PublishedOsprey Publishing, October 2013 |
ISBN9781780966113 |
FormatSoftcover, 64 pages |
Dimensions24.8cm × 18.4cm × 0.7cm |
Despite its uncertain start the F-111 proved to be one of the most successful and influential designs of the 1960s. Its radical 'swing wing' was adopted by the F-14 Tomcat, Panavia Tornado and Rockwell B-1B Lancer while its turbofan-type engines became standard in many combat aircraft.
F-111 crews pioneered tactics using terrain-following and laser targeting devices that made the F-15E Eagle's missions possible. Its 4,000 low-altitude penetration missions during Operation Linebacker in Vietnam showed how individual aircraft can deliver crippling blows to enemy capability without loss to themselves. The recent retirement of the F-111 from Australian service appears to have created a surge of interest in the type, which hasn't been featured in previous Osprey works.