F111's become landfill

[oz_mark]

F-111 fans are outraged many of the iconic RAAF fighter jets have been dumped at a landfill site near Ipswich.

A RAAF spokesman confirmed to Ipswich News on Thursday that 23 of the planes had been dumped at the Swanbank landfill site.

RAAF Base Amberley F-111 fighter jets end up on Swanbank landfill site near Ipswich | News, events and sport for Ipswich | Courier Mail

 

[medhead]

That's a poor outcome.

They can't even recycle them rather than landfill - I'd even take them to have the rights to scrap them.

 

[markis10]

It was never going to be any other way, being nuclear capable, they cannot be sold for scrap.

 

[medhead]

It was never going to be any other way, being nuclear capable, they cannot be sold for scrap.

Weird, I would have thought melting them down would better protect any nuclear "technology" that dumping them in swanbank, with appropriate controls over the scrapping of course. Anyway, a sad end either way.

 

[Mal]

It was never going to be any other way, being nuclear capable, they cannot be sold for scrap.

I can't work this out...

I have the "F-111s should be on display in various museum's" type of mentality, but understand U.S sensitivities around these planes. I also believe that dumping them into old coal mines/landfill was a very poor way of disposing them.

However - Why can't they be melted down/recycled? Secure destruction methods exist.

 

[serfty]

They may be issues with toxicity of components - was there not some issue with ground crew becoming ill in relation to the beasts.

[EDIT]

Here's an offical report:

​

• [*=1]The F111 Deseal Reseal Board of Inquiry - Volume 1[*=1]The F111 Deseal Reseal Board of Inquiry - Volume 2

[/EDIT]

 

[awilcockson]

This is disgraceful, and no way for these grand old girls to end their days :evil:

 

[awilcockson]

They may be issues with toxicity of components - was there not some issue with ground crew becoming ill in relation to the beasts.

That's was because they were climbing into the fuel tanks reseal them wearing shorts and t-shirts and no respiration gear ... Avgas (and the fuel tank sealant) is pretty toxic stuff in a closed environment.

 

[markis10]

They may be issues with toxicity of components - was there not some issue with ground crew becoming ill in relation to the beasts.

[EDIT]

Here's an offical report: http://www.airforce.gov.au/projects/f111/vol2/VOLUME2 Part1.htm​

[/EDIT]

There is significant asbestos in the airframes, the cost of its removal outweighs the value of the scrap. Note these are the G models only!

Some have already been sent to their final homes including this ARDU bird to SA



And this one at Point Cook, photographed passing a Neptune in Dubbo (which was also the last flying F111 in the world)

 

[straitman]

Note these are the G models only!

Which part of the story is incorrect?

They are burying 23 a/c or they are only burying the G models?

There were not 23 G model a/c.

All very sad but understandable. I worked and flew around them in the late 1970s and my wife worked in the maintenance squadron for a while.

 

[markis10]

Which part of the story is incorrect?

They are burying 23 a/c or they are only burying the G models?

There were not 23 G model a/c.

All very sad but understandable. I worked and flew around them in the late 1970s and my wife worked in the maintenance squadron for a while.

The tender only called for the destruction of 13 G models, with the RAAF saying there are 7 aircraft available for loan/display purposes perhaps someone figured it was 30-7 =23 being buried in terms of the fleet in total, it could well be that its only the 13 G as per the tender are being buried unless it got expanded to include the rest of the fleet. There is no requirement for the Cs to be destroyed.

 

[The Rok]

If I organise the transport can I get one for free and put it in my back garden? Would make a hell of a story for parties. Hey kids, careful you don't bump your head on the plane while getting out of the pool.

 

[straitman]

If I organise the transport can I get one for free and put it in my back garden? Would make a hell of a story for parties. Hey kids, careful you don't bump your head on the plane while getting out of the pool.

I hope you have a big back yard as they are really quite large :!:

 

[MarkD]

Dimension are very similar to an f27 Fokker IIRC ( obviously performance is somewhat different )

There is a very nice one at the new museum section at Amberley, along with a caribou, which is on display with everything including coughpit open for viewing. Well worth a visit if you are passing by

 

[medhead]

great photos thanks.

There is significant asbestos in the airframes, the cost of its removal outweighs

So swanbank must be a licensed asbestos disposal landfill, in that case.

 

[Sifor]

What a waste, they could've dotted the country side as monuments rather than ending up in the ground.