F111 baby!!!!!!!!

[butterygrape]

@liskone1 not even, the air force intended the A-10 to be america's version of the Su-25. F-111s have a completely different role(s). close air support is not one of them, like your beloved Su-25.

[aseelalbadrani1]

wonderful



[bajacore]

My grandpa flew both the RF-101 and the F-111 during Vietnam. He has a news article stating his 111 was the last plane to leave Hanoi aport at the end of the war. I hope my AF career is as decorated and well served as his was.

[duster0066]

The jet was never meant to be a fighter at least not in the original USAF specifications, and the Navy never wanted it. It was intended as a replacement for the F-105. It was McNamara who stuck his nose in the project and figured if you can make a Mustang out of a Falcon you could make one airplane to do all missions. The results were compromises that hindered the development of the jet, and it never did perform as the fleet defense fighter the Navy needed. POS until it flew.

[F3rgo666]

Long live Amberley's Pigs.. you are already missed :(

[liskone1]

это копия СУ-25...неудачная,видимо..

[splintamike]

These are all Australian F111s, and the footage is all from South East Queensland where they were based.  I recognise it because I was born there ;-)

The F111 always looked like it was just casually and lazily poking along, but all the while it was doing 600 knots!

[treeape69]

i worked on the f-111 A at mountain home afb in the early 80"s at that time they were taking the a models and turning them into EF 111's. the f111 was one of the best jets the usaf had!sure wish they were still in service!

[kunzite21]

@treeape69

i helped retire the EF-111A's at Cannon AFB in 98 i so miss them loved working on them best jet ever

[MrProstokepka]

R they australian?

[t1000eg]

aardvarks for ever

[mfwic22]

In combat in SEA the F111 over North Vietnam flew missions at night in the bad weather or not at about 480 Kts. typically below 500 ft agl (above ground level).In the early 70s the migs of North Vietnam had no capability to do get down to that altitude in the weather at night and find or catch an F111.

[wendi978]

Crewed the varks (A and F) during my time at Mtn Home AFB, ID..'76 to '86. One HELL of a machine!

[F111C4EVER]

What more can I say than.......

[MarkJSau]

@tripleheshy how do you spell "bullshit"? Please let us know the shot-down statistics of the F-111. The USSR hated this aeroplane precisely because of its low-altitude supersonic capability. Its continued presence at USAF bases in the UK was for a long time a block on disarmament talks

[jazz148]

did scrubber white fly F-111's??

[MAF152SEB]

its sad to see them go and the crappy old super hornet replacing them but even worse australia is bringing in the F-35 there have been so many prblems with this plane when america has been building it imagine the maintanance cost if somthing goes wrong on that peice of shit. ( this is just my view it may be different people but anyone who loves the F-111 will argree with me

[336kgf]

@MAF152SEB The problem with the F-35 is the engine that is being put in it. There is a big fight right now to have GE put their engine in instead of Pratt and Whitney. If you ask me, GE does a better job with those engines. It's in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

[336kgf]

@MAF152SEB The Super Hornet can do a hell of a lot more than the F-111 can, and I am a big time F-111 fan. The Hornet can drop a bomb in air to ground mode and switch over in air to air at the same time. No other plane can do that to my knowledge.

[NISSGQ92]

@336kgf ???? not true that all i'll say

[Sasquatch279]

@336kgf thats about the only advantage if you could call it one over the F-111 it has... the super hornet lacks range,payload and top speed.

[336kgf]

@Sasquatch279 It's also a hell of a lot cheaper when it comes to maintenance costs. 

[Sasquatch279]

@336kgf yeah and more intergratable with out F/A-18A/B models too but still i think the F-111 is a much better strike platform. its just at this moment there isnt anything else that could really replace it, the F-15 strike eagle doesnt perform well with its nose in the dirt and will probably be obsolete within 10 years and also would cost alot intergrating it into the RAAF. when we get all our tankers and the full combat capable F-35's our air force will be very strong again.

