General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark "Madame Queen"
The FB-111A was intended as an interim aircraft between the B-52 and the Advanced Manned Bomber (which turned out to be the B-1B), and a replacement for the B-58 Hustler. It was something of a Frankenstein's monster, in that it used the airframe of the F-111A, the longer wings of the cancelled F-111B, and the newer Triple Plow II intakes, engines, and avionics suite of the F-111D. This suite was in turn even further upgraded with improved radar, navigation systems (including a primitive GPS), and bomb delivery system that allowed for fully automatic bomb runs even in poor weather. The landing gear was also strengthened to allow for a much higher maximum weight and warload; though the FB-111A could carry even more bombs than the tactical F-111 models, it carried AGM-69 SRAM standoff nuclear missiles in SAC service.
Once the B-1B Lancer was fully mission-capable, the FB-111s were no longer needed by SAC, and in 1989 they were redesignated F-111G and handed over to Tactical Air Command. There they served until sold to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1996 as attrition replacements for the RAAF's F-111K fleet; as such, they were among the last Aardvark variants retired, beginning in 2009.
69-6507 is somewhat rare in that it spent its entire USAF career with a single unit--the 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. (This was not rare for FB-111s, it should be noted.) As nose art made a return in the 1980s, it got the name "Madame Queen," with the art carried on the right side of the fuselage; the name is repeated on the nose gear door. When the 380th was deactivated in 1988 as the FB-111 force was converted to F-111Gs, "Madame Queen" was slated for preservation and flown to the Castle Air Museum.
For some time, 69-6507 was inaccurately displayed in a tigerstripe camouflage (which admittedly did look good, anyway), but by 2013, it had been accurately returned to SIOP camouflage. It's starting to look a bit worn--California sunshine is great for humans, but hard on aircraft--but the "Queen" still looks quite stately.
For a look at the excellent nose art on this aircraft, I have a better picture: www.flickr.com/photos/31469080@N07/51202560239/in/datepos...
General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark "Madame Queen"
The FB-111A was intended as an interim aircraft between the B-52 and the Advanced Manned Bomber (which turned out to be the B-1B), and a replacement for the B-58 Hustler. It was something of a Frankenstein's monster, in that it used the airframe of the F-111A, the longer wings of the cancelled F-111B, and the newer Triple Plow II intakes, engines, and avionics suite of the F-111D. This suite was in turn even further upgraded with improved radar, navigation systems (including a primitive GPS), and bomb delivery system that allowed for fully automatic bomb runs even in poor weather. The landing gear was also strengthened to allow for a much higher maximum weight and warload; though the FB-111A could carry even more bombs than the tactical F-111 models, it carried AGM-69 SRAM standoff nuclear missiles in SAC service.
Once the B-1B Lancer was fully mission-capable, the FB-111s were no longer needed by SAC, and in 1989 they were redesignated F-111G and handed over to Tactical Air Command. There they served until sold to the Royal Australian Air Force in 1996 as attrition replacements for the RAAF's F-111K fleet; as such, they were among the last Aardvark variants retired, beginning in 2009.
69-6507 is somewhat rare in that it spent its entire USAF career with a single unit--the 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. (This was not rare for FB-111s, it should be noted.) As nose art made a return in the 1980s, it got the name "Madame Queen," with the art carried on the right side of the fuselage; the name is repeated on the nose gear door. When the 380th was deactivated in 1988 as the FB-111 force was converted to F-111Gs, "Madame Queen" was slated for preservation and flown to the Castle Air Museum.
For some time, 69-6507 was inaccurately displayed in a tigerstripe camouflage (which admittedly did look good, anyway), but by 2013, it had been accurately returned to SIOP camouflage. It's starting to look a bit worn--California sunshine is great for humans, but hard on aircraft--but the "Queen" still looks quite stately.
For a look at the excellent nose art on this aircraft, I have a better picture: www.flickr.com/photos/31469080@N07/51202560239/in/datepos...