Originally Posted by
Onceapilot
It is a Tornado Pilot flying control sticktop. If it is from a rear cockpit, it would be from a Trainer version that had control stick and throttles in both cockpit positions, the normal Strike version had only a Nav hand controller for Nav/Attack system inputs in the rear position, roughly where the "stick" was in a trainer version.
The blank at the top left, to left of the rectangular trim button, was, if I recall correctly, where the the Autopilot engage/disengage button was originally, the same type as the small silver coloured ones further down on the LHS. However, that little silver button on the top left could get caught in the anti-G trousers during a full left deflection of the control stick. I believe this may have been responsible for fatal accidents. The switch was relocated and the blank fitted to prevent snagging.
OAP
Thanks for the additional info, i guess I really need to find out if ZA369 was a trainer, the form says GR4 and I have bene trying to find out more about that aircraft I cannot see anything about it being a trainer, wouldn't it be a GR4T? maybe they might just not give the full designation, I cant really find out much about the trainer variant i have type in Tornado GR4 trainer and cannot find any photos of them especially showing the cockpit.
I have a feeling even though the form says GR4 my stick is probably from when it was converted from a GR1 to GR4 thats why it was removed as there seems to be no faults with it on the form it just gives the reason for removal as Redunant followed by a MOD code.