Panavia Tornado

Peter wrote:

I still can't quite believe there are no more Harriers, or Jaguars, let alone the MRCA

I worked on all three types, the Jaguar when it was still fairly new. I'm told that the airframes were pretty knackered at the end. The Harriers were a bit fresher because the GR5/7/9 had new built airframes but I'm told that they got hammered in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'll be sorry to see the Tornado GR1/4 go. It is a fantastic workhorse and has certainly earned its keep.

When the Tornado finishes it will have done almost 40 years in service. Just think when it entered service we still had Devons Pembrokes and Canberras!

The Jaguar is still in service with the Indian Air Force.

Something I remebered the other day was the Warton F3 that flew nonstop from Gander to Warton without any inflight refuelling.

The Tornado detachment has left Akrotiri.

I saw one flying in to Warton just before xmas. Dont know if anyone else reads RAF news but ab article in the latest edition says its the RAFs longest serving aircraft!

RAF Marham - 28 February 2019

There was a good picture in the Telegraph yesterday of them taxying down the short runway at Marham. And the police were complaining about the amount of congestion caused by people parking up waiting for the flypast at Marham and Cranwell!

And it turns out that the Tornado made its last flight in the the RAF on the 14th of this month. It conincided with the disbandment parade of IX and 31 Squadrons. Why couldnt they wait until the 29th???

And a Saudi Tornado has been shot down over Yemen.