So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I've looked all over and cannot find anything on a F-111, other than what looked like a park flyer. I have been working on some CADdrawings from 3-views, but was curious if anyone had ever seen anything. I definitely want to build something variable wing, and have narrowed my options to the Tornado, the 'Vark, or an F-14. While I have a history with the F-14 (ex Navy, saw the last combat cat shot and recovery, as well as the last cat shot and recovery ever from CVN-71), there are quite a few great looking F-14 builds being done / have been done and I would prefer to do something different.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Hi
Franz Walti does one that he entered in the jet world masters a few years back

http://www.jettech.ch/e-eingang-home.htm
go into prospect,models, scale aircraft and scroll down to F111

only kit ive ever come across

brian

ps watched them practising over Virginia beach for the farewell flight
of the F14 quite a beast

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

There was a big F-111 at Top Gun this year, I forgot who they said built it but I remember it being a 2 year project. Maybe the builder will chime in.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Mike Selby. Had a number of problems with it-he rushed it to get it to TG. Should be perfect by now. Scotty

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Awesome Scotty, I hope he posts some video and info.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

There is a detailed write up about the development of this plane in the new FlyRC magazine.

http://www.flyrc.com/

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I would be happy to provide more information on the 111 if there are any specific questions I can answer. The 111 at Top Gun demonstrated a need for several design modifications. We had 7 flights prior to the event. One of the problems was bounce after landing. This was due to a number of factors, including approach speed, gear damping, and a lifting fuse. The general flight characteristics were good although the radio programming requirements and some onboard microprocessors were a bit of a handful. However the ability to go to slow speed needed some improvement. This was a mix of not having enough practice flights to test the envelope on the plane, and the fact that the design itself is not really a "slow speed" aircraft. The plane has now been redesigned as an FB-111 with a longer wing and a new airfoil. The redesign has improved lift and low speed performance. The pivot point on the stabs was also adjusted after further tests. The gear now has oil dampers. Approach speed is now slower and to kill lift after touchdown the spoilers deploy upwards as on the original. We use the spoilers for roll augmentation along with the tailerons in normal flight. The FB111 A is likely to be at TG next year.
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Would love to see some detailed pics Mike, great subject!!

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I emailed back and forth with Mr. Walti, he said his plans and information was with MIBO now, apparently they may be trying to develop one. If they develop one to the quality that their A-10 is, that would be quite a machine!

Thank you for all the information guys, Mr. Selby I will be getting in touch with you =)

I appreciate the information and will try to dig up the magazine article.

Edit - As for the Tomcat, the last carrier flyover was during our family cruise, where we have the opportunity to bring our families out to sea for a day. 2 VF-31 Bombcats came out and put on a pretty good show, including a supersonic pass, which if you have never felt one, it is a pretty wild feeling. Airshows over the water are much better, international waters = time to get a little wild lol.

B

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I will try to post some photos of the 111. The 111 that MIBO may come out with is mine. Bogo and I are still thinking about it, and want more test flights. We are also looking at certain prefabrication issues. The wing box and bracket alignment is critical and would be difficult to install if not done at the factory. It would need to be done at the factory. The same would apply to the pivot bushing mounts in the wings otherwise the incidence would be problematic as would the sweep angle. The scale main gear parts currently require a tremendous amount of mill time, we are trying to look at alternative ways to fabricate the main gear attachment block. If we get around these issues then it would be practical for serial production and would probably proceed early next year.
The molds from Frans plane are with MIBO, Frans made a tremendous effort and several of his concepts were helpful in designing the current 111 model but too many design changes were required to make it fly properly so I did the project de novo here in Thailand. Similar issues have kept my 1/5 scale A-6 in prototype stage. Flights are fine, but production is not yet practical.
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

a few shots of the 111 that I had on this computer
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

more shots

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Mselby,

Very nice F-111.  You do great work sir.

Do the slats and flaps go all the way to the tips on the FB-111 wing as they did on the short winged F-111A / E?  I haven't been able to find a good picture of the FB wings to see.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

slats and flaps are full span

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

mr. selby,
do you have any photo's of the mechanics for the slat and how they are actuated? I'm about ready to start trying to figure out how to make the slats on my 1/7 F-14 and am scrounging for photo's and explanations of how others have done this, and your 111 is the only model i have seen that has implemented them, so any help you could provide would be highly appreciated.

thanks,
thomas

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Hi Thomas,
pm me your e mail, I will try and come up with photos and a drawing. I need to look at the F-14 wing to see if it is applicable. I have a 1/10th scale turbine F-14 that I built 10 years ago, I did not do slats on that model but the wing should give me an idea of whether the mechanism I made can "translate"
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Hi Mike,

How were the slats actuated on the F-111?

Regards,

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I actuated using a servo which drives a torque arm. The arm has two horns which via linkages push the slat. The slat is on tongue and groove tracks with a radius allowing the desired amount of downward movement and forward travel. The slats maintain a slot gap at the bottom of 8 mm. In the new FB-111 I am using two Firgelli L12 linear servos which allowed me to do away with the torque arm system. Due to the size of the leading edge where the slat meets the wing, there is a limit to how much radius can be achieved on the tracks. This requires angling the channels downwards to achieve the desired droop. There are other ways to approach this but the problem is always mechanical complexity (reliability) and unnecessary weight.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Hi MIke,

Thanks for that. Do you have the Firgelli in hand yet? I assume you have to use more than one per wing? If so is their behavior similar enough to avoid binding up the slat tracks?

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

I have the firgelli's installed. They are the new L12 version set up as what they call the R model, they interface directly and act like servos. The gearing which if I remember was 250 gives 4.5 kg of torque. I use two of them per slat. It is absolutely necessary to find the pressure balance points for the slats or you will have binding. If the push points are balanced remarkably little torque is required.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

We completed all of our series of test flights today on the redesigned FB-111A. It is now performing as we wanted it to. The plane flies very much like a normal high performance sports plane including with the wings swept to 70 degrees. The test model has been flying on a single Behotec 180 gold mounted on one side with the thrust tube slightly angled, there have been no yaw issues. Dry weight is 17.8 kg. The plane has operating wing sweep, spoilers, fowler flaps, leading edge slats, oil damped electric gear, electro magnetic proportional brakes, and pivoting pylons. The model carries a 4 liter main tank which gives around 13 minutes average flight time. I will post some pictures of the last test flights shortly. MIBO jets and PST are going to proceed to produce a kit based on the two prototypes now in the workshop here in Thailand.
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Here are a few of shots of the 111, one with wings forward, one at half sweep, one on landing and one of the cockpit for the competition version.
Mike

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

A couple more shots including a daring pose by Bogo Stempihar (MIBO Jets)

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

One more shot. The plane in these photos was fixed gear for test purposes.

RE: So, lets talk about Aardvarks...
 

Clever arrangement for a twin. Can you share some pics of the turbine and angled pipe install? Great project!