We should of replaced it with an aircraft with atleast the same type of performance if not better ! And it should be an Australian designed and built ! We shouldn't buy crap from any other country !
but f111 was a fail in my eyes ...15 minets in the air ....8 year in maintancesi LOVE even wile being junked they anoying have to be keep vertical with inn a singel degree ill hit like in torment
@starionnsw oh all so dosee any one know the f 18 s - h equal ruassin plain that throu thuster above the wing to the side for very, shot, t,a,o.l v,s,t,o,a,l, ...
? link me to the f18 that landed in adelaied with the unconcise pilot
All that electronics in the Super Slug could have been added to the pig - but unfortunately you cant add range/payload/speed to the Slug. The thing will run out of gas before it even gets to the fight. And if it gets there, its too slow to get away from the baddies.
Did anybody else notice that great big gouge and scratch mark just behind the b/n's position? Shame, shame, they shouldn't let a beautiful sexy girl go around looking like that!
What a fantastic aircraft, certainly one of the best ever made.
Nice video!!! And an extra special thanks for NOT posting this set to that silly overrated song "Danger Zone" from the movie Top Gun. Sorry but I hate that movie!
Simple Facts, The Super Hornet can barely go a third of the range of an F111, cant carry a thrd of the payload of an F111 and deos a third of the speed of an F111. The retirement of the F111 was a political act by PAUL Dibb inside Dept of Defence.. a man who been trying to get rid Australia of the stirke range capability for Australia as he is anti American
@gnh53 Hey, thanks mate, yeah she was a beauty, I was lucky enough to watch them in their glory day's of real low level attacks on the Destroyers I served on, there was nothing like it.
A great loss for Australia and its long rang defence, its been replaced by the F18 super hornet until we get those useless single engine F35 due for delivery in 2020 then the super hornet will be withdrawn. How is that Lockheed Martin and the Australian Government have allowed a 15 year gap from production to delivery. By the time we get the F35 it will be out of date and useless.
to be honest i think their making a huge mistake... the f-111 meant a a hell of alot to brisbane. If anything the f-111 should be known as the spirit of brisbane. And for so many years I dreamed of being a fighter pilot for the F-111 to perform the dump 'n' burn over brisbane for riverfire. But ill never get to because the government has taken them away. And its not because its old technology. how about we spend the money on UPgrading these machines to KEEP THE SPIRIT ALIVE!
@rikimaru517 It's much more cost effective to purchase new airplanes than to maintain forty year old ones. That and the fact that over four decades metal fatigue can strike at any time no matter the level of maintenance so it's the prudent thing to do. And yes, compared to an F-18SH, an F-111 is woefully outdated I'm afraid.
@tripleheshy theres only one thing that confuses me though... Im 19 now.. but i remember the day i wanted to be a fighter pilot was the day i saw 2 F-111's flying at low altitude on the sunshine coast beaches practicing dogfighting. I was 2 years old and perhaps the best memory ever as a child. Now when they flew past, i remember seeing the pilots in their seats. and the colour of the f-111's were camoflage... that means they still had the F-111 E at amberley.... not the C model.
@rikimaru517 Fair point. No wuckin' furries though my friend, the super hornet is a ball buster of the highest order so enjoy the noise it's glorious!!
The SH leaves the '60's era F111 for dead! Welcome to a state-of-the-art aircraft, fully networked for three dimensional battlespace, this plane can LITERALLY fight and attack at the SAME time! Add to this new weapons platform the soon to come enhanced air-to-air refulling KC30's and stand-off weaponary and the RAAF heads to a complete new level of capability.
@mmmail1969 Not to mention Wedgetail and its link 16. SH's AESA even improves Hornet capability with datalink transfer of information. A true force multiplier. The F-111 was blind and deaf in this environment more or less.
Lets be a little bit accurate, Yes F-111 saw her day and moves into history of aviation proudly. The SH is a great stop gap capability that shits on its little five minute flier brother the classic hornet. It must be recognised that the F-111 went out with a number of capabilities unanswered by its temporary replacement the SH.
Again, I wish people would get their facts right, to suggest the F111 (an impressive aircraft for its time) is equal or better in combat to the Super Hornet is just madness. The Super Hornet is a cut above and beyond!
@mmmail1969 Wow the "super hornet is a cut above and beyond" the latest variants of the MIG or even the F 22 raptor. You need to have a lie down brother and maybe a sip of cool water
Yeah, the only thing the state-of-the-art SH has over the 60's era F111 is Everything! You jump in an F111, I'll jump in a SH and we'll see which one of us comes back! LOL.
@mmmail1969 Well the F111 has superior loiter time due to greater fuel reserves and can turn and burn and outrun the SH so I guess the guys in the F111 would be safe and could effect their bombing run while the SH was returning to refuel on land or in air. Laugh all you want laughing boy. The SH pilots would go home having unsuccessfully defended their home turf.
As has been said the problem is that they arnt a direct competitor. The big benifit with the F111 is that they could reach Indonesia which is a big threat to them and stopped them doing anything stupid.
@mmmail1969 No one is saying the F111 is a competitor to the super hornet. Tip the argument around is what you initially started with....ie that super hornet is a replacement for the F111....it isn't. Have a good read of what renault8gordini states so succinctly and accurately why the super hornet is no real replacement for the F111
Is the FA18 a replacement for the F111? Has it got the range? Has it got the lifting capacity?
