Another fun story from McClellan.

[everetteeugene]

There is an old breakfast restaurant near the old base called- Pancake Palace. All the old guys that are retired go there. I go there about 4 times a week for breakfast. (For me, breakfast is the best time of the year!) I sit at the counter. Yesterday there was this old guy that started talking to me. He told me stories about flying the F-111 Aardvark. He said when it came time to do Mach test flying,, he liked it. He said that this big ugly plane would go up to M2.8! In level flight! He said it would go faster but the heating of the skin limited the speed. He was telling me about how he couldn't go higher because of the thermosphere,, not being able to get to colder altitudes because there weren't any!
He told me some stuff about flying with r e a l B-61's and the SPEC WEP panel in the cockpit! C R A P!
Man! Them cold war days Hmm?

[Tom/CalClassic]

Yep, those were the days. I think I've eaten there before too.

Moved to the Chat forum, since it is more appropriate there.

[everetteeugene]

Thanks. I was wondering where this thread went. I really wasn't paying attention.

That cafe is fun.

[vhbob]

G'Day All

On the subject of F-111s, today was most likely the last time I will see them fly when two "Pigs" did the fly-past during the singing of the Australian national anthem prior to the start of the "Clipsal 500" car race through the streets of Adelaide South Australia. Finishing their display with the traditional "Dump and Burn"
by igniting dumped fuel with their after burners, they recovered to Edinburgh R.A.A.F. base North of the city
and will return home to Amberly, Queensland later in the week where these last flying AArdvarks, or "Pigs"
as they are affectionatly known in the RAAF, will be scrapped.

Trev. (vhbob)

[ejoiner]

I hate to see the old birds of any age go to pasture. This ranges from our favorite old propliners to the century series jets to even later phantoms etc. My wifes cousin flew varks from RAF Lakenheath in the UK back in the 1980's.

[everetteeugene]

''Pigs'' HA! HA! Man! I broke a sweat with this one!