Last flight of the Aardvark

[depakid]

The F-111's long-time nickname, then official name Aardvark literally means "earth pig" in Dutch/Afrikaans. Consequently in Australia, the F-111 is often known by the affectionate nickname "Pig".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-111_Aardvark#Australia
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http://www.airforce.gov.au/Aircraft/F111.aspx
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http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/williamtown-raaf-air-show/1874408.aspx

[Kolesar]

1. I built a plastic model of an F-111

By the time I got to gluing on the wheels, I was feeling pretty good.

[depakid]

2. Did the wings swing?

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[Kolesar]

3. Oh, yeah. The hidden wing roots had gear teeth on them

And that complicated wheel truck was double articulated to fold up into the wheel bay--just like the real thing.

I taped the Discovery Wings episode on the F-111. I'll mail it to you if you want. I will mail you all eleven tapes, sixty six episodes if you want. I gotta clean out my closet.

[SeattleVet]

4. I worked on those for a few years.

From 1973 to 1977/78 or so, I was a 326x1A in the Air Force (FB-111A Integrated Avionics Component Repair Specialist). Automatic test stations for the Mark-II avionics at Plattsburgh. Qualified on all of the test stations, and all of the LRU's that our shop handled. My main specialties were the Inertial Nav System, Doppler RADAR electronics units, and the integrated flight controls computers. I used to LOVE to watch them fly. Very distinct sound.

Best times were at the annual Open House when they'd do flight demos. One pass low, slow, and dirty, barely hanging in the air;one pass clean; and a final pass with the wings fully swept, and AB on. The plane would pass by the crowd, and all you'd hear was the wind whistling across the control surfaces. About the time someone in the crowd would start to say "He's got his engines off" the sound would manage to go by, trailing the aircraft by a few hundred feet. They rarely got to the word "off" before being blasted off their feet.