General Dynamics F-111E Aardvark and Republic F-105G Thunderchief
GENERAL DYNAMICS F-111E AARDVARK: The F-111 was born out of a mistaken attempt to combine the USAF's need for a strike aircraft replacement for the F-105 Thunderchief, and the US Navy's need for a fleet defense interceptor replacement for the F-4 Phantom II. Though it spectacularly failed at the latter, the F-111, after years of teething problems and misfires, did become a superlative strike aircraft. Capable of supersonic performance at low level in all-weather, the F-111 would serve well in the last years of the Vietnam War, in strikes on Libya in 1986, and in the First Gulf War of 1991. The beloved Aardvark was finally replaced by the F-15E Strike Eagle in USAF service in the mid-1990s, though Australian versions soldiered on until 2010.
REPUBLIC F-105G THUNDERCHIEF: Originally built as the F-105F two-seat conversion trainer for the F-105 Thunderchief, the F-105G was a result of the successful use of F-105Fs in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) "Wild Weasel" role in the Vietnam War. While the F-105F performed well, updates to enemy air defense radars led to surviving Weasel Fs to be modified to F-105G standard. This included a new radar, avionics, and electronic countermeasures pods scabbed onto the fuselage sides. F-105Gs served in the last years of the Vietnam War, then were relegated to Air National Guard units until the 1980s, when they were retired; the G was replaced by the F-4G SEAD variant of the Phantom.
Dad built these two models fairly early in his model-building career. The F-111 is an E variant, which served only with the 20th TFW aircraft out of RAF Upper Heyford, UK. Ironically, by the time Dad built this model in 1976, the real 68-0045 had crashed in 1971.
The F-105G is an aircraft of the 35th TFW based at George AFB, California; George was the main base for USAF Wild Weasel training. 63-8276 was a Vietnam veteran, having served with the 388th TFW at Korat RTAFB as a F-105F. Following its Vietnam service, it was converted to a F-105G and served as a training aircraft at George until 1980, when it was retired. its ending is a happier one, as it is preserved today at Nellis AFB. It carries three external drop tanks and two AGM-45 Shrike anti-radar missiles.
Both aircraft are painted in USAF Southeast Asia colors, though the F-111 has black undersurfaces for night operations. The large white tailcodes were a hallmark of late 1960s-early 1970s USAF aircraft.
The F-111E is still around, but I don't know what happened to the F-105; I believe Dad broke it up for parts at some point.
General Dynamics F-111E Aardvark and Republic F-105G Thunderchief
GENERAL DYNAMICS F-111E AARDVARK: The F-111 was born out of a mistaken attempt to combine the USAF's need for a strike aircraft replacement for the F-105 Thunderchief, and the US Navy's need for a fleet defense interceptor replacement for the F-4 Phantom II. Though it spectacularly failed at the latter, the F-111, after years of teething problems and misfires, did become a superlative strike aircraft. Capable of supersonic performance at low level in all-weather, the F-111 would serve well in the last years of the Vietnam War, in strikes on Libya in 1986, and in the First Gulf War of 1991. The beloved Aardvark was finally replaced by the F-15E Strike Eagle in USAF service in the mid-1990s, though Australian versions soldiered on until 2010.
REPUBLIC F-105G THUNDERCHIEF: Originally built as the F-105F two-seat conversion trainer for the F-105 Thunderchief, the F-105G was a result of the successful use of F-105Fs in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) "Wild Weasel" role in the Vietnam War. While the F-105F performed well, updates to enemy air defense radars led to surviving Weasel Fs to be modified to F-105G standard. This included a new radar, avionics, and electronic countermeasures pods scabbed onto the fuselage sides. F-105Gs served in the last years of the Vietnam War, then were relegated to Air National Guard units until the 1980s, when they were retired; the G was replaced by the F-4G SEAD variant of the Phantom.
Dad built these two models fairly early in his model-building career. The F-111 is an E variant, which served only with the 20th TFW aircraft out of RAF Upper Heyford, UK. Ironically, by the time Dad built this model in 1976, the real 68-0045 had crashed in 1971.
The F-105G is an aircraft of the 35th TFW based at George AFB, California; George was the main base for USAF Wild Weasel training. 63-8276 was a Vietnam veteran, having served with the 388th TFW at Korat RTAFB as a F-105F. Following its Vietnam service, it was converted to a F-105G and served as a training aircraft at George until 1980, when it was retired. its ending is a happier one, as it is preserved today at Nellis AFB. It carries three external drop tanks and two AGM-45 Shrike anti-radar missiles.
Both aircraft are painted in USAF Southeast Asia colors, though the F-111 has black undersurfaces for night operations. The large white tailcodes were a hallmark of late 1960s-early 1970s USAF aircraft.
The F-111E is still around, but I don't know what happened to the F-105; I believe Dad broke it up for parts at some point.