General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark Model created by Z. Sajdak from Stalowa Wola, Poland Cover by J. Wrobel from Gdynia, Poland Translated by Strange with much help from Saul H. Jacobs. History History of F-111 goes back to the 1960's when US Air Force presented technical requirements for a new airplane that would replace aging F-100, F-101 and F-105. Requirements however, had to be revised due to technical limitations of that time and new requirements were sent to nine different companies. They included maximum speed of Mach 2.5, range of 1,500km (about 800 - 850 miles) and capacity to carry 14,000kg of armament. Two companies were chosen: Boeing and General Dynamics. Later General Dynamics was chosen. Initially Air Force ordered only 23 airplanes in two versions: F-111A and F-111B. F-111A was the first variant and A version was the first 142 aircraft, delivered to the Air Force. F-111B was built for the aircraft carrier duty, however during testing, two aircraft were lost and the project was canceled. F-111C the fighter/bomber version built for Australia, which had to replace its obsolete Cannberas. There were total of 24 built. F-111D was a heavily modified version with very improved avionics -- new electronic navigational and targeting systems were added. F-111E was a modification of and aging A version: the air intakes were enlarged and the shape of wings modified. Aircraft also included new avionics systems. F-111F Built especially for Tactical Air Command with improved range. This variant of Aardvark was used in operation "El Dorado Canyon", in retaliation against Libya. F-111G was the last version of original A series -- all of the remaining A series aircraft were modified and redesignated as F- 111G. RF-111A was intended to be a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, however work was never finished on modifications and in the end there was only one, partially modified RF-111A. FB-111A strategic bomber modified to carry weapons with nuclear warheads. FB-111H never actually built, was intended to be a contender to B-1A bomber. In all there were 562 F-111 of all versions. They are scheduled to begin phase out in 2010. (NOTE: not mentioned in this instruction is the version EF-111A, with electronic warfare equipment, used in the Gulf War to great success). F-111, in different version has flown in Vietnam, Libya and the Gulf War. Even though media bashed it as an unnecessary expense and aircraft that had no real value, it was used successfully in all those theaters, because F-111 could carry four times the ordnance of F-4 Phantom and it could fly at 100feet above the ground, at speeds exceeding 500mph. Technical and tactical data: Length.................22.40m (68ft) Max width..............19.20m (60ft) Min width.............. 9.74m (30ft) Height................. 5.19m (15ft) Weight without ordnance.....21,537kg (about 44,000lbs) Maximum weight..............45,360kg (about 92,000lbs) Maximum speed...............2,338km/h (mach 1.9) Maximum range...............5,100km (about 1,650mi) Armament: >From classical bombs to sophisticated smart weapons and nuclear ordnance. For Air-to-Air it can carry Sidewinders and Vulcan cannon. General notes 1. Before starting the work on model, carefully study all of the assembly notes and diagrams. This will help you avoid any mistakes and insure that you completely understand how all the parts fit. The model is on the intermediate level, due to the relatively large parts and the moving wings. Before assembling the model, you must decide whether you will build a full model with all the moving parts and ordnance or the easier version without all the bells and whistles. 2. Before gluing parts together always try the fit without any glue! 3. Some of the elements that are strengthen by gluing on 1mm cardboard, might have to have edges filed to an angle that will correlate to the angle of segment's skin. 4. Parts marked by P(right) and L(left) are identical in assembly (sides are determined by looking at the aircraft with nose pointed away from you). 5. On some of the parts, markings P(front) and G(top) indicate direction of part's alignment. 6. Marking Sr. by lines of the skeleton parts, means that after gluing parts together, the lines on the marked parts should be aligned in a straight line. 7. The following markings correlate to the thickness of cardboard, that parts should be glued on: .(dot) - thin cardboard. ..(dot dot) - 0.5mm cardboard. * (star) - 1.0mm cardboard. .*(dot star) - 1.5mm cardboard. **(star star) - 2.0mm cardboard. 8. The model is designed to be built in segments, with two formers on each end of the segment. This means that the formers that will face each other have to be carefully filed to the identical shape. 9. Once the segments are put together, both faces of the segments, should be delicately sanded on a very fine sand paper, to insure that the surfaces are perfectly flat and will touch on the whole surface. 