General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark - Castle Air Museum

The General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark at Castle Air Museum is a supersonic, tactical aircraft that filled the roles of strategic nuclear bomber, aerial reconnaissance, and electronic-warfare aircraft.

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production models of the F-111 had roles that included attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabilities), reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Aardvark comes from a South African animal that has a long nose and hugs the terrain. It is an Afrikaans word that translates literally as "earth pig" — hence the aircraft's "Pig" nickname during its Australian service.

Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics under Robert McNamara's TFX Program, the F-111 pioneered variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain-following radar for low-level, high-speed flight. Its design influenced later variable-sweep wing aircraft, and some of its advanced features have become commonplace. The F-111 suffered problems during initial development, largely related to the engines. A fighter variant intended for the United States Navy, the F-111B, was canceled before production; it was intended for aircraft carrier-based roles, including long-range interception. Several specialized models, such as the FB-111A strategic bomber and the EF-111A electronic warfare aircraft, were also developed.

The F-111 entered service in 1967 with the United States Air Force (USAF). The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also ordered the F-111 and began operating the F-111C in 1973. As early as March 1968, the USAF were deploying F-111s into active combat situations; the type saw heavy use during the latter half of the Vietnam War to conduct low-level ground-attack missions, flying in excess of 4,000 combat missions while incurring only six combat losses in the theatre. The F-111s also participated in the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) in 1991; the F-111Fs completed 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful one, better than any other U.S. strike aircraft used in the operation. RAAF F-111s never saw offensive action, but were deployed periodically as a deterrent, such as for the Australian-led International Force for East Timor.

Being relatively expensive to maintain amid post-Cold War budget cuts, the USAF elected to retire its F-111 fleet during the 1990s; the last F-111Fs were withdrawn in 1996 while the remaining EF-111s also departed in 1998. The F-111 was replaced in USAF service by the F-15E Strike Eagle for medium-range precision strike missions, while the supersonic bomber role has been assumed by the B-1B Lancer. The RAAF continued to operate the type up until December 2010, when the last F-111C was retired; its role was transitioned to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as an interim measure until the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II became available.

The Castle Air Museum affords visitors from the region and throughout the world the opportunity to learn the costly sacrifices of the men and women who designed, built, maintained and flew these aircraft into hostile skies to defend freedom and liberty with many making the ultimate sacrifice. The Museum also serves to educate on the past milestones in aviation and what the future of aerospace may hold in store.

Castle Air Museum, located in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley is the largest aviation museum between Southern California and the State of Washington with over seventy restored vintage military aircraft on static exhibit with more to arrive in the future! The Museum is adjacent to the former Castle Air Force Base, now Castle Airport, and officially opened to the public in 1981 as a non-profit 501c3 organization with a mission “to preserve military aviation heritage for future generations.” Today the Museum has evolved into a premier showcase for families, history buffs, schools, tourists, and aviation enthusiasts.

Visit Castle Air Museum Online:
https://www.castleairmuseum.org