Real Top Guns F-111 Belly Landing

thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=81637
Belly Landing at 5:30
On the 18th July 2006 a rookie pilot and his navigator landed their stricken F-111 on its belly after losing a wheel on takeoff. Pilot Flying Officer Peter Komar (29) and navigator Flight Lieutenant Luke Warner (32) made the emergency landing at the RAAF Amberley Base west of Brisbane, ending a tense three hour midair emergency.
Narrated by Sam Worthington.

[@donaldsokol9240]

I flew in EF111s (radar jammers)in U.K. as a flight surgeon in the WISO position. Flew over Iraq just after the Desert Storm war. It was the. Rolls Royce aircraft of planes. Replaced in the US by the navy Four man E6B . The terrain following radar was phenomenal. The crew did a fabulous job in landing this plane by catching the cable stretched across the runway! At RAF Upper Heyford England a similar incident in about 1990-1991 timeframe had a similar problem with a front gear collapse. The end result was the same thankfully!

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

My Dad used to fly RAAF F-111s and speaks volumes about the terrain following radars' capabilities. It's the reason F-111s in Australia were nickname "Pigs" - because they ran through long grass!

[@badlaamaurukehu]

This particular emergency

[@badlaamaurukehu]

Prowler

[@aljeeper3292]

I know it's a very old air but it was a sad day that announced its retirement 😢 I hold fond memories of the airshow in the early 80's and being allowed to sit in the display cockpit at that time. I have say, it was the best airshow I've been to. The display the Chinook helicopters put on was incredible ❤ The pilots in this emergency showed how incredible the training our pilots receive is second to none!!! I remember the sad loss of the F111 at Tenterfield reinforced that best of technology can still go horribly wrong 😢

[@carlthomas1270]

I lived in Steeple Aston as a child and spent my time watching these incredible planes. Unfortunately witnessed one crash just before the runway.

[@bleueviolette4549]

Absolutely the coolest thing I've ever seen as an emergency landing of a fighter jet. The two young lads are going to have the best of bragging rights forever! Who needs wheels - more fun to do a belly glide! I've got to see this again!

[@bobbyricigliano2799]

Seeing the pilot jump out after landing really gives perspective on how large this aircraft is. God bless these Australian warriors. They have always been friends and allies to the USA.

[@MJLeger-yj1ww]

Roger that!

[@smeary10]

And always will be, mate.

[@larrybarnes3920]

thanks mate.🇦🇺🇺🇸

[@robertclark3624]

What does God have to do with a machine built to kill, and a military system that uses youth to deploy its arsenal of death? While the old fat cronies that started things sit at home? God bless the kids Mum's (spelt correctly); thankfully they came home safe. After all, some arsehole was prepared to risk the crew's lives to save the airframe = career and ego instead of guarantying life and limb at the expense of blowing a good portion of the Australian air defence capability. At the end of the day, those lads could have ejected safely, in a planned abort. Machines can be built again, families and lives cannot.

[@ToyKingWonder]

@@robertclark3624 Another idiot blathering on. These machines are indeed weapons, which have existed since the dawn of man. Living in a cave or early huts, you too would have weapons to defend your family and whatever civilization you built, against invaders, murderers, and people willing to kill you for your food, water, women. These are advanced weapons, simple as that. Nothing has changed. You, personally, would pick up a rock, stick, knife, or gun to defend your life or your loved ones. No God or Supreme being that is revered around this globe states not to defend and protect yourself and your family. Ejection is not without risk as well. RAAF Base Amberley is a good 50-60 miles away from population to the ocean; ejecting over the ocean has risk, letting the plane sail off and run out of fuel and crash could kill people on the ground. You don't know what you are talking about--ejection, as stated in the film, is a last resort.

[@pythagorasaurusrex9853]

"Every landing you can walk away from is a success!"

[@joshschneider9766]

Amen!!!

[@leefithian3704]

Well , they weren’t gonna be “wheeled’” away lol

[@joshschneider9766]

@@leefithian3704 LOL buy that man a pint heheheh

[@ekris4817]

No dumb ass, you just live....

[@joepusic4238]

They should knows flight manuals before they fly f 1 11

[@kroberts9884]

I was stationed at Clark AB in the Mid 80's. Aussies used to bring their 111's and Mirages in for Cope Thunder exercises. Damn, that 111 was a serious machine. Loud and fast, just badass!!

[@richardkroll2269]

Aussie crew of an F-111 came to Memphis Naval Air Station Airshow with the Blue Angels. Very personable guys showing us their aircraft and talking about their homeland. A great ally we are fortunate to have.

[@smeary10]

Not all brothers have the same surname mate.

[@tiredowalkin]

Did they let you play with the wheel hub nuts?

[@risk0systemsuk171]

That young pilot is going places. He’s an asset his bosses should be proud of.

[@otto16121970]

6:54 “ The people we have in place, are spot on” Except the maintanance departement...

[@rinzler9775]

Sounded like an arse covering statement to a slight extent...

[@LEEOC]

This wheel's a bit wobbly. Ah fk it. (opens can of Fosters)

[@rinzler9775]

@John Doe the stash was 90% the reason it made it back safe.

[@worldtraveler930]

Let's hope that Aussie maintenance crew will never touch another F111 ever again!!

[@Lordfarquad1213]

On this day, Steve Clarke's authoritative mustache saved the lives of two men. A monument should be built. A mustache monument. A mustamonument.

[@Wildcat5181]

Thunderpants121. What would a mustache monument look like?

