Retired F-111 Pilot Lt. Col. Kevin “Too Kool” Kuhlmann explains how the General Dynamics F-111 could perform almost any role in the air battlefield, as a fighter, bomber, and even low-level attack aircraft.

In this episode, Kevin discusses maintaining weapon systems on the F-106 and F-4, flying the Aardvark, and the thrill of lighting the afterburner during fuel dumps. With groundbreaking technology for its time, like terrain-following radar, variable-sweep wings, and an ejection capsule, this supersonic jet was not only advanced but a whole lot of fun to fly. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• Wings Museum's FB-111A 
• Kevin's MSU Bio 
• The F-111 Aardvark (Behind the Wings)

Chapters:

• (00:00 ) - Intro
  


• (01:34 ) - The F-111 Overview
  


• (04:32 ) - Flying at Mach 1.5
  


• (04:55 ) - Aviation Beginnings
  


• (06:06 ) - Joining the Air National Guard
  


• (07:01 ) - F-106 Maintenance
  


• (08:39 ) - Working on the F-4
  


• (09:24 ) - Joining the Air Force
  


• (11:32 ) - Naming the Aardvark
  


• (12:01 ) - Flying the T-37
  


• (12:29 ) - F-111 Training
  


• (15:57 ) - Transitioning from F to A Models
  


• (16:48 ) - The Variable-Sweep Wings
  


• (19:27 ) - Terrain-Following Radar
  


• (20:25 ) - The Weapons System Officer
  


• (22:41 ) - The Ejection Capsule
  


• (24:41 ) - Fuel Dumping with Afterburner
  


• (26:25 ) - Becoming an F-111 Instructor Pilot
  


• (29:57 ) - Aardvark Retirement
  


• (30:32 ) - The F-111 Influence on Aircraft Design
  


• (31:59 ) - Teaching at MSU
  


• (33:16 ) - Kevin's Advice
  


• (34:48 ) - Outro