Can this be replaced?

[Dogimed]

I can almost hear it from here.
http://www.warbirdz.net/pics/accept/warbirdz_14866.jpg

Taken at Wanaka
Dog

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Can this be replaced?
In a word - NO !

Awesome bit of kit!

We should buy the blueprints and make'm ourselves with the latest technology. Ya don't need that stealth crap when you are down among the trees - cracking the sound barrier!

Well, that's this Bonza pilot's opinion anyway!

Dr :8

[Chimbu chuckles]

And the B52 is being retired when and being currently/recently used where?

While the 'boys toys' departments of western militaries salivate over the latest enormously expensive technology and speak in hushed tones about network centric battle spaces we seem to always end up fighting villagers with RPGs and AK47s.

In 40 years we have only swapped black pajama for white bed sheets.

We need something to spank Jakarta from Darwin at 0430 in the pissing rain...or a JSI terrorist training camp hidden away on a remote Indon island...we're never going to be spanking Moscow or Tehran, that is for our US peers.

Who needs an air superiority fighter when you can crater their runways/trash aircraft on the ground and be gone before they hear you coming? How many Indon fighter pilots could/would follow an F111 through the mountain valleys of Java in the dark at 200'/600kts?

I know several retired Pig drivers and they get quite angry about what is going on.

Plus the JSF looks naff and the Pig is pure sex:ok:

[Flyingblind]

Gotta say Chimbu chuckles i comply agree, after its passing i'm sure there will be situations where it would have been absolutely priceless to have at hand.

Just hope Carlo dos'nt see this thread.

[Dogimed]

And up the skirt..

http://www.warbirdz.net/pics/accept/warbirdz_15172.jpg

For 50 years, she certainly doesnt show it.

Dog

[ABX]

I've heard that when the pig does a dump and burn the pilot has to keep the nose up to avoid going super sonic.

Looks like the pilot in the pic has pulled back on the stick.:ok:

[crank1000]

In the first pic it looks like the jet intake is covered with white cardboard? Apart from that, did you know that the Aussie Govt actually bought these before a prototype ever flew?

For once they got it right!

We still have nothing to replace it with and when it goes there will be a huge gap in our defence network.The indon's must be choking at the bit for these big hunks of death to retire! I'm just happy that I've seen them actually drop stuff on targets!!

Cheers

[Buster Hyman]

the Pig is pure sex
Only on Pprune could you say that & not be arrested!:ooh:

Awesome photos btw, nicely done Glenn!:ok:

[Stationair8]

Not bad for something that was designed in the 1960's.

Over the years have seen some very impressive displays by the F111 at airshows and events, but have some even more impressive displays during military exercises and and a couple of others that were eye opening when pig drivers go feral for the sake of going feral!!!

Had the pleasure to meet a number of F111 drivers and navigators over the years, certainly a credit to the RAAF, their squadron and to the taxpayer.

Certainly must be blessed with big balls to punt one of them up a valley on a dark wet night doing 500 knots.

A very sad day when the RAAF retire the F111.

[Lucky Six]

FTDK. Spot on :ok:

[Jabawocky]

Wanna know if I can get one in VH Experimental or RAA rego (is a 2 seater).

We have all sorts of warbirds at Caboolture, couple of these would be a fine addition to the family!:}

I agree with the Dr, new aairframes with a bit of engineering improvement where needed, newer engines..... whatever toys needed (the Dr would insist on 3 GPS and a Tablet PC)

Make every airforce green with envy! PIG ENVY!!!

J:ok:

[Konev]

seeing pig porn is the game of the thread, heres one of my snaps from the show this year :)

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/2127/dsc2215yt3.jpg

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Congrats 'Mr Dog', on the quality of those pics....:ok:

I think you may have had the advantage of being on the other side of the rwy
to the rest of us 'plebs'.

Excellent lighting - we were shooting into the light.

And, for what it is worth, I wholeheartedly agree that the 'Pig' should be upgraded in avionics / weaponry as required - it is an excellent airframe and still has the capabilities that are unmatched in many ways by any of our 'potential adverseries'.:=

Much more economical and flexible, than purchasing at MEGA $'s, other designs which simply do not fill the same 'niche' in operational capabilities, for OUR 'potential threats'....:D
Ya got that right Chuck!:ok::ok:

Horses for courses I would say, and that is despite the references to Lancasters etc.

Anyway, them's my thoughts....:ok:

Cheers, and IF I ever make PM....I'll Keep 'em!

[Buster Hyman]

I am always amazed at the amount of heat you feel on the ground from the dump n burn. Must get hot in the cockpit!


(that was a joke btw...)

[Mr Bomb]

Guys give it up. The pig is yesterdays (well even the day before that's) technology. The tactics it uses are yesterday’s tactics. The airframe is waaay to old. And FTDK, don't you think that if it was as easy as simply chucking new avionics in a new build airframe they would do that?