[blackburnbuccaneer]

@336kgf Check your facts, there are a whole host of 4/4.5 gen fighters that are swing role(Saab Gripen, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15E and other variants) to name a few.

[336kgf]

@blackburnbuccaneer Did you read what I was typing? I was comparing the Super Hornet to the F-111. I KNOW there are other planes with that capability.

[blackburnbuccaneer]

@336kgf "The Hornet can drop a bomb in air to ground mode and switch over in air to air at the same time. No other plane can do that to my knowledge." This has nothing to do with any comparison, as I think that both the F-111 and F-14 were more capable then the aircraft which ulramately replaced them, it is just the fact that you say that no fast jet other than the F/A-18E/F has a swing role capability.

[lufc77]

Avalon airshow AU 2011, no F111, not the same.

[joodmcg]

great piece of kit.

[monjon868]

they used to make me shit myself as a kid in the 80s while fishing near the cherry venture wreck (one in the video) as they were at 100 feet or less(low enough to see the pilot) over the water to get under the radar and you could not here them coming until they were ontop of youdue to the surf pounding. then they would hook through "the blow" at double island piont and along rainbow beach I would presume to go to the boming range at tin can bay.very sad to see them retire.

[336kgf]

This is the plane the Russians were most afraid of, because it could travel at very low altitudes at extremely high speeds.

[tripleheshy]

@336kgf The Russians also shot down a helluva lot of them. If I would have been in Vietnam I know I would've been screaming for an F-4 and not this thing. I have my uncle Mike alive and well here with me today and his testimony about the F-111 is anything but stellar. They called them (F-111's) "Mig Mice" because they were a favorite prey item of Mig 21's like rattlesnakes hunting mice.

[336kgf]

@tripleheshy It really is too bad that they couldn't make it more of a dogfighting machine instead of a low level tactical bomber. I guess the USAF wanted a plane that could do what the A-6 could do, only at much higher speeds. If your uncle Mike has an opinion on that, by all means post it.

[tripleheshy]

@336kgf Your analysis is spot on. He just pointed out to me that his TFW saw alot of them brought down. Needlessly I suppose.

[mfwic22]

@tripleheshy I flew 100 combat missions in SEA in the F111a and not one F111 was shot down by any migs. No mig would come down to our altitude at night in the weather. We heard the calls that they were above us but a mig was never even a concern.

[tripleheshy]

@mfwic22 Was that because they weren't free to engage on their own? I know their tactics were dictated to them 100% by ground control but am unsure whether that had any role. Thanks for your heroic service and glad to have you on this side on the pond and soil.

[tripleheshy]

@BBEEAANN1 Laugh all you want. Apparently you knew the inner workings of Russian/North Vietnamese briefing rooms huh? A delta wing fighter (Mig 21) had little to fear from this airplane and especially not from Mig 17's which were much more lethal at lower altitudes than a Mig 21.

[robin6512]

made in the age that planes still looked good. f111,f4,f104 skyhawk etc etc etc

[77bubba00]

Love this jet! I was an engine mech on the FBs for 10 years. They should have kept this one and dumped the B-1 program, IMO. :)

[MrToecutter1]

I was fishing up in the territory in 2003 and one of you bastards screamed pass at low altitude, scared the hell out of the fish and me! It was one of the best things i;ve seen.

Cheers boys!!!

[TheSparkMonkey]

Baby Killers....Little light under the landing light......if its on, radar is on........no kids for six months....guaranteed.

[77bubba00]

@TheSparkMonkey Yes. That tends to happen. BTW.. I think you were referring to the taxi light. :)

[mikldude]

it is a shame , apparently every last one is going to be destroyed, you would think an aircraft that has served so well would at least have one saved for a museum somewhere would`nt you, do they have something better to replace it?

