Which HM F-111 should be next?

SuperKungFu · 12-29-2011, 02:43 AM

Personally I would love to get an accurate US markings F-111 in the SEA colors. Both the first release and the Miss Liberty II hurt me a lot when I found out the color patterns were wrong or the wings were wrong...so hopefully the next one won't have any problems.

My vote goes towards the F-111E 67-0120 "The Chief" - it was the Commander's aircraft of the resident 20th Tactical Fighter Wing that's currently now on display at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. I believe this aircraft displayed the 1st Gulf War nose art and mission markings. The Chief went through several different designs so if HM were to make this, it should be within 1 time frame, not a combination of a few.

The earliest design was like this:

Prior to 1988, The Chief logo wasn't that big and it had the words underneath the logo, no fancy tail design (this is the one I actually want - something combat ready and not painted up all fancy/pretty)

Later during the 90s, it looked like this:

The Chief logo got bigger with the letters off to the side. They also added the three-color lightning on the tail that symbolizes three subordinated squadrons. US markings became low vis and the tail font got different, it also had some kill markings near the canopy.

Today, the aircraft sits in the Imperial War Museum at Duxford.

It looks much like it did during the 90s with one exception. The left side now features a badass Tiger. The right side still has the Chief logo.

There's a lot of walk-around photos here so HM has lots of reference photos:
F-111E (67-0120) Aardvark Walk Around Page 1

In addition, I really hope HM would give us more weapons (please no more standard Mk.82 bombs). The F-111 can carry a lot more variety and it looks 100x better.

QFA388 · 12-29-2011, 10:47 PM

RAAF ARDU A8-132 in its test colours not gunship grey.
The real deal has now been repainted to its test colours and returned to RAAF BAse Edinburgh supposedly to take up post as a gate guardian.

JetstarPacific · 12-30-2011, 07:27 PM

Yes. I second that. RAAF ARDU F-111 is a worthwhile addition.

G8D7- · 12-30-2011, 09:01 PM

I'll take anything from the Gulf War (as long as it's correct..)

Skinner67 · 01-03-2012, 03:15 PM

I'd like to see this aircraft if it doesn't require much re-tooling:

On January 17, 1991, a MHAFB EF-111 crew: Captain James Denton and Captain Brent Brandon ("Brandini") are acknowledged to have scored a kill against an Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1, which they managed to maneuver into the ground, making it the first and only F-111 to achieve an aerial victory over another aircraft.

On The first night of Desert Storm while being chased by a French-built Iraqi F-1 Mirage. The Raven pilot at top speed (AB) while heading down hill and engaged the TFR system and had set the autopilot to only 100 feet above the pitch-black desert floor. The Raven pulled up the Mirage didn’t !! They set a trap for the MIG pilot who took the bait hook line rod and reel.

EF-111A 66-0016 , is now a “gate-guard” at Cannon AFB, Clovis NM. I'm not sure what livery it wore during Desert Storm.

G8D7- · 01-03-2012, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinner67

I'd like to see this aircraft if it doesn't require much re-tooling:

On January 17, 1991, a MHAFB EF-111 crew: Captain James Denton and Captain Brent Brandon ("Brandini") are acknowledged to have scored a kill against an Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1, which they managed to maneuver into the ground, making it the first and only F-111 to achieve an aerial victory over another aircraft.

On The first night of Desert Storm while being chased by a French-built Iraqi F-1 Mirage. The Raven pilot at top speed (AB) while heading down hill and engaged the TFR system and had set the autopilot to only 100 feet above the pitch-black desert floor. The Raven pulled up the Mirage didn’t !! They set a trap for the MIG pilot who took the bait hook line rod and reel.

EF-111A 66-0016 , is now a “gate-guard” at Cannon AFB, Clovis NM. I'm not sure what livery it wore during Desert Storm.