CC whilst we may generally be fighting RPG's and AK's don't you think it prudent that we equip ourselves for the possibility of having to actually defend our country from something a little more conventional (I won't say formidable as guys with AK's and RPG's are proving plenty formidable in the sandpit...). I will throw this to you, perhaps the reason we as a western military have not had a direct air to air conflict since Vietnam (or you if you include Israel the six day war), as when we actually have gone up against ANY Russian designed fighter from ANY country they have been obliterated. As such perhaps one of the reasons no one has tried to touch us is because of our superiority in the air? In order to maintain that edge we HAVE to adopt the latest technology and that is JSF.

Now the JSF is primarily an Air to mud platform and thus the reason we are getting that over the F-22 (that and cost and the fact the Yanks won't sell it!). Whilst it is not for people on this board to know all the capabilities of that platform, the end result (and as shown by Labours review of the JSF) it is simply THE BEST SOLUTION for Australia. Note the JSF IS NOT a direct replacement for the F-111. It was never intended to be. We do not NEED a single platform direct replacement for the F-111. Have a look at what happened with the Brits employing the Tornado in GW1 using the same tactics of low and fast that the Pig uses. They got obliterated and after losing 20 something airframes adjusted their tactics to high altitude and as big a standoff as possible. The Pig simply don't work no matter what avionics or new low life fatigue, maintenance reduced new build airframes you get.

The Pig is being replaced by the follow:
JSF, Super Hornet, long range ISR birds (Global Hawk?) JASSM, JDAM, Navy's new AWD, pseudo aircraft carriers (can never remember their names) Collins Subs with cruise missiles (maybe?), AAR's, Wedgetail, satellite comms etc. All of these platforms add up to provide a capability that is not only as good as the F-111, it ****s all over them. The world has moved on, the technology has moved on and we now live in a much much different world. The CK's of this world are the ones still fighting "Mother Russia". He has been discredited and has absolutely no idea on present day employment of air weapons platforms.

Whilst Stealth might not be needed against the towel heads in Afghanistan, who the hell knows what is going to happen in the world when China removes its subsidy of oil (currently keeping it to less than $1 per litre) India and Pakistan really get going and the price of a barrel of oil heads north of $200. Whole countries may go broken and then we may find out that some of those countries may very well have ideas about trying to help themselves to some of our resources. The countries are not rubbing their hands together and saying, "geeze I can't wait for Australia to get rid of the pigs". They are saying "damn, we should have done something whilst Australia still had those [notional] 32 pigs.

Yes they were good in their day, in fact the best at what they did. Let’s simply remember them that way and stop wasting finite resources and emotions on trying to keep them in the air. I for one am glad they are going.

Cheers
Mr B

P.S. Dumping fuel into the exhaust in the "dump and burn" has nothing to do with going supersonic, it is the afterburner which is lit to ignite the fuel that causes the thrust. If you dumped fuel into the exhaust of an airline with an afterburner you would get the same effect (now that would be something to see!)

[nomorecatering]

The JSF will never happen. Some friends of mine who are involved in the progam in the US say that there will be some insurmountable problems that will be probably never be resolved.

There is a suitable replacement for the F-111. Either new build airframes or boings new B1-R Lancer.

[Buster Hyman]

Or, there's the proposed FB-22.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Idr020524_1_p.jpg/300px-Idr020524_1_p.jpg

They probably wouldn't sell us that either!:*

[Mr Bomb]

nomorecatering.
Well your friends are certainly going out on a limb. The requirements from multiple nations, plus the fact there is no other Gen 5 fighter available let alone on the drawing boards says otherwise. I would bet a years wage it will go ahead. Have a look back at nearly ALL US fighter/bomber builds and show me the last one that went through without issues.

The JSF will indeed go ahead.

Cheers
Mr B.

[PyroTek]

Well the JSF seems to be flying, one step down?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PiMZO_BZVro

[Dogimed]

Ex FSO GRIFFO

As much as I would like to lay claim to these, unfortunately I am not Mr Alderton...

He is a friend though...

Dog

[blackbird71]

anyone ever heard of the B1!!!:D

[Mick.B]

B1R. Now were talkin

http://www.boeing.com/ids/allsystemsgo/issues/vol2/num2/story01.html

[WannaBeBiggles]

At a billion USD a pop I think the B1 is a little out of Australias league... not to mention the yanks not selling them to anyone else.

[Sunfish]

What Mr. Bomb said is right.

FTDK, the F111 has already had it's avionics upgraded at least once. If they drill any more holes in it to bolt new stuff on, they will fall apart.

If we have more billions to spend on Defence, I think another dozen subs would be nice.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

Thankyou 'Mr Dog'.....

GREAT pics none-the-less....and......from a GREAT angle.

By the way, do you have any 'inside info' on the progress of the show DVD?

Cheers,

Griffo:ok:

[Stationair8]

Just think Bob Hawke authorised the RAAF F111's to be sent to Tasmania in 1983 to carry out spy flights over the South West of Tasmania, to monitor if the Tasmanian government had started work on the Gordon below Franklin Dam.