In article <lfWdnRSvVc08o2nKnZ2dnUU7-SfNnZ2d@earthlink.com>, Byker says...
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>This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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>Guess where they are are now?
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>http://www.qam.com.au/qam-content/aircraft/f-111/F-111-disposal.htm
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They couldn't scrap them conventionally because of all the "widespread presence
of asbestos in bonded panels". Burying was the only option.
"Commencing on 21 November 2011, the first fuselage was trucked to the Swanbank
burial site which was managed by Thiess Services. Over the following three days,
a further 22 fuselages were placed in a mass grave. Wings, tail surfaces and
other components filled the gaps and the entire site was covered with soil on
which further layers of landfill will be added. Although the burial process drew
some criticism, it has to be accepted that saving all of the aircraft was
unrealistic. While many were horrified at the sight of these once beautiful
aeroplanes being buried, to anyone who has ever seen an aeroplane torn apart by
a "muncher", reverential interment has to be the lesser of two evils. It has
been suggested that in future years, when the burial site is developed, its
F-111 connection will be honoured, for example with streets named after aircrew
who lost their lives in F-111s."
According to Wiki, the Aussies had them from July '73 until they finally put the
last of them away December 2010 (37 years!). They cost a small fortune to
maintain and were replaced by the F-18 while waiting for the
ever-more-problematic F-35.
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