[@giant3dorangutanmodel89]

It is a requirement.

[@doubtingthomas6146]

I believe we should have a moustacheument for all great Australian nostril filters. I believe Dennis Lillee’s should be stuffed and mounted next to Phar Lap.

[@davidbarbour9929]

Hahaha

[@MJLeger-yj1ww]

Mustache has nothing to do with it, facial hair is a fad for most men, but there are also some lazy men who don't like to shave OR get their hair cut who can be an exception. (Makes us wonder if they're also too lazy to bathe, then we find out some are!) But if some military guys think their facial hair makes them more "macho" so they can perform better, so be it, but they'd better get their mind off their mustache and more on their flying or whatever their duty is!

[@marktvcturner2448]

I've never served but my parents were both RAAFies and I've worked in Defence for 15 years and that was spectacular. Hats off to you gents. Well played.

[@AmericaVoice]

There was a 17 yo Maggie in the USA solo pilot who was by herself just starting her solo had her right landing gear falling off on take off. ATC, Instructor pilot helped her down safely. Minor damage to aircraft after her plane shortly after landing dug into the runway and off to the right and she walked away safely! This is a pretty amazing emergency landing and it is great to see it went well!!

[@ILSRWY4]

and she did it without a hook and cable ;)

[@imm4e425]

In Israel, a fighter pilot landed an F15 that only had one wing. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen.

[@AllThingsOutdoors]

That wheel rolled for about 800m doing a right hand turn and crashed into a blue falcon station wagon that was parked about 10m from my car. I remember that day vividly.

[@kimblejury4923]

Did they ever work out why the wheel fell off? Was it to do with the stub axle failing?

[@alexanderrobinson7988]

And in a twist of fate it was the Base Commander's car!

[@40hours56]

worked F111D's for 5 years. As a avionics system specialist. I got a ride in one for winning a award. NCO of the Quarter. I got a whole new respect for the jet once i got a ride in it. It was one of the highlights of my U.S Air Force career .

[@fuckgoogle4704]

nco of the quarter.... I think on average about 25 percent of those awardees I saw (sailor of the month/quarter/year, USN, F-4 Phantom squadron) remotely deserved it. They had their noses in the skipper and xo's sphincter while most of us were getting dirty putting in long hours on the hangar and flight decks in the middle of the night. Assuming you were one of the 25% congratulations for a job well done. :-)

[@fuckgoogle4704]

oh yeah I was avionics too, fire control tech. awg-10a, b, and aero-1a. Think early AF phantoms had the aero 1a. Old. Tubes! But reliable. The awg-10a was very powerful but inop as often as not.

[@40hours56]

I earned that award. I was never in anyone's ass I worked my ass off on this jet. I was the most non military, military person. I said what I wanted to anyone no matter the rank. And only got in trouble once. Because I was wrong in what I said.

[@wessmith4366]

Got a backseat ride in an F15 once. I gained a new respect for pilots that day...mostly as to how they manage to keep breakfast down. Seriously, it was the coolest thing I ever saw. - MSgt, USAF (retired)

[@MrGeigerZ]

Spent some time there from '83-'85. Avionics (TFR/Attack Radar) bunker - then off to Cannon AFB.

[@kevinroark4346]

That Pilot did an amazing job of landing the F111 with no landing gear&on it's belly&saving both of them&the F111.He seemed like a seasoned Veteran Pilot the way he landed a F111 on it's belly&had only a handful of flights before this in the F111.

[@Moghster]

bro opened a user manual to check if they've mentioned anything about a missing wheel

[@resistireland694]

Hat's off to those two Pilot's and the rest of their unit for pulling that off as safely as possible. Respect.

[@michaelbowman3503]

I'm not a pilot, just a retired firefighter in the States, but I will say this to our Australian brothers...you did a fine job of maintaining your calm in what had to be a stressful situation. Well done!

[@Cinnabun]

Michael Bowman Cheers for your service.

[@phil123711]

Flying Dutchman is not an Aussie, brother.

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+Flying Dutchman WoT/WoWs Gameplay TV. "... pat on the back." Please don't show the world how poorly our government fool system actually works. It's embarrassing.

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+Michael Bowman The 111 has a zero-zero ejection cockpit. Jets are simple, kick the tires, light the fire, and eject if the fire goes out before landing. Helicopter pilots are the ones headed for a meeting with God if anything happens to the rotor or control system. Instant broken necks if a rotor blade comes off. Sincerely, David Parker

[@slickstrings]

+David Parker according to the book 'general dynamics f111 aardvark by peter davis, i quote "optimum ejection above 2000ft required zooming the aircraft up at less than 300kt for better module trajectory. at zero altitude and less than 50 kt successful ejection was unlikely"

[@dondrain7324]

It was a great experience working on these and getting to work with all the people that helped put them together to watching them on the flight line.

[@BobbyTucker]

I've watched this landing more times than I can count and I'm still impressed with it today as I was the first time. The guys did all the right things to bring that bird in for a safe landing with all things considered. Nice job guys, it's said, any landing you walk away from is a good landing. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it, Mates.

[@badlaamaurukehu]

Friction did alot of the work.

[@davidinflorida6814]

The emergency landing was nice and all that, but the Squadron Leader’s “Robin Olds” mustache is the best part of the video! 😂

[@silvalinan4077]

It works very much like a cat's whiskers which is why he's the senior pilot. Perfect sense of balance.

