127 - FB-111A

Here on the Fighter Pilot Podcast it’s once again Bomber Month!
First up this year is the General Dynamics FB-111A supersonic swing-wing strategic bomber. Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Bill Moran joins us to explain how this aircraft differs from the F-111 and how it was used in Strategic Air Command operations. During the Cold War, SAC bombers and missiles were on alert 24 / 7 / 365 deterring the threat of nuclear war. The FB-111A was a key part of the SAC alert force during the final two decades of the Cold War.
Episode artwork adapted by Janek Krause. Bumper music by Jaime Lopez / announcements by Clint Bell.

[@JTACRIFLE]

Great episode, I'll never forget in 2009 chilling on the beach in Australia and just catching a 111 sneaking up on all of us. Insane.

[@bomberbuck9005]

I'd bet your guest speaker's UPT classmate (prior service Army helicoptor pilot) who got selected for FB-111s was Stephen Luebert. He was my FB-111 squadron in '86-'88 and was a very inspirational leader.

[@oldftrpilot2593]

I was in the 5 foot 9 bomb wing for 12 years after being a CP, and IPU in the Buff (G and D)I was a pilot in the 393rd BS. The wing sweep control was only on the left but you could reach across the left seater as an IP. With certain stores and flap settings the the wing sweep was limited. We test flew the FB at 50000 once in a while and got up to 2.2 to 2.4.

[@Mark_Ocain]

Gotta love the "Pig"..(or Aardvark in USAF parlance LOL) It was a tough bird and had legs to get to the target.

[@vtwinbuilder3129]

Thanks Jell-O we appreciate all the hard work, I know it’s gotta be starting to getting difficult I find new planes to talk about and you guys always find something interesting to tell us about. Also it was great to see Mongo and yourself hanging out with Ward Carroll at Hook 21, really cool to see the naval aviation podcast community sticking together and complimenting each others content.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks a ton…it’s always a challenge to provide the content, but we love doing it!

[@lotust98]

Great interview very informative on the FB-111A . Love bomber month and cannot wait for the B-36 show someday .

[@jonathanmills7994]

Dale Brown's near future fiction novel Chains of Command focused on the F-111.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Oh, very interesting!

[@Topgunphoto]

Decent series of books and Dale was stationed at Pease, he was a navigator-bombardier

[@OneEyedDrummerTDHE]

Nothing like bomber month to wake you up in the morning 😍

[@Topgunphoto]

Growing up outside Pease AFB which was a SAC base and home to the 509th BW, this plane was what started all my love for aviation. At 16 ('85) I would sit outside the base and watch them working the pattern day & night with my radio shack scanner. My older brother saw the one that crashed in the Atlantic Heights thankfully not killing anyone. Would love to go back in time and photograph these with my current gear.

[@thunderace4588]

Thank you for uploading this entertaining and informative podcast to KZbin for us.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You're welcome.

[@amitnachman3840]

I'm a simple man I see F-111 I press like.

[@9HighFlyer9]

My AFJROTC instructor was an FB-111 pilot. Later transitioned to the NEACP mission flying E-4s

[@txflyer82]

Bomber Month!!!

[@MrKbtor2]

Another fascinating episode

[@D5Pasadena]

“The bomb bay contents could either be a SHRAM, a B61 or lobster!” LOL!

[@Eleolius]

I like all the interviewers and guests! Thank you all for what you do!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You’re welcome 😇

[@tabascoindy5005]

Thx for great info. I always thought this was some useless airframe but me proven wrong. This episode pairs best with Shiner TexHex IPA.

[@spacebear49]

Dale Brown wrote (I believe) a couple books about/involving the -111. The one I read (unfortunately forget the title) was excellent. Started out flying missions in Desert Storm.

[@ji3194]

Chains of Command in 1993 I remember that novel well

[@spacebear49]

@@ji3194 that sounds right! It follows the WSO in desert storm. He's initially flying in the fighter variant and transfers over to the FB as I recall?

[@iainbradford4254]

Thanks guys :-)

[@USNRaptor]

The movie A Gathering of Eagles, starring Rock Hudson, is about a new B-52 wing commander who is faced with an ORI. Great movie, but no FB-111s.

[@LRRPFco52]

We were at Edwards on the B-1B CTF from 1983-1985, so I’m sure you know my dad. Remember the incident with Doug Benefield. Sad day.

[@briancooper2112]

Great plane.

[@CSltz]

Wow l really enjoyed listening to that. Somethings I knew most I didn’t. I love the stories from these service men like the ones with the lobsters. I saw a “ Bass Tracker” boat come out off the back of a C 130 over in Guam one afternoon. Would love to hear that explanation 😂

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Hah! Perhaps it went to the Andersen AFB marina for MWR boat rentals.

[@jordanvraptor]

They should have let them set the low altitude high speed record... :)

[@lmj06]

I've always loved the F-111 (being australian) but never known much about the FB-111, so excited to learn about this one

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Hope it delivers. 😎

[@kennethkatz8278]

After removal from SAC service, those FB-111A transferred to TAC were redesignated the F-111G. The RAAF bought about 15 of them.