I forgot all about that beauty! Did they get the kill or wasn't it some sort of an assist? I remember watching a show that talked about it and they were trying to out manoeuvre the the Mirage when an F-15E came and as the F-111 was turning the F1 smashed into the desert floor.. I'll try to get a link up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7WnB...eature=related
-Watch from 1:10

virtual_pilot · 01-03-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinner67

I'd like to see this aircraft if it doesn't require much re-tooling:

On January 17, 1991, a MHAFB EF-111 crew: Captain James Denton and Captain Brent Brandon ("Brandini") are acknowledged to have scored a kill against an Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1, which they managed to maneuver into the ground, making it the first and only F-111 to achieve an aerial victory over another aircraft.

On The first night of Desert Storm while being chased by a French-built Iraqi F-1 Mirage. The Raven pilot at top speed (AB) while heading down hill and engaged the TFR system and had set the autopilot to only 100 feet above the pitch-black desert floor. The Raven pulled up the Mirage didn’t !! They set a trap for the MIG pilot who took the bait hook line rod and reel.

EF-111A 66-0016 , is now a “gate-guard” at Cannon AFB, Clovis NM. I'm not sure what livery it wore during Desert Storm.

Thanks for bringing that up Skinner. This in fact is my very favorite F-111. I already asked David for it a while ago and I rememeber David sending a request to HM about this jet. I also asked for a corrected version as the first released F-111 didn't include the "cooling fairing". I also wish they make the correct version of F-111F Miss Liberty in Desert Storm.

Eagle Driver · 01-03-2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G8D7-

I forgot all about that beauty! Did they get the kill or wasn't it some sort of an assist? I remember watching a show that talked about it and they were trying to out manoeuvre the the Mirage when an F-15E came and as the F-111 was turning the F1 smashed into the desert floor.. I'll try to get a link up

Dogfights - Dogfights of Desert Storm Part 1 - YouTube
-Watch from 1:10

These sort of stories are quite fascinating. Particularly as it involves an out of the ordinary incident.

Another fascinating one is from the Vietnam war. A Thunderchief pilot jettisoned his bomb rack which promptly hit a MiG thus earning him a kill.

Skinner67 · 01-03-2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle Driver

These sort of stories are quite fascinating. Particularly as it involves an out of the ordinary incident.

Another fascinating one is from the Vietnam war. A Thunderchief pilot jettisoned his bomb rack which promptly hit a MiG thus earning him a kill.

Yes. It's amazing what some of these guys did. I recently read somewhere about pilots getting kills with unguided rockets and jettisoned fuel tanks. I think they were in A-4s. (?)

I like the Dogfights episode "The Last Gunfighter" with an F-8 piloted by Richard Schaffert and one of the longest recorded dogfights (~10 minutes), and how no one was shot down.

Starts at 24:20 History Channel Dogfights Season 1: The Last Gunfighter - YouTube

tripoli · 01-04-2012, 12:38 AM

I always thought it would be cool if they did the schemes of the aircraft in the national museums such as the USAF museum:

Love the Duxford example.

Skinner67 · 01-04-2012, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripoli

I always thought it would be cool if they did the schemes of the aircraft in the national museums such as the USAF museum:

Love the Duxford example.

That's a great idea Jeff. I love the SEA camo scheme like this and SKF's Chief. It would be cool to see more models of aircraft as they sit in museums.

I'm mad at Australia. I know they have explicit rules with regard to former US aircraft disposal, but this is a shame. They could have been used in city parks or other public facilities. WARNING: some images may be disturbing.

RAAF Base Amberley F-111 fighter jets end up on Swanbank landfill site near Ipswich

Eagle Driver · 01-13-2012, 09:30 AM

HM ought to make another F-111F. Will they use the correct wings or keep the incorrect ones from the current model.

Richard from Rotterdam · 02-07-2012, 04:38 AM

I would love it to see some bog standard USAFE Aardvarks, without the special markings.

lmisbtn · 02-07-2012, 07:25 AM

Upper Heyford plane, bog standard green/brown camo, no foul-ups, different weaps (just for kicks)

Would be a dead cert purchase for me (I am strangley attracted to the Tiger Meet bird though - unusual, as I don't really like special schemes - especially TM ones).

Richard from Rotterdam · 02-07-2012, 07:33 AM

Yes please!