Like I said. "Italian Love Child"
Too easy that way, pal!
Yep,
Grumman was brought on-board because GD had no experience with "carrier suitability" requirements. What I'm most familiar with is the need for proper carry-thru structure to handle catapult and arresting loads. The load paths on the F-111 are a joke, not a straight line anywhere. The biggest problem with the F-111B was high landing speeds, due in no small part to the extra 4000lbs+ of unnecessary flab contributed by Grumman. I know GD went thru at least two subsequent weight reduction programs on the AF 111's, called "Scrape I" & "Scrape II", and the experienced "stress hackers" I met back then had lots of choice "comments" about Grumman's work.
Don't get me wrong, the F-14 was a vastly superior platform compared to the 111B, all the 111B could do was hurl Phoenix's from range, but many feel the design was undermined at the time.
Well, sometimes undermining a project does have its advantages!
EDIT
Look what I found.
http://www.f-111.net/t_no_B.htm
Nice link
BTW, I remember looking at one of the F-111F manuals back then and seeing info on the cockpit ash tray. Ah the Sixties , things sure have changed.
Oh, welllll... no one smokes anymore, ain't it?
Furbie, Enker.... nice tries, try again!
EDIT: little hint.... well, that plane was more akin to a Stuka than an F4U....