Which is the best F-111A?

[Otto]

I want to first state that I am most interested in dimensional and outline accuracy and that I don't mind raised panel lines. This is to squelch any beginnings of the "Monogram is old and has raised panel lines" comments. I want to build a "What If" F-111B and want a good starting platform. I am also interested in external detail.

[Andre]

Given scale and choice: Academy, with trepidations.

HTH,

Andre

[dehowie]

They all have issues.

Academy with replaced burners,nose gear,wheels...or Hobbyboss with replacement windscreen plus other stuff.

OOB id go Academy..

[ThudDriver]

I'm assuming that your talking 1/72nd ??

If that's the case, my vote is for the Hasegawa kit.

In 1/48th, my vote is the the Hobby Boss kit.

Thuddriver

[Otto]

I'm assuming that your talking 1/72nd ??

If that's the case, my vote is for the Hasegawa kit.

In 1/48th, my vote is the the Hobby Boss kit.

Thuddriver

Sorry; 1/48

[habu2]

This is to squelch any beginnings of the "Monogram is old and has raised panel lines" comments.

The problem with the Monogram kit isn't that it's old and has raised panel lines, it's that it's based on an even older and by all accounts inaccurate Aurora mold.

I want to build a "What If" F-111B and want a good starting platform. I am also interested in external detail.

There was once an aftermarket set for the "B" but I don't remember who made it.

Ginter's book on the F-111B program is highly recommended. It was authored by a member here, Tailspin Turtle.

[Pete]

Pete's Hangar (not related to me) did a conversion set. Long OOP and hard to find. I believe you're also better off with a F-111C kit instead of the A.

[david sMiGielski]

Sent you an email via the condor address.

[metroman]

HB - just replace the windscreen and you're in

[Parabat]

HB again, with a Squadron canopy.

[dinozavr]

I think as a base should be FB-111A (with a long wing). In my opinion, Academy kit is optimal

As for the aftermarket, I've only seen this set

[DET1460]

I think as a base should be FB-111A (with a long wing). In my opinion, Academy kit is optimal

As for the aftermarket, I've only seen this set

The FB kit from Academy is the way to go if you're making one of the two production birds, 152714/715. But the Academy 'C' is your best bet if making one of the five prototypes. Either HB kit of the same model can be used for the wings, and whatever part of the Academy kit that may need updating. The difference in intakes is what makes each kit particular to which version you're going to make.

Keep in mind, it makes a difference whether you're making one of the five YF-111B's, or one of the two production standard F-111B's. The noses between the two types are different in profile, the two production aircraft having a distinct 'Tomcat' shape to their radomes.

The intakes on the 'YF's' are of the early 'A' and 'C' style,(Translating Cowl) where the two production aircraft are of the triple plow type. The book mentioned would be invaluable to you. You can also Google the info you need.

A word of warning... The HB, (HobbyBoss) kit sucks! I was a crew chief on 111's in '71-'72. Its AWFUL! The wings of an FB or a C will be helpful if you start with the Academy kit of an FB or a C.

The fairing between the engines must be modified as well. The five early planes had a fairing which came to a knife edge, from top to bottom and was angled to match the trailing edge of the rudder, in side profile. The two production planes had the distinct FB-111A fairing instead. And the horizontal stabilizer fairings have pointed ends added for aerodynamics, which were deleted on all tactical 111's.

I'm making 152715, the number seven and last F-111B built from a Hasegawa FB. (Easier in 72nd!) Maybe hard to find, but they're excellent kits! (And almost 28 years old!)

JMHO

DET1460

Edited December 16, 2013 by DET1460

[Tailspin Turtle]

Ginter's book on the F-111B program is highly recommended. It was authored by a member here, Tailspin Turtle.

Thanks very much for the plug but much of what's of interest to a modeler is here: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/10/grumman-f-111b.html

[dinozavr]

The FB kit from Academy is the way to go if you're making one of the two production birds, 152714/715. But the Academy 'C' is your best bet if making one of the five prototypes. ..

Yes, of course. I've lost sight that F-111C also has a long wing

[Otto]

Pete's Hangar (not related to me) did a conversion set. Long OOP and hard to find. I believe you're also better off with a F-111C kit instead of the A.

I found in my stash an F-111F. Can I start with that one? Or are there features on that particular model not favorable for the conversion?

[Jennings]

The answer to the OP is, which is the least worst? :)

[Otto]

Well---- Inaccuracies not withstanding, I realize that there were a couple of different wing spans and also intakes. I just cant seam to find what airframe had which. I guess I would require the 70' wing and the intakes without the splitter plates. Since I want to build one of the last two definitive airframes 152714/15. The previous models had the intake splitter plate.