We're in Australia, our potential regional rivals don't have great airforces. This means that we don't need much to attain air superiority, what we need instead is the ability to hit hard and far to hopefully even up a fight for our small number of ground forces.
I really don't understand this decision. My best guess is that the Yanks have given the order and we've jumped to obey.
@ColdWarWarriors I think what you mean is the F111 will have no replacement with similar range, payload, outstanding strike record or ability to outrun a foe......yeah you are right it isn't being replaced!
Yeh I think your right, a friend of my daughters works on the engines he was saying they spend 180 hrs maintenance for 1hr flying and they finish in december as he moving to the Super Hornet, cheers
excellent vid/ music good choice!!!The VARK is a class act lady serving from 1967 til now.I knew the original C.O. who took her to Vietnam .Straight line no combat a/c was faster or more accurate when pavetack came along.TAC/SAC/ RAAF was lucky to have her in all variants.Lean and mean she earned a silent respect for all who cared for her and hatred by the enemies of our countries F-111's 4 - EVER!!!!
The F-111 can out match the hornets and JSF (estimated specs) without breaking a sweat. None of those aircraft come close to matching the payload, ceiling or speed with the super hornet and JSF matching it's range when empty. (As per wikipedia and ADF website). Gettingrid of the F-111 because of cost of keeping the aircraft flying due to age.
th pig can only outclass them in speed&range.that counts for fk all in these days of a/a refuel and standoff weapons.stop learning ur 'facts' of a fkn website. get out an learn em.. long live th PIG
Ahh the old A4 love that aircraft, yea you guys brought them then leased them back to us as I remember doing AA tracking runs in the early ninties of Jervis Bay NSW and when they use to fly off the Melbourne and we were RESDES for them, I think there in storage in your land of the long white cloud somewhere for sale.
I have always been fascinated with this airplane, for so many reasons. For example, the sense of camaraderie between the pilot and the b/n just has to be greater in this side by side arrangement.
And the combination of sheer power and speed and muscularity and size and agility, along with the sleek and graceful lines of this plane just leave her second to none.
The footage of that coastline run looking out over that huge dashboard fucks me up every time!
No mate, I dont think the RAAF was involved in Desert Sheild or Storm 90/91 but I think a Hornet Sqn flew in the second war over Iraq which ended the mother of all dictators.
Great plane,seen many in my time as an Army Aircrewman, one Aircraft i will sadly miss, even if i never served or flew with the guys, great to see flying and doing the job it was built to do, one of the worlds truly great planes. Some awesome points also made in the last couple posts.
Thanks mate, I'm ex RAN 20yrs worked in ASW my Dad was with 183&161 recce flts in New Guinea and Vietnam Bob Matthews Wo2 any way it will be sad when the F111 finally pays off saw some great flying when they did AA tracking runs on our destroyers over the years.
see the discussion re the Australian requirement on F18 versus F111. We need the range. It mentions the SU30 the 11 has a 1000klm (on internal tanks)greater range and is faster. Read a little more about what would happen for example if F18s were used in an Indonesian scenario compared to an F111 even now. I think the SH is a bad choice as replacement not that it is a bad aircraft
yea a great plane but goverments are all about cost the 111 is still awsome but its cost!!!! nearly all fighter/bombers today euro or ruski or US perform pretty much the same but its not winning the unwinable, ithe indons have more worries holding it together than any threat to us
you got a point about the indos, we are about to spend 2.4billion on a temp replacement. I think we could keep em flying on that till, (I hope) we get the stretch F22 which may be real replacement. Saw a fig of 6 billion total not including the JSF, I could be wrong on that one. Added to that there are serious imcompatibility issues with our present hornets and the super hornets. Check the stats tho on range payload speed for what we now class fighter/bombers. Im flogging a dead F111 I guess.
In Desert Storm, F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, making it 47% more capable than the next leading strike aircraft.[22] The small 66-plane F-111F force was credited with 1,500 kills of Iraqi tanks and other mechanized vehicles. The F-111F was the only Desert Storm aircraft to deliver the GBU-15 and the 5,000-pound laser-guided, penetrating GBU-28.
I was there last year, I miss working with those jets. Long live the PIG! Good wheels up footage too, better being there tho, the sound of airframe scraping down the runway and seeing aircrew running like girlymen is a crackup.
A Sukhoi 30 with western avionics and weapons would probably suit Oz needs perfectly,and be a far better (and far cheaper) replacement for the F111. I reckon the first time an Australian F18 suckers hornet has to go up against a Sukhoi it should have Brendan Nelson strapped to it.
I agree, an Su 27 would eat these things alive. RAAF have kept them in service far to long and now they are plagued with maintenance problems. They should of been retired 10 years ago.
The F111 should be kept in service until 2020, we own all the spares we need to keep them flying until then. They have long range are fast and carry a heavy weapons load. They are not falling apart either. I meant that the Sukhoi would do a far better job than the Super Hornet at replacing a bomber with a multirole fighter/bomber. I realise the political impossibility of buying Sukhois, and that Rudd couldn't cancel the Super Hornet order without American political tension.
