The Genius Tactical Fighter That Transformed into a Different Aircraft in Combat

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  • čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
  • Time was running out for the Soviets. The United States Air Force was gaining dominance of the skies with its latest aircraft, the F-111 Aardvark, and there was no Soviet fighter that could match it.
    Nonetheless, despite the regime's pressure, the Soviet engineers knew what they were doing. Ten years in the making, Sukhoi unleashed its creation in the late 1970s: the Su-24 Fencer.
    With its sweeping variable-geometry wings, the Su-24 could transform its silhouette from a nimble spearhead to gain speed to a broad-winged hunter to enhance its payload capacity and range.
    Armed with state-of-the-art radar and elusive electronic countermeasures, the Su-24 Fencer was more than just a bomber or fighter. It was a versatile multi-role platform engineered to strike unseen and undeterred across diverse battlefields.
    In its unveiling, the Soviets not only revealed a devastating weapon but a clear message destined for the Americans: They, too, could command the skies.
    ---
    Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
    As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
    All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
  • Auta a dopravní prostředky

Komentáře • 105

  • @Patrick_919
    @Patrick_919 Před 3 dny +25

    "I wonder what this button does."
    [Navigator gets yeeted from plane]
    "Oh."

    • @300guy
      @300guy Před dnem +1

      Actually it is even better than that, the planes have rubber butt plugs, which is exactly what they are, to keep the horizontal tail from moving by itself in a strong wind. Reason being, the co pilot stick was just slightly shorter than the pilot stick which was what allowed it to snag the crotch ejection release during some nonsense sitting on the tarmac. Instead of making it so that couldn't happen again, they just blocked the movement on the ground with the plugs.

  • @sitrep123able
    @sitrep123able Před 3 dny +19

    It's amazing that it is still in active service for both Russia and Ukraine and is carrying storm shadows who would have thought

  • @WolfVidya
    @WolfVidya Před 3 dny +18

    Jamming does not delete the aircraft from radar, it merely hinders targeting capacity and at best nullifies the reading of a small swath of sky where the plane is (which is why Home-On-Jam firing mode for some missiles exists).

    • @Chio_OB
      @Chio_OB Před dnem +2

      Best taking this channel and its others as popcorn, some hard nuggets but mostly slightly crunchy time wasting (with pictures of everything else)

    • @decimated550
      @decimated550 Před dnem

      ​@@Chio_OByeah this channel is fun. I listen to it mainly for the extremely autistic phrasing this guy uses. With these tremendously, powerful adjectives making just a simple statement of fact into this. Bombastic torrent of words,... Such as "...extremely lethal dominance against their adversarial antagonists"

  • @shooter963
    @shooter963 Před 3 dny +13

    Surprisingly, the Sukhoi was almost the same size, same specifications, same mission, same crew, as the F111, just 10 years later. Did the Soviets copy the F111? The way they copied the B-29 into the TU-4? Did an American engineer leak critical information to the Soviets.

    • @dalek3086
      @dalek3086 Před 2 dny +3

      did the Soviets steal the plans for Concorde and copy it ? were they given faulty plans ? Why did the TU 144 crash at the Paris Air Show ?

    • @mickvonbornemann3824
      @mickvonbornemann3824 Před 9 hodinami

      @@dalek3086 Tne French sent up a Mirage to take phots of the canards & cut in front of it, forcing the Soviets to take an evasive manoeuvre that didn’t gell. It all leaked out about 10 years ago & the leaked matched the facts so well the French felt they couldn’t deny it & admitted to it. It even made the news for a night & a day.

    • @orangrandom5115
      @orangrandom5115 Před 5 hodinami

      They did copy the F-111's design, combined with some from Mirage G, noticeably, the landing gear.

  • @LordHolley
    @LordHolley Před 3 dny +16

    Robert McNamara wanted one plane for all branches of the US military, thereby lowering overall cost. The F-111 was that plane. However, the Navy was pissed. They wanted their own plane, and the initial growing pains experienced by the f-111, things like the wings falling off helped to build the Navy's case. The Navy eventually got the F-14 instead. Eventually the issues were remedied, and the F-111 became an incredible plane. Apparently, the Australian military loved it the most. I believe they still have a couple in service, or they were recently retired.