10. Follow the instructions and sequence of assembly! 11. Elements WI, II and so on, should be made out of a wire, that is as thick as the drawing. 12. Use glue that doesn't dry too fast and after drying turns clear. It will give you a chance to adjust parts, before glue dries and will not leave any marks. (of course you should try not to get glue on the areas that do not require it). Building the model Parts 1A to 1E after gluing on the cardboard, you can file down the edges to make sure that parts fit snugly. The nose of the aircraft will also require some kind of weight inserted into it, so this would be a good time to do so -- silly putty accomplishes that very nicely. The whole thing is covered with part 1. In part 1B make a hole for mounting wire WXII. Segment 2 is a standard segment with two formers and skin. Segment 3 contains the pilot's cabin and the nose wheel compartment. First assemble structure from part 3A to 3K (according to the assembly picture no. 5. Warning: part 3J has to be perfectly straight through the whole length of the part. You can accomplish that with help from parts 3K and 3L. Do not cut out the pilot's cabin white field in part 3J at this time. First insert the inside of the wheel compartment, parts 4 and 4a, make holes for the nose wheel assembly (assembly picture 17). Also put together the wheel assembly (without the wheel itself), and mount it in the walls of part 3G (using part WXXIX). Now, cover the whole segment with the skin -- part 3. For good fit, you might have to file or cut off a little material, from parts 3I and 3J (see assembly picture 5). Now, cut out the marked field in part 3J, small strips left by the edges, can be strengthen with a little bit of glue or acrylic. Now assemble the inside of the of the pilot's cabin (part 5 and 5a -- see assembly pictures 5 and 10). The elements of the pilots cabin -- instrumentation, seat etc, should be assembled with help of assembly pictures. At this time you can put together the whole segment including the wheel and canopy, but if you choose to do so, do not attach the segment to the rest of the model, until the rest of the model's assembly have been completed. Segment 6 starts with parts 6A to 6L. Be careful to keep symmetry of parts 6B, H, I and J. Part 6L glue to the elements 6J and 6B, the parts with lined field should be cut out now. Insert and glue in the bomb bay part 33 (assembly picture 14). Cover the whole thing with 6 and 6a, followed by parts 6P and 6L. Pay close attention to keep the straight lines on the edges of 6H and 6G. Make a small (about 1/2 mm) cut on part 6B, to make space for part 8C. Segment 7: into structure 7A-7H, glue in the main gear compartments, part 9. In part 10B make holes for the parts WXXXV (main gear). The whole segment covers with part 7. Before assembling segment 8, assemble segment 10, with part 10B, glued into the inside. Be extremely careful assembling parts 10 and 10A1. While assembling this segment and the segments 11 and 12, pay close attention to keep symmetry of segments. Parts 10 and 10A that make up the skin of segment 10 should be trimmed along the edges of parts 10F and 10G, if there is excess material left. Now attach the segment 8, in which wings will be mounted. First attach 8A and 8B do neighboring formers. In those formers, carefully cut out the marked segments. In part 8C and 8H carefully make holes for mounting parts18H. Holes are 2mm wide. Those parts should be formed to the shape of 6L, where they attach to part 6G (assembly picture 5). Assembly and attachment of all the remaining parts of the skeleton -- do not attach parts 8A and 8B just yet. Segment 11 and 12 (which is base for mounting engine exhaust and the base for mounting the movable vertical stabilizer): marked with lines areas of part 12D and the holes for the insertion of engine exhaust should be cut out, after the whole segment is assembled and glue dried. Make sure that the former 10B is flat, because any deformation will be reflected when you attach the engine exhausts. Now attach part 14 according to assembly picture 7A. Now assemble the engine exhausts part 13 according to assembly picture 7. Line by part 13A points to where part 13B should be attached on the clear, not-printed side. Parts 13W1 and 13W2 are used only as guides -- do not glue them in permanently, because after the whole segment is assembled, those parts should be removed. Parts 14J and 14K assemble according to assembly pictures. Now assemble parts 15, 16 according to assembly pictures 3 and 4. Make sure to keep a straight line in the marked areas, where the vertical stab will go. Part 16 should be mounted in such way, that after attaching the vertical stab, the front of the stab should be in line with part 15F, and the rear of the stab, should be on the connecting line of 16E-16G. Now assemble the horizontal stabilizers 17L and 17P. Wire W1, should be inserted into the hole in part 12D and into the