Why was the F-111 called the aardvark?
Why was the F-111 called the aardvark?
When the U.S. Air Force retired its last -111s in 1996, officials at the ceremony finally bestowed on the airplane the name pilots had been unofficially calling it for years—”Aardvark,” chosen because the airplane’s extended nose makes it resemble the long-snouted pig-like African creature.
Who built the F-111?
General Dynamics
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark/Manufacturers
How far can an F-111 fly?
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Primary Function | Multipurpose tactical fighter bomber. |
| Speed | F-111F — Mach 1.2 at sea level; Mach 2.5 at 60,000 feet. |
| Ceiling | 60,000-plus feet (18,200 meters). |
| Range | 3,565 miles (3,100 nautical miles) with external fuel tanks. |
When did the F-111 first fly?
December 21, 1964
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark/First flight
The F-111 was flown for the first time on 21 December 1964. In October 1967, the first version was delivered to the USAF Tactical Air Command at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Two years later, the first production bomber version was turned over to the Strategic Air Command at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, Texas.
Are any F-111 still flying?
The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production aircraft, including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight….General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark.
| F-111 Aardvark | |
|---|---|
| Retired | USAF: F-111F, 1996; EF-111A, 1998 RAAF: F-111C, 2010 |
| Status | Retired |
What’s the fastest fighter jet?
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet aircraft in the world, reaching speeds of Mach 3.3–that’s more than 3,500 kph (2,100 mph) and almost four times as fast as the average cruising speed of a commercial airliner. Key elements of the SR-71’s design made this possible.
How fast does an F-111 go?
2,655 km/h
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark/Top speed
The F-111 was a trailblazer for aircraft tech, with examples being its afterburning turbofan engines, sweep-wing, and automatic terrain-following radar. With its pioneering characteristics and a top speed of 1,650 mph, this high-speed variable-sweep wing aircraft has earned its place in military history.
What was the F-111 used for?
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired American supersonic, medium-range interdictor and tactical attack aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic nuclear bomber, aerial reconnaissance, and electronic-warfare aircraft in its various versions.
Has a propeller plane broke the sound barrier?
Propeller planes can probably not break the sound barrier since the propeller, for the airplane to go faster than the speed of sound, must go even faster. This will inevitably cause shock waves powerful enough to even break the propeller.
What kind of aircraft is the General Dynamics F-111?
General Dynamics F-111C. The General Dynamics F-111C (nicknamed “Pig”) is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage.
What kind of aircraft was the General Dynamics Aardvark?
The General Dynamics–Boeing AFTI/F-111A Aardvark was a research aircraft modified from a General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark to test a Boeing -built supercritical mission adaptive wing (MAW). This MAW, in contrast to standard control surfaces, could smoothly change the shape of its airfoil in flight.
What kind of aircraft is the General Dynamics pig?
General Dynamics F-111C. The General Dynamics F-111C (nicknamed Pig) is a variant of the F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft, developed by General Dynamics to meet Australian requirements. The design was based on the F-111A model but included longer wings and strengthened undercarriage.
When did the Air Force convert to the F-111C?
Four ex– United States Air Force (USAF) F-111As were purchased by Australia and converted to F-111C standard in 1982 to replace F-111Cs destroyed during accidents. Australia also operated 15 F-111Gs between 1993 and 2007, mainly for conversion training.