I agree that the Sukhoi is a politically impossible purchase for Australia, even though it would be the correct one, the Super Hornet is an interim aircraft until the arrival of the F35 JSF, an aircraft that has limited stealth, limited payload and limited range and zero stealth once ordanance and external fuel tanks are attached underneath the wings.
The Su34 would of been Australias best bet with long range and Maritime attack capability to replace the F111.
Bullshit, while the Su34 may be a nice flyer the Russian tech support for these units is utter garbage, we would have been far better off purchasing the old Tomcat from the US, very well suited to our continent & still destroy anything else within reach of our great nation.
I sure wish people would get their facts right. Yes, the F1-11 was a good plane. BUT, to believe that it is superior as a weapons platform to the Boeing Super Hornet, is just crazzy. The Super Hornet is a suburb kick-ass all weather fighter/STRIKE machine. It has capabilities the F111 will never dream of having - not to mention the advanced weapons it will be firing!
The facts are that the Hornet is much slower, carries less weapons and has a shorter range than the F1-11, not to mention it cant fly nearly as high. It will not replace the strike capability of the F1-11 as it was claimed it would. It will need refuelling to conduct missions that unrefuelled F1-11's could do. This makes both them and the tanker vulnerable to attack. Lose the tanker and lose all empty fighters. Stupid stupid purchase.
The SuperHornet has a superior strike capability to the F111 hence it is replacing it! The SuperHornet carries a whole new generation of high-tech weapons - why drop 10 bombs when 1 will do the job? Speed is relative - the SuperHornet does not exactly move at a snails pace - most air combat in fact happens at SUB-sonic speeds. The superhornet takes air to ground and air-to-air operations to a whole new level for Australia, not to mention the possibility of Growler upgrades to come!
"The SuperHornet has a superior strike capability......"
2/3 the range and 2/3 the weapons load = 1/2 the capability.
"why drop 10 bombs when 1 will do the job?"
Dont post nonsense.
" Speed is relative - ..."
The SH can't run from a fight. It is about 600 km/h slower than the SU30.
Do some real research ( ie. not Boeing press releases ) The SH was rejected by the US Navy in 1990 and was only reconsidered after the A12 was cancelled and the USN needed a replacement fast.
As arguing with a fool is pointless. I will make a FINAL comment on this matter.
Range and weapons load - see comment below.
The SH will have stand off, state of the art weaponary. Obviously you do not understand - Airforces these days drop A smart bomb(s) to destroy a target - not dozens of dumbs bombs hoping to destroy a target - the only nonesense are your ill-informed posts.
Big kids like you have a fascination with old Russian technology.
Get this straight - F1-11's drop smart bombs. The F1-11 carries more smart bombs further and faster. I dont mind replacing the F1-11, but the SH was the wrong choice. F-15's would do a far superior all round job.
Old Russian technology? Get informed.
Have a look at ausairpower. net. The SH versus Flanker and JSF F-35 pages. The F1-11 and latest Sukhois easily outclass the SH every time.
If you think the Pig only delivers dumb bombs then you know less than I gave you credit for.
1. The Sukhois you want to buy don't even come close to the JSF. The hit from the ASRAAMs will be the first time the Sukhois will even know that a JSF is around. 2. The SH would utterly destroy an F111 in air-to-air combat and can out strike it in total mission management - s#it man, the 111 is a 1950's program - the SH is a generation 4.5 aircraft, there is no comparrison in TOTAL capability - THE END!
no its really the hollies not sure creedence sang that one, australia is to replace the f111 with the super hornet, thanks for watching im off to fly my RC aircraft.
Replace the best strike aircraft in the world with a toy you mean? Or in the case of the F-35 JSF (whenever they can get it to work) a overpriced white elephant. We could have gone with the Mirage, Eurofighter Typhoon or dare I say the Sukhoi-35 MKM?? What were these idiots thinking?? The JSF is a "Lite" version of the US version...some allies huh??
Lets face it mate the F111 as great as it is was past its use by date. But instead of replacing it with the super hornet they should have gone with the F117a stealth bomber.
But instead of replacing it with the super hornet they should have gone with the F117a stealth bomber. Given the the US is phasing out the nighthawk I dont think that would be a wise aquisistion really?? The new Russian S-300 SAM and TOR-M1 will eat up the 117's as the earlier version was responsible for shooting down a 117 in serbia during the Balkans war.
IF!! we could afford a squadron, the F-22 would be the way to go but!! And even if we could afford them the US our great ally would probabaly not sell them to us. They are after all only letting us have the less stealty version of the JSF. The Eurofighter Typhoon would be a better choice that the JSF.
We can afford the F22. It would be only slightly more expensive than the F35 if we ordered them. Especially at the rate the F35 is climbing by the day. I agree with you though, piss the JSF off and get the Raptor. Even better,get 75 F22's and 25 F35B's STOVL for our new Air Warfare Destroyers. Now we're talking.
Large aircraft carriers are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Modern warfare and the ability to place your aircraft in friendly countries is a lot easier and a lot cheaper when required. Big aircraft carriers are also becoming easier targets. Just ask the Yanks about the Collins Class that kept nabbing the USS Enterprise in exercise off Hawaii. They couldn't do anything to stop it. AWD's are fast, small and can be defended alot easier. Perfect for our requirements.
