EF111 from Upper Heyford at RAFL circa 1991. I confess, I did take some pictures inside the ECP. Odd looking jet but pretty darn cool.
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EF111 from Upper Heyford at RAFL circa 1991. I confess, I did take some pictures inside the ECP. Odd looking jet but pretty darn cool.
"The Ardvark" my brother was a Flt Sgt at Amberley for 8 years as an Engine fitter spoke pretty highly of this aircraft told me of one doing @500+ knots I think bombing practice when they suffered a catastrophic bird strike by a Pelican/s that came through the windshield the subsequent ejection of the module killed both crew of the aircraft the module impacting the ground at high speed from a low altitude.
I still reckon the F-111 was very good at its job they have a crew module at the Perth aircraft museum well worth the look, as well you can get really up close and personal to a real Spitfire not the fiberglass copy they have atop a pole outside it is a surprising place as you would not believe what they have crammed into the place.
The F111s flying from Thailand had losses on the way into North Viet Nam for night raids in the early days. I was told at the time that they were flying low level, nap of the earth (NOE) on the inbound legs and it was discovered that there was a accumulative lag in the ground avoidance system that put aircraft into the sides of mountains in Laos.
I remember getting a invitation, back in the late 1980s, to RAF Upper Hayford to attend a "family's day" event that was being held there. If memory serves me correctly tankers were based there at the time and there was also like an inner base where the F111's were located which had very tight security and which the "family's day" most certainly didn't have access to. The inner base had robust looking security fencing and looked literally like a base within a base.
Does anyone remember the F111's party trick, it used to dump fuel and then light the afterburners.. Spectacular trail of fire following on behind.
I was lucky enough to see that a couple of times years ago.
They used to do it when they held the Supercar racing in the street circuit over east very cool.
Wasn't it Upper Heyford's F111's that paid Colonel Gaddafi a night-time visit in the mid 1980's? I remember seeing tankers returning the following morning to, I assume, RAF Fairford.
I remember the RAAF doing it over the Sydney Olympic Stadium. Now I am trying to remember whether it was for the 2000 Olympics or Paralympics (or both) closing ceremony.Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
Yep missed him but think they nailed his son not to sure fuddy duddy memory of an oldie