[Profile] General-Dynamics/Grumman F-111N ‘ThunderCat’

[ElectrikBlue]

The F-111N Thundercat is the result of General Dynamics and Grumman joint efforts to finalize the naval variant of the F-111!
Grumman was responsible among other things to lighten up the F-111B design and to equip the aircraft for its primary purpose, interception and air defense.
Finally, the F-111N proved to be a real success as a multipurpose fighter, especially in the Middle East where he took over from the aging Lightnings and Phantoms!

The F-111N blank was made using Christopher Cooper's (Coops213) very nice F-111B lineart with a few details of the his F-14 blank that can be found here:
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,28426.0.html


Detail of the Royal Saudi Air Force F-111N (first foreign customer of the Thundercat) still a work in progress... more to come!

[Cobra]

Great Job Tell me why do i get the Urge to hum the 'Top Gun Anthem' when i see a Plane like that? Great Work,Hope to see more. :cheers:Dan

[Gondor]

Nice to be able to see the "Production" cockpit shape along with the lengthened nose, gives me a great idea as to how to finish my F-111B when I get around to it.

Gondor

[GTX]

 

Regards,

Comrade Gregorski (Commissar of all F-111 GB things)

[ElectrikBlue]

I haven't had much time for whiffing these days, here a little update...

[Logan Hartke]

Neat, but BRIGHT!

Cheers,

Logan

[Shasper]

Love the camo, the gun position is questionable, but with the TCS pod it looks sooo right!

[ElectrikBlue]

Neat, but BRIGHT!

Yes Logan thanks for noticing, it's because of my hilighting technique.
When I did my first templates, it worked quite well with black or white paint schemes  (at least better than with colorful camos).
I need to fix that! 

Love the camo, the gun position is questionable, but with the TCS pod it looks sooo right!

Thanks Shasper! Now it is too late to change the gun position... any suggestion?

[Shasper]

The early model Varks tested a M61 pack in the weapons bay (but it was never used operationally), had the B gone into service the gun would be put there *when it was carried*, so if you pushed the F-14 gun bay bulge & vents back to where the front of said assembly is aft of the nosegear (under the roundle in your profiles), then you should be set


At least thats my thoughts on it. . .

[Cliffy B]

When the gun was installed in the weapons bay it had a protrusion on the underside of the starboard bay door running the length of the door.  In a port side profile you'd see very little of the gun save for a little bulge under the weapons bay.

I'm not sure why the gun wasn't used operationally.  The way it was set up it carried over 2,100 rounds!  Maybe it was a weight reason and restricted other ordnance.  They also could install fuel tanks in the bay.  Maybe it was prone to breaking down or had maintenance issues?  Anyone know?

[Ed S]

When the gun was installed in the weapons bay it had a protrusion on the underside of the starboard bay door running the length of the door.  In a port side profile you'd see very little of the gun save for a little bulge under the weapons bay.

I'm not sure why the gun wasn't used operationally.  The way it was set up it carried over 2,100 rounds!  Maybe it was a weight reason and restricted other ordnance.  They also could install fuel tanks in the bay.  Maybe it was prone to breaking down or had maintenance issues?  Anyone know?

A lot of the reason they didn't use the gun in the Aardvark (at least for the USAF) was that the higher ups never intended for it to be used as a ground strafer.  It was too expensive for that, and since it was the best medium bomber available, they intended to use it flying long range low level interdiction missions.  And since it wasn't much of a dogfighter, they never expected to use the gun in an A-A mission. So it was a matter of the best use of the a/c for the mission it was expected to fly.


Ed

[GTX]

I'm sure i recall a story of at least one RAAF F-111 having a gun related incident years ago.

Regards,

Comrade Gregorski (Commissar of all F-111 GB things)

[Shasper]

Using the gun in a RW Vark is like loading a B-2 with 'Nam era M117s

[GTX]

I'm sure i recall a story of at least one RAAF F-111 having a gun related incident years ago.

Regards,

Comrade Gregorski (Commissar of all F-111 GB things)

Thought so - A8-131. This aircraft had a round from its gatling gun deflected off the shroud door and through the nose wheel well, exiting through the radome near the pitot probe. Repairs took 5 months to complete.





BTW, see here for some info on the gun fit:

http://www.f-111.net/models/weaponsbay/index.htm

Regards,

Comrade Gregorski (Commissar of all F-111 GB things)

[Gondor]

After seeing those pictures of the F-111C and knowing how much the US thought that the Missile was the greatest thing since sliced bread, when I eventually build my F-111B it will not carry a gun, just missiles.

Gondor