[@knarftrakiul3881]

Wont be no liberal organization that could do anything about it,

[@paulcreed8151]

He pilots a Spitfire at weekends,. True professional servicemen. Respect.

[@adamjskipper]

I love that's mustache, remembering me my CSM.

[@WayneHarris]

"Robin Olds" - Legend

[@JerryWatkinsMrRobot]

That captain chap has the best stache in Aussie land.

[@para7843]

Squadron leader mate not captain. The Royal Australian air force have the same ranks as the Royal air force so does Royal new Zealand air force. They adopt everything off the British RAF which is great for interoperational tasking.

[@chrisroberts7900]

Crikey.

[@user-sx4eh3ek7o]

Equivalent of a Major.

[@Monsoon-sd6vr]

Well dones the Aussies, what a story !!! Something to tell the kids in years to come ....John ... Oxford UK

[@aussietaipan8700]

I wish we could design and build a 2020 version of this fantastic plane. Well done Aussie pilots, you make me proud to be an Aussie.

[@egraydon95]

We wouldn't need to, we still have f-111's in Australia but there's no need to restore them-too expensive.

[@gtc1961]

it's a 50+ year old design. The F-14 Tomcat was based on that aircraft and was a much better airplane...just bring back the Tomcat!

[@joshschneider9766]

theres about 90 rotting at davis monthan boneyard. they get ready reserve status for a certain time then are broken up after sitting for a set amount of time according to cursory google searching. it would be pretty straightforward to modernize them as semi stealth Remotely Piloted Vehicle, or RPV units. I can think of oodles of sweet tactical uses to put them to especially in conjunction with the current development of what was once called rapid raptor deployments. imagine 4 raptors and two rpv varks hauling large numbers of standoff and air to air missiles.

[@joshschneider9766]

the raptor has towed arrays that can simulate the signatures of hundreds of different types of aircraft. wild weasel mission air to air mission and then sir to ground mission in one mission with six aircraft and only four humans at risk. and thats just off the top of my head.

[@egraydon95]

@@joshschneider9766 we don't even have the raptor here

[@OffGridColoradoLiving]

A mechanic in the USAF ANG, I asked a F-111 weapons officer the max speed of the aircraft. He said with a thick Texas accent; " about Mach two point five". I asked if he'd ever gone that fast. He said "nope - don't want to either". LOL

[@alexjohnward]

The limit on the F111 was when the skin melted.

[@charleskiplinger9904]

Always thought the F111 was a hell of a bird. Would love to see it today with upgraded avionics, smart weapons, upgraded engines, and composites on the skin. A mini B1, faster, more lethal, precision machine.

[@grl8862]

To bring some sense of humour to the face of adversity. The F1-11 "in its early days" was referred to, and with good reason as, "The Boomerang". Sometimes it returned, sometimes it didn't... Gotta love Aussie military humour. Go the Pig! We miss ya heaps!

[@whipandride4781]

My dad was a design engineer on the B-58, F-111, and lastly the venerable F-16s. Good job lads landing safely. Cheers to our comrades down under.

[@donatella094]

if this wasnt a perfect belly-flop landing, i dont know what is. WELL DONE GENTS!! 😎👍👌

[@tiredowalkin]

It was an interesting flair, hold it, hold it......dump it!

[@garyjohnson4575]

A "rookie" literally wrote the book, on F111 belly landings!

[@davelowesky8054]

@@garyjohnson4575 actually it was the Americans who had to help them

[@friendofcoal]

The crew did an awesome job. I'm surprised that they kept that much fuel on board.

[@rayjones3212]

Outstanding piloting skills. You guys rock! I know this is an older video, but it is well worth the watch.

[@115squadron]

Fantastic airmanship and a tribute to Australian aircrew training

[@Declan-pg8cg]

That was beautifully finessed onto the runway. I'm really impressed by the low speed of such a big jet. Kudos all round.

[@llanorick]

I worked on the radar systems on 111’s when I was in SAC. The Aardvark could do some fantastic things!

[@brycemk4670]

Worked Link Simulators at Plattsburgh AFB. Amazing planes. Amazing Pilots.

[@colb9916]

Brother and Sister both served Aussie Airforce. Had the pleasure of watching Varks fly in and out of Amberley and Pearce dureing their postings . It was awe inspireing seeing these babies go from a low and slow over the fence with outstretched wings, to a mach 2.5+ screaming demon when they swept those wings in tight and turned up the gas. Pigs can fly :)

[@SteveMack]

Brilliant - Wish the 111's were still around here

[@mxp14242]

They're still around. All we have to do is go dig em back up. Bring a shovel.

[@destinyangel5]

Incredible flying under massive pressure , they are true top gun pilots .

[@jjmorgan2869]

I'm laughing at all the comments in this video - 'why didn't they do this' 'why didn't they do that' 'they should have done this'.............what you mean aside from perfectly landing a stricken jet with no casualties and saving the jet on top of it???? No please tell me youtube commentors - how in your infinite wisdom could they improve of saving both the crew and the jet??????

[@metalmorgan]

DSoup Well, I can answer those questions for you now. The ICAO, NFPA & the IFSTA all recommend against pre-foaming a runway for two main reasons. 1. It depletes the supply of foam that may be needed to fight a fire if the plane does not end up where predicted. 2. It will significantly reduce the traction of the runway. This would be especially dangerous for an aircraft with no braking ability such as in the situation in the video. To answer the second question - they did exactly that. The aircraft did not have a lot of fuel on board at al It's not that these questions are invalid - it's that the ignorance to the fact that the RAAF would not have thought of these already or that there training and experience were not up to the level of KZbin commentators.

