Difference between revisions of "F-111A"
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! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute | ! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X | + | | ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X <!-- ✓ --> |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! - | ! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! - | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || | + | | {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 800 || 588 || 555 || ~9 || ~4 |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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|- | |- | ||
! colspan="3" | Engine | ! colspan="3" | Engine | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass |
|- | |- | ||
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number | ! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number | ||
| − | ! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan=" | + | ! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel) |
|- | |- | ||
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-3 || 2 | | colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-3 || 2 | ||
| − | | colspan="2" | | + | | colspan="2" | 21,147 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m<sup>2</sup> |
|- | |- | ||
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics | ! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross<br>Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}} |
|- | |- | ||
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type | ! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type | ||
| − | ! | + | ! 43m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 143m fuel |
|- | |- | ||
| 1,882 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | | 1,882 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | ||
| − | | | + | | 25,595 kg || 25,795 kg || 27,343 kg || 35,962 kg || 51,425 kg |
|- | |- | ||
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}} | ! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}} | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) |
|- | |- | ||
! Condition || 100% || WEP | ! Condition || 100% || WEP | ||
| − | ! | + | ! 43m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 143m fuel || MGW |
|- | |- | ||
| ''Stationary'' || 4,790 kgf || 8,350 kgf | | ''Stationary'' || 4,790 kgf || 8,350 kgf | ||
| − | | | + | | 0.65 || 0.65 || 0.61 || 0.46 || 0.32 |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | ''Optimal'' || | + | | ''Optimal'' || 5,335 kgf<br>(1,600 km/h) || 12,044 kgf<br>(1,400 km/h) |
| − | | | + | | 0.94 || 0.94 || 0.88 || 0.67 || 0.47 |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 119: | Line 119: | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}} | {{Specs-Avia-Armaments}} | ||
| + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | ! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | ! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |} | ||
=== Offensive armament === | === Offensive armament === | ||
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}} | {{Specs-Avia-Offensive}} | ||
| Line 237: | Line 246: | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
| − | === Devblog | + | === [[wt:en/news/8545-development-f-111a-aardvark-the-ultimate-bomber-en|Devblog]] === |
The prototype of a new American bomber was born from the conditions of a complex and constantly changing technical specification. The first flight of the F-111A prototype took place at the end of 1964 with serial production being established only 3 years later. While the initial priority for avionics development was the use of nuclear weapons, the Vietnam War dramatically changed the Aardvark's purpose towards a low-altitude bombing aircraft that could fly deep into enemy territory beyond the reach of anti-aircraft weaponry. The F-111 was in service with the U.S. Air Force until 1996 and was widely used in various military operations. | The prototype of a new American bomber was born from the conditions of a complex and constantly changing technical specification. The first flight of the F-111A prototype took place at the end of 1964 with serial production being established only 3 years later. While the initial priority for avionics development was the use of nuclear weapons, the Vietnam War dramatically changed the Aardvark's purpose towards a low-altitude bombing aircraft that could fly deep into enemy territory beyond the reach of anti-aircraft weaponry. The F-111 was in service with the U.S. Air Force until 1996 and was widely used in various military operations. | ||
Revision as of 16:28, 9 December 2023
Contents
Description
Following the exposition of the shortcomings of the current fighter aircraft of the United States in the 1960s, particularly shown during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Department of Defense set out to procure a versatile, long-range strike aircraft to meet the demands of the Cold War for both the US Navy and Air Force. The F-111 project was born as a joint effort between the Air Force and Navy, aiming to create a multi-role aircraft capable of performing both strategic and tactical missions in USAF doctrine and for Navy "fleet defence and strike" doctrine, resulting in the F-111 development program being one of the most comical rollercoaster rides in the world of military aviation. After many shortcomings, failures, and cancellations of certain aspects of the program, primarily the F-111K (UK export variant) and F-111B (US Navy fleet defence fighter) being cancelled, the development shifted to solely focus on the USAF frontline-bomber variant. Though the F-111 program faced numerous challenges and controversies, it eventually evolved into an impressive aircraft known for its adaptability and innovative technology. The initial chapter in this story, the F-111A, was just the tip of the spear, and the advent of a long and notable history of the "Aardvark" family.
