Panavia Tornado

I'm surprised there hasn't already been a thread dedicated to the Tornado here in the Aircraft threads. With the aircraft in the twilight of it's flying career it seems only right that there is one.

Feeling the need to make the most of the aircraft whilst it's still in service I ventured off to Marham to watch them in action a few weeks back -



Steve

I was a fairly young airman when they came into service and there were a lot of doubters then but it has given sterling service. I spent a few years working on them, on XV sqn, II (ac) sqn and a couple of engine bay tours. Many years later I worked on them again as a civvy at Marham. It will be a sad day when they finally go out of service.

stevie wrote:

I'm surprised there hasn't already been a thread dedicated to the Tornado here in the Aircraft threads. With the aircraft in the twilight of it's flying career it seems only right that there is one.

Feeling the need to make the most of the aircraft whilst it's still in service I ventured off to Marham to watch them in action a few weeks back -

Steve

Did you go Via Lakenheath for the F-15's!..........

During development, Tornado was referred to as MRCA (Multi-Role Combat Aircraft). The BAC Warton workforce knew it as Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane:)

Oh no they didnt!!! Sorry if that sounds like a pantomime line.

MRCA at Warton and Salmesbury was referrred to as "Must Refurbish Canberra Again", and the Tornado was able to replace the Canberra in the high altitude PR role.

Having said that it has done a sterling job. And according to a documentary I saw recently it is the fastest aircraft in the world at low level, apparently it can do just over 900mph at 250 feet.

And Tornado wasnt going to be what it was called. Originally the name suggested was Panther, Im guessing that like Typhoon a name was chosen that was the same in German and Italian.

Mind you the Italians do tend to refer to it as PA 200.

Will certainly miss the Tornado when it finally bows out of service. The F3 is my favourite fighter.

Burleysway1 wrote:

Will certainly miss the Tornado when it finally bows out of service. The F3 is my favourite fighter.

The F3 wasn't really a fighter, more of an interceptor. Unlike the GR, it never proved itself in combat. In GW1 it was kept well out of the way.

I did a bit on the Tornado during my apprenticeship at Brooklands. The Tailerons were manufactured there. Some seriously impressive machining. The skin panels were machined from solid with if my memory serves me correctly a 48 hour machining cycle. The panels were then shot peened and pressed to shape before bolting and riveting together with the inner rib. This had a very substantial bearing where it pivoted against the fuselage.