Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Thanks, spazinbad. That's a reasonably fair and accurate piece.

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RNZAF A-4K at NAS Nowra 1991-2001 (Australia) demonstrating a short field arrest on runway 21 video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MdtnzNv ... r_embedded

Spring/Sprung? 2011 PDF (0.8Mb) Mentioning the F-35A/C again as well as other aircraft for land based emergency arrest systems:

Braking News Spring 2011

http://www.esco.zodiacaerospace.com/dow ... 011_lr.pdf (0.8Mb)

"This Issue:
Arrested in Afghanistan | F-35 Brake Testing | SmartArrest Testing | Universal Pit

"...BAK-12 (F-22/F-35 etc.)
The BAK-12 is fully certified by the USAF for all platforms. All current and past test flights of the F-22 and F-35 have been conducted on runways with BAK-12’s installed. F-35 arrestments have been made with the BAK-12 and is approved for the F-35 today. According to the Air Combat Command, there are no new requirements for anything other than the BAK-12 for the F-22/F-35 platforms."...

This is the End - my only friend - the End.... (song lyrics)
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/doors/the+ ... 42686.html

F111 Disposal Video2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... NIAtygtUds

"Uploaded by thiessvideo on Nov 24, 2011"
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RAAF Base Amberley F-111 fighter jets end up on Swanbank landfill site near Ipswich
Brian Semmens, Ipswich News From: Quest Newspapers November 24, 2011

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews ... 6204896564

"...RAAF fighter jets have been dumped at a landfill site near Ipswich.

A RAAF spokesman confirmed to Ipswich News on Thursday that 23 of the planes had been dumped at the Swanbank landfill site...."

http://resources2.news.com.au/images/20 ... pswich.jpg

Not pleasant whatching these jets buried.
Wasn’t there any museum in the world interested in?

Would have appreciated it a Australian F111 in our National Airforce Museum (NL)
Also because of WWII as a remembering to our very important alley Australia.

AFAIK some original F-111s could be gifted to museums and have been, however later some F-111s bought via AMARC (ex-USAF) had to be destroyed as shown for various reasons. Obviously there must be many details to this short precis [look on the web] but it will do for me anyway.
_______________________________________

Iconic F-111 fighter jets seek new homes 23 November 2011

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/index/ ... 86951.html

"Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today released the Request for Offer (RFO) for up to seven retired F-111 fighter jets that will be made available on loan to Australian aircraft museums and other historical organisations.

Mr Clare announced in September that up to seven F-111s will be made available on loan to Australian aircraft museums and other historical organisations.
The release of the Request for Offer is the next step in that process.

“Following their retirement in December last year, aircraft museums and historical organisations around the country contacted me expressing strong interest in displaying the F-111,” Mr Clare said.

“We are offering these iconic aircraft for loan so as many Australians as possible can see the supersonic long range F-111Cs that protected Australian skies for nearly four decades.”

The aircraft will be loaned to museums so that Defence can continue to manage the risk of hazardous material in the aircraft like asbestos and will be subject to a number of conditions to ensure the safe preservation of the aircraft.

These conditions include:

• Housing the aircraft in a completely enclosed facility;
• Ensuring members of the public are prevented from climbing into engine intakes and exhaust ducts;
• Limiting, controlling and supervising public access to the cockpit;
• Preventing the public from opening aircraft panels;
• Supervising public access to the wheel well and weapons bays;
• Completing specified preservation maintenance; and
• Meeting Commonwealth auditing and reporting requirements.

As the aircraft were produced in the United States, organisations selected to display the aircraft will be subject to the approval of the US Government under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

F-111 aircraft will also be preserved at the following RAAF Bases across Australia:

RAAF Base Amberley, QLD (two aircraft);

RAAF Museum at Point Cook, VIC (two aircraft);

RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA (one aircraft); and

RAAF Base Wagga, NSW (one aircraft)."

Imagery is available at: http://images.defence.gov.au/fotoweb/Gr ... h=11120845

________________________________________

The airframes are filled with carcinogens and asbestos and would have costs millions to dispose of and the materials sold and probably millions to ship anywhere.

More than 7x F-111's will be in aviation museums around Australia, (this announcement is just the latest batch, doesn't include the older G models already on display) so you might just have to come down to Point Cook some day M. They've set up a pretty nice strike recce display...

http://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/n ... itions.htm

F111 Disposal - 23rd Nov 2011 VIDEO UTUBE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEBa5UtsYk4

"Uploaded by JohnFox77 on Nov 24, 2011
The good news is they saved 13 of them for display to the public."

Seriously, why not give them to an aviation school to practice on? The best way to learn about fighter design is take one a part.

"...The aircraft will be loaned to museums so that Defence can continue to manage the risk of hazardous material in the aircraft like asbestos ..." In former years many RAAF maintainers died or were severely injured/disabled by the 'deseal/reseal' process in fuel tanks. Not an aircraft to mess with methinks.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r ... jWKCmIyhYA [190Kb]

alloycowboy wrote:

Seriously, why not give them to an aviation school to practice on? The best way to learn about fighter design is take one a part.

Massive liability issues for the Government is why...

http://f111.dva.gov.au/history.htm

That focussed specifically on the fuel tanks. There are equally great problems in the fuselages, wings etc with asbestos and other carcinogens present that aren't "normal" for an aircraft.

Plus under ITARS we can't just "give them" to anyone.

Sic transit gloria mundi

Sad pic Sad

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Arresting F-35s & Brake Testing