Farewell to the PIG! Final F111 flight over BNE - Dec 3

[markis10]

Friday December 3 sees the final flypast of the F111 over the Brisbane CBD around 11.30 just in case you were wondering, BYO earmuffs .

 

[NM]

pity its not going to be a night flight with a final dump and burn

 

[PineappleSkip]

It will truly be a milestone if its finally farewell to the pig farewells. I'm sure I saw a farewell at an airshow at Amberley a couple of years back

Cheers skip

 

[ButFli]

Damn. I am in Rockhampton for work that day!

 

[straitman]

Damn. I am in Rockhampton for work that day!

In light of these comments I am surprised that you would want to be in Brisbane to view the fly past.

'I mean it's a bit inconsistent to QQ over a civilian aircraft that was designed for peaceful purposes doing a fly over when Fleet Week (or whatever it is) is a week-long celebration of machines designed to kill and are used for that purpose on a regular basis. It is sick.'

 

[MatF]

Some more information here:
Pigs Tales :: Program

 

[coco50]

I have heard of the F111 referred to as the PIG but a USAF acquaintance of mine also referred to the F111A as the BUFF - an acronym which stands for Big Ugly Fat coughker

 

[docjames]

I have heard of the F111 referred to as the PIG but a USAF acquaintance of mine also referred to the F111A as the BUFF - an acronym which stands for Big Ugly Fat coughker

I believe you'll find the B-52 is more commonly (affectionately) known as the BUFF.

 

[markis10]

I have heard of the F111 referred to as the PIG but a USAF acquaintance of mine also referred to the F111A as the BUFF - an acronym which stands for Big Ugly Fat coughker

As docjames mentions, its the nickname for the B52, the USAF called the pig the "Aardvark".

 

[awilcockson]

After working on the pig for many many years, I shall be attending the pig's tales celebrations and getting well and truly hammered.

Shall be a shame to see the old girl retired, sort of glad I'm not working on the base any more, I couldn't stand to see them being lined up and shredded for scrap (they are bringing in big machines that will process one jet every 2 days). Not even allowed to keep one for gate guard duties, stupid anti-nuke treaties ...

 

[markis10]

After working on the pig for many many years, I shall be attending the pig's tales celebrations and getting well and truly hammered.

Shall be a shame to see the old girl retired, sort of glad I'm not working on the base any more, I couldn't stand to see them being lined up and shredded for scrap (they are bringing in big machines that will process one jet every 2 days). Not even allowed to keep one for gate guard duties, stupid anti-nuke treaties ...

There are a couple being kept, interestingly the one at point cook came from a boneyard in AZ.

 

[markis10]

Today is the day, aircraft will be low and slow:

Takeoff Amberley 11:30, Laidley 11:43, Rosewood 11:44, Amberley, 11:45 Ipswich 11:46, Brisbane 11:50, then they will split
Northern route: Sandgate 11:55, Redcliffe 11:55, Bribie Island 11:27, Caloundra 12:00, Maroochydore 12:02, Noosa 12:05,
Southern route: Gold Coast 12:00, Coolangatta 12:05, Byron Bay 1:07 (NSW), Ballina 1:10, Evans Head 1:15. (all times are local)

 

[QF WP]

It's just gone over the CBD and Fortitude Valley (a couple of mins ago, I wasn't logged in)....thanks for the good times

 

[Pascie]

Cannot believe how low they flew over Toowong/Milton! Very, very cool!! Too bad for my ears though

 

[ChrisBNE]

Wow that was fantastic watching them come over the city from our building. Could see them heading down to the coast too.

 

[samh004]

Heard a rumbling on the Gold Coast earlier, but it was also overcast.

 

[Mal]

Saw them at lunch today (2 planes ... had they split at that point?). They were pretty low over the CBD type area.

A good send-off. Pity it was so overcast.

 

[markis10]

I think one of the north bound ones went US as there should have been three in each group, interestingly no one told ATC who were still warning aircraft to lookout for three heading north.

 

[Kendall Roy]

R.I.P. the mighty PIG!

A classic clip: YouTube - F-111 FlyBy *Longer Version*

 

[albatross710]

I headed out to Amberley for the final landings.

Out the front of Hangar 310? 3AD aka Boeing, they had three aircraft on static display, one open coughpit for people to view. The other two aircraft were for poking and prodding.

While the aircraft were away on the flyovers, a couple of aircraft did aeros. A few high speed passes maybe 150-200ft agl. High G turns, low speed, low level fuel dumps. Low, fast and noisy. Just the way the crowd of F111 fans wanted it.

As the other aircraft returned from their flyover duties, they would do some high speed passes.

Then the 7 aircraft returned from the flyover and a few more flyovers before they broke for landing. Then the 7 aircraft taxied towards 3AD and parked on the taxiway in front of the crowd. Once again everyone up close and very noisy.

A few of the Super hornets did flyovers but didn't try and steal the day.

I admit to a touch of sadness thinking that the aircraft were being shutdown for the last time. Those aircrew the last to fly a complete aircraft.

Would like to see how many carried forward unservicabilities were on the fleet at the end!

All in all after working on them in various roles for 4 years (a long time ago) I still had/have a special place for that particular TF-30 engine whistle which I hadn't heard for so long.

R.I.P. the A8 fleet. Our thoughts also very much with the 10 crew whom perished operating these aircraft. Details of crew lost : F-111 Aardvark Memorial