The F-111 got a very bad rep as a fleet defence fighter! As a low level strike aircraft though it was so good the Europeans and Soviets copied it (Tornado and Su-24 Fencer), you'll note the European version also wasn't great as a fighter...The 1-11 had a very bad rep, all sorts of problems with it from what I've read
Regrading variable geometry, Barnes Wallis' idea was to use it to control the aircraft using co-ordinated differential sweep back eliminating control surfaces, rather than just to increase the speed range.