Enterprise is nearly 50 years old so thats hardly surprising. Now if a Collins class sub could do that to the new Gerald R Ford class, or even a Nimitz class (Enterprise is an Enterprise class, the one before Nimitz) that would be truly frightening.
Well I hope you're sitting down mate. Cos they have. Shits the Yanks no end. Collins are silent. Crew are well trained. You're stuffed if one comes after you.
Shame is too nice an insult for Brendan, moron, kneejerk twit thank god he is no longer leader of the opposition. Conned by boeing because of an accident in a hanger (not an aircraft problem at all) Im sure he thought defence was the the thing with degate in it. Even labor thought it was a stupid decision but brendan had already stuffed it.
what a horny bird
gta427 1 week ago
I grew up loving this jet, so bloody amazing to hear one on a low pass
Parag0n 1 month ago
We should of replaced it with an aircraft with atleast the same type of performance if not better ! And it should be an Australian designed and built ! We shouldn't buy crap from any other country !
MrRules303 4 months ago
@MrRules303 please don't make any decision on Australia's air power anytime soon, kthxbai
mjh012 3 months ago
We should have at least replaced the F-111 with other modern day bombers, such as the F-15, or B-1B Lancer (Expensive, but it would be worth it)
j0noStrIk3r 4 months ago
good tubeing vid
but f111 was a fail in my eyes ...15 minets in the air ....8 year in maintancesi LOVE even wile being junked they anoying have to be keep vertical with inn a singel degree ill hit like in torment
starionnsw 5 months ago
@starionnsw oh all so dosee any one know the f 18 s - h equal ruassin plain that throu thuster above the wing to the side for very, shot, t,a,o.l v,s,t,o,a,l, ...
? link me to the f18 that landed in adelaied with the unconcise pilot
starionnsw 5 months ago
@starionnsw ......
What?
In english please?
Antifaith29 5 months ago
All that electronics in the Super Slug could have been added to the pig - but unfortunately you cant add range/payload/speed to the Slug. The thing will run out of gas before it even gets to the fight. And if it gets there, its too slow to get away from the baddies.
splintamike 5 months ago
To see those 11 F111's flying in formation is truly inspiring
kevinherbert 6 months ago
Did anybody else notice that great big gouge and scratch mark just behind the b/n's position? Shame, shame, they shouldn't let a beautiful sexy girl go around looking like that!
What a fantastic aircraft, certainly one of the best ever made.
jamcrane3 6 months ago
Nice video!!! And an extra special thanks for NOT posting this set to that silly overrated song "Danger Zone" from the movie Top Gun. Sorry but I hate that movie!
ryanspeed 6 months ago
Simple Facts, The Super Hornet can barely go a third of the range of an F111, cant carry a thrd of the payload of an F111 and deos a third of the speed of an F111. The retirement of the F111 was a political act by PAUL Dibb inside Dept of Defence.. a man who been trying to get rid Australia of the stirke range capability for Australia as he is anti American
7nordic 7 months ago
The last of the Big Fighters. Gone now, but never forgotten!
I love the in-cockpit shot of the coastline skirting. Actually, the whole plane was awesome. Farewell F-111...
JJHS1977 7 months ago
whats a hollie?
Russ07 8 months ago
@Russ07 The Hollies were a british band from the 60,70 80's and sing the accompaning song to my tribute "long cool woman in a black dress"
Mark
pusserswar 8 months ago
What an awesome piece of machinery!! Gives me goosebumps every time I see it. Thanks for a great tribute. It will be missed :(
gnh53 1 year ago 4
@gnh53 Hey, thanks mate, yeah she was a beauty, I was lucky enough to watch them in their glory day's of real low level attacks on the Destroyers I served on, there was nothing like it.
Mark
pusserswar 1 year ago
A great loss for Australia and its long rang defence, its been replaced by the F18 super hornet until we get those useless single engine F35 due for delivery in 2020 then the super hornet will be withdrawn. How is that Lockheed Martin and the Australian Government have allowed a 15 year gap from production to delivery. By the time we get the F35 it will be out of date and useless.
I sad day for Australia and its Defence
sthncross 1 year ago
Officially Retired Yesterday, Now for the Museum? Vale F111.
pusserswar 1 year ago 2
to be honest i think their making a huge mistake... the f-111 meant a a hell of alot to brisbane. If anything the f-111 should be known as the spirit of brisbane. And for so many years I dreamed of being a fighter pilot for the F-111 to perform the dump 'n' burn over brisbane for riverfire. But ill never get to because the government has taken them away. And its not because its old technology. how about we spend the money on UPgrading these machines to KEEP THE SPIRIT ALIVE!
rikimaru517 1 year ago
@rikimaru517 It's much more cost effective to purchase new airplanes than to maintain forty year old ones. That and the fact that over four decades metal fatigue can strike at any time no matter the level of maintenance so it's the prudent thing to do. And yes, compared to an F-18SH, an F-111 is woefully outdated I'm afraid.
