Waddington 2010 – F-111 Rumour?

It seems to suggest they are hoping for one, I was wondering why there was a pic of a 111 on the Waddington Airshow page. Just have to wait and see I guess. Fingers crossed…

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Who else other than the RAAF is operating one, ? they are being retired this year in Australia, it would be interesting if one being flown up to the UK for a final display or preservation?

Regards

Mark Pilkington

the USAF and RAAF were the only two operators for the type.

USAF retired its birds over 10 years ago, the RAAF’s final F-111 flying day is 10 december 2010

….Apparently you have to specify ‘swept’ or ‘spread’ on ordering, as that’s fixed then. They make a wide load, and the RAAF Museum’s F-111G ‘Boneyard Wrangler’ was prepared, sent and re-erected by 6 Sqn Squadron staff at the Museum. They did a good job, and I’m sure they’d like a holiday in the UK, but I suspect the ADF wouldn’t be keen to pay tickets.

I must hasten to add this is all idle personal speculation but I presume that the wing pins have a similar locating principle to those on the MiG-23 and MiG-27? :confused:

Good ‘in-house’ experience exists on those airframes! 😀 :diablo:

Hang on James I may not have expressed myself well there, but I haven’t said that there is little training merit, I would think it would be a very worthwhile excercise. Other Australian and RAF co-operation excercises have been carried out for years. I even know someone who transferred to the RAAF from the RAF and coincidently timed his smaller items removal with a departing RAAF P-3 move!

I have seen a RAAF F-111 over here before (great performer) and plenty of USAF jobies, but I still think it would be great to see again, and there are plenty here that may never have seen one fly at all.

I know it is a major effort to get one here but it could be put down to training in long-range logistics, support, and co-operation with a European force, even if near the end of service training has to continue.

Yessss… As you’ve noted, specifically there’s little ‘training’ merit, and how much is generic worth? That’s the question indeed.

If it goes ahead, maybe it will lead to an example staying here.
Be nice to see, that’s for sure!

Seen them, in the UK and Aus. Stick around long enough, and keep moving, most stuff goes past sooner or later. 🙂

As to staying, it would be an interesting political exercise. The Americans have some say in the ‘disposals’ and even the RAAF and their Museum (which is part of the RAAF, unlike the RAF Museum and RAF) have, I believe, extra paper/requirements to obtain their airframes. RAAF F-111s have no significant British or European heritage.

Nevertheless if it made it to the Lincolnshire area it could remain and make a nice memorial to the many Australians that served in the local area going back to World War I with the AFC at South Carlton and on through World War II.

This year is the Battle of Britain anniversary, where the Australian contribution was (relatively) minor – particularly compared to the thousands lost in Bomber Command – one RAAF Lanc Squadron famously being ‘wiped out’ three times over in losses. However I don’t think Bomber Command will be getting the anniversary memorial remembrance mileage in 2009-2015 that ‘the few’ will receive year.

That said, IIRC, one of the previous attendances was Boscombe for the 1990 Battle of Britain show, and who’d really care if an RAAF Bomber from a Pacific heritage (rather than 400 series Squadron) bomber unit attended?

I know somewhere with its own strong Australian connections that could provide a suitable home – how easily do they take to pieces? 😀

Apparently you have to specify ‘swept’ or ‘spread’ on ordering, as that’s fixed then. They make a wide load, and the RAAF Museum’s F-111G ‘Boneyard Wrangler’ was prepared, sent and re-erected by 6 Sqn Squadron staff at the Museum. They did a good job, and I’m sure they’d like a holiday in the UK, but I suspect the ADF wouldn’t be keen to pay tickets.

See: http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2009/May/20090504/index.htm for a photo feature of the Wrangler’s 1,600 km (994 miles) journey to the RAAFM. (More stuff if you search there on ‘Boneyard’, BTW.)

Just a few unqualified thoughts.

Cheers,

Nevertheless if it made it to the Lincolnshire area it could remain and make a nice memorial to the many Australians that served in the local area going back to World War I with the AFC at South Carlton and on through World War II.

I know somewhere with its own strong Australian connections that could provide a suitable home – how easily do they take to pieces? 😀

I know it is a major effort to get one here but it could be put down to training in long-range logistics, support, and co-operation with a European force, even if near the end of service training has to continue.

If it goes ahead, maybe it will lead to an example staying here.
Be nice to see, that’s for sure!

Thanks Canberra.

My reading of it is that an invite has been extended, and the RAAF haven’t said ‘no’ (which is polite) but we don’t know if they’re ‘looking into it’ or genuinely keen.

RAAF F-111s have attended UK shows during the end of the Cold War era, but as we all know, current military assets are fewer today and heavily committed.

Moving a current supersonic bomber halfway around the world takes some diplomacy and logistics, not to mention a major cost and removing a team from home base – perhaps support aircraft and the like. The imponderable is what benefits (PR etc.) the RAAF and Commonwealth Government would see in doing this.

