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F-111 in Vietnam


Booty003

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A story often told is that when asked if they had "smart bombs", an F-111 pilot in Vietnam replied "no but we have a smart aircraft!"

As often happens with similar anecdotes it's hard to tell how true it is but in any case this highlights the fact that F-111s did not use LGBs in Vietnam. The loads commonly carried were M-117, Mk.82 and 84 bombs and suu-30 dispensers. They also generally carried the gun in the weapon bay

 

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Used to watch the F111F”s at Cowden bombing range near Hornsea East Yorks, they didn’t use LGBs only 25kg bombs, they were awful had to do a dry pass most times and still couldn’t get close to the sea targets. Toss bombing same story but I think that simulated nukes so no need for accuracy there...so much for a smart aircraft. Tornado GR1 on the other hand appeared out of nowhere hit the target and disappeared, one chance one hit everytime.

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1 hour ago, delticfan said:

Not sure about Vietnam ops but the F’s used the Pavetack laser designator pod to self illuminate targets.

Pave Tack was not operational until 1982, well after the end of the Vietnam War. It's believed first combat use was in the 'El Dorado Canyon' strike on Libya in 1986. 

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On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 12:04 PM, Asmodai said:

Pave Tack was not operational until 1982, well after the end of the Vietnam War. It's believed first combat use was in the 'El Dorado Canyon' strike on Libya in 1986. 

You are correct, sir! The only use of LGB's that I can recall is when F-4's used them against the Paul Doumer bridge- some a/c used Paveways and some used  Walleyes, IIRC. Jim Rotramel would be the man who could tell you what F-111's carried in SEA, but I don't recall him hanging out here- maybe Hyperscale?

Mike

Edited by 72modeler
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On 4/12/2019 at 7:33 PM, delticfan said:

Used to watch the F111F”s at Cowden bombing range near Hornsea East Yorks, they didn’t use LGBs only 25kg bombs, they were awful had to do a dry pass most times and still couldn’t get close to the sea targets. Toss bombing same story but I think that simulated nukes so no need for accuracy there...so much for a smart aircraft. Tornado GR1 on the other hand appeared out of nowhere hit the target and disappeared, one chance one hit everytime.

Never knew the GR1 had "perfect" weapons delivery systems.   Good info! 

Edited by 11bravo
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Not saying perfect but they appeared out of nowhere hit the target, generally single shots with practice bombs, and disappeared again, straight and level about 250ft off to another range I suppose. It always stuck in my mind how efficient it was. The one elevens messed about for ages and generally weren’t as accurate, it was interesting to watch. Also A10’s on land targets destroying the scaffold frame banner type targets...awesome....happy days 1983 to 84. Had a few Jaguars too. I think a few times Binbrook Lightning’s would loiter outside the range to bounce aircraft leaving but that didn’t happen a lot. We spent some happy hours in the control tower watching all this happen photography banned of course! 

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3 hours ago, delticfan said:

Not saying perfect but they appeared out of nowhere hit the target, generally single shots with practice bombs, and disappeared again, straight and level about 250ft off to another range I suppose. It always stuck in my mind how efficient it was. The one elevens messed about for ages and generally weren’t as accurate

And yet just 7 years later, things played out rather differently.  

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