Tornado GR.1/4/IDS nose gear question...

Rhino power · 19th Jul 2012, 21:50

Evening all, firstly, apologies for the slightly anorark question, now the question...
Can someone explain why some GR.1/4 and IDS have slightly different nose gear legs? The question is best illustrated by the following pics.
All sizes | 2011-06-30 GAF 46+46 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
All sizes | 2011-06-30 RAF ZA560 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
The GAF IDS has what appears to be an extra torque link on the back of the nose gear leg while the GR.4 does not, it doesn't appear to be operator or fleet specific as there are pics of AMI, GAF and RAF machines all with these apparently different types of nose gear...

-RP

Easy Street · 19th Jul 2012, 21:57

It definitely isn't country- or fleet-related as there were certainly GR4 with noselegs of both types in the past couple of years. However I can't recall seeing any of the single-torque-link type very recently. Perhaps they are being phased out? I think this will need a geeky EngO or a rigger to answer definitively!

Rhino power · 19th Jul 2012, 22:25

I photographed ZA447/EB-R departing Waddington recently, that still had the twin torque links...

-RP

ukmil · 19th Jul 2012, 23:26

it is just simply a different mod state of leg. the GR1 started life with the twin links, but later mod versions went to single link, as per the F3. However, as legs reached their finite life, earlier legs were re-fitted.

Rhino power · 20th Jul 2012, 16:03

Thanks for the info ukmil.

-RP

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