    • @scottvanessendelft408
      @scottvanessendelft408 Před 2 dny +1

      "Wings falling off"?
      You do know that Grumman built the swing wing for the 111, same system in the 14 Tomcats right?

    • @shawnschroeder9704
      @shawnschroeder9704 Před 2 dny

      I don't believe you're correct on that.
      My uncle worked for Grumman and worked in the group that help design the process to weld the wing box for the f-14.
      They developed all that technology for the f-14 program well after the f-11 was built.
      I remember him talking about how long it took them to develop the tooling to be able to build that wing box.
      That was by far the most sophisticated part of the construction and it's part of what allowed the aircraft to shave a significant amount of weight from the overall weight. Simply because of how they were able to build the wing box materials they were able to use
      ​@@scottvanessendelft408

    • @froginasock8782
      @froginasock8782 Před 2 dny +3

      Retired from RAAF service in 2010. Wasn't ever updated enough in Aust service.
      Ref: Am RAAF.

    • @oldbloke204
      @oldbloke204 Před 2 dny

      @@scottvanessendelft408 Look into the history of it.
      As far as I remember it had failures of the apparatus but only knew what was going on when one that broke managed to make it home.
      It was in Vietnam from memory.

    • @OldGlaseye-gf7si
      @OldGlaseye-gf7si Před 2 dny

      BS..The F-111 wasn't carrier 'capable' in that the pilot couldn't comfortably see over the nose. PLUS didn't have the radar to support the Phoenix..cheaper to build the Awg-9/Phoenix F-14...Than mod the F-111.

  • @gruenerteufelDD
    @gruenerteufelDD Před 3 dny +31

    The Su24 has never been a "multirole" aircraft. The F111 was initially meant to be a fighter but never employed in that role.

    • @johnpowers6282
      @johnpowers6282 Před 3 dny +2

      Agreed. The only reason this aircraft is still relevant is because Russia cannot afford more SU-34’s.

    • @pixelnazgul
      @pixelnazgul Před 3 dny +1

      Yes, because it was not given ti iran.

    • @keithsargent6963
      @keithsargent6963 Před 3 dny +2

      It was originally called the FB-111 for fighter-bomber. I was born on an Air Force base, my dad was a KC-135 pilot. In 1976 I was dating a girl who’s dad flew the F-111, it was he that told me they no longer called it the FB-111.

    • @bradmiller4652
      @bradmiller4652 Před 2 dny +2

      @@keithsargent6963
      F-111, and FB-111 were two different airframes flown for two different missions.
      The FB-111 had a larger wing and was used by Strategic Air Command for nuclear alert missions.
      The F-111 was used for interdiction.

    • @gwramim4807
      @gwramim4807 Před 2 dny

      ​@@johnpowers6282 or rather time cause it's not a game where you just buy it there's time for production as well as stocks of s24 are high and they are more expandable

  • @tmseh
    @tmseh Před 3 dny +6

    Highway to the danger zone......
    Highway to the danger zoooooooone!

  • @dmiller57
    @dmiller57 Před 3 dny +1

    Thanks for a nother great story

  • @ianray8823
    @ianray8823 Před dnem +2

    NAVIGATOR WHERE YOU GOING BRO?!?

  • @guyh.4553
    @guyh.4553 Před dnem +2

    Doesn’t the Su-24 look a lot like the F-111 or is it just me? There were EF-111s based at Mtn. Home Air Force Base in Idaho. My dad & I went to an air show there one time & their EF-111s were on display. I was able to sit in one of those and boy it was an amazing bird. The FB/EF-111s are one of my few jets that are my favorite's. 😊😊😊

    • @every1665
      @every1665 Před dnem +1

      No coincidence. The Soviets were directly looking at the threat posed by the F-111 when they developed this. I'm Australian and our air force had the F-111 as it's front line 'fast jet' from the early 70's until gradually replaced by F/A-18 'Hornets' and Super Hornets and now the JSF. The 'Aardvark' is one of the sexiest looking planes ever though!