[@lmj06]

@@kennethkatz8278 yes, but they are not the australian variant of the f-111. The australian varient was the F-111C, and although the FB-111's were turned to F-111G's, Australia did not purchase FB-111's

[@hoghogwild]

@@lmj06 They were very close to the F-111C with their longer 70 foot wingspan, upgraded landing gear and heavier max gross takeoff than "regular" F-111 variants. The FB-111A's became F-111Gs in USAF service which Australia purchased 15 to use alongside its F-111C "Pig" fleet. The FB-111A and the F-111C Aussie variant both had missions that were similar. Putting bombs on targets of strategic interest to Australia. They didnt buy FB-111A's directly, they were converted to "G"'s prior to the Australian purchase. In 2001 many C's received lengthened wings from ex USAF "F" models out of AMARG.

[@lmj06]

@@hoghogwild u said it urself, u said australia bought f-111g's, and yes i know, but the F-111G is not an FB-111, and although it may have beeb converted from an fb-111, they were no longer fb-111's

[@andreyzhavoronkov6746]

Great episode. You can clearly see that Host's style is a bit different. More to the point and technical. I like it! (sorry Jell-O, you're great as well ;)

[@Mark_Ocain]

I kinda hope they talk about the B-36 'Peacemaker' in one of the episodes....now that was a beast LOL

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Oh, trust me, we're beating bushes looking for a Peacemaker guest.

[@christophermailloux4706]

Oh man I really hope you find some... Six turning, 4 burning. What an interesting and unique airplane.

[@Mark_Ocain]

@@FighterPilotPodcast You da man!!

[@damiangrouse4564]

From the maintenance point of view in TAC it’s a “68% violation” and 2g pull-up. Don’t know about those SAC numbers.

[@sloppydog4831]

There's only one problem with the FPP: it's always too short!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We had someone comment on a recent episode that they were too long. Most seem to agree with you, though.

[@sloppydog4831]

@@FighterPilotPodcast as Steve Jobs would say: "the customers do not know what they want." Anyway, it's always great content, and keep them coming.

[@DaveWhoa]

i loved these planes, we had them in the RAAF as the only other primary operator besides USAF, where it gained the nickname "pig" because the word aardvark in Afrikaans where theyre native is "earth-pig", but they retired them starting in 2007. She will be missed!

[@lmj06]

RAAF never had FB-111's, we had F-111's. The F-111C's (aussie version) however did have FB-111 wings and landing gear because that is what the RAAF wanted. The FB-111 was specifically a nuclear bomber, not what the RAAF needs

[@DaveWhoa]

@@lmj06 ooh! cheers for the clarification. I havent had a chance to listen to this episode of the podcast yet

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Love that “earth pig” mention!

[@kennethkatz8278]

@@lmj06 The RAAF bought about 15 F-111G, which was the FB-111A redesignated for TAC service.

[@lmj06]

@@kennethkatz8278 yes, but they're not FB-111's

[@blah5387]

Hmm.. Jello missing.. Draken getting F-16’s.. coincidence?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yes.

[@z_actual]

every other airforce is looking for the replacement long range strike aircraft maybe its only me who knows where it is

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Do tell?!?!?

[@bobthompson4319]

I would want a f-111 as a private jet. because its got enough fuel to go to Europe from the us and its very fast.

[@robertmackay4613]

Can we get Jell-O back to host the episodes? I’m sorry but Ken is a really boring host

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

His first time out the shoot, but thank you for the feedback. Interviewing is a fine art, takes practice!

[@kennethkatz8278]

Ken here. Jell-O is more talented than I am plus he is far more experienced. I'm not in his league. OTOH, in my opinion the guest was great and the podcast was very informative about both the FB-111A and SAC in the Cold War. So in my totally biased opinion, I thought that the episode was good despite my personal shortcomings. In addition, by bringing on new hosts with new networks of people to interview, FPP expands it horizons which I think is a good thing. There was another factor here. Jell-O generally interviews people who are peers, broadly speaking. So there is a bit of give and taking and joshing around. There certainly was when I was the guest on the B-52 episode. Colonel Moran is considerably older than I am. He could have been my squadron commander. So I was naturally more deferential. Same dynamic will be at work in the next episode when I interview Lt Col Thompson. I hope that you can look past the host and enjoy the outstanding guest.

[@Roboambo]

I disagree, I feel that Ken comes from a nice technical/ engineering perspective, similar to the one that Sunshine used to occupy.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@kennethkatz8278 Ken has an interview style that suits people with an aviation background and familiarity well. Jell-O warps his mind to structure his questions down to Joe Blow street-level, knows nothing about aviation, caters to people not familiar with these subjects. I obviously prefer someone who starts from a certain aviation background, but that might limit the audience accessibility or interest.