The F-111A Aardvark is a heavy frontline bomber and low-altitude interdictor, introduced in Update "Kings of Battle". Building upon the doctrine and playstyle of previous aircraft in the bomber line, primarily the previous F-105D, the F-111A borrows many of its mission profiles, and as such has a similar set of advantages and disadvantages against its adversaries. The F-111 is characterized by being the extreme of most ends in-game, being the fastest aircraft in-game at the time of its introduction, at a Battle Rating where nothing can even dream of catching you at your max speed. However, reaching that max speed is another story, as the Pratt & Whitney TF-30 engines, familiar to pilots of the F-14A Early, have abysmal acceleration, which when coupled with the high-drag airframe, means that the F-111A bleeds energy dangerously quickly in any manoeuvre. However, do not let these donwnsides deter you from the venerable 'Vark, as in the hands of a more experienced player, it can be a very dangerous fighter at its battle rating, utilizing its good top speed and great manoeuvrability at low speed to win almost all engagements it finds itself in. If all else fails, the F-111 can resort to bombing bases thanks to its highly respectable ordnance load, capable of leveling up to seven bases in Air Realistic Battles when fully loaded with bombs. In ground battles, the F-111 can function as a precision interdictor thanks to its small selection of precision weapons and bomb computer, or more likely, as an area-level frontline strike aircraft, thanks to its capability to carpet bomb with up to fifty bombs, or hammer a smaller area with its 456x FFAR rockets.
Players must take caution when taking any ordnance on the outermost four pylons, as this configuration locks the wings in forward sweep and turns the F-111 into a subsonic bomb truck.
General info
Flight performance
The General-Dynamics F-111A Aardvark is a superbly fast aircraft, however, it suffers from being powered by a pair of TF30s and weighing more than any other jet in the game, giving it the acceleration of a tortoise in winter. This is a plane that functions almost purely off its aerodynamics, which allows it to have one of the highest top speeds in the game at sea level and altitude (Mach 1.3 and 2.5 respectively). The F-111A is a fighter-bomber, and a large one, which means any air-to-air combat should leave dogfighting as a last resort. In the air-to-air role, it flies like an F-104 but even faster, however, you also have to deal with extremely poor energy retention due to the aircraft's large surface area. The Aardvark performs fairly well in rate fights against other large aircraft like the F-4 and Su-17/22, and the F-104 of course. In the air-to-ground role, the aircraft's performance varies widely. Using the inner-most pylons can result in a blockage of the wing sweep to 75%, however, they can swing back once the ordinance is dropped. Using the outer pylons or gunpods renders the wings immobile and this significantly lowers top speed.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,429 | 2,390 | 12192 | 33.3 | 33.6 | 103.2 | 96.5 | 1,200 |
| Upgraded | 2,472 | 2,590 | 32.7 | 33.0 | 148.6 | 125.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 611 | 800 | 588 | 555 | ~9 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < ___ | < ___ | < ___ | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-3 | 2 | 21,147 kg | ___ kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 43m fuel | 45m fuel | 60m fuel | 143m fuel | ||
| 1,882 kg | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | 25,595 kg | 25,795 kg | 27,343 kg | 35,962 kg | 51,425 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 43m fuel | 45m fuel | 60m fuel | 143m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 4,790 kgf | 8,350 kgf | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.61 | 0.46 | 0.32 |
| Optimal | 5,335 kgf (1,600 km/h) |
12,044 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
0.94 | 0.94 | 0.88 | 0.67 | 0.47 |
Survivability and armour
The greatest advantage for the F-111 Aardvark in terms of survivability is its raw speed. Although its acceleration is mediocre with any sort of payload, it has an extremely high top speed when moving in a straight line, and can outrun many aircraft without needing to ditch its bombs to do so as long as it was already moving fast.