    • @greatgazoo95
      @greatgazoo95 Před 4 hodinami

      I understand
      But the overhead view of the Su-24 (6:45) was, indeed, a military shape that oozed absolutely beautiful malevolence
      I had a few of the little, metal model airplanes, as a kid
      And, I assume that, likewise, there are a lot of readers out there who share the same scenario
      All of mine were Western fighters
      But if, as a kid, I had seen that bad-ass shape being available for sale, I would have begged my parents like a Turkish Gypsy!
      LOL

  • @curiousuranus810
    @curiousuranus810 Před 3 dny +2

    Ooohhh!! The ejector seat was the best bit.... the Soviets must have thought that was a gamechanger.

  • @michaelgautreaux3168
    @michaelgautreaux3168 Před 3 dny +5

    Britain flubbed the TSR, didn't buy -111. If the TSR would have made production, guess what the Su-24 would have resembled.
    That thought has been thrown around w/ some frequency.

    • @dalek3086
      @dalek3086 Před 2 dny

      UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson cancelled TSR -2. Only two airframes were kept , the rest were destroyed. Bit mysterious. USA potentially benefits , also Wilson suspected of being a Soviet spy. Read Spycatcher by Peter Wright, former senior M15 officer.
      Bit like the Canadian Avro 105 Arrow was cancelled, and largely destroyed , and many Canadian designers, engineers and scientists ended up working in USA.
      Flubbed it ?

    • @AC_702
      @AC_702 Před 22 hodinami

      It would've looked like the F-111. I know this is not a popular opinion, but the TSR2 wouldn't have been able to beat the F111

  • @LeonAust
    @LeonAust Před 3 dny +6

    F-111 could carry more bombs, faster, lower, longer and was the first of the two to equip with a laser designator FLIR pod in the weapons bay which was called Pave Tack.
    This combination of aircraft and weapon pod took out more targets and tanks in the Gulf war 1 and 2 than the F16 and the so called tank killer A10.
    If SU24 was given the same mission set it would have failed.

    • @amerigo88
      @amerigo88 Před dnem

      BS. I was Army in Desert Storm and the USAF kill claims on "tank plinking" were off by 20X. Ask the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment tankers who crashed into an Iraqi tank battalion the Air Force had assured us was down to two tanks. Instead, they were only down by a few tanks and the other 46 rolled out of their revetments to fight with our Abrams and Bradleys. It's annoying to still be refuting that propaganda 33 years after the war.

    • @prashanthb6521
      @prashanthb6521 Před 13 hodinami

      Dont repeat old propaganda.

  • @Sacto1654
    @Sacto1654 Před dnem +1

    Teh Su-24 was essentially tasked with the same mission as the Panavia Tornado--high-speed interdiction strikes at low altitude, sometimes carrying tactical nuclear weapons. It would have been tasked with taking out airport runways all over West Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

    • @decimated550
      @decimated550 Před dnem

      Su-24s would have zoomed at supersonic speed right past tornado and f11s going in the opposite direction. Neither would have interfered with the other, since they both had their essential mission of busting enemy airfields

    • @decimated550
      @decimated550 Před dnem

      12:40 there's an example of the autistic grammar fails using terrains as a word

  • @larryayres7412
    @larryayres7412 Před dnem

    I LOVE THOSE PLANES ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ BADASS!!!!!!!

  • @charlesrussell8557
    @charlesrussell8557 Před 19 hodinami

    One thing nobody takes into account if GPS goes down if satellites get destroyed and you can't use all your technology the basics will still work and they have them in abundance

  • @brianv1988
    @brianv1988 Před 2 dny +2

    But I bet you're aircraft can't fart fire like a dragon😅

  • @petepie789
    @petepie789 Před 2 dny +1

    Note, Su-24 nose design stolen from F-111, the rest, stolen from Mirage G. The nose design was confirmed by the designer himself to be essentially copied. The rest is speculated due to extreme similarities and the previously mentioned designer's fascination with the Mirage G when he saw it.