[@eltonq]

Should have dumped fuel. Less risk less damage. I believe this was the only thing overlooked. The plane was ignited at least twice while grinding to a stop. Otherwise flawless planning and execution. Count this as an improvement and not a criticism because I think it would certainly improve the safety of plane and pilot.

[@joshross93]

eltonq Yeah whilst it was not mentioned, the aircraft was actually very very close to minimum fuel. Total capacity is 5043 USG (1 USG = 3kg Jet A1, 1L of A1 = 1.76lbs) Max capacity is around 33,000 pounds internally in the F-111. They stated they only had 3,000 pounds left, which is 10% capacity. I don't drive a car on 10% let alone an aircraft. Our min fuel for aircraft I fly is 40lbs fixed reserve on downwind and total capacity is 287lbs. if that puts it in perspective.

[@metalmorgan]

eltonq The plane was basically empty....

[@eltonq]

wow 800 gallons (pilot said 3000 liters) of fuel seems like a lot and must weigh a ton. I'm thinkin land that sucker on fumes the next time just to be safe.

[@mavericklane6206]

Excellent landing by Aussie pilot and crewmember. Bravo! Great response by firefighters too.

[@peterm3964]

My Father was a combat wireless operator /air gunner with 1Sqn in malaya 1941/42 When Singapore fell he evacuated to Palembang (P1) and then to Bandung Java. They then flew to Roeburn W.A. across the indian ocean . They completed the worlds first mid air refueling by pouring aviation fuel into the wing tanks via a rolled up map and a hos which was held into the wing fuel tank filler as Sgt C.PMills held the hose into the tank whilst himself being held by the ankles as he leaned out the window of the plane .

[@darrenstewart2470]

My little brother at 1:18 mins, found this randomly on KZbin. Proud of you mate ... my little bro BLEVE

[@kaykiekid]

The captain with the stache told the pilots "you guys take a vacation relax, grow a beard" now were did I hear that before? 😊

[@JWSmythe]

I can imagine the real conversation with the tower. "By the way guys, you know that wheel you just used for takeoff?" "ya?" "It fell off." "Fuck." "Ya ... fuck." "Fuck fuck fuck fuckity fuck." "So, how do you feel about landing with no wheels?" "Fucking fuck." "Ok, so here's your choices... You land with no wheels..." "... or? " "Nope, that's it." "Fuck." I'm not Australian, so they may have some more colorful language that was used. :) I will say, the landing was much better than the way it could have gone.

[@desertmulehunter]

Lol rotflol

[@jefferydavis5990]

Having worked on the F-111D myself, for about two years, at Cannon AFB, NM, I got the feeling that there was an airman that probably didn't quite do his job right on the installation of that wheel. And then his boss "pencil whipped" the final inspection. But super nice landing. An expensive option, but way less expensive than the alternative, which would've been to eject out and have an even more expensive result.

[@noggin783]

At RAF Lossiemouth I was part of the "Arrestor" crew looking after the RHAG (Rotary Hydraulic Arrestor Gear) the "Cable" and used to hate it when an F111 was going to take our cables, always "over weight and over speed" for the steel Cable and nylon tapes attached, which meant a few hours work getting it "serviceable" again......that said, I would be proud to spend that time after seeing how (with the amazing skill of the pilot!) managed to facilitate the safe landing and return of this crew! Well Done Sir! 👏

[@waynebridge3665]

Every Australian needs to see this well done RAAF outstanding job people.

[@andytaylor1588]

Bloody Aussies!!! Love you to pieces! GREAT landing! This means that not only do you get to walk away, but the plane may be re-used after some bondo and paint is applied.

[@dysfunctional_vet]

small world, i know the engineer that built the whole bird from inception to completion, he died about 18 years ago if memory serves me right and he is also the one brought out of retirement to build the cruise missile and other toys. He also had a hand in doing some stuff with shaped charges making warheads more lethal. he also holds patents on rocket technology that helped put man into space in the early 1960's. the F111 was his baby and he loved that bird

[@Lhenry-pf5zn]

My father Captain C.J.( Hank) HENRY, RCAF, did this with a CF-104 in the 1960s at Cold Lake Air Base, Alberta, Canada. Main wheels blew off on takeoff, he elected to land the aircraft on the main struts and the nose wheel. Put new gear on her and flew it the next week. All in a days work.

[@Crazylogie]

It wasn't skill it was that guys mustache !!!

[@noudialp]

😂😂

[@squach6239]

what mustache are you talking about?

[@squach6239]

+squach623 !!!!! ohh ok old dude on the ground.Obviously not flying today with his handle -bars waxed! if he had that waxed when he was flying the 02 from the mask would ignite it! my uncle was a AF pilot and told me bout a guys mustache burst into flames cuz he didn't get the wax washed out

[@studinthemaking]

He looks like the police boss from the original mad max movie.

[@clearsmashdrop5829]

fifi was his name i think

[@aerohk]

Belly landings with no other things failing (like engines, jammed flight control, damaged wing, etc.) are actually very safe. Planes are designed with belly landing in mind, especially for fighter jets. Pilots just need to keep their cools, and land with low speed.