[Otto]

Well, I do apologize. I just read the beautiful writeup from DET1460 and it was very informative. I just ordered an FB-111A for my project. Since the colors are going to be a "what if" MARINES with bombs and sparrow missiles than It will get a different ray-dome. One off of an F-4 It will be an F/B-111B

[Rocky]

I found in my stash an F-111F. Can I start with that one? Or are there features on that particular model not favorable for the conversion?

The wings are too short. You want an F-111C or an FB-111A, as they were the only ones with the long wings. The early prototype F-111B had an intake splitter plate like the F-111C, but the production version may have had the later style (I can't find my F-111B book). The nose changed too. The early prototypes had very short noses, but the production version would have had a nose that was longer, but not as long as an Air Force nose.

You can do any what-if project that you would like to imagine, but its unlikely the Marines would have ever bought the F-111B. It was a specialized interceptor, like the F-14A, which they didn't buy either. But I guess the Navy could have developed an F-111x to replace the A-6 Intruder, which the Marines did buy.

Now what would be really cool, would be to imagine the Navy developed it into an EF-111B, like the EF-111A. Stick an EF-111A tail on it and hang some ECM pods under the wings! It would have been faster and way better than the shorter ranged EA-18G.

[DET1460]

Well, I do apologize. I just read the beautiful writeup from DET1460 and it was very informative. I just ordered an FB-111A for my project. Since the colors are going to be a "what if" MARINES with bombs and sparrow missiles than It will get a different ray-dome. One off of an F-4 It will be an F/B-111B

A Marine 111... Never thought of that. Great idea. And I think if the Navy DID acquire the 'Earth Pig', and the Marines were impressed enough with the eventual successes of the acft. in North Vietnam in late '72, the idea of a close support variant would have been possible. Marine air is, or at least was, meant to support the jarheads (With great affection...) on the ground. A role the 111 would have been great at. Day or night, any weather.

Over 4,000 missions over the north with a loss of 6 acft! No fighter cover, no tankers, no ECM escort and at night in weather. Nothing came close. The A-6A was almost...

The FB would be best for your project. The issue with 'splitter plates' or not isn't all the story. The later acft without splitter plates had wider fuselages as the intakes on these planes were extended out 4 inches to get the intakes farther from the acft. sides. The splitter plate wasn't really doing the job.

Google "F-111B 152714 152715". There are pictures in a scrapyard showing a lot of details you'll need. And, even though a predominantly land based version, I'm sure it would have the arrestor hook for carrier deployments.

I'm looking forward to seeing this kit finished.

Have fun with it. That's why we do it!

DET1460

[Otto]

I also ordered and just received (almost a month from Amazon) The Ginter book. Some very good stuff in that book. The idea of a ground support aircraft with fighter capabilities and terrain following radar would be something the MC would have really liked. The F-14 radar would not have been very useful for the marines but the radar in the FB-111A might have been. Also a Vulcan gun would have been very useful.

[Skull Leader]

The wings are too short. You want an F-111C or an FB-111A, as they were the only ones with the long wings.

Wasn't the F-111F basically an FB-111 that was recycled as a training aircraft? Should be the same airframe with the long wings and TP1 intakes, isnt it?

[Skull Leader]

I also ordered and just received (almost a month from Amazon) The Ginter book. Some very good stuff in that book. The idea of a ground support aircraft with fighter capabilities and terrain following radar would be something the MC would have really liked. The F-14 radar would not have been very useful for the marines but the radar in the FB-111A might have been. Also a Vulcan gun would have been very useful.

The F-111 had provisions for a Gunpod to be carried in the bomb bay and I believe the A models often did early on... I think one of the F-111D squadrons at Cannon did also, not sure about everyone else... I seem to recall reading that it wasn't very popular.

[magman2]

For the early missions, F-111A in the Vietnam war had the 20mm gun, and a sigle Sidewinder missile on the trapeze launcher in the fuselage bay.

[jenshb]

Wasn't the F-111F basically an FB-111 that was recycled as a training aircraft? Should be the same airframe with the long wings and TP1 intakes, isnt it?

The F-111G was a "de-nuked and de-SAC'ed" FB-111, the F-111F was a "proper" version in it's own right, and not de-rated in any way. This used the short wings and TPII intakes (the FB-111 nad F-111G had TPII intakes too, but the long wings. The F-111F also had the most powerful engines of the Aardvark family.

Jens