The awesome size of the USAF

[Webmaster]

Current Inventory: http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCDBAircraftTypesSummary.asp

[F-111 C/C]

Strange to see 2 Tornados there

[AVIATOR]

Great addition to the post Niels and very interesting.

I was wondering just what a Grumman Mohawk was. Here it is.

The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk is an armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and light strike capabilities. It is of twin turboprop configuration, and carried two crew members with side by side seating. The Mohawk was intended to operate from short, unimproved runways in support of Army manoeuvrer forces.

General characteristics

    * Crew: Two: pilot, observer
    * Length: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)
    * Wingspan: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
    * Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m)
    * Wing area: 360 ft² (33.4 m²)
    * Empty weight: 11,760 lb (5,330 kg)
    * Max takeoff weight: 18,110 lb (8,215 kg)
    * Powerplant: 2× Lycoming T53-L-701[1] turboprops, 1,400 shp (1,044 kW) each

Performance

    * Never exceed speed: 370 knots (425 mph)
    * Maximum speed: 305 mph (490 km/h)
    * Range: 945 mi (1,520 km)
    * Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
    * Rate of climb: 3,450 ft/min (17.5 m/s)

[Webmaster]

Strange to see 2 Tornados there

Not really, the Luftwaffe operates Tornados from Holloman AFB for training. Look at the serial, 4 digits, add a + in the middle and you've got the Luftwaffe code. For more information on the Tornado training centre at Holloman, check out http://www.holloman.af.mil/units/gaf/index.asp

As you can see, there are also 15 F-4F at AMARG/AMARC, since they're US-produced aircraft they've got a US serial, but look at the code numbers, those are also Luftwaffe aircraft. In fact, as far as I know, the USAF never had the -F version, it was built specificially for Germany. But in the Phantom case, the US trained the Luftwaffe crews, so they were assigned to a USAF 20th FS. You should probably also find some German T-37s there.

[F-111 C/C]

So did they belong to the U.S.? If not, why wouldn't they be returned instead of retired here. Maybe just for convenience.

[Webmaster]

No. As far as I can make out from the comments on the site, they were stored there pending return to service (in the US), but never were, instead canabalized for spares (for the Holloman fleet) and then handed over to the USAF museum, which by the looks of it hasn't done anything with them (USAF museum already has a Tornado GR.1, donated by the RAF, with a far more interesting history)

[F-111 C/C]

I read the link you provided with the current inventory and I'm perplexed because it lists 15 F-111Gs and 15 FB-111As. There were a total of 76 FB-111/F-111Gs built. A dozen or so 'G' models went to Australia's #6 Squadron and about a dozen or so were lost over the years and (maybe) a dozen are now on display, but I'm still coming up short. I guess I'll have to do more research. Maybe it works out right.

[F-111 C/C]

According to the numbers I come up with, 11 are display aircraft, 15 went to #6 Squadron, 13 were lost, and 30 are in AMARC. That's 69. I wonder where the other 7 are? I guess from 1967 to 2009 missing 7 planes is well within an acceptable margin of error. However there were rumors of a certain Baltic country expressing interest in buying a handful of aircraft.............I'll let the conspiracy theorists come up with a story about a secret clandestined deal our Government made, etc, etc....

[Webmaster]

They were probably disposed or went elsewhere as scrap metal. Not everything goes to AMARC and not everything is kept forever... they cut up more planes than they regenerate. When a type goes out of service, the need for 'donor' aircraft is gone, then they start scrapping. Also when all parts have been taken out or when there are no hours left on the airframe, they go to the metal processing for recycling.