Evening all! Been working on my profiles for the F-111 GB and thought I'd add them to my profile thread. "Sea Vark" is just a place holder for now until I can come up with an appropriate name; any ideas? I used the F-111E as a base and grafted on the nose cone and targeting camera of an F-14, added a nose cat attachment bar, and an arrestor hook. Mounted in the internal weapons bay will be an M-61 Vulcan with over 2,100 rounds! Seldom used by the USAF in reality, I opted to include it with the USN version. Wings will have 4 pylons that swing with the wings with glove stations for Sidewinders on the outboard pylons.
Backstory:Development of the nasalized F-111 didn't stop when the USN rejected the interceptor version back in the late 1960's. Grumman secretly continued the design and approached the USN with a carrier based strike version in 1972. The USN was impressed with the performance of the USAF F-111s in Vietnam and jumped at the chance to get a carrier capable version for themselves. The prototypes performed beyond even Grumman's expectations and the USN placed an order for 36 aircraft to outfit 4 Heavy Attack squadrons (VAH). Two squadrons are assigned to each coast with four plane detachments (or DETs) deploying with the carriers as needed. The first FB-111Ns were assigned to VAH-11 in 1977. The USMC also joined in and ordered a like number for the CAS role.
Missing Vietnam, the new "Sea Vark's" combat debut was in the skies over Taiwan, flying from the decks of the
USS Saratoga and
USS Constellation from late 1978 until mid 1979. The Varks performed admirably, using their speed to literally run circles around the Chinese air defenses. Their actions proved crucial to the lightening success of the ground war, finally ending in early 1979. The 1980's and 1990's saw USN and USMC Varks over the skies of many a South American and Middle Eastern country, each time proving their worth more and more. In the mid 1990's Grumman introduced an updated version of the Sea Vark dubbed the F/A-111P with all new avionics and an integrated ECM system.
After the introduction of the Su-24N into the Russian Navy the USN decided to ship a few surplus Sea Varks over to two one of their aggressor squadrons; VFC-111. Painted in a disruptive scheme of light and medium blue the new "Sea Varkskis" proved an excellent likeness for the Fencers.
Profiles:Taiwan Crisis 1978-1979:F/A-111N of VAH-9 "The Hoot Owls" - Line Bird - TPS Scheme 1
F/A-111N of VAH-11 "The Checkertails" - Line Bird - TPS Scheme 1
Operation Praying Mantis 1988:F/A-111N of VAH-7 "The Peacemakers" - CAG Bird - TPS Scheme 2
F/A-111N of VAH-7 "The Peacemakers" - Line Bird - TPS Scheme 2
Operation Desert Storm 1991:F/A-111N of VAH-11 "The Checkertails" - CAG Bird - TPS Scheme 2
F/A-111N of VAH-11 "The Checkertails" - Line Bird - TPS Scheme 2
USN Aggressors:F/A-111N of VFC-111 "The Sundowners" - Line Bird - Flanker Blues
Yes I know I wrote that theses two are aboard the
Indy for Desert Storm and left
Connie's name on their sides.
Connie began her SLEP in 1989 and therefore her DET from VAH-11 was shore based for the duration. When war seemed all but inevitable in the Persian Gulf, the
Indy was ordered to scoop up DET I on her way to the Gulf. Being aboard only temporarily, they didn't bother to repaint the ship's name or CVW tail code. Upon Connie's emergence from the yard in 1992, DET I returned to her decks.
Line art courtesy of Coops213's blanks found here
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,28426.0.htmlThe Back story is still incomplete but I thought I'd include some of what I have so far. More to follow! Let me know what you think.
Any comments, thoughts, ideas, etc... are appreciated as always.
-Mike
