Specifications
Aircraft Type: FB-111A, S/N 68-0267, General Dynamics
Mission: Medium Range Bomber
Number Built : The Air Force accepted 562 F-111s, consisting of 159 F-111As (18 of them RDT&E aircraft); 7 F-111Bs for the Navy (5 RDT&E and 2 productions); 24 F-111Cs; 96 F-111Ds; 94 F-111Es; 106 F-111Fs; and 76 FB-111As, all other models of the F-111s were reconfigured from production models.
Powerplant: Two Pratt & Whitney TF-30-P7 afterburning turbofan engines, 20,350 lbs. thrust each.
Weight: Empty 50,000 lbs., Loaded 114,300 lbs.
Dimensions: Wingspan 70′ (fully extended wings), 34′ (fully swept wings), Length 75’6″, Height 17’2″.
Performance: Maximum speed 1672 MPH (Mach 2.2), Cruising speed 571 MPH, Service ceiling 60,000 feet.
Significance of Type
The General Dynamics FB-111 was SAC’s medium-range bomber, capable of flying supersonic speeds at 200 feet above the ground and twice the speed of sound above 35,000 feet. It was the strategic/theater bomber version of the F-111 multi-purpose aircraft. It differs from the tactical strike variants by having different engines, a 3 1/2-ft extension on each wingtip, strengthened landing gear and fuselage, greater fuel capacity, and improved avionics. The FB-111 wing’s low minimum sweep angle of 16 degrees and a high maximum sweep angle of 72.5 degrees allow relatively low take-off, landing, and stall speeds as well as supersonic, low-altitude penetration flight.
About Our F-111A, S/N 68-0267 : SAC Museum’s F-111 was accepted by the USAF in 1970. Below are the unit assignments of this aircraft:
November 11, 1970- To 340th Bomb Group, Carswell AFB, Texas
January 21, 1971- To 509th Bomb Wing (Medium), Pease AFB, New Hampshire
March 3, 1988- To 380th Bomb Wing (Medium), Plattsburgh AFB, New York
July 10, 1991- Dropped from inventory by transfer to the Strategic Air & Space Museum. FB-111A, S/N 68-0267 was one of the last four FB-111s taking off from Plattsburgh AFB, New York on that date, thus ending their careers with SAC.