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The General Dynamics F-111 was one of aviation history's most promising planes when it came out in the early 1960s. Despite a rocky service career, political changes in how the military acquired its weaponry, and the addition of too much new technology, the plane provided a credible frontline deterrent to NATO in the Cold War era and was used to great effect in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. Many of the challenges faced by putting the F-111--with all of its new systems--into service are now accepted as a normal outfit in modern fighter aircraft. The F-111 had a lot of bad publicity, but in the end the F-111 did its job extremely well. Although the Navy did not accept the F-111B model, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat became a success, resulting in large part from the F-111B experience and tests it did accomplish with the radar and missile systems.
Despite its uncertain start the F-111 proved to be one of the most successful and influential designs of the 1960s. Its radical 'swing wing' was adopted by the F-14 Tomcat, Panavia Tornado and Rockwell B-1B Lancer while its turbofan-type engines became standard in many combat aircraft. F-111 crews pioneered tactics using terrain-following and laser targeting devices that made the F-15E Eagle's missions possible. Its 4,000 low-altitude penetration missions during Operation Linebacker in Vietnam showed how individual aircraft can deliver crippling blows to enemy capability without loss to themselves. The first Osprey book on the subject, Peter Davies' volume charts the history of this aircraft type, in the wake of its retirement of the F-111 from Australian service.
This book is a pictorial history of the F-111, the greatest jet fighter-bomber ever built, and includes 740 color photos covering all models from the F-111A through the F-111K. In addition to a "Roll Call" including histories of each individual aircraft, photos of over 90% of the aircraft are included. Nose art of the FB-111A is covered with 48 photos. Book chapters include; Program History, Aircraft System Description, USAF Tactical F-111s, Strategic FB-111s, U.S. Navy F-111Bs, Royal Australian Air Force F- 111s, British Royal Air Force F-111Ks, F-111 Combat Operations, and NASA F-111s. One Hundred and twenty Unit and Campaign patches are included, along with appendices on External Differences, Avionics Systems, F-111 Specifications, a Unit and Tail Code Summary, Attrited Aircraft, and a list of the 113 Aircrew members who died flying the F-111.
This is the story of the world's first operational swing-wing bomber. The General Dynamics F111 was a far-sighted design, packed with radars and navigational aids to help pinpoint targets in bad weather and at night. Proved over Vietnam, used with great effect against Libya and excelling in the Gulf War, it will remain in service with the Royal Australian Air Force well into the next century.
Beskriver det amerikanske jagerfly General Dynamics F-111 herunder udviklingshistorie og forskellige versioner.
The General Dynamics F-111 was one of the most technically innovative designs among military aircraft, introducing the variable-sweep wing, terrain-following radar, military-rated afterburning turbofan engines and a self-contained escape module among other features. Designed as a cost-saving, multi-role interceptor, naval fighter and strike bomber, its evolution prioritised the latter role and it became the USAF's most effective long-range strike aircraft during three decades of service. Rushed into combat in Vietnam before some of its structural issues were fully understood, the type suffered several early losses and gained an unfairly negative reputation that dogged it for the rest of its career, and restricted funding for more advanced versions of the design. However, in Operation Linebacker in 1972 the F-111 flew 4000 nocturnal under-the-radar missions, delivering, with unprecedented accuracy, many decisive blows that would have resulted in heavy losses for any other attack aircraft.
The F-111, which ultimately proved to be a very capable fighter-bomber for the US and Australian Air Forces, was born out of the desire of Secretary of Defense Robert Strange McNamara to force the USAF and the Navy to use a single aircraft for all tactical missions strike, close air support, air superiority and fleet air defense. The initial effort, called the Tactical Fighter Experimental, or TFX, was based largely on the Air Forces requirements, with a few adaptations to approximate the Navy's desires. The initial Air Force version of the aircraft would be the F-111A, while the Navy variant was the F-111B. Although General Dynamics was the prime contractor, the company had little recent experience in building carrier-borne aircraft, and turned to Grumman as a subcontractor for the assembly and testing of the Navy planes. The F-111 itself, the first production variable wing geometry aircraft, would have a remarkable 30+ year service history. During that time the aircraft was produced in five models, and modified and rebuilt into three additional models. Illustrated with over 200 color and b/w photos.
Beskrivelse af den amerikanske Fighter Bomber F-111
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The iconic General Dynamics F-111 'Aardvark' - a medium range interdictor, tactical strike, strategic bomber, reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft - was one of the more controversial jets ever to fly. Yet despite its inauspicious beginnings it became a highly effective 'under the radar' bomber. As a result of a poorly planned development specification, both the Navy and Air Force were committed, much against their will, to a Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) program which called for a single aircraft - the F-111 to fulfill both a Navy fleet-defense interceptor requirement and an Air Force supersonic strike aircraft requirement. This was impossible to achieve, especially since pla...