RAAF farewell's the F-111
 

http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/fin...201-18g9t.html

:salute: 37 years of service.

Dang. I remember building Revell's model of the Aardvark, in RAAF Vietnam-era camoflage, back in 1968.

Not to dissimilar to the Harrier situation over here you could say....end of an era.

Truly a great Aircraft. Some don't know but their was a carrier based variant of the F-111 that was passed over in favor of the F-14 Tomcat by the Navy.

Not really... the 'Vark was actually useful, unlike the Harrier... :O:

Harrier = Air Cover over your own carrier.
Aadvark = Bombing people on the next continent.

The F-111 here had the tail hooks for carrier landings ,there was a couple of times where they set up the arrester cables on the main runway at Amberly to stop them when there was a problem.

Taking off would be a problem (unless they fitted it with a JATO- its been done with planes bigger than the 'Vark), gear isn't configured for it and its not been painted with special paint that resists salt water.

Probably the hook was for landing if the wings jammed in the delta configuration.

The original design was to be carrier-based before it was deemed too heavy. Then it was put into attack and EW roles. One of my favorite combat jets. I'd be sad to see it go from the Aussie's care, but home plate lost her Spark 'Varks to the boneyards some time in the 90's. Been somewhat empty since. Never once got to see one fly. :cry:

I am still trying to get past "farewell's" :doh:

Turning a noun into a verb by adding a possessive? :shifty::nope:

Always remember seeing a dump and burn at the Richmond Airshow in the 80's. Was banned is the US, but was the "Pig"s party trick here.

Also remember them screaming over our house with full afterburner to attack Butterworth airbase in Malaysia when my parents worked for the RAAF in the early 80's. Something you never forget!:rock:

You bastard! :wah:

Never cared much for that grammar stuff, me.:O:

Seen the dump and burn a couple of times. I remember the 1988 bicentennial celebration over the harbour bridge and opera house right on dusk. Really a sight to see.

This one's from Brisbane but it gives a good idea of what it looked like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrhmwP7SofA&feature=fvw

Thank you so much. :up:

NP. This ones a bit better I think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx2Nw...eature=related

Nope...I was talking in the context of what each aircraft meant to both respective countries as well as the stirling service they gave :DL

In fact the Harrier gave a lot more in terms of usage during times of conflict....Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan.