Preserving the ‘pig’

A8-129 was built in 1968, but delivery delayed by widely-publicised problems until June 1 1973. It remained as a C- model throughout its life, taking part in the full gambit of Australian and overseas deployments culminating in the F111 farewell flypasts on February 3 2011.

Introduction of the F111C – a new form of flying – was a complex operation, much undertaken out of Darwin where initial low-level exercises, based on its Terrain Following Radar (TFR) were worked up. At times RAF Vulcans from the Medium Bomber Force operated alongside F111s, their TFR a “pimple” dome on their weather/mapping radome. The main threat was Indonesian Confrontation’s Badger bombers, which our Mirages and visiting RAF Lightning F6s would kill, but magpie geese on old rice paddies made life interesting for the new low-flyers and scored some expensive hits.

Visiting low-level crews were bluntly told never to overfly rice paddies in trail as #1 would simply ‘launch’ the geese that following aircraft could wear. Notwithstanding that, a Kiwi A4 section did just this, one hitting geese which took out the entire nose section. It got back but a $2 million-plus repair ensued. A new F111 hit birds near Katherine and got back to Darwin on one engine only to find the intake on the other side full of birds.

The art of very low– cropduster environment – and fast flying meant the F111 was usually seen or felt before it was heard. This element of surprise saw a Phantom – filling in for delayed F111Cs – attacking the high Ord Dam wall causing a startled worker to fall off.

The main problem was devising safe methods of mixing F111s and other traffic, especially around TFR-based bombing runs and the steep escape maneouvre. F111s avoided licenced aerodromes and other sensitive areas, but the problem involved a hard-to-see aircraft flying at around 500kts (twice the universal below 10,000ft limit of 250kts), which oddly had no VHF radios, among many civil lighties that had no HF radio, negating inter-aircraft communication. Collision avoidance TCAS didn’t exist back then. This saw development of Low Jet Route (LJR) NOTAMs and maps issued, and blanket traffic warnings issued by the Flight Service in uncontrolled airspace lying outside Restricted or Danger Areas where such operations had previously occurred.

The F111s cruise level regime of typically 18-20,000ft saw in later years, in its home airspace, the aircraft sharing the altitude band with medical, regional, FIFO and charter turboprops The system is in use today and strict adherence has seen very few incidents since.

The F111 was a valuable SAR asset. The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) air traffic control then coordinated SAR for all aircraft. An F111 could rapidly locate most beacons – on land or sea – fix their position by better Inertial/GPS (using restricted P code INS) than civil operators had, and once Pave Tack was fitted bring back a photo of the site, day or night. Its radio suite enabled direct contact with ships and military long-range locator stations- also a big plus.

One potentially nasty incident saw a heavy 747 climbing out of Brisbane require an immediate return, necessitating a very large fuel dump, but the maritime dump area and much of Southern Queensland were covered by severe thunderstorms, many of which were masked from ground weather radar, through which the 747 was zigzagging. An F111 just out of Amberley on a typical 2.5 hour LJR mission was re-tasked to find a large clear hole. Due its speed and climb capability – 60,000ft+ inside 20 minutes – it found a suitable area. The 747 then vectored to it and conducted the dump at high level enroute back to Brisbane.

Two sad actions for F111s saw A8-128 lost in 1987 exiting after a loft attack on the Tenterfield meat works and A8-133 hitting birds on a bombing run on Evans Head Range, both crews perishing. Later in 1993 A8-127 and crew were lost near Guyra on an identical attack exit to -128, this maneouvre later dropped on safety grounds. The challenging tactic often involved flying at 150-200ft at up to 500kts at night in rain, whereas other aircraft types were limited to 250kts at 500ft in visual conditions or 1,000ft on instruments. The F111/Aardvark Memorial near Canon AFB lists 115 USAF/RAAF crew members lost (Aardvark translates as Pig).

Many fighter pilots initially bagged TFR and doubted the massive Vulcan’s sneaky approach capability, although it was limited to 250kts down low. One Mirage holding on Combat Air Patrol saw one that had got through attacking the Air Defence Radar site, dived on and got it. But Vulcans running in above 55,000ft got even when asked by controllers to please descend – a long way – so Mirages out of puff far lower down in the tropical heat could get a go at them. Touché. The smaller, faster F111 was a far harder target for Mirages.

The Pig was a territory drawcard, rarely raising noise complaints as locals tried to get close looks, whilst British Airways’ noisy nightly VC10 Rangoon-Sydney service, spilling time at Darwin to meet Sydney’s curfew, departed around 2am generated hundreds.

The F111 is sadly missed, and enshrining one at Caloundra in a major tourism area near in its home area is entirely appropriate. It is set up for public display with some controlled cockpit access available. Adding perhaps a Pave Tack pod, weapons and other stores, along with a cockpit module and its massive parachute system in static display would greatly enhance the memorial to what was a quantum leap in land and maritime strike operations, and which doubtless nullified any Indonesian threats to the great relief of Darwinites and East Timorese, some of whom had been bombed before.

QAM is a pleasant day-trip from Brisbane and close to Sunshine Coast accommodation. Fly-in tourists can land at Caloundra alongside the museum – and don’t need permission to do so. The museum boasts nearly 70 aircraft on static display and a vast array of memorabilia, and its working weekends are a must see for visitors.

It’s sobering to think Caloundra airport, which handles 40,000 movements a year and forecast to grow to 84,000 by 2030, and home to 20 businesses, 23 leases and QAM, were threatened only two years ago with closure to make way for commercial development. Although both were glibly offered relocation to a remote site, a change of state government saw a reversal with both ultimately saved in their current location and an impressive new masterplan adopted in late March this year. Development dollars and new roads must never again threaten the museum and airport, and all politicians must honour this to the letter to keep the aerodrome – and QAM – safe.

This is dedicated to the crew of A8-128 and all F-111 crews lost in the service of our country.