Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!leah!bingvaxu!sunybcs!rutgers!att!cbnews!gtmvax!caleb!jdp@killer.UUCP From: gtmvax!caleb!jdp@killer.UUCP (Jim Pritchett) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: F-111 Message-ID: <5126@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 25 Mar 89 03:40:23 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Lines: 69 Approved: military@att.att.com From: gtmvax!caleb!jdp@killer.UUCP (Jim Pritchett) Recently, there have been several postings about the F-111. Some have been correct, while others have been repetitions of old misinformation. If I may, I will try to clear up a few things. [Before I begin, I should say that I was the lead F-111 performance engineer at General Dynamics for several years in the mid 1980s. This was long after the "controversial TFX" days, so I can't give you direct information on the early days, except by hearsay from some of the oldtimers that I know. However, I can provide some correct information about the current F-111s. Naturally, General Dynamics neither knows of nor approves of any of these statements.] First, someone made disparaging remarks about the F-111's supersonic capability at low altitude. I know of NO fighter-bomber aircraft that comes anywhere near the range-payload capability of an F-111 on a low altitude, high speed mission. In fact, it is probably the only fighter-bomber with a useful combat radius on a low altitude, supersonic mission. The above statements include the newest aircraft of many nations and even several "paper" aircraft. The statement that the F-111 has almost no mission radius at supersonic speed is COMPLETELY WRONG! I can't quote numbers here because I don't have the data any more (it is not classified.) In fact, there are VERY few aircraft that can even fly as fast as the F-111 at low altitude. Second, the F-111's range-payload capability on a more realistic combat mission is unmatched by any fighter-bomber in the world. Even the USAF's vaunted F-15E does not come close. (I have seen a marketing brochure on the F-15E that showed comparable range. However, it overestimated the F-15E's capability and grossly underestimated the F-111's capability. They played some marketting games with the data. I know, I checked the data.) If you don't think the range is important, take a look at a globe sometime. Compare the bases that could be counted upon for our use against the places where our forces might be required to strike. Then you will see why the USAF will continue to operate F-111's for a long time to come. I could go on about the many capabilities of the F-111. I could even talk about some of it's problems. However, I doubt that there is that much interest in a 25 year old aircraft. (If there is sufficient interest, I could provide more information about the F-111...) I posted this mainly because this aircraft has gotten much unfavorable press (and outright slander) over the years. I find it amazing that 25 years after the first F-111 flew, it still can do many things better than even the "paper" aircraft can do. (For those who don't speak "Engineer", a "paper" aircraft is one that is still on the drawing boards -- or computers. Also, it is, or should be, well known that a "paper" aircraft can do almost anything. It is when you actually try to build it that the real problems arise!) I think that I'll close with an anecdote. As some of you may know, fighter pilots are notorious for disobeying the rules. One day I got a call from the USAF logistics folks. It seems that a pilot brought home his aircraft with severely blistered paint. He had some wild story about an unusual temperature layer that he flew through. (For the uninitiated, the paint on some aircraft will blister if the Flight Manual speed limitations are violated.) There was another story about 'defective paint.' The logistics folks knew that he was probably lying, but they had to try to verify his story. (The USAF is run by pilots...) My own theory is that we had found yet another case of a pilot falling prey to the irresistable question: "I wonder how fast it will really go???" Jim Pritchett UUCP: killer!gtmvax!dms3b1!caleb!jdp