F-111B Conversion Part One

A matrix of the seven different F-111Bs by Bureau Number is provided HERE along with a illustrations of the features and/or links that describe them.

There have been a few 1/72 and 1/48 conversions released to convert an USAF F-111 kit to the F-111B configuration. Most were only partial representations and there were only a couple of decal sheets available. Nevertheless, Bill Gillman (Navy Bird) was able to make do with them: Click HERE and HERE

All of these conversion options have been eclipsed by the recent CAT 4 release of mostly 3D printed parts and a comprehensive decal sheet and instructions for any of the first three F-111Bs, which diverge the least from the production USAF F-111s. Click HERE for a description of the sets and a source.

These are the 3D-printed ejection seats provided in the CAT 4 1/72 conversion set R72016 that provides the majority of changes for the first three F-111Bs. The protective cover in front of the upper and lower ejection handles has been removed on the left seat.

 
There are various F-111 kits that provide a basis for that but their quality and build-ability varies significantly. I’m only familiar first hand with the 1/72 alternatives; however, Googling “1/48th F-111 kits” will result in the many detailed reviews that will provide a basis for selection.

Four 1/72 kits were originally issued, reissued as variants, and also distributed by other kit manufacturers:  

- Hasegawa/Hobby 2000: Unless your standards for accuracy and build-ability are low, these are the only acceptable starting point (also, the CAT 4 conversion sets are designed for them).

- Esci/Ertl/AMT/Gunze/Italeri: Disappointing in accuracy and fit but buildable (full disclosure, Paul Boyer binned his attempt at it)

- Revell/Monogram: The first release provided parts for both the development F-111A and F-111B airplanes. It was quite accurate in shape for those aircraft except for, ironically, the F-111B nose. The landing gear was retractable but necessarily simplistic as was the interior of the separable crew module. Later releases deleted the F-111B option.

- Airfix/MPC/Heller: Minimal detail (e.g. cockpit, no wheel wells), and the crew module is a separate, ill-fitting assembly

Note that one significant difference in kits is the wing span but CAT 4 has created a conversion (R72025) for the low-aspect-ratio wing that was present on the F-111A/D/E/F to the higher aspect-ratio F-111B wing (the F-111C/G and FB-111A had the same wing span as the F-111B).

 Other options are DIY and using the wing extensions from the original Revell F-111A/B kit.

 Do It Yourself (degree of difficulty reduced if you glue the flaps and slats up and scribe the ones on the extension):

 Revell Kit Wing Tip Extensions:

 However, the CAT4 modification includes the extension of the trailing edge flaps and leading edge slats, which would be difficult to accurately represent deployed otherwise.

Another consideration is the two different lengths of the engine shroud aft of the afterburner. Both of these were present at one time or another on all of the first five F-111Bs and the ones in the Hasegawa kit are all long and configured with “feathers” that resemble those on variable-area afterburner nozzles, unlike the smooth exterior of the shrouds on the F-111Bs (my guess is that the feather configuration was added to reduce the stress from heat expansion). CAT4 provides a shroud length option or the kit shroud feathers can be filled and smoothed to the F-111B configuration.

All of the F-111 kits will have the USAF landing gear. As it happens, the first three F-111Bs flew with them but the remainder were delivered with the very different Navy nose landing gear and main landing gear wheels. Also, except for the Revell, the F-111 kits do not have the original retractable aft main landing gear door flown on the first seven F-111Bs.

The engine inlets also varied among the kits with some overlap of those on the first seven F-111Bs (General Dynamics was responsible for inlet development; Grumman was roughly one inlet modification behind in production). As noted on the Conversion Set Application matrix, which specific F-111B you model will determine which Hasegawa/Hobby 2000 kit to buy.

The F-111B cockpits were notably different. The first three F-111Bs had ejection seats. All had flight controls only on the left hand side. The F-111Bs delivered to Hughes for Phoenix system installation (151971/2 and 152715) had the right side instrument panel provided in the CAT 4 set R72016 but the remainder had a flight-test-only substitute with few instruments and switches.

To be continued in Part 2