    • @kylekyle5438
      @kylekyle5438 Před 16 hodinami

      @petepie This is arrogant and flat out misleading misinformation about the SU-24 and aviation in general. Firstly the SU-24 came before the Mirage G, secondly the Soviets had variable geometry winged aircraft dating back to the 1950s such as SU-7, which also existed before the Mirage G and F-111. Ignoring the fact that the SU-24 came before the Mirage G, how can it be a copy when it has completely different intakes, fuselage, and cockpit layout? Having similarities or being expired by other aircraft is not copying. Since you are so adamant about copying, the Soviets had twin engine, single stabilizer aircraft well before the Mirage came along……so you might want to do better research next time…
      Some westerns can’t breathe without accusing the Soviets or others of “stealing” everything even if it’s not at all true or even the other way around. Back to the F-111/SU-24 argument, the “nose” of the SU-24 and F-111 have completely different designs and geometry, moreover, the F-111 was not the first side by side tandem aircraft as those have existed since the 1930 including in the Soviet Union with mostly bombers, reconnaissance or civilian aircraft such as Be-8 which has a cockpit very similar to cockpit designs in mostly later western aircraft such as OV-1, T-37, Hawker Hunter, and A-6 which all came before the F-111….you seem like the type of person that would claim the Yak-141 was an F-35 copy.

  • @axeman3d
    @axeman3d Před 10 hodinami

    The aircraft ejected the pilot due to the elevators hanging down when powered off, pushing the stick into the guys crotch where the eject handles were. As soon as the elevators got powered it pulls the stick forward and BOOM! Did they fix it? No, they use rope to hold the elevators up when parked.

  • @jagsdomain203
    @jagsdomain203 Před 3 dny +3

    I still thing the Varc could be relevant today

    • @geodkyt
      @geodkyt Před 2 dny

      Not so much. Operating costs were high compared to what you get. F-15EX can carry nearly as much, has higher performance, and wider capabilities, at a lower operating cost, for instance.

    • @JimGeigerMusic
      @JimGeigerMusic Před 2 dny

      😂

  • @DecrepitBiden
    @DecrepitBiden Před dnem

    So this is the predecessor to Starscream...😆

  • @300guy
    @300guy Před dnem

    See the Navy should have gotten Sukhoi to build their version of the F-111B instead of Grumman, then it would have passed muster for weight and size. 😅😂

  • @auro1986
    @auro1986 Před 3 dny +3

    variable swing wings carry less weapons and less fuel

  • @67cudaksa34
    @67cudaksa34 Před dnem

    the su24 was really never tested in actual combat against western aircraft

  • @user-og1ux8nr3i
    @user-og1ux8nr3i Před 3 dny

    Who had the first look down, shoot down system?

  • @GTech_builds
    @GTech_builds Před 3 dny +4

    you guy (s) just keep making better and better videos

  • @LittleManFlying
    @LittleManFlying Před dnem

    It... didn't have basic IFF?

  • @ShortDocSpot
    @ShortDocSpot Před 3 dny

    ❤❤❤😊😊

  • @orlandoclark8062
    @orlandoclark8062 Před 3 dny +1

    Low budget F -111

  • @dennisboulais7905
    @dennisboulais7905 Před 2 dny

    The F-111 was hugely expensive failure. It did nothing well.

    • @gadget6623
      @gadget6623 Před dnem

      Huh? It did the raids on Tripoli, and the more effective hits in desert storm.

  • @johnchrysostomon6284
    @johnchrysostomon6284 Před 2 dny +2

    If the F-111 was so great why did only 2 nations operate it?

    • @TheDustyShed
      @TheDustyShed Před dnem +1

      F22 raptor and F117 is operated by only one.

    • @WALTERBROADDUS
      @WALTERBROADDUS Před 11 hodinami

      Cost a lot of money, other nations had their own aviation programs they were pushing. The Europeans decided to produce the Tornado.

    • @WALTERBROADDUS
      @WALTERBROADDUS Před 11 hodinami

      ​@@TheDustyShedneither were offered for export.

  • @mop4232
    @mop4232 Před 3 dny +11

    Make swing-wing aircraft great again.

    • @pixelnazgul
      @pixelnazgul Před 3 dny +1

      Iran did. Is that good enough?

    • @worldwanderer91
      @worldwanderer91 Před 3 dny

      ​@@pixelnazgulwhere and what fighter model?

