F-111A can only reach 1.13 Mach with 6 AIM 9Bs, 60 minuts of fuel? AIM 9B?

Max speed at sea level “clean” is given as 1.2 for both A and F - so looks like they are over-performing.
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/general-dynamics-f-111a/

1 Like

Way worse, look at the report, it is overperforming by a long shot

1 Like

If that’s the case then the F-14A is massively overperforming. It should only be able to go 701 kts at sea level in max AB with 6x Phoenix, in game however:

1 Like

It’s not sure, especially when talking about war thunder. The flight manual charts indeed only lists mach 1.2 at sealevel. But the manual also states that sustained speed limits coincide with the (aircraft) temperature of 153°C and states that any flight exceeding this number (thus non-sustained speed) is limited to 300s per flight. From the design requirements for the F-111 we can find that the mach 1.2 sealevel dash speed is considered sustained flight, as it would need to at least do 400 miles at this speed and alititude per the requirements (this is like idk, 25+ minutes of flight, much more than the 300s mentioned before). From that we can gather that the flight manual speed limit chart is indeed the sustained speed limit chart and that most likely higher speeds could be attained, but only for a limited time (300s per flight, not exceeding a temperature of 214°C or mach 2.5, whichever is less).

Now WT doesn’t really care about that limitation, so it’s not clear if it’s overperforming in the WT sense, but likely the real life F-111(F) was capable of exceeding mach 1.2 too, given that the A could do at least mach 1.2 and the F just slapped even more thrust on it. The requirement was also for with an onboard 2000lb nuclear weapon I think, but that may have just been in the bomb bay, so no additional drag, but probably close enough to clean I guess. Besides, idk I couldn’t get a clean F-111A to mach 1.2 at sealevel, but close enough at mach 1.18.

Yes… and what’s your point??


According to excerpts from the manuals both the A and F could reach M1. 2 at SL, but note they clearly state this is in clean configuration using the internal bay only (2000lb nuclear -+ 2x AIM-9B). Hanging anything external will reduce the maximum.

The speed was airframe limited (see the temp limits in the notes) and not a pure thrust/drag issue. Also note the unusual way they state the planes ‘cruised’ at M1.2 rather than having a maximum speed figure which could well imply that although theoretically capable of higher it was software limited and without some kind of artificial stop crews would find themselves hitting the temperature limit quickly and risking failure.

1 Like

In the top speed ASL reports for F-14 the devs stated they did not want to integrate the maximum speed limitations for full stores configurations - a game design decision.

The F-111 meets all known specifications for top speed and acceleration at sea level to 5km in my testing.

2 Likes

Documentation regarding the aircraft shows that the F-111 in game meets no requirements regarding actual performance at all altitudes.

Lets hope they stick to that as i dont really feel like having a sub sonic tornado gr.4 at 14.0.

Okay, mind sharing what you’ve found?

Well, my point is that F111A can barely reach 1.2 Mach in 2 and the half minutes with nearly no weaponry but two AIM9Bs and 60 mins of fuel (by that time comical 35-40 mins of fuel cuz afterburner consumption is crazy plus the plane bleeds speed much more than abovementioned F14, even tho F111 and F14 actually aren’t that different in weight)
While yeah, F111F can reach more than 1.3, up to 1500 km/hour at sea level, ez pz.
Side note I can’t say that F111F is op tho cuz having no radar missiles is a huge disadvantage cuz it’s much safer to fight in a big distance which radar missiles can provide u + AIM9L is easily flarable while AIM7F/R24R/R27ER require certain maneuvers to evade them that either won’t help u or might put u in a dangerous situation cuz in a close combat, since notching an enemy means losing speed, and inviting ur enemy to get on ur six.

So, like, while F111F can show good results despite having no radar missiles and being killed by radar missiles in 70% of “death” cases, F111A is a joke, unplayable as a fighter unlike F111F. Also unplayable as bomber as well cuz acceleration, as it was discovered, is horrific.

Okay I tried F111A with 2 AIM9bs in a bomb bay, (thus no Vulcan) it gets 1.2 Mach in 2 minutes 12 seconds
WHILE F111F without any armament (cuz u can’t gat 2 AIM9Ls in a bomb bay) reaches 1.2 Mach in 1 MINUTE 15 SECONDS.

I won’t believe that 25% thrust difference can do such wonders, no way

1 Like

Thrust difference is actually more like 40% higher on the F-111F at high speeds (A tops at around 10k kgf per engine whilst the F goes to like 14k kgf). The thrust curve is also just much better on the F-111F I guess, ramps up faster and higher making it accelerate faster quicker. You shouldn’t just look at static thrust.

But idk, the A is indeed quite sluggish to accelerate especially with the speed bleed, but idk about the real life acceleration.

10 is 29.5% of 14
And the thing is sluggish indeed

Weight alone has little to do with how much speed is bled during maneuvers. The thrust to weight difference between the two, the lift to drag ratios, the aerodynamics are all considerations.

Such as flying close to the ground, or moving your mouse to the right / left side of the screen and pressing chaff button a few times?

You’re dying to radar missiles 70% of the time? Have you tried not dying to radar missiles? The last time I played (a few hours ago) they were the only type of ordnance that has no “guaranteed hit / kill chance” outside of head-on at 100+ meters alt where your opponent is actively choosing to eat the missile with their nose cone.

That math seems off bud

What I meant is that from 10 to 14 is a 40% increase in thrust, so the F has that over the A. If you compare it the other way, so 14 to 10, then it’s a 28.5% decrease. But either way, it’s pretty a signficant difference, more than you give it credit for.

10 is 71.42857142857143 of 14

I never fly above 1500 meters above ground, always fly low, pre chaff, ground clutter doesn’t help at all against AIM7F, R24R. Nonetheless they manage to lock even when I disense 10-20 chaffs at least headon, and if u’re closer than 5 kms, u can’t make a perfect notch + something like Phantom has 6 AIM7Fs which of course is a huge advantage over F111F, right?

Well 30-40% difference is big, but not 1.15 minutes against 2.12 minutes to reach 1.2 Mach, imo

Like, what to even discuss? What is more advantageous: AIM9L that can kill a target that won’t shoot a single flare (somehow hot engines cases are too rare for AIM9L) against good radar missiles that can shoot targets in 2-15 kms+, and chaffing after lock won’t help much, u need to do something or u’re dead