IMHO, unlikely.

JDK: Thanks again Canberra. That taken onboard, why would you want to put (not receive) an RAAF aircraft with no type or unit relevance into the UK?

I understand Cosford has a former US F-111 as does the American Air Museum at Duxford, so perhaps there is little need for a third to be preserved in the UK. Regardless of it being of RAAF service history it is an important technology type of the jet age, but 2 already cover that requirement?

I cant think of any other logical “ally” in Europe that Australia would donate one to? but then again perhaps someone has specifically requested one? (buy an F-111 from us, we throw in a W Class Tram as a freebee).

Perhaps the French would like one, (did we use F-111’s to spy on their Nuclear tests in the Pacific?)

On the other hand I could see the Rudd Government enjoying flying the flag with a European swansong tour of the F-111 now that Australia is again a “middle power” and seeking a seat on the UN Security Council, but I certainly cant see any training benefit in operating one lonely aircraft so far from home, particularly a type about to be retired? It would be more relevent to operate a RAAF training mission to Iraq or Afganistan and participate in some tactical or recon missions?

Regards

Mark Pilkington

…why would you want to put (not receive) an RAAF aircraft with no type or unit relevance into the UK?

Why is there a Harrier in China, a Javelin in Italy, a Scimitar in the States, and Mysteres in the UK, not terribly relevant at local level, but does show various machines on a global playing field, we were all in the cold war together, etc.
Not very important, and I doubt uppermost in the RAAF planners minds when considering a possible F-111 move to the UK, but just ‘nice’ none the less.

No real point to doing so is there? other than as some token of defence ties?

Thanks again Canberra. That taken onboard, why would you want to put (not receive) an RAAF aircraft with no type or unit relevance into the UK?

As to staying, it would be an interesting political exercise. The Americans have some say in the ‘disposals’ and even the RAAF and their Museum (which is part of the RAAF, unlike the RAF Museum and RAF) have, I believe, extra paper/requirements to obtain their airframes.

Big difference is though James is that the G models were bought under an FMS order, somewhat similar to lend/lease, and as a result the US have final approval for the G model’s final dispositions

However would be rather easier to leave a C model in the UK, as they were bought outright by the Aus government and not an FMS order as far as i can recall, which basically gives the RAAF carte blanche to dispose of them however it wishes without needing US approval.

Twin, I dunno. I think they just squirt the tube of Humbrol cement in the holes to stop the kids playing with them.

Pagen, we are broadly in agreement in general – in fact there are RAAF crews flying with the RAF currently (and vice versa) and actual joint ADF and British forces co-operation underway in two current war zones; however there’s no specific merit IMHO that’s going to justify putting a domestic defence asset on the ‘wrong side’ of the globe with a significant team of people (and critically spending a lot of tax dollars). The ADF and Commonwealth Government may find merit in doing it – but pleasing a bunch of already-indulged aviation enthusiasts in the UK isn’t a high priority, I’d expect. Shocking though it might be, the UK ranks somewhere after the US, China, New Zealand and much of the Pacific Nations in terms of political and economic co-operation brownie points for Australian leaders’ agenda.

Just my view, of course.

I would of thought if some sort of European tour could be arranged taking in several shows then it could be a great bit of PR for the RAAF and a great coup for any show able to book her.

The Biggin Hill airshow website mentions that the organisers have invited nations of pilots who served in the Battle of Britain from Biggin Hill to send aircraft or representatives to the show, And with Waddington, Biggin Hill,RIAT and Farnborough all within a few weeks of each other I wonder if it could be possible for one F-111 to attend and the organisers share the costs for a UK leg of any tour.

OK maybe I am just dreaming or wishful thinking but it would be nice to see one fly.

:diablo: NAM could do a ‘what if comparison’ with its collection of TSR-2 bits – if nothing else that would create a big talking point! 😀 😀

Heres my tuppence worth…

If they are going to come over then I assume they would presumably come via the westward USA route and possibly return via that route.

If they did that then they could drop some off in Museums on route home perhaps?

I sure would love to see an Aardvark again, perhaps work might pay for me to go to the retirement ceremonies:dev2:

Pigs might…..

TS

Hi,

I would like to agree with Binbrook 01 to a certain degree, in the ideal world where funds and crewing was not of concern it would be good to see the F1-11 do a ’round the world’ farewell trip where it could do a few shows in Europe and then head over to the US for a few more and finally end up in Tucson for its last landing and subsequent demise, wishful thinking though I believe.

Cheers
Paul

Pigs are currently grounded

The RAAF grounded all it’s F-111’s last week, after a engine related problem that occured on the a/c taking part in the Singapore airshow on the 4th Feb.

Hopefully, they won’t decide to prematurely cease ops, with the OSD less than a year away.