    • @user-sd3ik9rt6d
      @user-sd3ik9rt6d Před 3 dny

      All drones, all the time.

    • @TheDustyShed
      @TheDustyShed Před dnem

      @@worldwanderer91they fly F14s when they have enough spare parts to keep them in the air.

    • @dan-jacobenglish1559
      @dan-jacobenglish1559 Před 10 hodinami

      I'm still upset the F-14 didn't get his upgrade to be competitive as a gen 4.5 Super Tom Cat. I imagine it with vector thrust and get a chubby. You can't tell me that idea isn't pure tech boner.

  • @merlinwizard1000
    @merlinwizard1000 Před 23 hodinami

    89th, 29 June 2024

  • @Averagevenator
    @Averagevenator Před 3 dny

    2 minute ago is crazy

  • @salvehn
    @salvehn Před 2 dny +1

    What about mig23?

    • @265justy
      @265justy Před 23 hodinami +1

      Piece of crap. The Mig-23 was the worst fighter ever made.

  • @Jones607
    @Jones607 Před dnem

    Russkies,- “We’ve gotta get us some of those!” (F-111’s).

  • @jamesragus1577
    @jamesragus1577 Před 3 dny

    Complimentary algorithm enhancement comment!😊

  • @oxcart4172
    @oxcart4172 Před 2 dny

    It usually takes around 5 years for a military jet to enter service

    • @prashanthb6521
      @prashanthb6521 Před 13 hodinami +1

      More like 10 years.

    • @oxcart4172
      @oxcart4172 Před 5 hodinami

      @@prashanthb6521 I meant once flight tests start

  • @kennyl9419
    @kennyl9419 Před 3 dny +2

    Regardless of what the US government has said, the Soviets built some badass aircraft!!!

    • @Texadane
      @Texadane Před 2 dny +1

      They solved a lot of things by brute force. This grants them longevity but not superiority. The challenge most Russian aircraft has is their crude technology and limited performance. The US will throw money at a problem until it’s solved, eg. F-15, whereas the Russians just went in a different direction never really solving for the initial problem

  • @edwardpate6128
    @edwardpate6128 Před 3 dny

    The MiG-23 much more of a multi role aircraft.

    • @52down
      @52down Před 2 dny

      MiG-23 was purely a frontline interceptor, not even a proper fighter, not to mention it's overall inability for strike missions

    • @265justy
      @265justy Před 23 hodinami

      The Mig-27 was the ground attack version of the Mig-23. Probably a better comparison.

  • @KBMaximus
    @KBMaximus Před 3 dny

    LFGGGGGG🎉😂

  • @JSFGuy
    @JSFGuy Před 3 dny

    Notification.

  • @Mike9999-v2o
    @Mike9999-v2o Před 2 dny

    Youve never been in a real fighter

  • @princybella5386
    @princybella5386 Před 2 dny

    🐃🦬🐂💩! The US already had dominance in the air The Soviet Fighters were overrated from the beginning and the F-4 Phantom not the F-111 ruled the skies.

  • @jonnycomfort9271
    @jonnycomfort9271 Před 2 dny +1

    "The United States Air Force was gaining dominance of the skies with its latest aircraft, the F-111 Aardvark, and there was no Soviet fighter that could match it."----um, no.
    The F-111 was NOT a fighter, and did NOT "Gain dominance of the skies" since it was strictly an air to ground platform. Come on, do better than that.

  • @mauricio-wq5lu
    @mauricio-wq5lu Před 3 dny +1

    The USNavy remembers th SU24s after they used EW to to "f" the destroyer Cook blind while in the Black Sea.

  • @murder.simulator
    @murder.simulator Před 2 dny

    Doesn't take a genius to copy someome elses work

  • @VictorianAerialVision

    Sounds like they cloned the F-111 to me.

  • @NotTha1orTha2
    @NotTha1orTha2 Před 3 dny

    F-16 will drag this thing

  • @Zach-ku6eu
    @Zach-ku6eu Před 3 dny

    Ah yes, another Russian Failure!

  • @fiorentino-t6c
    @fiorentino-t6c Před 3 dny

    imagine the blackout map in todays warzone. and it rotates with verdansk 💕😚