[@skyscall]

But the A-10 still is the safest plane to belly-land because it wasn't just designed with belly landing "in mind", gear-up landings are considered a feature! It is specifically designed so that in a belly landing, it will switch to a conventional " taildragger" gear, with the rudders (which touch the ground) substituting for tail wheels, the the big rear wheels "transforming" into the front wheels in a gear-up landing.

[@skyscall]

We were on the topic of belly landings, weren't we? I'm sure it would include it...

[@sophrapsune]

Still, shows character on the part of a young pilot.

[@oseo943]

The A10 could also taxi in that configuration :-D just a bit more power than with gear down :-D

[@Roadglide911]

Aerohk bullshit.

[@drencsikcsaba9760]

There are no words for this landing. Balls of steel. Great job...

[@waldoinaz]

I miss the Aardvark. The absolute deafening sound of their engines at take-off was truly the sound of freedom. Sadly though, after they departed the area...I'd walk around for an hour saying, "What? What? You want to buy a goat? I can't hear you!"

[@yasharkarimzadehreghbati4284]

The seemingly accomplished F111 pilot and the unquestionably stunning senior pilot did a great job

[@deanmiles3505]

Wow, well done! The 111 is one of my favorite aircraft. I grew up just outside the back gate of Pease AFB N.H. I saw one have an emergency which resulted in an ejection with the crew pod hitting the river. The crew if I remember was fine. I use to sit at the golf course road that was at the end of the runway. Night flights were incredible. I saw the terrain following demo high speed flight at an airshow at Pease. A scramble was something to see as well. It's too bad they mothballed them. Take care, Be safe.

[@timmotel5804]

2023: I was stationed at Cannon AFB New Mexico, TAC in 1973-1974. I was a power lineman and I also maintained the airfield power and lighting. Loved being on the flight line. We were an F-111 training base. Beautiful and Great aircraft. Great piloting, great team and safe landing. Thank You & best Regards

[@HouseholdDog]

My dad was part of the technical team that decided on the F111. They were offered a flight in one too. But the first guy who went up looked so sick afterwards, everyone else passed.

[@garysackman3072]

A great video of well-trained pilots in an emergency situation. They assessed the situation and took appropriate action to land the plane and themselves safely. It is doubtful that any of the know-it-all's commenting on this flight could even qualify for Air Force flight training (US or Australian) and just chose to show off their ignorance to the public. The F111 was not a "white elephant" like podhead described. I met many soldiers, when I was on active duty, that loved to hear the F111 swooping in over the jungles of Vietnam, at night and any kind of weather, to deploy ordinance

[@rodfletcher9937]

I agree mate for me my favourite aircraft of all time next to my airborne microlight that is.😀

[@krishnatejus2388]

Y they have to land on the runways ... They can belly land on grass just beside the runway right..... Less friction no chance of fire accidents

[@wazza-au]

@@krishnatejus2388 Possibly the grass and ground next to the runway are pretty rough and uneven. You could end up bouncing up again or rolling over if you hit a small dip or bump. At least the runway is smooth and a known surface.

[@willemp6432]

Training is one thing...keeping calm is what it takes.Well done lads.

[@Saxoprane]

Keeping calm comes with training

[@philbell4477]

Hi, helped to restore 068 about four years ago and put on display here inBrenham,Tex.

[@MikaVids]

Definitely would have boosted that blokes career, flawless execution. Loved every minute watching these guys fly over Amberly 😀

[@chewie211171]

Such a great aircraft, arguably one of Australia's best defence assets. Even after 40 odd years of service, very few aircraft can match the 'Pig's' capabilites.

[@donaldmatthies6026]

Still looked like a jarring event when it was suddenly yanked from the sky! Hopefully no long term injuries to the crew or the aircraft! Thank you for taking time to film and post this video!

[@abdulazizmohammed9629]

The pilot trained me on a T-165 in Saudi Arabia, he is one of the best instructors I have met.👍🏽

[@charlesingram5818]

Thanks for the "dump & burn" show! Simply amazing flying by young guys!

[@seoulboy1]

What a beautiful aircraft!

[@robertmantell1700]

Steven Clark - recipient of the "Mustache Of The Year" award. Fuck that thing is awesome.

[@andrewhutchins2750]

Thank you, big time stuff and these brave lads walked away. Best wishes from Wimbledon. You Aussies, top folks. Night.

[@GeorgeStarkes]

That was a superb landing by that young pilot. Gotta make it do what it do when it's DO or DIE time. Great job Sir's.

[@pattyofurniture7198]

There's an amazing feeling of peace and calm that comes over you when you are in an emergency situation where you might lose your life and the lives of others with you. It's basically a complete surrender to the fact that you may be totally screwed but there is something you can always do about it. It's called survival mode. In that mode, clarity and concentration are so sharp and alert that you only can focus on the job at hand that needs to get done to save your ass and those of your crew.

[@peterkirgan6850]

A text book landing! Well done guys !!! Pride always comes being a raaf pilot!!! Take care fellas!!!

[@Jimmysage3273]

My grandfather was a major in the airforce and flew this plane through out Korea and Vietnam his plane is now on display is my home town. Miss him very much I wish I could ask him about that cool fuel dump they could ignite

[@onehunglow4u1]

I love the F-111, it is and has been my favorite aircraft since childhood. Based on this video I have to conclude that these aircraft are very well made. One solid airframe for a risky roll in war planning. Great job to the flight crew as well. I would be willing to bet that the aircraft was older than those on board that day and she still held it together long enough for both aviators to get away without a scratch. Well done all around.

