When I was at Mtn. Home AFB, ID from 1978-81, we would be lucky to have one third of our F-111As mission capable at any one time. At the time, those aircraft were 10 years old.
I miss Ellsworth. Was in the 44th FMMS. We used to stop at Wall Drug before heading to the LCF’s.
I was at F-111 depot McClellan early 1977 to late 1978. I worked depot level maintenance on F-111, F-106, and A-10’s. The F-111 was a great example of an aircraft that could do every thing for every service, very poorly. Sounds like the F-35.
F-111 was a fast aircraft, cutting edge, a real pain in the ass to work on, but designed by politicians, so it was doomed.