tripleheshy 10 months ago
@tripleheshy theres only one thing that confuses me though... Im 19 now.. but i remember the day i wanted to be a fighter pilot was the day i saw 2 F-111's flying at low altitude on the sunshine coast beaches practicing dogfighting. I was 2 years old and perhaps the best memory ever as a child. Now when they flew past, i remember seeing the pilots in their seats. and the colour of the f-111's were camoflage... that means they still had the F-111 E at amberley.... not the C model.
rikimaru517 10 months ago
@rikimaru517 Fair point. No wuckin' furries though my friend, the super hornet is a ball buster of the highest order so enjoy the noise it's glorious!!
tripleheshy 10 months ago
Bugger the super hornet, F35 leaves em all for dead.Watchout Indonesia or Tasmania for that matter.
rapide89b 1 year ago
@rapide89b lol Tasmania? Tasmania? I guess they let the Tasmanian Tiger go extinct, that could maybe warrant an airstrike O_o
Wolfmoss1 1 year ago
The SH leaves the '60's era F111 for dead! Welcome to a state-of-the-art aircraft, fully networked for three dimensional battlespace, this plane can LITERALLY fight and attack at the SAME time! Add to this new weapons platform the soon to come enhanced air-to-air refulling KC30's and stand-off weaponary and the RAAF heads to a complete new level of capability.
mmmail1969 1 year ago
@mmmail1969 hope you liked the music.
pusserswar 1 year ago 2
@mmmail1969 Not to mention Wedgetail and its link 16. SH's AESA even improves Hornet capability with datalink transfer of information. A true force multiplier. The F-111 was blind and deaf in this environment more or less.
MudRat02 1 year ago
@mmmail1969
Lets be a little bit accurate, Yes F-111 saw her day and moves into history of aviation proudly. The SH is a great stop gap capability that shits on its little five minute flier brother the classic hornet. It must be recognised that the F-111 went out with a number of capabilities unanswered by its temporary replacement the SH.
sparkskc30 6 months ago
'twas such a beautiful bird
nv1860 1 year ago
Supurb musical accompanyment.
falcon2160 1 year ago
Ty to Aus tropps ty
Semps02 1 year ago
whats a hollie?
Russ07 1 year ago
Again, I wish people would get their facts right, to suggest the F111 (an impressive aircraft for its time) is equal or better in combat to the Super Hornet is just madness. The Super Hornet is a cut above and beyond!
mmmail1969 1 year ago
@mmmail1969 Wow the "super hornet is a cut above and beyond" the latest variants of the MIG or even the F 22 raptor. You need to have a lie down brother and maybe a sip of cool water
dalmanation 1 year ago
Yeah, the only thing the state-of-the-art SH has over the 60's era F111 is Everything! You jump in an F111, I'll jump in a SH and we'll see which one of us comes back! LOL.
mmmail1969 1 year ago
@mmmail1969 Well the F111 has superior loiter time due to greater fuel reserves and can turn and burn and outrun the SH so I guess the guys in the F111 would be safe and could effect their bombing run while the SH was returning to refuel on land or in air. Laugh all you want laughing boy. The SH pilots would go home having unsuccessfully defended their home turf.
dalmanation 1 year ago
@mmmail1969
As has been said the problem is that they arnt a direct competitor. The big benifit with the F111 is that they could reach Indonesia which is a big threat to them and stopped them doing anything stupid.
chrisdef15 1 year ago
@mmmail1969 No one is saying the F111 is a competitor to the super hornet. Tip the argument around is what you initially started with....ie that super hornet is a replacement for the F111....it isn't. Have a good read of what renault8gordini states so succinctly and accurately why the super hornet is no real replacement for the F111
dalmanation 1 year ago 6
@dalmanation Hey! Same thing with the A-4s. Nothing on a carrier can carry that much on such a small wing and with that agility!
ryanlim2002 9 months ago
The F111 replacement, FA18 Super hornet arrive at Amberly today PM, the start of a new era.
pusserswar 1 year ago
@pusserswar
Is the FA18 a replacement for the F111? Has it got the range? Has it got the lifting capacity?
We're in Australia, our potential regional rivals don't have great airforces. This means that we don't need much to attain air superiority, what we need instead is the ability to hit hard and far to hopefully even up a fight for our small number of ground forces.
I really don't understand this decision. My best guess is that the Yanks have given the order and we've jumped to obey.
tangent272 1 year ago
F111 being retired from RAAF service with no replacement.
ColdWarWarriors 1 year ago
Yeh, it will be replaced with the Super Hornet.
pusserswar 1 year ago
Super Hornet nor the JSF will ever be a replacement for the MIGHTY Pig !!!!!!!!!!!!!
a8127 1 year ago 2
@pusserswar No that's not the replacement, that's the interim placeholder while the replacement is finished.
What is the role of the F-111?
Long-range bombing and interdiction onto Indonesian peninsula.
Can the FA18 fly to Indonesia from their bases without mid-air refueling from US based tankers?