[@MJLeger-yj1ww]

Fighter jets MUST be very well made in order to handle the structure stress placed on the aircraft in dog-fights and evading enemy ground fire! They must swoop down in a surprise attack and then get the hell out of there fast and that often means straight up, hard on the aircraft!

[@brettcoyle2399]

I looove them too but my fav is the f 15 falcon just love the looks

[@ramonnoodles7840]

@@MJLeger-yj1ww yes but the F-111 is a strike aircraft which is not designed for dogfighting or close range air to air combat in any sense of the term

[@PauloJFMartins]

The cable made it hit the RWY a bit harder than it would normally, but at least it reduced friction and the risk of fire.

[@vipero00]

Except that there was no cable.

[@jakemj03]

+vipero00 yes there was

[@misspuddles63]

The lack of deployed U/C is what made it hit the ground harder than normal. Absorbing the shock of landing is one of the 2 primary roles of any U/C, the other being to reduce friction with the ground to assist with manoeuvring on the ground.

[@arcticpara7775]

@@vipero00 sad you didnt watch the video

[@arshgreen1228]

Good work boys, proud on you. It was emotional.

[@pranteranaud3617]

Wow...excellent job guys. I tip my hat to you. I'm sure the quality and amount of training had everything to do with this.

[@grizzled8353]

A sweet aircraft in anyone's book Kudos to you both for a safe landing. It was awesome!

[@dickenscider9446]

When I was landing a badly damaged space shuttle, I instructed my weapons officer and tail gunner to eject, but they chose to stay and land on the aircraft carrier. Good team.

[@JT-wb5qv]

🤣

[@MJLeger-yj1ww]

Sure you did!

[@doncarlo5]

smart idea to shorten the slide on the tarmac using the hook ... that was brilliant ... two thumbs up, and everything ended up with a couple of beers at the pub , nice job guys !

[@petesmith9472]

For anyone interested, part of the deal of buying the F111 from the USA was being forbidden to sell them on. So some are gate guards, a few in museums and, wait for it…. The rest are buried at the local Toowoomba rubbish tip.

[@bigfella6629]

I remember as a kid growing up in Nth Brisbane during the mid 70s watching the F-111s flying over Brisbane at night with their afterburners on...was a amazing sight.

[@TheJer1963]

We had an FB-111 crash near my hometown in Russell County Virginia back in the 70's. They were on a training mission and got to low. They flew into the trees on top of the mountain. Both pilots did eject but it shot them right into the trees. This was in the winter atop a very tall mountain. I still remember all the Air Force personal and trucks around. Most of the plane was buried up on that mountain and a wooden memorial sign was put up.

[@kimblejury4923]

Not only did they light up the city in Perth, but I could also feel the heat on the ground.

[@adrianjackson2696]

The RAAF is the second oldest airforce (not part of the army or navy) in the world after the RAF in the UK

[@pieterveenders9793]

Nope, the Dutch Royal Airforce is the oldest..., so the Aussie Airforce would be the 3rd oldest, and the British Royal Airforce is the 2nd oldest.

[@grahams7697]

Pieter Veenders: Nope. Officially, the Royal Australian Air Force is recognised as being the second oldest Air Force in the World. The Royal Netherlands Air Force wasn’t promulgated until 27 March, 1953. Prior to that, the Luchtvaartafdeling was a part of the Dutch Army. Link: airpower.airforce.gov.au/APDC/media/PDF-Files/Pathfinder/PF114-The-Second-Oldest-Air-Force.pdf

[@AUmarcus]

@@pieterveenders9793 The RNAF wasn't formed until 1953....before that they were part of the Army back as far as 1913. The RAAF was formed in 1921 but can actually trace its origins back to the AFC formed in 1912. They are both old but the RAAF is slightly older.

[@chopperdown9114]

@@pieterveenders9793 dutch is the opposite of much that means fuck all

[@pieterveenders9793]

@@chopperdown9114 From what little insignificant shithole might you be then? 😂

[@paulferris8180]

Beautifully done ! Only landed an F111 a couple of times before but looked like a veteran.

[@vincentpertoso3148]

I worked as a Test Engineer in the early 1970s for United Technologies when they were producing the avionics for the F-111. I always loved this plane.

[@MultiMonster69]

Wish the US didn't retire these. One of my favorite fighters especially the cockpit

[@MuammarThangkhiew]

bomber

[@DaveWhoa]

always a winner at airshows

[@paulcavigliano6388]

Agreed. Miss the Tomcat also. Screw the overpriced underperforming F35 JSF "just shitty fighter"

[@arcticpara7775]

@@paulcavigliano6388 Paul..the F-35 has been proven over and over.even in COMBAT...Try Catching Up with the real world

[@paulcavigliano6388]

@@arcticpara7775 Uhh, no it hasnt, it's a costly piece of shit, and our own govt knows it. Why don't you do some research on it and skip the propaganda pieces. It's a slow overpriced turd.

[@debbiemeyer7666]

Awesome landing! So thankful you walked away without a scratch!

[@timbodedidleo]

Saved a special aircraft. Love the F1 11. A saluting well done fellas.

[@florianwolf9380]

Everybody kept their cool, and a perfect belly landing by a pilot apparently not too experienced in this. Hats off to all involved !