[unapro3]

@mikldude 2 are going to be gate guards at RAAF bases, two are going to historical orgs, one is Point Cook and the other is HARS, I think? but hey are definately saving 4. The rest are to be scrapped.

[mikldude]

@unapro3 thats great to hear , thanks mate

[chrisjeffsmusic]

sad day yesterday.

[antonyspringer]

Yes today was the end of an era. At least I had the pleasure of seeing them in flight one last time. Let's hope more than a few remain intact for future generations.

[Stover36]

F- One-a-lemon is the shit!!

[mongo5888]

Absolutely fascinating machines. Well built and yet they could still rock and roll if they were in service today. Long live the F-111

[joelizm321]

@mongo5888 They still are in service, Australians use them as a fighter bomber along with their F22 Raptors & super hornets, they are being retired in 2013 but.

[cwhyte09]

@joelizm321 They were retired in December. Great jet. Sad to see the F-111's go. Australia has F/A-18 Super Hornets but we no F-22 Raptor's.

[joelizm321]

@cwhyte09 Ive been told there are 6 or 7still in commission by a relative who is in the RAAF ?, F22 Raptors will be bought into service 2013 & 2014 along with the Now operations super hornets, refer to defense white paper if any doubts.

[cwhyte09]

@joelizm321 Some F-111's are being kept for museum and ground displays (F-111's will no longer fly)

Australia is not acquiring F-22. F-35's are being built for Australia!

[TheIRONMANPRO]

0:59 thats awesome !!

[skipimber]

WAY COOL!!-I WAS A YOUNG SGT WITH THE 523RD TFS "CRUSADERS"-LOOKING BACK..BEST TIME OF MY LIFE-LTC'S PAHL,CORBETT,PERRIGO-TOP NOTCH O'S-DOME,PONY,-GRAMPS,ZORRO(R.­I.P) G-IMBER

[KeeleyDub]

nice video.. shitty music.

[dazza401970]

I was a Aircraft Technician, on F111's at Amberley for 9 years.A wonderful aircraft, 

[dazza401970]

I was a Aircraft Technician, on F111's at Amberley for 9 years.A wonderful aircraft, but a peice of shit to work on.

[TheDudeFrom0Z]

i went to Amberly and got to sit in the cockpit and go in the sim !

[kooim00]

Long live the pig .. it will be a shame to see them retire ...

[gragrn]

Brilliant video!

[jester01570]

There's a place in heaven for this bird. What an awesome machine. I miss it. Mtn. Home 82-86.

[M440XD]

In the 90's the Air Force had radar evasion course in northern Wyoming. We used to have F111's B52's and B1B's regularly. Seeing a F 111 come around a mountain top on one wing is to say the least pretty impressive, but a B1B doing the same is a sight to behold.

[apolloman62285]

these things are sick my dad use to fix these when he was in The Airforce During Nam years At Moutatin Home AFB he worked on these the F-101and the F-4 the US Air Force Decomissioned these Back in 1991 i like the JDAM they intergrated into these things later on.

[bluesuit5]

I remember as a kid, canoeing down the green river in Utah, these bad boys were always flying just above a nats ass buzing through the canyons of Utah, very awsome plane... Go Ardvarks!

[8a83101]

love it......appropriate sounding music too!!!

[zakard114]

Mother of Tomcat

[ThunderAppeal]

The weapon of choice for Ronald Reagan when bombing libya. Superb airplanes.

[AccordGTR]

Sexiest bomber ever made even though it was supposed to be a fighter when it was first concieved

[XxKatieProductionsxX]

Awesomee....

What's the song?

[PickledEel]

The video clip at 0:56 was somewhat controversial in its time ('88 or '89 or thereabouts). At a point when the politicians were making noises about scrapping them a sortie was run against the Defence HQ in Canberra, a building of which is seen in the video. Video released to the press and point made about the accuracy of the aircraft systems. Pete Criss had a hand in that if I recall correctly. "Shep" at 2:35, later Chief of Air Force, then CO 6 SQN.