No.
mryellow123 1 year ago
@ColdWarWarriors I think what you mean is the F111 will have no replacement with similar range, payload, outstanding strike record or ability to outrun a foe......yeah you are right it isn't being replaced!
dalmanation 1 year ago
December 2&3 is the day they retire
fsx737200 2 years ago
Yeh I think your right, a friend of my daughters works on the engines he was saying they spend 180 hrs maintenance for 1hr flying and they finish in december as he moving to the Super Hornet, cheers
Mark
pusserswar 2 years ago
was my dream to fly one of these since I was 6!!! still love em tho, so graceful
FBK289 2 years ago
they r already retired
alip2310 2 years ago
u sure there was one flying in brisy for aust day, but i know its soon
Mark
pusserswar 2 years ago
mark?
alip2310 2 years ago
my first name
pusserswar 2 years ago
ah.
alip2310 2 years ago
@alip2310 there not retired yet
fsx737200 2 years ago
excellent vid/ music good choice!!!The VARK is a class act lady serving from 1967 til now.I knew the original C.O. who took her to Vietnam .Straight line no combat a/c was faster or more accurate when pavetack came along.TAC/SAC/ RAAF was lucky to have her in all variants.Lean and mean she earned a silent respect for all who cared for her and hatred by the enemies of our countries F-111's 4 - EVER!!!!
f111stick 2 years ago
I wish people would get their facts right. The F111 was a very good plane for its day....but it is no match for a Super Hornet or JSF.
mmmail1969 2 years ago
Your dead right.
pusserswar 2 years ago
The F-111 can out match the hornets and JSF (estimated specs) without breaking a sweat. None of those aircraft come close to matching the payload, ceiling or speed with the super hornet and JSF matching it's range when empty. (As per wikipedia and ADF website). Gettingrid of the F-111 because of cost of keeping the aircraft flying due to age.
uncolindsell 2 years ago
th pig can only outclass them in speed&range.that counts for fk all in these days of a/a refuel and standoff weapons.stop learning ur 'facts' of a fkn website. get out an learn em.. long live th PIG
goop352 2 years ago
Can carry the same weapons and more of them and is able to a/a refuel as well... Where are you going with that?
uncolindsell 2 years ago
Great vid. What are you Skippy's replacing the F111 with? Raptors? Or you can buy back our A4's we bought from your Navy in the '80's. LOL.
Tones303 2 years ago
Ahh the old A4 love that aircraft, yea you guys brought them then leased them back to us as I remember doing AA tracking runs in the early ninties of Jervis Bay NSW and when they use to fly off the Melbourne and we were RESDES for them, I think there in storage in your land of the long white cloud somewhere for sale.
Cheers Mark
pusserswar 2 years ago
Greatest strike bomber ever made, second to none, and to totally retire this machine when nothing can beat it for application purposes IS CRAZY
rolandhornick 2 years ago
thats right...Brendon Nelson should have been hung for his "mis-informed" idiotic stupid decision
joee75 2 years ago
oh man these things are ridiculously loud.
calisaetia 2 years ago
I have always been fascinated with this airplane, for so many reasons. For example, the sense of camaraderie between the pilot and the b/n just has to be greater in this side by side arrangement.
And the combination of sheer power and speed and muscularity and size and agility, along with the sleek and graceful lines of this plane just leave her second to none.
The footage of that coastline run looking out over that huge dashboard fucks me up every time!
jamcrane3 2 years ago
I'm in love with the navigator-bombardier. She's hot. I've always had a thing for women in uniform.
I'll bet that woman can drop thousands of pounds of HE and hot jagged steel on a bunch of motherfuckers and then go home and sleep like a baby.
jamcrane3 2 years ago
There's an Australian band from the 70's called Skyhooks they had a great song called Women in Uniform you should check it out on I tunes.
pusserswar 2 years ago
I like it!
jamcrane3 2 years ago
great stuff, go the f1 11s
shlongmire 2 years ago
Don't be too sad, you might be able to get your paws on one =D
dableutyef 2 years ago
it sucks how they have to retire
AUSSIEBOY95 2 years ago
OMG SIF F111 RETIRE IN 2010 there my fav aircraft
4tw4tw4tw 2 years ago
Farewell F-111 you have done us proud and will never truly be replaced.
AussieDreamChaser 2 years ago 12
Did the Australian AF fly the F-111 in Desert Storm?
jacodenn 2 years ago
No mate, I dont think the RAAF was involved in Desert Sheild or Storm 90/91 but I think a Hornet Sqn flew in the second war over Iraq which ended the mother of all dictators.
pusserswar 2 years ago
This big beautiful bad ass sexy airplane and this classic rock'n'roll song pair up perfectly!
Great video! I think I'm gonna cry.
jamcrane3 2 years ago 3
Great plane,seen many in my time as an Army Aircrewman, one Aircraft i will sadly miss, even if i never served or flew with the guys, great to see flying and doing the job it was built to do, one of the worlds truly great planes. Some awesome points also made in the last couple posts.
skid495 2 years ago
Thanks mate, I'm ex RAN 20yrs worked in ASW my Dad was with 183&161 recce flts in New Guinea and Vietnam Bob Matthews Wo2 any way it will be sad when the F111 finally pays off saw some great flying when they did AA tracking runs on our destroyers over the years.
