Test Pilot

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The F-111 was slow, but a death trap. A combination of narrow wings and bulbous body created high wing loading, good for some applications (dirigible interception, drone patrol) but overall lacking in vertical stability. It would stall and roll over and that's if you were lucky. A bottom firing ejector sent many a pilot to an unfortunate grounding. It thus gained such sobriquets as Lawn Dart, Death Tube and Worm Feeder.  The late test pilot Hap Hooligan is shown here. Ca. 1958.

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