stabs, where stabs and wire are glued and the wire turns in the body, with small resistance. Part 12L is used to limit the movement of stabilizers. Now attach the exhaust -- part 13. Wings -- parts 19L and 19P, and the mechanism of synchronized movement of pylons part 18. Use the assembly pictures (picture 1 especially). Now assemble the internal structure of the wings parts 19 and 19J. Pay particular attention to making the holes for the mechanism of wing and pylon movement. Size of holes should be such that parts 18C and 18G can rotate without resistance. Also it is important that parts rolled into pegs, matched the indicated sizes, of the holes they will be inserted into. It can be easily accomplished, by making all the holes, at the same time, that the parts are rolled and assembled. After assembling the whole internal structure, cover the wings with parts 19L and 19P. Part WX should be also made to be moveable. Next, mounting of wings and all its mechanisms: Insert wings into the holes in part 8, insert 18H into hole in 18c and glue those parts together. 18H can also be made out of soft wood, for more strength. Next, move the wings to the outmost open position, then move the wing movement mechanism, part 18, so that part 18A rests through the whole length, against the part 19A -- assembly picture 1. Next, assemble together parts 18H with 8C and 8H, 20E. Warning: be extremely careful to not to glue any part of the wing to any of the rotating elements. Cut off the excess material from part 18H and attach part 8 and 8B and shape them accordingly to the shape of the wings, where they touch. Next attach the air intakes, parts 20 and 21, according to assembly picture 13. Vertical stab can be made static, or movable, according to assembly picture 6. Don't forget to make holes for wires WV in marked formers, with a small angle. Warning: part 23A should be attached only after getting exact fit with movable and unmovable parts of vertical stabilizer and after careful filing parts 24B and 24C with covering, so that you will achieve the perfect angle of deflection -- 30 degrees each way. Parts 25,26,27,28 make according to the assembly pictures. Landing hook can be made movable. Next the inside of the pilot's cabin, parts 5, 29 and 30, according to the assembly pictures 5 and 10. Attach the ejection seats parts 31. Close the cabin with canopy -- parts 32, S4, S5. Part 32WZ is meant to be used as a guide for shaping the canopy. Canopy is a difficult part to assemble and shape properly, please use extra care and caution. The canopy has to be assembled open at first, to properly assemble the internal parts of the pilot's cabin. Later part 32 can be attached permanently or made moveable. Next step is the landing gear: parts 35, 36 and wheel 37. Details of the gear's assembly are shown on assembly picture 16. Main perspective pictures are in a 1:1 scale. Because the gear will have to support a rather heavy weight of the model, it should be assembled using a very strong glue, that is not affected by heat of humidity -- it applies especially to parts 35, 35A, 35O, 35S. Notes about some of the more difficult parts: 35B: Holes for the wire WXXVII should have a hole in it only 0.5mm deep in each element, so that after assembling parts together, the hole is only 1mm wide. 35S: In the middle glue in a piece of square cardboard. 35R, 35S: After attaching 35R and 35S they should form a 90- degree angle. 35N: Has to be filed down according to assembly pictures. 40 and 41 -- Nose gear: assemble according to assembly picture 17. Once again remember to attach the parts of landing gear (40, 40A, 40B and WXXIX) with the walls of the wheel compartment, using strong glue. The rest of the parts should be attached using the assembly pictures. After gear is complete you can attach all the remaining elements, like the compartment covers, the bomb bay doors. The bomb bay doors should be formed in such way, that they match the curvature of the body. The same principle should be used with the hydraulic break cover, part 38 (assembly picture 15). The ordnance of the aircraft: first, make pylons, parts 43 and 44 (assembly picture 19). Attach them to the moving parts 18I. All of them should be attached parallel to the symmetry line of the aircraft. Warning: wires WXV should be mounted only if you decide to make the ordnance removable. If you decide to do so, cut out the marked areas for mounting them (see assembly pictures 18 and 23). In the bomb bay (part 33), you can mount the bomb, part 49 (assembly picture 22) or its modification (assembly picture 23). You can also mount two bombs parts 46. You can make parts 45(the bomb pylons) and all 24 bombs, but that is a lot of work and you will not get a full wing movement with those attached. The remaining small parts should be attached according to the assembly pictures. Wyciac po sklejeniu -- Cut out after assembly. Odciac po sklejeniu -- Cut off after assembly. Wyciac -- Cut out.