All the best. Mark
pusserswar 2 years ago
see the discussion re the Australian requirement on F18 versus F111. We need the range. It mentions the SU30 the 11 has a 1000klm (on internal tanks)greater range and is faster. Read a little more about what would happen for example if F18s were used in an Indonesian scenario compared to an F111 even now. I think the SH is a bad choice as replacement not that it is a bad aircraft
peterogr 2 years ago
yea a great plane but goverments are all about cost the 111 is still awsome but its cost!!!! nearly all fighter/bombers today euro or ruski or US perform pretty much the same but its not winning the unwinable, ithe indons have more worries holding it together than any threat to us
pusserswar 2 years ago
you got a point about the indos, we are about to spend 2.4billion on a temp replacement. I think we could keep em flying on that till, (I hope) we get the stretch F22 which may be real replacement. Saw a fig of 6 billion total not including the JSF, I could be wrong on that one. Added to that there are serious imcompatibility issues with our present hornets and the super hornets. Check the stats tho on range payload speed for what we now class fighter/bombers. Im flogging a dead F111 I guess.
peterogr 2 years ago
No just time and money are against them
pusserswar 2 years ago
Comment removed
peterogr 2 years ago
In Desert Storm, F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, making it 47% more capable than the next leading strike aircraft.[22] The small 66-plane F-111F force was credited with 1,500 kills of Iraqi tanks and other mechanized vehicles. The F-111F was the only Desert Storm aircraft to deliver the GBU-15 and the 5,000-pound laser-guided, penetrating GBU-28.
peterogr 3 years ago
I was there last year, I miss working with those jets. Long live the PIG! Good wheels up footage too, better being there tho, the sound of airframe scraping down the runway and seeing aircrew running like girlymen is a crackup.
Trendywun 3 years ago
Comment removed
Trendywun 3 years ago
Fucking AWESOME video!! I say replace the good 'ol PIG with the yanks old F14 Tomcats, very well suited to our continent and still unbeatable!
indiancrapolis 3 years ago
Yes, because they are still around...
HotelBushranger 3 years ago
A Sukhoi 30 with western avionics and weapons would probably suit Oz needs perfectly,and be a far better (and far cheaper) replacement for the F111. I reckon the first time an Australian F18 suckers hornet has to go up against a Sukhoi it should have Brendan Nelson strapped to it.
RevJerryFalwell 3 years ago
I agree, an Su 27 would eat these things alive. RAAF have kept them in service far to long and now they are plagued with maintenance problems. They should of been retired 10 years ago.
ColdWarWarriors 3 years ago
ColdWarWarriors
The F111 should be kept in service until 2020, we own all the spares we need to keep them flying until then. They have long range are fast and carry a heavy weapons load. They are not falling apart either. I meant that the Sukhoi would do a far better job than the Super Hornet at replacing a bomber with a multirole fighter/bomber. I realise the political impossibility of buying Sukhois, and that Rudd couldn't cancel the Super Hornet order without American political tension.
RevJerryFalwell 3 years ago
Reverand
I agree that the Sukhoi is a politically impossible purchase for Australia, even though it would be the correct one, the Super Hornet is an interim aircraft until the arrival of the F35 JSF, an aircraft that has limited stealth, limited payload and limited range and zero stealth once ordanance and external fuel tanks are attached underneath the wings.
The Su34 would of been Australias best bet with long range and Maritime attack capability to replace the F111.
ColdWarWarriors 3 years ago
Bullshit, while the Su34 may be a nice flyer the Russian tech support for these units is utter garbage, we would have been far better off purchasing the old Tomcat from the US, very well suited to our continent & still destroy anything else within reach of our great nation.
indiancrapolis 3 years ago
I sure wish people would get their facts right. Yes, the F1-11 was a good plane. BUT, to believe that it is superior as a weapons platform to the Boeing Super Hornet, is just crazzy. The Super Hornet is a suburb kick-ass all weather fighter/STRIKE machine. It has capabilities the F111 will never dream of having - not to mention the advanced weapons it will be firing!
mmmail1969 3 years ago
mmmail1969.
The facts are that the Hornet is much slower, carries less weapons and has a shorter range than the F1-11, not to mention it cant fly nearly as high. It will not replace the strike capability of the F1-11 as it was claimed it would. It will need refuelling to conduct missions that unrefuelled F1-11's could do. This makes both them and the tanker vulnerable to attack. Lose the tanker and lose all empty fighters. Stupid stupid purchase.
RevJerryFalwell 3 years ago
The SuperHornet has a superior strike capability to the F111 hence it is replacing it! The SuperHornet carries a whole new generation of high-tech weapons - why drop 10 bombs when 1 will do the job? Speed is relative - the SuperHornet does not exactly move at a snails pace - most air combat in fact happens at SUB-sonic speeds. The superhornet takes air to ground and air-to-air operations to a whole new level for Australia, not to mention the possibility of Growler upgrades to come!
mmmail1969 3 years ago
"The SuperHornet has a superior strike capability......"
2/3 the range and 2/3 the weapons load = 1/2 the capability.
"why drop 10 bombs when 1 will do the job?"
Dont post nonsense.
" Speed is relative - ..."
The SH can't run from a fight. It is about 600 km/h slower than the SU30.
Do some real research ( ie. not Boeing press releases ) The SH was rejected by the US Navy in 1990 and was only reconsidered after the A12 was cancelled and the USN needed a replacement fast.
RevJerryFalwell 3 years ago
As arguing with a fool is pointless. I will make a FINAL comment on this matter.
