Book Review of
F-111 Fort Worth Swinger
Historic Military Aircraft Series Vol. 3
Author: Bob Archer
Key Books
ISBN: 978-1-913870-63-8
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-913870-63-8
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production variants of the F-111 had roles that included ground attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabilities), reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, the F-111 entered service in 1967 with the United States Air Force (USAF). The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also ordered the type and began operating the F-111C variant in 1973.
The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production aircraft, including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight. Its design influenced later variable-sweep wing aircraft, and some of its advanced features have since become commonplace. The F-111 suffered a variety of problems during initial development.
A fighter variant, the F-111B, was not accepted for production.
The F-111B was intended to perform aircraft carrier-based roles with the US Navy, including long-range interception.
USAF F-111s were retired during the 1990s with the F-111 Fs in 1996 and EF-111s in 1998. The F-111 was replaced in USAF service by the F-15E Strike Eagle for medium-range precision strike missions, while the supersonic bomber role has been assumed by the B-1B Lancer.
The RAAF continued to operate the type until December 2010, when the last F-111C was retired.
The name Aardvark was derived from perceived similarities of the aircraft to the animal of the same name: a long nose and low-level, terrain-following capabilities. The word aardvark originated in the Afrikaans language, as a contraction of "earth-pig", and this was the source of the F-111's nickname of "Pig", during its Australian service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2
Length: 73 ft 6 in (22.40 m)
Wingspan: 63 ft (19 m)
Swept wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m) swept
Height: 17 ft 1.5 in (5.220 m)
Wing area: 657.4 sq ft (61.07 m2) spread, 525 sq ft (48.8 m2) swept
Aspect ratio: 7.56 spread, 1.95 swept
Airfoil: root: NACA 64-210.68; tip: NACA 64-209.80
Empty weight: 47,200 lb (21,410 kg)
Gross weight: 82,800 lb (37,557 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 100,000 lb (45,359 kg)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0186
Zero-lift drag coefficient area: 9.36 sq ft (0.87 m2)
Aspect ratio: spread:
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-100 afterburning turbofan engines, 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust each dry, 25,100 lbf (112 kN) with afterburner
Maximum speed: 1,434 kn (1,650 mph, 2,656 km/h) at altitude, 795 kn (915 mph; 1,472 km/h) / Mach 1.2 at sea level
Maximum speed: Mach 2.5
Range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km)
Ferry range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km) with external drop tanks
Service ceiling: 66,000 ft (20,000 m)
g limits: +7.33
Rate of climb: 25,890 ft/min (131.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 126 lb/sq ft (620 kg/m2) spread, 158 lb/sq ft (771 kg/m2) wings swept
Thrust/weight: 0.61
Armament:
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon in weapons bay (seldom fitted)
Hardpoints: 9 in total (8× under-wing, 1× under-fuselage between engines) plus 2 attach points in weapons bay with a capacity of 31,500 lb (14,300 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
AGM-69 SRAM thermonuclear air-to-surface missile (FB-111A only)
AGM-130 stand-off bomb
Bombs:
Free-fall general-purpose bombs including Mk 82 (500 lb/227 kg), Mk 83 (1,000 lb/454 kg), Mk 84 (2,000 lb/907 kg), and Mk 117 (750 lb/340 kg)
Cluster bombs
BLU-109 (2,000 lb/907 kg) hardened penetration bomb
Paveway laser-guided bombs, including 2,000 lb (907 kg) GBU-10, 500 lb (227 kg) GBU-12, and 4,800 lb (2,200 kg) GBU-28 penetration bomb
BLU-107 Durandal runway-cratering bomb
GBU-15 electro-optical bomb
B61 or B43 nuclear bombs
THE BOOK:
This book is of soft-cover of 96 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
The cover art shows a color photo of a F-111E, no. 68-0002, in flight, of the 79th TRS wearing colorful nose art & named IMPERIAL WIZARD.
The back cover shows another color photo of 2 F-111’s on an airfield.
The book contains 66 color photos, including the cover arts.
There is a color photo of Maj. John Campbell.
There are 10 chapters in the book on:
A shaky beginning, the F-111A, F-111B & D, F-111E, F-111F, F-111G & Ef-111A, EB-111A, f-111 in foreign service and final days.
Mission hash marks are shown on 2 F-111’s.
Slogans on the side of noses are: LOVE ROLL OF THE DIKE, HEARTBREAKER, ROCK THE CASBAH, JAM MASTER, a black leopard, STRAIGHT FLUSH, YANKEE AIR PIRATE, LET EM’ EAT CROW, YE OLD CROW, SPIRIT OF THE SEA COAST, SPIRIT OF MOUNTAIN HOME, a skull wearing a cowboy hat, an eagle dropping a bomb, JUNE NIGHT, 77TH GAMBLER’S LAST DEAL and a white wolves' head.
Officers and pilots are shown.
