In 1968, six F-111As were sent to Thailand for Combat Lancer. – the aircraft’s first combat deployment and a key test of its new low-level strike capabilities. The F-111s flew at night, in poor weather, and without visual contact with their targets, yet still showed impressive accuracy. However, serious mechanical failures soon cost three aircraft and four airmen.
Was Combat Lancer a failure, or an early sign of what the F-111 might eventually achieve?
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_____________ Disclaimer _____________
Some original footage and recreated scenes (using simulators like DCS and War Thunder) may not be 100% accurate to the events depicted but have been used for illustrative and dramatic purposes where archival footage was unavailable or restricted by copyright. We aim to remain as historically accurate as possible given the available resources. Our documentaries are researched, written, fact-checked and edited by our production team. Narration is performed by a combination of human presenters and Charles, our signature digital narrator. Charles reads scripts written entirely by our team and is used to provide a consistent narration style across our documentaries.
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This video may contain copyrighted material used under the “fair dealing” provisions (ss 40/103C, ss 41/103A, ss 42/103B) of the Australian Copyright Act for purposes of research, study, criticism, review, and news reporting.
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Our videos are created for educational and historical documentation purposes.
About Us:
We are three aviation enthusiasts who create documentaries, interviews, and video essays focused on Australian and international military aviation history. Our channel explores the stories of military aircraft, fighter pilots, air battles, and the evolution of air power from WWI to today. We do our own research but are not experts in any particular area, so corrections and suggestions are welcome.
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…and once you hear it, you'll never forget it.
Great video. Great content. Human narration. 👍
Growing up in the 70's I remember the F111's in the oz air force being a big deal, both good and bad. I remember bugger all else about it. Heh
So this was really interesting and explains the vague memories from the years after.
Correction required, The early NCU is an Analogue computer, not digital. Even after the Pavetac pod was fitted an analog interface unit was required until the avionics upgrade.
Great video but please, please tone down the background music. Aside from being distracting it really does make it difficult for those of us with hearing damage to understand the narration. TIA
Great videos, I've learned so much from this channel. While I enjoy the other voice, the human narration is much better in my opinion. Either way, just keep doing what you're doing.
My father-in-law flew as a navigator in F-111s, a little bit after the period covered in this video. His first pilot was an old salt who taught him off-books to handle the controls. The second one was a young buck who let him fly once, expecting him to get in over his head and quit. When he flew it nice and smoothly instead, the pilot took back the controls and never let him have them again. Ego is a funny thing.
I was an AGE mechanic with the 474 TFW deployed to Takhli in 1972. The majority of missions were flown at night regardless of the weather.
They flew over 4000 missions from Sept. 1972 to Mar. 1973. I saw the 111s leave Nellis and saw the the first plane taking off for the first combat mission shortly after arriving in Takhli. I believe that we lost 6 planes during that time and one crashed on takeoff due to the nose gear collapsing.
We walked the runway at daylight the next morning picking up FOD and any explosive material we could find. Interesting times.
Excellent film, as always. Well researched and narrated and with the right degree of technical information on the platform. I truly enjoyed. When hearing about the capabilities of the F-11, however, I can't help but think of what the TSR-2 might have been…
The most powerful warplane of USA ever, forced to retire by pro-communist USA politicians and generals, same reason for F14 and A10.
Soviets "communized" F-111 and name it "SU-24". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTbB_KENdu8
Operation Linebacker mate! Thanks for your excellent videos!👏
surely flying so low and fast makes bird, or in the tropics, bat/flying fox strikes fatal
I worked on the F-111 as a Crew Chief in the late 1980’s.
I also worked on F-16’s, F-15’s, and T-38’s, but the Vark was my favorite!
Ardvark All Day
Wonderful Machine
My bet is that the F-47 absolutely HAS to be approx F-111 sized.
Maybe a little bit smaller..? due to ACE engines, but, F-111 class.
Interesting note: The USAF hasn't had an EW jet since the Raven.
Since then? They freaking have to rely on the USN for the EA-18G!
PS: Australian Military Aviation History is criminally under-subbed.
I used to confuse them with Hyperhystericalhistory (who's also AWESOME!)
