Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

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capercaillie
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Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by capercaillie »

A random selection from various locations of the big beastie. Remember them fondly at low level over the house and they used to make a hell of a din, fast, wings back at low level. We had an incident one winter evening over Leominster with people reporting a UFO when one aircraft dumped fuel and ignited it lighting up the dark sky, IIRC the runway at Upper Heyford had frozen over and they wanted a lighter landing weight. Another time we had a big close formation of around 15 aircraft over, just before the annual show, I thought maybe practice but nothing like it happened at the show?

Upper Heyford 1991 Open House
Imagef-111e 3 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Imagef-111e 2 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Imagef-111e 1 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Imagef-111 formation by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Imageef-111a 2 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Imageef-111a 1 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Finningley 1991 Battle of Britain At Home Day
Image1991 finn ef111a by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Boscombe Down 1992 ATI, we had Cannon D, Upper Heyford Es and Lakenheath Fs
Image1992 bd f111d cc by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1992 bd f111e uh by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1992 bd f111f land by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Mildenhall 1993 Air Fete
Image1993 af f4 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1993 af f5 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

IAT 1993 including an Aussie
Image1993 iat m2 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1993 iat t20 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1993 iat d3 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

1994 Yeovilton 50th anniversary D-Day commemorations an Aussie RF-111C
Image1994 dd 4 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Image1994 dd 29 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

the AFTI preserved at Edwards AFB back in 1997
Imagef-111afti 39778 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Hope there's something you like.
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My flickr photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/146673712@N06/

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LN Strike Eagle
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

Awesome stuff. I've been watching some F-111 footage on YouTube recently. Wish I'd seen one fly.
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Pen Pusher »

I went to a Boarding School 18 miles south of Otterburn. Because of its location on the side of the North Tyne Valley, it was used as a ground marker for aircraft coming off the ranges. Mainly Vulcan's but in late 1970/71 it got noisy when the F-III's arrived. Straight and level off the range and over the school, wings back re-heat on, climb. Day and night.

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Wrexham Mackem
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Wrexham Mackem »

They were awesome beasts they truly were.

Mildenhall and IAT 87 & 89 saw FB-111 appearances too.
Image

My only regret is that from a flying display point of view, aside from the Aussies, we only ever saw flypasts, formations in different wing configs and refuelling sims. A beast of a machine for sure, but it does cross my mind what an airshow legend they could have been if they were ever displayed like other USAF assets in Europe.

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HeyfordDave111
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

Hi Wrexham,

In the final years i lived in Banbury and was a fence hangar almost every day up u til about 6 months before closure.

I distinctly remember the 4 ship variable geometry flypast being practiced about a week before i saw it at Mildenhall, but also in the same week i saw an 'in trail' 4 ship roll by each aircraft, and that didnt make Mildenhall i'm sad to say.
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Ant.H »

Great photo's, thanks for sharing them. That formation with variable amounts of wing sweep is just awesome!

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POD
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by POD »

Excellent set Paul ..

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st24
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by st24 »

Mmmmm… initially disappointed when I saw swingers in the title and saw F-111s.. :smile: Very nice selection, much missed, even living in the heart of the West midlands, varks were the most regularly seen military type at high and low levels in the '70s. Their almost daily beat ups of my uncle's place near the Clee hills was just awesome to witness.
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capercaillie
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by capercaillie »

Cheers guys, imagine shots of those through the Mach loop wings back low level, oooh suit you sir.

Nigel, thanks for adding the FB, I saw them at all those shows and only managed a half decent static at Mildenhall on the flightline, all on print as well, grrrrr.

One more showing the weird fiery flame of the big engine F.
Image1992 bd f111f ln by Paul Downes, on Flickr
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by ExCPONPC »

I spent over 30 years in the Royal Australian Navy and had several encounters with the "Aussie Pigs". When they were doing simulated attacks on shipping they were easy to spot and track visually due to the nice black smoke trail they left against a clear blue sky. I watched them bomb Townsend Is in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SBTA) and fly at high sub-sonic speed up one side of Prudoe Is and down the other side. Amazing aircraft.

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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Andyph »

ImageIMG_9721-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Andyph »

ImageIMG_9716-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

Image238 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Blackbird »

One from Air Fete 1985
Image_____NO_DX_2 by Andrew Shaw, on Flickr

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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by Andyph »

ImageIMG_9702-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

ImageIMG_9707-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

Image1a by Andy Heap, on Flickr

ImageIMG_2246 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

ImageIMG_2825-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

ImageIMG_2596-01 by Andy Heap, on Flickr

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capercaillie
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Re: Swingers, Aardvarks and Sparkvarks

Post by capercaillie »

You're spoiling us now Andy. The Cs look so good wings back with the extra span, they just become a full delta.

The Aussie displays were great as well, really thrown around, I remember at Boscombe Down in 1990, the aggressive kanga hop take off.

Apologies for the music in advance at the end of that video. Wouldn't happen now.
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