There are 7 data lists.
This is a neat book on the F-111’s. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a model of one and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Key Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production variants of the F-111 had roles that included ground attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabilities), reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, the F-111 entered service in 1967 with the United States Air Force (USAF). The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also ordered the type and began operating the F-111C variant in 1973.
The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production aircraft, including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight. Its design influenced later variable-sweep wing aircraft, and some of its advanced features have since become commonplace. The F-111 suffered a variety of problems during initial development.
A fighter variant, the F-111B, was not accepted for production.
The F-111B was intended to perform aircraft carrier-based roles with the US Navy, including long-range interception.
USAF F-111s were retired during the 1990s with the F-111 Fs in 1996 and EF-111s in 1998. The F-111 was replaced in USAF service by the F-15E Strike Eagle for medium-range precision strike missions, while the supersonic bomber role has been assumed by the B-1B Lancer.
The RAAF continued to operate the type until December 2010, when the last F-111C was retired.
The name Aardvark was derived from perceived similarities of the aircraft to the animal of the same name: a long nose and low-level, terrain-following capabilities. The word aardvark originated in the Afrikaans language, as a contraction of "earth-pig", and this was the source of the F-111's nickname of "Pig", during its Australian service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2
Length: 73 ft 6 in (22.40 m)
Wingspan: 63 ft (19 m)
Swept wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m) swept
Height: 17 ft 1.5 in (5.220 m)
Wing area: 657.4 sq ft (61.07 m2) spread, 525 sq ft (48.8 m2) swept
Aspect ratio: 7.56 spread, 1.95 swept
Airfoil: root: NACA 64-210.68; tip: NACA 64-209.80
Empty weight: 47,200 lb (21,410 kg)
Gross weight: 82,800 lb (37,557 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 100,000 lb (45,359 kg)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0186
Zero-lift drag coefficient area: 9.36 sq ft (0.87 m2)
Aspect ratio: spread:
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-100 afterburning turbofan engines, 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust each dry, 25,100 lbf (112 kN) with afterburner
Maximum speed: 1,434 kn (1,650 mph, 2,656 km/h) at altitude, 795 kn (915 mph; 1,472 km/h) / Mach 1.2 at sea level
Maximum speed: Mach 2.5
Range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km)
Ferry range: 3,210 nmi (3,690 mi, 5,940 km) with external drop tanks
Service ceiling: 66,000 ft (20,000 m)
g limits: +7.33
Rate of climb: 25,890 ft/min (131.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 126 lb/sq ft (620 kg/m2) spread, 158 lb/sq ft (771 kg/m2) wings swept
Thrust/weight: 0.61
Armament:
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon in weapons bay (seldom fitted)
Hardpoints: 9 in total (8× under-wing, 1× under-fuselage between engines) plus 2 attach points in weapons bay with a capacity of 31,500 lb (14,300 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
AGM-69 SRAM thermonuclear air-to-surface missile (FB-111A only)
AGM-130 stand-off bomb
Bombs:
Free-fall general-purpose bombs including Mk 82 (500 lb/227 kg), Mk 83 (1,000 lb/454 kg), Mk 84 (2,000 lb/907 kg), and Mk 117 (750 lb/340 kg)
Cluster bombs
BLU-109 (2,000 lb/907 kg) hardened penetration bomb
Paveway laser-guided bombs, including 2,000 lb (907 kg) GBU-10, 500 lb (227 kg) GBU-12, and 4,800 lb (2,200 kg) GBU-28 penetration bomb
BLU-107 Durandal runway-cratering bomb
GBU-15 electro-optical bomb
B61 or B43 nuclear bombs
THE BOOK:
This book is of soft-cover of 96 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
The cover art shows a color photo of a F-111E, no. 68-0002, in flight, of the 79th TRS wearing colorful nose art & named IMPERIAL WIZARD.
The back cover shows another color photo of 2 F-111’s on an airfield.
The book contains 66 color photos, including the cover arts.
There is a color photo of Maj. John Campbell.
There are 10 chapters in the book on:
A shaky beginning, the F-111A, F-111B & D, F-111E, F-111F, F-111G & Ef-111A, EB-111A, f-111 in foreign service and final days.
Mission hash marks are shown on 2 F-111’s.
Slogans on the side of noses are: LOVE ROLL OF THE DIKE, HEARTBREAKER, ROCK THE CASBAH, JAM MASTER, a black leopard, STRAIGHT FLUSH, YANKEE AIR PIRATE, LET EM’ EAT CROW, YE OLD CROW, SPIRIT OF THE SEA COAST, SPIRIT OF MOUNTAIN HOME, a skull wearing a cowboy hat, an eagle dropping a bomb, JUNE NIGHT, 77TH GAMBLER’S LAST DEAL and a white wolves' head.
Officers and pilots are shown.
There are 7 data lists.
This is a neat book on the F-111’s. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a model of one and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Key Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.