Speaking of Aardvarks, has anyone built the 1/72 Hasegawa kit? It’s working its way up my “to do” list.
It’s not often you have to say thanks to a politician, but it sounds like a good job we never got F-111’s in the RAF. Then again we got the Tornado, all of the above faults & more! The Aussies are still struggling with their F-111’s, recently they have been sued by ex ground crew, turns out the integral fuel tank sealant is highly toxic and causes severe health probs in later life!
I don’t know if Zhengdefu (Chinese) kits have made their way to the States, but I bought a 1/48th F-111E in the UK for 5 pounds. I’ve built their A-10, not bad, about equivalent to a Revell kit, but lousy decals. I plan to build my Aardvark soon, the kit decals have a ‘UH’ for the fin,a/c No 068, but, as i say, they’re poor, so I’ll hit the research trail for a scheme.
Per Claymore68: “P.S. this is the only A/C I know of that has the entire crew compartment to eject.”
Doesn’t the B-1 also have the escape pod as well?
I don’t think the Bone does, any overhead photos I’ve ever seen of it generally indicate four ejectable panels over the cabin, one for each crew member.
I had heared that the SU-24 Fencer had a fully ejectable crew capsule, any truth to that?
albertsponson:
Its interesting to see your comments on the Tornado, I’d always heared that beyond the usual tempermental nature of variable geometry mechanics, that the Tornado was a generally trouble free aircraft.
What do you guys reccomend as the best 1/48th scale F-111 kit? I’d like to see one with optonal position flaps, slats, & glove vanes. I know Hasegawa makes an excellent one in 1/72. I’ve also heard of an aftermarket resin kit for the flaps, etc. but it is a wee bit expensive
I’ve heard that the Academy F-111s in 1/48 were generally good.
There was an F-111F, EF-111, F-111C and an FB-111
upnorth, this is diverging from the Aardvark subject but, since you asked. I spent 51/2 years on Gr 1’s in the RAF. Yes, there were sync problems at times with the sweep gear, it wasn’t unknown for the wings to sweep back,(in the Hangar), with the flaps down. A GR1 cannot sweep on the ground or it sits on it’s backside. the 3000 psi Hydraulic system is a pain. The wing undersides corroded. Nose legs failed to retract, APU’s caught fire, The cross drive gearbox could disintegrate, The emergency chemical battery under the tail could go off on it’s own. Engine control plugs corroded, and as there is no mechanical link to the engines, they could then do their own thing. In the event of total loss of electrics there is no control to them at all so they could spin up to destruction, I could go on & on, I hated working on them! I went back to choppers, simple by comparison, & you can see what keeps them up!
Hey Berny
The P-39 wasn’t the best fighter of WW II ? That’s depressing to find out. [;)]
I agree w/ Eagle334, how depressing…!!!. Man if my gramps were to hear that , he’d be rolling over in his grave right about now[:p]
Flaps up,Mike
Butz,
What did your Grandfather fly?
By the way, the best fighter of WWII was the P-47 thunderbolt. [;)]
Mike
You are right guys. I should not have put the P-39 in the same class as the F-111. [B)] The P-39 was a much better acft, compared to the 'Vark. I’ll take my lashes. [;)]
I picked up a 1/48 HobbyCraft Canada F-111F (or was it E) Aardvark as in impulse buy. What a piece of crap! A waste of $17.99.
What’s wrong with it?-- It’s more like a toy than a model kit. “moving wings” and weapons mounts, Oversized recessed panel lines, baisic rudementary detail in the cockpit and wheel wells, a frosty canopy, and a decal sheet about the size of a post-it note. I can’t comment on it’s overall accuracy. I did note an excessive witnes line on each of the wing tips (from a mold insert) so I’m guessing they have a modification for the E/F version.
I’m severely dissapointed. I think this kit will go into the 'spares box.
So I’m still searching for the ultimate 1/48 Aardvark…
Always liked that plane, problems or not( a good example of why politicians should stay out of the DoD business). International Air Power Review Autumn/Fall 2002 has a great section on Australias two squadrons of Pigs.(that is there nickname down under). They plan on keeping them up till 2020…must have taken a fancy to them. They can’t be all that terrible, at least not anymore.
Ultimate bomber, Ahh, the de Havilland Aardvark - sorry, Mosquito!
As a boy (1978) I remember F111s flying into Filton (Bristol, England) for avionics upgrades. Noisiest thing in the sky at the time (The last Vulcan B2 left Filton earlier that year!).
Also remember the USAF Hercules that went into there without fail at 16:45 every evening, regular as clockwork.
Ain’t nostalgia a beautiful thing!
Rob M.
toad,
Just picked up the 1/48 EF-111 from Academy. Haven’t tried assembly yet, but in the box it looks pretty good, if not a little underdetailed in the cockpit.
demono69