[@Jolinator]

I was so sad when they retired these f-111 monsters. My dad took me to airshows when i was a kid and remember watching these dump their tank and light the old zippo, combined with watching the Americans in the tomcat pull a 90 degree vertical and punch through the soundbarrier, going into the Ansett RJ cockpits for landing when i was a kid was what sparked my interest in aviation and got me into flying! I wish we still had airshows at pearce airbase :( It makes me sad the yanks wont sell us the f-22 , we have been in every single war the US has ever been in and are their closest alley, yet the pentagon classify's it so it cannot be exported/we cant buy it and are stuck with the JSF which will never be able to replace the role of the f-111 there was a reason we kept it going as long as we did, Goodbye PIG you will forever be in my heart :/

[@davo1093]

I agree mate. They were such a staunch aircraft. I managed to get into the cockpit on two occasions when I was a kid. Pretty sure with Ansett aswell. We were lucky, kids these days wont ever get the chance to do that

[@yellowhammer4747]

Sir, I agree one hundred percent with your comment about the U.S. not allowing you all access to the F-22. I am a United States citizen. My father told me that some of the absolute best men he ever fought alongside with in Vietnam were Australian. And you are exactly right when you say that the Australian people have been our closest ally in all wars we have ever engaged in within the last 150 years. Much deserving of the F-22 Technology. The way I see it, the more birds of a feather flying the machine the more problems that can be solved through fellowship. I tip my hat to all the good people in Australia mate. Thank you all for all of your hard work and sacrifice in the preservation of world freedom.

[@privateagent]

Yellow Hammer bollocks.. USA makes war only for profit.

[@yellowhammer4747]

You are exactly right about your statement sir. When you have the Jewish Kabal running your country and printing your money like we do, you tend to get tied up in many wars for profit. I am not sure what bollocks means? I would venture to say the U.S. translation would be bullshit?

Another fucking lunatic.

[@Troubleshooter125]

Bloody brilliant job, guys. Tip of the hat to you both!

[@wertbe1718]

This is the best looking jet in existence IMO

[@user-hb8be5wb4q]

WELL DONE, SIR, VERY, VERY WELL DONE!!!! You did good! In view of the situation, bloody well done!

[@voodoo1449]

Legend has it, that Steve's moustache ripped off the landing gear. He can neither confirm or deny the accusation

[@Centexrider]

Well I just saw this today and I have to say first that these boys made a picture perfect landing. The film they were alluding to must have been an F-111A landing at Mt Home back in the 70s. In fact, I was a young flight safety officer at RAF Lakenheath and I personally witnessed an F-111F land with one main gear detached circa 1980. In our case, the crew were unable to retract the gear because one hydraulic system had been blown and the one operating the main gear was isolated to flight controls, so they had the right main down and the left was missing. I had an old video cam from our flight safety office with me, but since it was night, I was unable to get it on film. In our case, there were two cables on the runway, a Bac 25 (I think I recall that correctly?) designed for lighter jets at 1500 feet, and other a Bac 12, designed for the heavier F-111 at 2500 feet. The Bac 12 was disconnected for obvious reasons, but the guidance the pilot was using put him onto the runway at that point. He thought he had missed the cable and was putting throttle in to go around, and that's when he snagged the Bac 12. The aircraft was actually beginning to accelerate, but the cable hung on like a bulldog. The nose came up and then came crashing onto the runway. The aircraft came to rest on the left side of the runway, and the crew got safely the hell away. As to the foam comments, that was a main cause of the missed cable. The fire department was instructed to start the foam at the cable, and they started laying it down at the 1500 ft Bac 25 instead of the Bac 12 and the leading edge of the foam was the pilot's main visual cue. Of course there's a lot more to story than that, but it's the short of it. As I recall, they even loaded the broken aircraft onto a C-5 and rebuilt it in Sacramento at the depot

[@RHAD-sy3oi]

Thanks for filling in that info about the two arresting cable systems, Doug - I had not heard that part before. I was also there that evening at RAF Lakenheath - watching the runway and rooster tail of sparks out at the back of the old Avionics shop as a young airman.

[@gotmythumbs]

A USAF bird that did the belly landing due to landing gear that wouldn't extend was an FB-111A at Carswell AFB Fort Worth TX. . I've seen the video of that landing. The pilot was Bob Russell and he was able to hold the aircraft off the concrete after cable engagement until the aircraft was nearly stopped and dropped gently to the ground. The only damage to the aircraft occurred when they tried to lift it with a crane. I was a WSO in the FB-111A and Bob was my squadron Operations Officer later at Plattsburgh AFB NY. One time, during a squadron picnic, Bob took me for a ride on his motorcycle. That was was the one and only time I was on a motorcycle. Too fast too close to the ground for me.

[@mehdimohsin3988]

Doug Jackson ..

[@kevincollins9748]

Stationed at MHAFB 78-79 (ECS shop green sect.) Watched the A Model belly landing from ramp. I believe it was snowing pretty heavy and they let it accumulate on the runway intentionally for a while. Remember the plane departing runway to the left and putting up a big rooster tail of snow. Pilots did a fast jump and run after stopping.

[@tobiasflohr4849]

Hey Guys, thanks for sharing your stories. I really appreciate it. You, gentlemen, are part of world history.

[@larrybarnes3920]

I remember this. Great work crew.

