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Contact Info
Home Town Franklin, Nebraska
Last Address RAF Upper Heyford, England
Date of Passing Jan 18, 1972
Location of Interment Greenwood Cemetery - Franklin, Nebraska
Sidlaw Hills, near Burrelton, Perthshire - � United Kingdom
Phase:
Approach
Nature:
Military
Departure airport:
RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL)
Destination airport:
RAF Leuchars, Fife
Narrative:
Crashed January 18, 1972, whilst on a routine ground controlled approach to RAF Leuchars, crashed approximately 975 ft on a snow covered 1,050 ft high mountain in the Sidlaw Hills, near Burrelton, Perthshire, Scotland, approximately three-and-a-half miles south of Coupar Angus, and 15 miles north west of Leuchars.
Both crew - LT COL Floyd B. Sweet (pilot) and LT COL Kenneth T. Blank (WSO) - were killed, as no ejection appears to have taken place
Lt COL Sweet had been the 77 TFS, Director of Operations. The 77th named the squadron bar in his honor "Sweet Floyds." To this day the 77 FS, now at Shaw, has their heritage room named after Lt COL Sweet with the original plaque from the 77 TFS bar at RAF Upper Heyford.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark Length 73.49 ft | 22.40 m Width 62.99 ft | 19.20 m Height 17.13 ft | 5.22 m Engine(s) 2 x Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-111 turbofan engines generating 25,100lbs of standard thrust each. Empty Weight 47,840 lbs | 21,700 kg MTOW 100,002 lbs | 45,360 kg Max Speed 914 mph | 1,471 km/h | 794 kts Max Range 2,900 miles | 4,667 km Ceiling 57,907 ft | 17,650 m | 11.0 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 5 Armament 1 x 22mm cannon
Mission-specific ordnance can include any of the following:
* F-111A - Initial Production Model Designation; 23 pre-production models produced; Total of 158 at production end fitted with 18,500lb TF30-P-3 powerplants; 42 converted to EF-111A Ravens. * F-111B - Cancelled Fleet Defense Variant of which 5 pre-production models were produced. * F-111C - Australian Export Models of which 24 were produced. * F-111D - 96 Production Models fitted with TF30-P-0 powerplants generating 19,600lbs of thrust each. * F-111E - 94 Production Models of this type. * F-111F - 106 Production Models of this type fitted with TF30-P-111 capable of 25,100lbs of thrust each. * EF-111A "Raven" - Electronic Warfare Model Designation based on converted F-111 "A" models; retired in 1998. * FB-111A - Strategic Model Designation of which 76 were produced; fitted with 2 x additional hardpoints, increased wingspan and TF30-P-7 powerplants generating 20,150lbs of thrust; improved electronics. * F-111G - Converted FB-111A Models for European Theater use; RAAF usage of this model as well. * EF-111A - Electronic Warfare Conversion Models of F-111A series; 42 converted in this way.
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