[F5skyhawk]

strategic bomber

[starstyx]

Eight years in the engine shop at Amberly, and now 737s for Virgin Blue.

Formula One to a Go-Kart.

But Hercs still come first....Sorry guys, Hercs fly in the blood.

[atreewithnolife]

love em , they rock, mean machine !

[MrRRMan03]

I used to get in that right seat for many years. What a ride !!!

[kooim00]

Gotta love the pig !!!!

[DCSNETWORKTV]

Neat Video! I was on F-111s for almost 23 years. I was one of 12 that bedded down the FB111A after leaving Pease AFB NH and a new home at Cannon AFB NM, where they were designated F-111G models. The Aussie's bought 20 of them when the 428th Buccaneer's squadron shut down back in 94. They are going to be retiring the F-111G at the end of 2010. "If your wings don't sweep, you ain't $hit!" :) Long live the history and memories of an AWESOME aircraft that has been combat proven many times over.

[XsteveswansonX]

PEASE A.F.B forever!

[rwasilewski]

we want more of this ;-)

[ulztribe]

I remember in the mid 80's, while hunting in northern N.H., I was near the top of a mountain looking down a steep side into a valley. All of the sudden I heard a faint roar and saw 2 F-111's doing a terrain following run up the valley. I will never forget looking down and seeing the top of the planes as they raced by. Then the noise hit me like a slap in the face. I just stood there in awe for several minutes.

[JetMechMA]

@ulztribe I just stood there in awe for several minutes.

Awesome story. I remember reading about the F-111 when they first came out for the Vietnam war. They were the original terrain following fighter bomber, but they had teething problems. Over glassy smooth water the terrain following radar would go into "memory point" and the plane would drift down into the ocean. OOPS! Same thing happened with B-52s when they began low level flying.

[ulztribe]

@JetMechMA ouch, that would suck. The f-111 came to the spotlight for me when they did that bombing raid in Libya.I read up on what they were capable of and was really impressed. To get to see them in action was awesome. I mean these guys were just above the treetops, and I was maybe 100 ft above them, at around 100 yds away Iwas looking down into thier cockpits and could see thier helmets clearly. I know I'm ranting here but to go for a week up there hunting ,and not hear anything but a bird

[JetMechMA]

@ulztribe

Must have been thrilling to see them in low level action. I got to ride along in my B-52 on low level missions but I've never seen it from the ground perspective. On one flight, after mock straffing a rancher in his pick-up truck near Tonopah NV the co-pilot commented, "This must look awesome from the ground." I always wished I could see a B-52 blast through the low level route. It was the chance of a lifetime to ride along for inflight refueling and low level flying.

[f111stick]

@ulztribe That was the FB-111 the sac version-- nuclear bomber based at PEASE AFB N.H.--closely resembles the Aussie version.They are GREAT jets with a superior history of accuracy and safety.

[hamace]

Awesome story. The first time I ever saw a Jet fighter, was going by Otis AFB in Cape Cod Ma. I was in the back of my step dads pickup, when as we ent by the end of the run way, a squadron of F4s roared over us out to sea. I couldn't sleep for a week, all I wanted was to hear those engines again.

[77bubba00]

@ulztribe Yeah! I remember them sneaking up on everyone during the airshows here in Plattsburgh. They'd come in at about 200 ft AGL and close to mach 1, from behind the hanger and the crowd. I thought some folks were gonna have heart attacks! Of course you can't hear them until they pass... hence the nickname the Laotians gave them during the Vietnam Way.... "Whispering Death".

[kevinherbert]

@ulztribe : MUST HAVE BEEN AMAAAAAAZING...

[ahmednabil]

look at the manuvers while in tight formation!!!

[4eternityy]

wow this looks cool...

[cobboGHS91]

i think its beautiful, if i was a millionaire i would buy one just to have so i could look at it

[evilEKegg]

This bird was sooooooo ahead of its time....thank god we never used it for what it was designed for.

