Subject: Number 111 in the Series--General Dynamics F-111 (5 of 13)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 14 Mar 94 17:17:52 GMT

>From [email-masked]

On October 24, 1963, the government of Australia agreed to purchase 24 
F-111As.  The Australian version was to be designated F-111C.  

The F-111C was sort of a hybrid between the F-111A, the F-111B, and 
the FB-111A (to be described later).  The F-111C was equipped with 
eight underwing pylons mounted on an F-111B-type larger span wing 
(span of 70 feet when fully extended).  It was equipped with with an 
FB-111 type of reinforced undercarriage.  The twenty-four F-111Cs were 
given the USAF serial numbers 67-0125/0148.  Their RAAF serials were 
A8-125/148.  

The first F-111C was delivered on September 6, 1968.  However, the 
problems with the F-111A's wing carry-through box slipped delivery of 
the remaining 23 F-111Cs to late 1969.  To make matters worse, the 
whole F-111 fleet had to be grounded pending verification of their 
overall structural integrity.  The remaining F-111Cs awaiting delivery 
to Australia were stored at Fort Worth until the structural integrity 
of the F-111 could be confirmed.  In April of 1970, a joint agreement 
between General Dynamics and Australia deferred the RAAF's acceptance 
of the F-111C pending the verification of their structural integrity.  
The RAAF was to lease F-4E Phantoms as an interim aircraft while new 
wing carry-through boxes were installed on all F-111Cs before being 
delivered to the RAAF.  This refurbishment program began on April 1, 
1972.  

In 1973 the F-111C was finally ready for delivery to the RAAF.  
Australian crews came to the USA, and, one-by-one, these crews flew 
their new mounts from Fort Worth to McClellan AFB.  Once at McClellan, 
the Australian crews flew several training missions before leaving for 
Australia.  The first F-111Cs reached Australia on June 1, 1973, 
replacing the RAAF's fleet of English Electric Canberra bombers that 
has been in use since the 1950s.  They were operated by Nos.  1 and 6 
Squadrons based at Amberley, Queensland.  

The F-111C carries the APQ-113 forward-looking attack radar, which is 
used for navigation, for air-to-ground ranging and for weapons 
delivery.  In theory, this radar can also be used in the air-to-air 
mode in conjunction with the internal 20-mm cannon or Sidewinder 
missiles carried underwing, although this is not the primary mission 
of the F-111C.  

Four F-111As were converted for the RF-111C reconnaissance role by 
General Dynamics and delivered to Australia.  The first of these 
(A8-126) was flown on April 17, 1979.  The reconnaissance "kit" 
comprises two KS-87C framing cameras, a KA-56E low-altitude and 
KA-93A4 high altitude panoramic camera, and an AN/AAD-5 Infrared 
Linescanner.  There is a TV viewfinder which assists with line up for 
the photo run.  The RF-111C retains full conventional attack 
capability.  The four RF-111Cs bear the serials A8-126, -134, -143, 
and -146.  

The F/RF-111C fleet is currently undergoing an upgrade by Rockwell at 
its Palmdale plant.  Fully 90 percent of the electronics in the F-111C 
are being replaced by more capable units.  The first upgraded F-111C 
is to be A8-132.  This should keep the RAAF F-111Cs flying until the 
year 2020.  

In October 1992 it was announced that Australia planned to buy 18 
surplus F-111s from the USAF to augment the 22 surviving F-111Cs in the 
RAAF fleet.  The price was described as "bargain basement", about 
$AUD60-80M; plus $AUD10-15M per plane for upgrades.  ($AUD 1 =~ $USD 
0.72).  Delivery is expected to begin sometime in 1994.  These planes 
are (will be?) in mothballs in the US, but delivery is not expected to 
begin until sometime in 1994.  

Sources:

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors, John Wegg, 
  Naval Institute Press, 1990.

  Post-World War II Fighters: 1945-1973, Marcelle Size Knaac,
  Office of Air Force History, 1986.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers,
  Orion, 1987.

  The World Guide to Combat Planes, William Green, Macdonald, 1966. 

  Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston and Mike Spick, Crescent Books, 1983.

  Flying the Frontiers--NACA and NASA Experimental Aircraft, Arthur
  Pearcy, Naval Institute Press, 1993.

  F-111 Aardvark--USAF's Ultimate Strike Aircraft, Tony Thornborough,
  Osprey Aerospace, 1993.

  F-111 Aardvark, Hans Halberstadt, Specialty Press, 1992.

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
2000 North Naperville Road      Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033