F-111 Bomb door question

[retroaviation]

Anybody here know how to open the bomb doors on an F-111 Aardvark? Is there a way to do it manually, or does it have to have electric & hydraulic systems working?

Gary

[Shay]

That would be a neat trick. Pretty sure all ordinance is externally mounted.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[mustangdriver]

She definately has an internal weapons bay.

[mustanglover]

That would be a neat trick. Pretty sure all ordinance is externally mounted.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

http://flickr.com/photos/30041312@N03/2812766758/

[Shay]

Well don't that just beat all. All this time I always thought that all munitions stores were hard mount external to the airframe.

Thanks for the intel

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[Ztex]

Hey Gary,

You might ask the OV-10 assn. guys...they are working with their F-111 now.

http://www.ov-10bronco.net/

Last edited by Ztex on Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Shay]

That would be a neat trick. Pretty sure all ordinance is externally mounted.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

http://flickr.com/photos/30041312@N03/2812766758/

Thanks for the shot. I was looking for and image of it but couldn't find one. I always imagine there couldn't be one with the big speed brake there on the belly.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[McCollum11]

Might not be much help but this modeling site discusses the weapons bay. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/f111indetailjr_7.htm
The last photo on the bottom left shows the location of the weapon-bay safety pin.

[retroaviation]

Thanks for the replies so far, y'all. I'll look into all options given. I'm about to do some "tinkering" with the F-111 here at Midland and thought it would make a better display with the bomb doors opened up. Maybe, if I can get some sort of weaponry, I can even have them mounted inside. We'll see.

WIX is awesome!!!

Gary

[Jack Cook]

Gary,
Talk to Jeff aka JCW on the board here. He was a F-111 MO before pilot training. He may recall.
wrightj@canby.com

[CAPFlyer]

Thanks for the replies so far, y'all. I'll look into all options given. I'm about to do some "tinkering" with the F-111 here at Midland and thought it would make a better display with the bomb doors opened up. Maybe, if I can get some sort of weaponry, I can even have them mounted inside. We'll see.

WIX is awesome!!!

Gary

Oh, so Scott taking all those pictures and Dave figuring out that it really isn't hard sealed got you in "let's make this look cool" mode?

Great to hear that work is being done. I want to be there when you do the engine run though.

[retroaviation]

Oh, so Scott taking all those pictures and Dave figuring out that it really isn't hard sealed got you in "let's make this look cool" mode?

Great to hear that work is being done. I want to be there when you do the engine run though.

Nope, been working with the Museum folks for months on sprucing up the ol' bird. It was merely coincidental that Dave poked around and got in the airplane. All y'all had to do was ask.

I just got approval yesterday to start working on it. So even though it won't be much, maybe it'll be a little better display.

Gary

[Obergrafeter]

Nice to see we are making nice with the museum even though the other unpleasantness is still going on.

Last edited by Obergrafeter on Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Randy Wilson]

Gary - we have a local (in Midland) CAF member who was an F-111 driver - contact me privately and I'll see if we can get him to help out.

Randy

[retroaviation]

Ten four Randy. Thanks.