I have a Hard-cover Book, 'The History of the USAF/USAAC', and one picture really stood out. It was an F-111, taking off on a Bombing run, IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOONSOON!! Think that over a second.. Most Aircraft would be grounded by the Weather, alone. Really, only ELINT flights probing enemy Radar would have been 'viable' ops. Yet, there-it-is, an Early 'Vark, with bombs underwing, going out to hunt something that needed a dozen Mk-82 bombs!! No other plane in the USAF could do that, and Only Marines, land-based ones, with A-6 Intruders could have tried to do that mission.
I was a flight test engineer at Edwards AFB during the time the F-111 was undergoing test, although MY aircraft was the A-7D.
In conversations with members of the 111 team, they were very frustrated by pentagon constant interference, especially by Robert Strange, who wanted it to be ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE.
Thank gawd for the Aussies, whose attitude was "Get off this PERFECTION CRAP and just sell us one that works". Individual US outfits who adopted that attitude wound up with a wonderfully effective aircraft.
The only problem with the Aussies at Edwards was their RED ROO stickers ALL OVER THE BASE.
Thank you for your videos……..Very informative and enjoyable.
Mustang Major Oz, USAF (ret.)
Thanks for sharing loved the F-111
A-6 intruder and prowler next please!
Es fascinante y triste a la vez. Los fallos mecánicos eclipsaron un avance tecnológico increíble; la innovación siempre cobra un precio muy alto en la guerra. ✈
if you like military aircraft then you also like this channel.
Apparently the 200ft was not the absolute hands-off limit… In college in the early 1980's I lived over the my University's main hangar, did FBO things in exchange. Some of the professors had a flying club and a couple aircraft. Waiting for an overdue plane I was chatting with a prof who earlier had worked sensor fusion in the defense industry. The F-111 came up and just shook his head, and said, "Well, we finally got then their 50 feet, but what a ride. I wouldn't do it again." I said the AF said 200ft. He said, "It's been 20 years, surely this stuff isn't still classified. The B-1 is almost operational." Loooong pause. "Never mind."
The hills of East Tennessee here.
My GF's father was an F-111 pilot during Vietnam.
His first tour was as a Birddog pilot.
He's a complete asshole but as US Navy Vet I respect him.
An aircraft that was sadly retired just all it had shown all of its true capabilities!
I love this channel. Your video about the bush wars was phenomenal
I hype ur video three times love this channel
Why did we stop using this
2:40 I like the song you've used here, I'm a big fan of Spanish style guitar.
awesome stuff guys, you can really feel the craftsmanship in this one 👍
2:35 ah yes, Icarus as a name for AVIATION operation. Great idea
Just want to say, as a motion designer and animator, I LOVE your aesthetic choices in these videos, the retro/analog style and textures of the motion graphics are amazing. They really add to the quality of your videos. And the lack of AI slop is also a huge bonus!
Man, I do love me some Vark content… this gorgeous bird never gets old!
I remember a time when I was despising the way it looked, but looking at the Vark now – the most gorgeous bird ever!
Way too ahead of its time, but thank God McNamara forced the whole damn program… it really proved useful down the line.
Another splendid video, as always! Im so glad that the channel is doing so good! Cant wait for more! 🔥
Finally it proved that many could touch it as the Mig 23 Mig 25 and other soviet aircraft and the two losses in Vietnam were certainly due to shot down by Vietnamese missiles.
Actually the first F-111As in Combat Lancer in 1968 had FS 34079 green bellies. The TAC Southeast Asia scheme used FS 36622 (not anti-flash white).
That the F-111 has never been an Ace Combat game is a travesty, if you ask me.
Excellent video to watch thank you. 👍
Really enjoying the human narration 😃
Cl planes had green undersides, not black.
2 years ago I spoke with Maj. John Piowaty, who flew on the last mission over Vietnam to drop ordnance from an F-111. He was supposed to lead the formation, but an electrical issue with his aircraft forced him to move to the second position. We had a really nice conversation about how low they flew and how they made the flight with almost no visibility.
One of the best channels on avation out there
Home town bird, built here in Fort Worth. If you happen to be in DFW, they have an F-111E on display at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum.
Another great video !
50 % loss-rate…!!! It took a dozen lives and 50% loss of the inventory to know that the F-111 never should have been deployed.
Fun fact – F-111A’s 670068,shot down some time on December 22 1972 near Hanoi,ejection capsule is still lying somewhere in the Moscow Aviation Institute
Whispering Death.