In Australia, in the early 1980's, our F111 bombers were discovered to have problems in their fuel tanks. The self-sealing chemical ooze that protected the fuel from being lost to battle hits was found to need replacing. In order to replace it, it had to be removed and in order to remove it RAAF crews were forced to enter the tanks and were soaked in incredibly toxic chemicals for many hours at a time. They began to die of terrible wasting diseases, cancers and their minds collapsed. This story is a compilation of media pages and emails about my brother former air frame fitter Rob Solomons and the battle to get compensation from the Australian Government . 

Many of the crews comitted suicide during this period or died of their illnesses and thus grew one of the most terrible scandals of the Royal Australian Air Force. Their service kept our country's defences capable of fighting. They died and are dying for their country as surely as those who faced machine guns and bayonets. They shall not be forgotten