F-111 relocation to Historical Aircraft Restoration Society

[Thruster87]

The world’s last operational F-111C bomber will be transported by road this weekend from Amberley in Queensland to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) at Illawarra Regional Airport, near Wollongong.

 

Designated A8-109, the aircraft will depart Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley at 2:00am on Saturday, 6 April. It is scheduled to arrive at HARS by approximately 7:00am on Monday, 8 April.

 

The convoy will travel more than1100km over three days, stopping through regional NSW at towns including Goondiwindi, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Muswellbrook and Beresfield, as well as the Sydney suburb of Ingleburn. (See full list of timings below.)

 

A8-109 is ex-United States Air Force and saw combat in Vietnam. The aircraft was purchased by RAAF in 1982. With its engines shutdown for the final time on 3 December 2010, following a flying display at the F-111 retirement ceremony, A8-109 became the world's last operational F-111.

 

The F-111 will have had its wings and tail control surfaces removed to enable safe transit.

 

The aircraft will be reassembled with the assistance of F-111 disposal team members. Reassembly involves reattaching the wings, tail fin and horizontal stabilators and final preparations for public display.

 

Media Notes:

 

There will be a 30 minute stop at each location for vision and interview opportunities.

 

An image of the aircraft is available here: http://images.defence.gov.au/20101203raaf8202385_0023.jpg

 

 

[cheyenne]

:yikes:Returning back to Bundy after visiting NatFly the " pig " passed me I had trouble staying straight on the road, looking in the revision mirrors those exhaust pipes are BIG.

 

Adrian

 

 

[Marty_d]

If it's operational, why didn't they just fly the damn thing??

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Because there is a treaty obligation that when the RAAF get rid of the aircraft they are to be never able to be made operational again.... As such a bunch of dangerous stuff would have had to be removed before the aircraft was sent down south.

 

For example the main bearings for the rear stabilizers was made of an alloy that was high in beryllium. any work done on the bearings by Tradies was done in moon suit's with external breathing air in facilities that were entirely environmentally sealed. The Laser designator used with laser guided munitions had special glass windows that were low level radioactive.....Bottom line there were a number of things fitted to the aircraft that you wouldn't just loose track of and ignore if you were likely to be later held to account for failing your duty of care obligations...... From a security perspective the aircraft may be obsolete but much of what was fitted in terms of munitions interfaces etc wasn't obsolete and it was not in Australia's best interest, or treaty compliance to just ignore those things....

 

Andy

 

 

[planedriver]

Because there is a treaty obligation that when the RAAF get rid of the aircraft they are to be never able to be made operational again.... Andy

Back in 1993 I came close to buying one of the 36 CT4 Trainers which were autioned off at Bankstown after they closed Point Cook. So presumeably the above only applies to fighter type stuff that could be used offensively. However, back in the mid fifties through to the early seventies, hundreds of Hawker Hunters were refurbished and sold to many different countries, some of whom are not too friendly these days. Times certainly change!