General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark

what is it?

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired, supersonic, medium-range fighter-bomber. Production models of the F-111 had roles that included attack (e.g., interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons capabilities), reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. Its name "Aardvark" comes from the long-nosed, insect-eating African animal.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 jet engines · retractable tricycle gear · 19.2 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 2,656 km/htop speed
• range 5,945 kmwithout refuelling
• size 45.4 tmax take-off weight
• built 563made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 62 years ago, in 1964.
• 🏎️Top speed is 20.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 💥Faster than sound: up to Mach 2.2 (sea-level speed of sound ≈ 1,235 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 19.2 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 8 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 5,945 km: Amsterdam to New York (≈5,850 km) without stopping.
• 🏔️Can fly 2.3× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1964-12-21

introduced

1967

retired

1998

status

retired

number built

563

role

bomber

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

General Dynamics

engines

2× Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-100 / TF30

crew

2

length

22.4 m

wingspan

19.2 m

height

5.2 m

max take-off weight

45.4 t

top speed

2,656 km/h

range

5,945 km

ceiling

20,117 m

wings

monoplane

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.