mt off the ground at high speed using Aussie designed terrain following radar.F14's cannot complete the above mentioned mission parameters.The F111 became a great multi role aircraft and served our country proudly.
You don't know anything.
Bloody great video mate.