RAAF F111 dump and burn by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

The Royal Australian Air Force was the last in the world to operate the F111. The last public airshow where it made an appearance was at RAAF Williamtown in 2010, although a final display flight was made at RAAF Amberley where the aircraft were based before they were retired. The F111 had one feature which made it popular at airshows and public events, which was the ability to dump fuel and burn it in the exhaust of the engines. This is not afterburners, even if it makes the aircraft look like a rocket! It was a feature to allow an aircraft to land quickly if necessary by dumping fuel to avoid damage to the wheels (and reduce the amount of fuel for a fire). Regardless of what it was really for, it was spectacular to see, especially at night. This display was during the day, but it was a very dull day indeed. Unfortunately the burning fuel was so bright that the aircraft is underexposed, but I think the red reflection on the wingtip looks pretty cool. The F111 reminded me of Thunderbird 1, from a TV show I loved as a kid. The nickname "pig" was unfortunate for such an innovative and advanced aircraft. The nickname "pig" is either because of its long nose and the ground-following radar which allowed it to operate at very low altitudes (barely above tree-top height, ie in the dirt), or the original designation in the USA of Aardvark which is Afrikaans for "earth pig", possibly for similar reasons.

I was lucky enough to see them in flight a number of times, and I've sat in the cockpit of one, albeit when the escape pod was no longer in the aircraft. One feature I'm assured is true is that the control column doubled as a bilge pump in the situation where the pod landed in water, but this may be apocryphal.

[redpit]

Thanks! Now if only I had a time machine to go back with the K3 and DFA 150-450.

That is exactly my thoughts when I look at my pre 2102 era film shots with a Zenit camera and the MTO mirror lens I wish I could go back at that era and have my Bigma and a DSLR of around 12Mpxl (my K-5IIs would take it to the next level)

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Last edited by redpit; 11-18-2019 at 11:09 PM.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

Very cool aircraft.