The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" is a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also fills the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s and first entering service in 1967, the United States Air Force (USAF) variants were officially retired by 1998. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the sole remaining operator of the F-111.

The F-111 pioneered several technologies for production military aircraft including variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofan engines, and automated terrain following radar for low-level, high-speed flight. Its design was influential, being reflected in later Soviet aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-24, and some of its advanced features have since become commonplace. During its inception, however, the F-111 suffered a variety of development problems, and several of its intended roles, such as naval interception through the F-111B, failed to materialize.

In USAF service the F-111 has been effectively replaced 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. In 2007, the RAAF decided to replace its 21 F-111s in 2010 with 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale rendition of a Royal Australian Air Force General Dynamics F-111C "Aardvark" strike aircraft that was attached to No.82 Wing during December 2010. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 12-1/4-inches
Length: 10-1/2-inches

Release Date: August 2016

Historical Account: "Pigs No Longer Fly" - In 2007, the Australian government decided to retire all of its F-111s by 2010, and acquire 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets as an interim replacement, pending the arrival of the F-35 Lightning JSF then under development. The F-111 fleet was considered to be at risk due to fatigue issues, and too expensive to operate as each aircraft required 180 hours of maintenance for every hour of flying time. No.82 Wing began re-equipping with the Super Hornet in 2010, and the last F-111s were retired on December 3rd that year. FACDU was combined with the RAAF Special Tactics Project in July 2009 to form No.4 Squadron. The following year, No.82 Wing became home to No.5 Flight, which was responsible for training personnel to operate the RAAF's two IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles based at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The Air Force acquired a third Heron in 2011, based in Australia and operated by No.5 Flight. As of that year, the F-35 was not expected to enter Australian service until 2018.

The RAAF hoped to be able to sell off its Super Hornets "with very low kilometers on the clock" by 2020, but this would depend on delivery of the replacement F-35s. In April 2013, No.5 Flight was transferred from No.82 Wing to Surveillance and Response Group's No.92 Wing. The following month, the Federal government announced plans to purchase twelve Boeing EA-18G Growlers to supplement the Super Hornet fleet. No.6 Squadron is expected to begin taking delivery of the Growlers in 2017, at which point its Super Hornets will be transferred to No.1 Squadron.