Hobby Master 1/72 HA3022 EF-111A Raven 390th ECS 48th TF(P) Saudi Arabia Operation Desert Storm

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark entered service in 1967 as a medium-range aircraft designed for interdiction and tactical strikes. The F-111 was used as an all-weather attack aircraft capable of low-level penetration of enemy territory. It also could be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Some unique features are variable geometry wings, the 2 crew members sat side by side in an escape capsule, internal weapons bay; terrain following radar and afterburning turbofans. The USAF retired their last F-111 in 1998 but the RAAF continued to use theirs.

Prior to Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm electronic counter measures EF-111A Raven or 'Spark Vark' 66-0030 took part in the El Dorado Canyon mission and while stationed at Upper Heyford wore the name 'Mild and Bitter Homebrew'. For Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm the 390th ECS 'Wild Boars' deployed eighteen aircraft with the EF-111As being assigned to the 48th TFW (Provisional). During the six-week war the 390th helped protect coalition aircraft by electronically jamming Iraqi air defenses. In late March 1991 the 390th EF-111As returned to Mountain Home AFB. 66-0030 went to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) for strorage in 1998 as the last of the EF-111As were withdrawn from service.