Why Does the F-111 AARDVARK Have Rotating FAN?

[Kuruczbertalan]

Ram air turbine, or in a gentleman's dictionary: Spinny thing

[TheArklyte]

"Just use gas and recoil operated autocannons!"
"How are those doing in case of a dud, raptured case or feed issue?"
"No pilot ever complained!"
"No SURVIVING pilot ever complained."

[Jacksonmoonstar]

That’s by far one of the neatest little inventions I’ve ever seen

[Random.stuff-made-here]

Petition to change munitions pfp to an boiled egg

[DimitrijeKrunic]

I imagine a convo during a power loss:
"Drop the rat!"
"What rat, I don't have a rat!"
"No, the rat!"
"What rat?!?!?!?!"

[SovietDoomer]

Fact: these RATs exist on also commercial aircraft, such as the 777 to provide backup power when a plane has lost electrical power due to weather conditions like lightning.

[michaelashby]

For this configuration probably not a back up power supply. I was an EW tech in the Navy so a little different but in EW the RAMs completely power the transmitters. The aircrafts power is not designed to supply much power to pods. But perhaps things have changed since I was in the field but I doubt it.

[tantwoo]

RAT in fighter plane: let's fight!
RAT in freight plane: OH NO!

[scottmcintosh]

The F-105 Thunderchief had a similar device for generating emergency electrical power for the entire aircraft.

🌌🔭

[KhalidSCP]

The most British AI voice I've ever seen

[Planespotter]

It's also on commercial airliners, the only thing is that they're only used for emergencies

[Hughjanus]

It's basically a air powered alternator/generator. Pretty neat.

[kionagurhal]

at first i thought this was the voice on The Stanley Parable.
"Stanley, are you going to bomb an entire city, are you crazy?!"

[ambush_akula]

A quick note, these RATs are used to power specifically only the gun pods of the aircraft

The SUU-16 was a Vulcan gun pod that used a RAT to provide electrical power to help power the M-61 Vulcan

The kicker was at lower speeds it struggled to provide sufficient power, which lead to the development of the SUU-23, among other things the SUU-16 was not integrated into the aircraft to help compute lead, as a result the pilots using the SUU-16 had to use a hunters instinct to aim and fire

[BluegatorProductions]

The me 163 has the same thing on the front to power its electrical parts.

[marc-andreservant]

Also found on civilian aircraft. Not for operating a machine gun, but to provide hydraulic pressure and electric power to the flight instruments/controls in the cockpit in case of a dual engine failure. At this point you're a glider, but at least you're a glider with a GPS that shows you where the closest airport is.

[gunsofnavarrone]

More than generating electricity, they also generate drag.

"Hey Cap, why're we slowing down so much?"

[Delta_GlowV]

Following on the F-111, you should also show that the ejecting seat ejects the whole cabin with rocket boosters

[dodge]

I’m just a dumb trucker but to me it would be more aerodynamic to build the prop with variable pitch blades into the tail of the pod versus hanging it out the side. Which would allow more room for ammo and maintain aerodynamic stability even while using.

[HrudayMenasinal]

Cool design from the ground to the air