The greatest disadvantage in terms of survivability for the F-111 is the sheer size of the aircraft and the fact that fuel and the engines takes up an extremely large portion of the internal aircraft volume. This means that any enemy fighters within gun range will not have a very hard time hitting something critical and starting a fire.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | Lead indicator |
 |
|
|
|
|
Offensive armament
The F-111A is armed with:
- 52 x large calibre countermeasures
Suspended armament
The F-111A can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mm M61A1 cannons (1,200 rpg) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 20 mm M61A1 cannons (2,000 rpg) | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 1 | 1 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | |||
| 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | |||||
| 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs | 3 | 3 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 1 | 1 | 3, 6 | 3, 6 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 3,000 lb M118 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| BLU-1 incendiary bombs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | |||||
| Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | |||||
| AGM-12B Bullpup missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 600 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 4,100 kg | |||||||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Pros:
- One of the fastest aircraft in-game, with a maximum airspeed of 1,500 km/h (~930 mph) IAS with maximum wing sweep
- Extremely heavy payload capacity (currently, the heaviest payload capacity in-game)
- CCIP and CCRP bomb computer, CCIP rocket and cannon computer, radar has lead-computing cannon FCS
- Powerful Vulcan with 2,000 rounds
- MAW (Missile Approach Warning) can detect missiles approaching from the rear, and, optionally drop countermeasures if countermeasure slaving is enabled
- Surprisingly agile and manoeuvrable at low speeds with wings at 0% swing and combat flaps
Cons:
- Very large and heavy
- Alarmingly high fuel consumption
- Mediocre acceleration
- Suffers from a long takeoff roll, especially with maximum payload
- Cannot sweep wings at all when outer two pylon stations are mounted (even after payload is jettisoned!), severely limiting maximum speed.
- Wings will not move to maximum sweep if bombs are present on the innermost pylons until bombs are dropped, limiting maximum speed and acceleration
- Radar does not have IFF
- If countermeasures are slaved to MAW, they can quickly run out due to only having 52 countermeasures
- AIM-9Bs are practicably useless
History
Devblog
The prototype of a new American bomber was born from the conditions of a complex and constantly changing technical specification. The first flight of the F-111A prototype took place at the end of 1964 with serial production being established only 3 years later. While the initial priority for avionics development was the use of nuclear weapons, the Vietnam War dramatically changed the Aardvark's purpose towards a low-altitude bombing aircraft that could fly deep into enemy territory beyond the reach of anti-aircraft weaponry. The F-111 was in service with the U.S. Air Force until 1996 and was widely used in various military operations.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| General Dynamics Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Strike Aircraft | F-111A · F-111F |
| Export | ▄F-16A ADF · ▄F-16A · ▄F-16AM · ␗F-16A MLU · F-16AJ · Netz · F-16D Barak II · F-16C Barak II |
| F-111C | |
| See also | SABCA |
| USA jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| F9F | F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8 |
| F-80 | F-80A-5 · F-80C-10 |
| F-84 | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35 |
| F-89 | F-89B · F-89D |
| F-100 | F-100D |
| F-104 | F-104A · F-104C |
| F-4 | F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II |
| F-5 | F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A |
| F-8 | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| F-14 | F-14A Early · ▄F-14A IRIAF · F-14B |
| F-15 | F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E |
| F-16 | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Other | P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1 |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| FJ-4 | FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 |
| A-4 | A-4B · A-4E Early |
| A-7 | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| AV-8 | AV-8A · AV-8C · AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| A-10 | A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C |
| F-111 | F-111A · F-111F |
| Other | A-6E TRAM · F-105D · F-117 |
| Bombers | |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