[@_scooter98_92]

For all the armchair pilots out there Didnt dump final fuel in order to fly to and eject over the ocean if arrestor system failed. Didnt use a drag chute because the F-111 doesnt feature one, thats half the reason for its swing wings. Grass landing with 21 tonne aircraft going 200kph = death. Eject near airbase = bushfire. Foaming airstrip = slip n slide. A grass/field landing is unpredictable for a 21 tonne aircraft going 120 knots (200+ km/h). This isnt a small light Cessna going 60 knots. The probability of the aircraft flipping and destroying itself and the crew is very high. A wheels up belly landing on a runway is a significantly safer and much more predictable alternative. Coupled with the arrestor system (which is not present on the grass) the aircraft is brought to a halt in a very quick and safe manner. If the arrestor assisted landing was going wrong, the pilots would still have been able to eject, whereas a field landing gone wrong (and they go wrong a lot quicker) would give next to no chance to eject. The aircraft has provisions in its design to accommodate belly landings incase of undercarriage failure. Suppressing the airstrip with fire retardant/foam/water reduces the friction between the aircraft and the ground, increasing the total distance required for stopping (remember, this aircraft has no braking capability in either wheel brakes or airbrake: the undercarriage door). As for ejecting, that was the final last resort if the arrestor assisted landing was not possible (hence the remaining fuel). The crew would have used the remaining fuel and ejected over sea 40km away. Do remember 2006 (when this occurred) was the 2nd driest year on record for Queensland (The state Amberley Airbase is located), the airbase is surrounded by bushland that, even during winter (when this occurred), is still highly flammable. A field landing gone wrong could spark a severe bushfire that would not only threaten the largest airbase in Australia, but potentially incinerate the crashsite, making investigation into what went wrong extremely difficult. Which is of course failing to mention, dead crew. You could not have done this in a safer manner in the situation the RAAF faced at the time.

[@donaldhartmanjr8676]

Awesome landing!! Wow! I've seen cessna's do worse. Looks like it was hardly damaged at all!! GREAT LANDING. Can't say why or where, but i got to see an F-111 do a cockpit ejection once. The engineering it takes to pull that off without a hitch is just incredible. For the record, the one i saw was perfectly executed by the crew and the aircraft performed exactly as advertised. Beautifully designed aircraft. Next to the Starfighter, one of my favorites for engineering balls.

[@zenzaleni]

Nicely controlled belly landing Sir, you guys I quite envy having the mental strength to pilot these high speed jets.. Thank you

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+Barry Durrant Are you kidding? Mental strength? Any red blooded man would love to get in those seats. Have to be born a woman nowadays to choose your seat. Really pisses me off, they can't do the pullups or swim underwater wearing too-large coveralls, but they get the billets anyway.

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+Barry Durrant Real funny, maybe you and Jenner can get together. I didn't need any political correctness to get my seat, I just didn't get the F-4s I had always wanted. Probably a good thing, they were a piece of shit too, always flying with a dozen up gripes.

[@zenzaleni]

+David Parker tsk tsk a raw nerve hey, seems your sense of humour needs oiling mate.. end of discussion

[@gnittegdellort]

+David Parker mate you have got some problems if you can't resist the lure of a woman in your cockpit if you don't get "pumped out" before flight. What's wrong with you mate? No professionalism

[@muzlinkage5929]

+David Parker Well said and greetings from Australia

[@StewartPaton]

It's a ripper mini-doc this, and remains so many years later. Definitely brown trousers time for all involved. I remember sitting next to Luke Warner for an EW course back in the late '90's.

[@dougford5691]

Fantastic Job. You two are awesome pilots!!!

[@markfryer9880]

I remember the Aussie press were always calling the F-111 controversial and over budget, but we sure got our money's worth from them. A prolonged service life with unmatched capabilities. No aircraft today can do what they used to easily do. The long range, low level flying and payload just cant be matched, period. If we want to mount a simulated mission today, we need a fleet of aircraft, F-18's, tankers, control aircraft. The list just grows and grows, and so does the machinery/ manpower count and the $$$$$$. As you can guess the more complicated the mission planning, the greater the opportunity for things to screw up and go pear shaped real fast. We didnt realise when we had it so good.

[@Primaate]

+Mark Fryer Yep, dead on. The F-111 was great for us. Shits me when the Socialist/Greens carry on about cost of Defence (our Cost/GDP is so small compared to most) while screaming about multiplying our Asylum intakes. Try comparing the two.... : /

[@wonniewarrior]

+Mark Fryer I understand the Americans called their versions the Aardvark? But did our RAAF call it the flying pig or did we have a different name

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+Mark Fryer It wasn't just the Aussie press, it was the US press back before they devolved into a government mouthpiece. This was MacNamara's big deal, one aircraft for all the services. The F-111B was to be the Navy's version, but it was way too heavy. It was over budget, but so is everything associated with government and military, no surprise since it is one more scheme to fleece the taxpayer. I thought it was a great design, what with the cockpit ejecting instead of flesh and blood ejecting right into the shocking elements A second class radar controller, Klepper, spearheaded an effort to get the Navy's prototype F-111B set up as a static display at NAS Patuxent River. Don't know how the display turned out, but I did see the fuselage on a barge so he got that far. "Von K", as we called him, was very enthusiastic and an accomplished artist. He joined the Navy because he was tired of "pushing a #2 Eagle" as a designer.

[@TedWms521]

+David Parker Oh - is that what the national parks are - a scheme to fleece the taxpayer?

[@DavidParker-cf2km]

+TedWms521 Yes, the federals stole the national park lands from the people of the respective States. There is some conjecture that the feds actually use the national parks as collateral for foreign investors in treasury bonds. As the very least, the national parks are a successful effort by people with way too much time and money (usually not theirs) on their hands to use government force to tie up the resources of others. Sincerely, David Parker