[pestle846]

I had the chance to look inside the cockpit of one of these planes once, and was most impressed. Love the design of this plane, it's Pratt & Whitney TF30 - P103 turbofans, were music to my ears :)

Great video, love the music !!

[goop352]

i work on em.have over 13yrs on em..ur favorite engines have been upgraded long ago..th only part of their original name i could call them now would be a turbofan.they've had so many mods the RAAF are probly now considered the OEM.same as we are with the airframe..

[and31uk]

As a supporter of the F-111 in the early 90's - I have to admit this is the best video I have ever seen glorifying this machine. Thank you to the author.

[ipodok]

now thats what i call...awesome flying!!!

[dithbmine1]

Save out wonderful country////////////////////

[dithbmine1]

Pay obamamammajama a visit...............

[antlandia]

509th Bomb Wing Pease AFB, New Hampshire...OMS crew chief SAC...alert duty in KI Sawyer MI...loads of snow and memories.

[RaelB]

I was the nav systems test engineer on the F-111 AMP program. That was a great system and a great program.

[DBLCC]

474TFW 429TFS Nellis AFB 73'-77' crew chief tail #67-077...guess I'm showing my age. It was a big sexy airplane. We spent many nights sitting in the cockpit listening to Mexican R&R stations.

[jester01570]

I worked on the F-111A '82-'86 at Mtn Home. Awesome machine. I miss them. Great video!

[skillz91745]

I'm sure Lybia was pretty damn impressed with them to 1986.

regards

skillz

[Badboy21thekiller]

is grounded btw in airforce meusuem

[TonyDog360]

In the US maybe, but it still flies as part of the RAAF until retirement in 2010.

[Badboy21thekiller]

i really wish if i m the so called president of the country i wld issue a presidential order 2 purchase all available F111s in the whole earth and modify them 2 last in such a way they can stay on till the next mellenium and wen is offically retired make them as aerodynamic planes 4 Airshows ONLY b4 really making them gronded in the meusuem Permantly

[deccas1391]

I would do that too but I would also put the F-14 in as well

[Badboy21thekiller]

is situations and such sry 4 the error

[Badboy21thekiller]

worse of all some ppl brag abt hw good f22 and jsf 35 is wen is it is not even tat good . among all planes i find the F15 is much better den the raptor and also planes tat could meneuver is at high speed and at steep angles is so much more better like russians jets scuh as migs r built 4 menuver in such a way tat can cross most difficult sitation

[Badboy21thekiller]

why is jsf a big mistake wen f22 shld b ?

[speedyrs09]

11 fighters in formation is an awesome sight :P

[goosed1514]

nice

[junkbx3r]

mark my works, JSF will be a big mistake.

we should (and still could) keep the old pigs flying until 2040.

[sandw321]

that ship reck is that morteon island (tangalooma, on morteon island) or fraser island or something?

[speedyrs09]

that ship wreck is at double island point which is just south of Fraser island

[JimNtexas]

They pay guys to do that!

[raccoonmatinginyour]

Looks so fun :D

[JamStph]

It is good to see these old pigs flying. I was a USAF F-111 CrewChief, and retired a F-111F Squadron, and an EF-111A Squadron. This video just makes me happy to see them still in the air.

[sandw321]

they retire in australia in 2010 for being replaced by the F/A-18 super hornet. mind me the f-111 has a brilliant and only dump and burn i enjoy to watch.

[rosswnelson]

silly move. F-111 is far more versatile than super hornet. Replace a supersonic strike bomber with a pimped fighter. Sort of like when we rented F-4's when the F111s were originally late in the early 70s and they were better than the fighters we had (mirages).

I suspect the 111s airframes are starting to get more and more limits on them though. Tough call as there is nothing in that league now...

[hehh666]

what a cool jet.

[kjsh987]

which song is? sounds awesome

[markfrombriz]

I cant believe were replacing these mighty aircraft with the super hornet,,,, so wrong....