Range and weapons load - see comment below.
The SH will have stand off, state of the art weaponary. Obviously you do not understand - Airforces these days drop A smart bomb(s) to destroy a target - not dozens of dumbs bombs hoping to destroy a target - the only nonesense are your ill-informed posts.
Big kids like you have a fascination with old Russian technology.
mmmail1969 3 years ago
Get this straight - F1-11's drop smart bombs. The F1-11 carries more smart bombs further and faster. I dont mind replacing the F1-11, but the SH was the wrong choice. F-15's would do a far superior all round job.
Old Russian technology? Get informed.
Have a look at ausairpower. net. The SH versus Flanker and JSF F-35 pages. The F1-11 and latest Sukhois easily outclass the SH every time.
If you think the Pig only delivers dumb bombs then you know less than I gave you credit for.
RevJerryFalwell 3 years ago
1. The Sukhois you want to buy don't even come close to the JSF. The hit from the ASRAAMs will be the first time the Sukhois will even know that a JSF is around. 2. The SH would utterly destroy an F111 in air-to-air combat and can out strike it in total mission management - s#it man, the 111 is a 1950's program - the SH is a generation 4.5 aircraft, there is no comparrison in TOTAL capability - THE END!
mmmail1969 2 years ago
You think the F1-11 only delivers dumb bombs. You clearly dont know what you are talking about.
RevJerryFalwell 2 years ago
Agreed
peterogr 2 years ago
Comment removed
peterogr 2 years ago
Hollies?? Sure sounds like John Fogerty (Creedence) to me??? Pigs, best strike aircraft on the planet period.
OdinsHenchman 3 years ago
no its really the hollies not sure creedence sang that one, australia is to replace the f111 with the super hornet, thanks for watching im off to fly my RC aircraft.
pusserswar 3 years ago
Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress??
Replace the best strike aircraft in the world with a toy you mean? Or in the case of the F-35 JSF (whenever they can get it to work) a overpriced white elephant. We could have gone with the Mirage, Eurofighter Typhoon or dare I say the Sukhoi-35 MKM?? What were these idiots thinking?? The JSF is a "Lite" version of the US version...some allies huh??
OdinsHenchman 3 years ago
shame on you Brendan Neilson for killing off the best air defence a country could ever have, long live the F111
joee75 3 years ago
Lets face it mate the F111 as great as it is was past its use by date. But instead of replacing it with the super hornet they should have gone with the F117a stealth bomber.
bigaussie68 3 years ago
But instead of replacing it with the super hornet they should have gone with the F117a stealth bomber. Given the the US is phasing out the nighthawk I dont think that would be a wise aquisistion really?? The new Russian S-300 SAM and TOR-M1 will eat up the 117's as the earlier version was responsible for shooting down a 117 in serbia during the Balkans war.
OdinsHenchman 3 years ago
IF!! we could afford a squadron, the F-22 would be the way to go but!! And even if we could afford them the US our great ally would probabaly not sell them to us. They are after all only letting us have the less stealty version of the JSF. The Eurofighter Typhoon would be a better choice that the JSF.
OdinsHenchman 3 years ago
We can afford the F22. It would be only slightly more expensive than the F35 if we ordered them. Especially at the rate the F35 is climbing by the day. I agree with you though, piss the JSF off and get the Raptor. Even better,get 75 F22's and 25 F35B's STOVL for our new Air Warfare Destroyers. Now we're talking.
smeary10 3 years ago
Good idea but instead of going for AWDs why don't we build ourselves an aircraft carrier like we used to have.
bigaussie68 3 years ago
Large aircraft carriers are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Modern warfare and the ability to place your aircraft in friendly countries is a lot easier and a lot cheaper when required. Big aircraft carriers are also becoming easier targets. Just ask the Yanks about the Collins Class that kept nabbing the USS Enterprise in exercise off Hawaii. They couldn't do anything to stop it. AWD's are fast, small and can be defended alot easier. Perfect for our requirements.
smeary10 3 years ago
Enterprise is nearly 50 years old so thats hardly surprising. Now if a Collins class sub could do that to the new Gerald R Ford class, or even a Nimitz class (Enterprise is an Enterprise class, the one before Nimitz) that would be truly frightening.
bigaussie68 3 years ago
Well I hope you're sitting down mate. Cos they have. Shits the Yanks no end. Collins are silent. Crew are well trained. You're stuffed if one comes after you.
smeary10 3 years ago
Shame is too nice an insult for Brendan, moron, kneejerk twit thank god he is no longer leader of the opposition. Conned by boeing because of an accident in a hanger (not an aircraft problem at all) Im sure he thought defence was the the thing with degate in it. Even labor thought it was a stupid decision but brendan had already stuffed it.
peterogr 3 years ago
Agreed to both.
peterogr 3 years ago
AWESOME
Tomtheflyboy 3 years ago
mmm i dont like these new graphics fs12 sucks stick with fs9 matey
staviation 3 years ago
Huh ?
pusserswar 3 years ago
could`nt have said it better myself!
babuzzard 3 years ago
that was sick bro
alkamos 4 years ago
thanks
pusserswar 4 years ago
awsome video!
mitchbarker 4 years ago