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It's missed, we lost strike capacity with that range when the F111 was retired, we may have to wait until the GCAP in the 2040's.
I was changing a spike controller on an EF111 at Mtn Home AFB and dropped a socket down in the wing box. While searching for it I found a crack I could stick my fingers in. Long story short it lead to a fleet wide inspection resulting in G restrictions for the fleet...until the Gulf War. Then we pulled that page right out of the 781's.😉
The truth is they were just worn out and no spare parts. During the war I was reinstalling stab actuators I had previously removed for excessive leakage. In the end I was having to calculate the leakage rate vs sortie length to figure out if the reservoir held enough to get 'em home...and pray it didn't blow out completely before they got back.
Sad reality…
They just didn’t want to pay the price to service the parts: those actuators were serviceable. Some general somewhere refused to spend the money.
If I’m not mistaken, the Aussies had reconstructed some of the stressed structural parts you’re talking about on the empennage.
As Last2Strokw was saying…range was an issue once they got rid of the 111…but, they have a fast-pack kit for the 18 that will do the job…but, it’s been considered too pricey.
(See conformal fuel tanks atop the inner wing-fuselage area just aft of the cockpit & the bigger Rhino-back right behind the canopy)
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I always thought the F-111's ejection pod was cool as hell, but what was the aircrew supposed to do if the reason they were ejecting was in the cockpit?
Even with conformal fuel tanks and AGM-158s, the strike range of the F/A-18Fs is less than the F111 with dumb bombs.
The SCIFiRE may extend that range.
Call Samuel L. Jackson...
Both our acquisitions of the F111, and, decades later, the F35 were / are surrounded with scandal and squealing.
But, that's par for the course with regards to major defense acquisitions. Our French (dumping of), then the change to the US / Brit Subs, is one of our latest........
The F111 'controversies' were a highlight of my youth, along with the lowlights and worry of our family with both my Dad, and Uncle Norman, being in Vietnam, over several tours.
In the end, we got some serious use / service out of the Aardvark. To the point that , I think, a few fell out of the sky, unfortunately. I've an old mate, that has flown both the 111 and 35 ( and a few other 'numbers'), and, he does go on about the Beaky One.
ANZAC day today - getting ready for the Dawn Service. My Dad's and Uncles units always want one of their Boys there with them - I'm a carbon copy of my Dad, but I very much doubt I could have been as full on as he was. RIP you Bastard......
I'll say this...the 111 got the job done...period.
The military procurement system is...hard to explain. So many moving parts.
When I was working Experimental Defense we were contracted by DOD for a head to head test against active duty 15's from Shaw. The test was to determine if 2 A&P mechanics and 2 weapons guys could fwd deploy, recover, turn and load out, and redeploy faster than the active duty boys in their C-17. Of course we could but it was apples/oranges. We had sooo much more experience than the young NCO's and airmen. I say all this because I've read that the AF is trying to implement this "small team" idea. Uggg.
I’d guess the “small team” scenario will get utilized for the F35B (Marines) and a mixed version of the C17 & fwd deployed ideology will evolve for other ac.
In the A-6E intruder we had two ejection options:
1) Jettison the canopy, then punch out
2) Pull the handle and blow through the plexiglass
Option 2 was briefed every time. Nobody wanted to chance that canopy not fully departing the aircraft. Sure, the glass might scratch a bit, but crawling out of the cockpit and hoping your chute was intact sounded worse.
I don't get it.
Why wouldn't you want the canopy gone prior to the rocket launch?
Those a/c are very complicated...it takes years to get proficient in all the systems. Even with on-board self diagnosis. Any kid with the self awareness and proficiency to lead or solo a TDY can easily make 4 times the pay in civvies. And have an avionics tech to lighten the load.
A lengthier explanation for the gallery would be spectacular. I didn’t realize you know the story on how much work it takes in the new birds in order to get past the bs the ac uses as it attempts to keep info from you & as it tries to diagnose and fix everything for you…both for the mechanic and the pilot.
Hearing it as it can be told by someone with your experience…and breadth of airframes…would be awesome.
Think about it, please, and when the time is avail… let us have the comparo of what a guy that actually had to “follow the leak to the source” sees and feels as he watches this latest generation of “self-diagnosing” aircraft and how you think things will ultimately turn out as these ac reach front-line service.
Opinions like yours are the ones we all love to hear.
Intruders were prone to system failures. Generators routinely dropped, avionics and radar glitches, you name it. We didn’t want to chance pulling the canopy jettison lever and nothing happening, or worse yet, suffering a partial jettison, which takes ejecting out of the equation. None of my buddies who had to punch suffered serious injuries, and all went through the glass.
I really can't help with any 1st hand knowledge about the 22 or 35 and their self diagnostics. I do go to the base for commissary, BX, and barber shop where I pick the brains of every airman I can corner. The general concensus is that there isn't enough training or experience on the flightline.
Just like your modern vehicle with its OBDII system...it can throw a code that indicates a problem with a "system" but does not pinpoint the exact item that is causing the failure. The ability to "pinpoint" requires a technician that either has years of high quality training or years of hands on experience (the advanced nature of modern aircraft requires both really).
The problem, for the last 30 years, has been to purchase smarter aircraft and spend less on personnel and training. Again, like your vehicle, you can just shotgun parts until the problem goes away or pay an expensive highly trained/experienced. mech to pinpoint and repair your ride.
The major difference between maintaining your truck and a war machine is life and death. We spent a shit ton of money on incredibly effective lethal machines and then want to cheap out on the folks that keep them working. I read a report that said our FMC rate (fully mission capable) was hitting some historic lows. Not all was blamed on low manning levels or inexperience but it is a major concern.
Having said all this it really doesn't mean anything ...unless we get into the shit with a tough guy..or two.
You guys figure out what the atmospheric pressure in space is yet?
0.00000000001322 Pa
Pit Row
how’s the weather? Wind and rain?
Mostly Sunny yet dark in places. Solar winds with an occasional rock or ice shower. Sneaky weather changes like sudden black holes, zeniths, super-novas, giant gas clouds and…of-corse…intermittent space junk are always considerations depending on your route and guidance capabilities. Always check local Space Weather sources prior to filing your flight path in order to improve your plight path.
May the Force be with you. This is the way.
I think it's probably closer to 0.0000000000350....
Are you factoring for Dark Matter?
Edit...I realized after I said it...you can't factor for an unknown...merely postulate..
Pressure is not the same everywhere in space, it increases close to gravity wells.
The force of gravity represented as pressure?
Space isn't empty, just very, very, very, very, very low density. I believe it gets slightly more dense as it is affected by gravity.
But I stayed at a La Quinta last night, so....
🙂
Am I the only one who’s kids like gravity Falls? Full disclosure? I do too.
I have not watched Gravity Falls, but The Amazing World of Gumball is a fantastic show!
Is that the twisted cartoon with the wierd kid and a whale and a creepy pirate dude?
Gravity attracts making space denser...
Hotter too I believe
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