[deathgod646]

thats exactly how i felt when they replaced the f-14

[snubcube]

me too,NO AIRPLANE WILL COMPARE TO THE F14!

[FlightLevelHeaded]

We're not- F-111 is an Air Force aircraft, Super Hornet is Navy. (?)

[markfrombriz]

FlightLevel Headed were talking about the RAAF here in AUSTRALIA, the land down under, not the USAF LOL, we dont have a navy (well sort of) certainly no carriers any more

[FlightLevelHeaded]

Oh-  never mind, then.

[ToiletGreece]

A requirement of a Navy isn't to have carriers. We have quite a strong Navy and it is only going to get stronger.

[theharper1]

There may be newer aircraft, but I still think that the F111 is an awesome flying machine. I've sat in the cockpit of one, but I can only imagine what it would be like to skim the treetops at close to the speed of sound. I've seen them on operations in northern NSW, which is where some of those shots were taken.

[idigstd]

Forget my question, I read it one the second page of comments. Anyways great video!

[idigstd]

where is that rusted ship on the beach located? Any RAAF guys shed some light on it? That would be sick to cruise the beach in something like a -111. Always liked that plane.

[theharper1]

It looks like the wreck of the Cherry Venture which is on the beach between Fraser Island and Noosa (just near Rainbow Beach).

[jodigmail]

Fuck u australian..

[crashtruk1]

U R jealous.

[crashtruk1]

in reply to jodigmail. You are jealous, all you have is F16's. Single engine, unreliable. and those conformal tanks look rediculous. Oh yea Australia saved your ass in WW2. Bloody Singaporians

[TheMyLasT1]

@crashtruk1 excuse me... can u pls kindly do not insult other peoples country.. if its the person fault just insult him not the country and Australia did not save singapore we gained independent as soon as teh atomic bombs drop in JP .. pls insult that guy not his country.. not worth starting war becoz of a guy!

[TheGamezshak]

@TheMyLasT1 lmao..... he wasnt being racist or anything - and yes we did save their asses bitch

[ToiletGreece]

Wait 'till we invade Singapore.

[kunzite21]

I was a Raven keeper back in 96 on the EF-111A at Cannon AFB in the 429ECS. I loved working on this Jet, hated getting moved to the F16 frame

[f111stick]

@kunzite21 -- yeah lawn darts suck... I was there for the last flyover/ retirement- at Cannon --always loved tail 66016- the FIRST F-111A that flew into combat- Col. Ike Dethmans jet in Vietnam , March 25th 1968-- I got to sit in her before they flew her to the boneyard instead of March ARB for display... waaaaaah!!!

[RedtailFox1]

unfortunately the 'pigs' are being retired next year, replaced by the F/A-18F super Hornet after 40 years of service.

[jurgenmanfred]

sweet platform

[selby06]

god the intro lead & rhythm guitars in this music suck so hard

[Rudderthree]

Awesome video! I was fortunate enough to fly the Boneyard Wrangler out of AMARC. Fantastic memories....

[a8127]

U'll be sad to know that the Boneyard Wrangler has now been retired from RAAF service along with all our G models....

[alivewithpassion]

Anytime,Enjoy!

[emimenman]

Raaf Have Still got em I live next one of their bases

[authommo]

Thanks for the video, brings back a memory. The wreaked ship is the (now gone) Cherry Venture on Teewah Beach the Sunshine Coast. They used to do very regular runs up the beach there. I was on the beach one day when two went past in close formation incredibly low  and amazingly fast - completely awesome.

[mitchbarker]

Awsome Video whats the song?

[aviatorfta]

What's the song? This is an awesome vid. Respect to the members of all RAAF SQNs, but 1 & 6 in particular. Beautiful aeroplane.

[xj6001991]

Put together by the 1 & 6 sqn based in Amberley in Qld and it is go to see that "Shorty's" face again.