Bruntingthorpe's amazing collection of Cold War jets shows the huge amount of interest in preserving iconic aircraft as more than just dead museum pieces. There is hope that a VC10 tanker can join the impressive line-up there when they are eventually retired. But what about an F3 Tornado? They are slowly being withdrawn, the Falkland jets will be returning soon and the numbers at Leuchars are shrinking. Is there any interest out there in seeing, or supporting, a move to keep one in a functional state at Bruntingthorpe?

I'm with you on that one.

The problem, as always, is finance. The guys at Bruntingthorpe do a fantastic job.

There won't be any left capable of being kept functional at Brunty or anywhere else - they are all being 'reduced to produce' at Leeming so that their bits can be used to keep the GR4s operational. I'm told that when they leave Leeming all they are worth is for making a few pots and pans.

When the Tornado was only known as the MRCA (Multi-role Combat Aircraft), it was jokingly referred to as "Must Refurbish Canberras Again". It seems it may still apply?

Not many 'Aero Buffs' can get their hands on a Tonka Tornado!!

I know of one guy who would give his...... for one!!

The men at the MOD won't part with any.

"The men at the MOD won't part with any"

Silly really isn't it, when they are scrap!

Silly really isn't it, when they are scrap!

Read the post above!! They are being gradually dismantled to provide spares for the GR4 fleet. A far better use of taxpayers money than giving one to a bunch of "enthusiasts".

A Tornado F3 & other similar generation aircraft are i believe to sophisticated to be operated in civvie hands, they are flying computers & the RAF wont allow non RAF personel to operate them, even as fast taxi examples.

I would hardly describe the F3 as iconic..................From what I've gleaned from reading and from talking with guys who flew it, it wasn't much cop in this role which is hardly surprising when you consider what it was designed for. Stands by for incoming..........

.....and its hardly an attractive machine either.....

Now, if the Bruntingthorpe group want to add to their collection, build spectator numbers hugely and expand a little internationally they couldn't do better than a F-104! It is iconic!!! It is small I grant you but it makes up for that in spades with that wonderful howl (as long as they get a G model).......

Like Sidthesexist, standing by for incoming... hard hats on!!! RR

Hi, HEROD. Also referred to as 'Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane':)

Ridge Runner. They have made a start on your dream ! may not have an engine, may not be a 'G' model ??? but this one has been at Bruntingthorpe for some time now !

Keith.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/cwj%20brunt/DSC_0002.jpg

Wonderful!!!! All they need is a team to get it spick and span and an engine to crank up and bingo........ !!!!!!!! What a wonderful machine!! Thanks, RR

PS: Yes, a straight (i.e. not a recce) F-104G

The F-104 was up for sale earlier this year.

International F-104 Society homepage (http://www.i-f-s.nl/news.htm)

Shame!!!!!

Oh dear, some people really have missed the point. And there's a lot of duff gen out there too.

One of the important features of Cold War jets is that it gives the younger generations a chance to see machines that are no longer in service come to life - albeit they don't actually get airborne - and which played a key role in this Nation's Cold War stance. They aim to encourage an interest in science and technology (something this country is desperately short of right now) and 'hands on' beats staring at a roped-off, dust-gathering dead hulk in some museum.

What's too sophisticated, Spewing Stew? There's a retired Marine Corps pilot in the USA flying around in his own private Harrier! The F3 is no different - at Bruntingthorpe, the CSAS, Foxhunter, JTIDS, etc, etc, would all be irrelevant and the RAF would probably strip them out anyway; as long as the engines, with starter, cross-drive, hydraulic systems and wing-sweep were intact - and they could all be fatigue life-ex components - then the objectives could be met. And there are enthusiastic civilians out there that can run rings around your average service technician; don't forget that most 'deep' maintenance of the front line is now undertaken by civilians anyway. And the RAF gets to make some money by selling items that, being life-ex, are no good to the GR4 fleet and would finish up in a scrap yard otherwise.

Who has Sidthesexist been talking to? The Leeming F3s were probably the best UK airspace policing jets the RAF has ever had.

Would this have anything to do with the two Tornados heading north in fine line-astern formation up the M1 (East Midlands) yesterday?

And there are enthusiastic civilians out there that can run rings around your average service technician; don't forget that most 'deep' maintenance of the front line is now undertaken by civilians anyway.

to add to the above rhajaramjet, almost all of those 'enthusiastic civilians' are ex RAF technicians with applicable 'Q' annotations that in some cases have more time on said aircraft that some that are still in, additionally the same applies to those carrying out the maintenance, they are also in the main 'Q' annotated on the type they are working on.