NutLoose
The one I was involved in (Designed using my Software, using my aircraft profile by an very close relative who I taught how to use said software) quite literary knocks the spots off either of those F-16s.
The difference here is the Italians and Germans (and other people who paint fast jets in fancy schemes) don't have a habit of sending 20 odd military aircraft off to some dust hole at 72 hours notice to fight a war. The aircraft at the front was painted in the scheme because the force was already non operational, 6 Sqn managed to source funding to pay for the paint job and everybody in the chain up to CinC Strike liked it (in fact CinC Strike approved the design the on the last full day of Strike Command existence). The Desert Pink Jaguar happened because AOC 1 Group wished it to happen. The original nose art of the pink Jaguar (which had fought in GW1 and was the only aircraft still in the fleet that had done so) was found to be too offensive, so something a little less offensive was designed and painted by an ex Jaguar maintainer with very good artistic skills on a paid commission by the Sqn (who still have the panel it was painted on). Both of those aircraft flew only 2 sorties and about 3-4 flying hours in those paint schemes (the Pink Jaguar was the only one to be painted in a permanent finish of that colour (all other aircraft that wore that scheme were painted with ARTF paint). The spotty Jag non standard colours were bog standard car paint.
The Italian schemes you have shown, are the same as the Jaguar, out of service, so they could go to town on them and use paint. The Tornado isn't and will be a mix of paint and decals as that aircraft may be called on to do some real operations. In fact most of the overall special paint jobs done on RAF aircraft in the past where on aircraft that had just gone non operational or had 2nd line role (OCU or Training).
Willard Whyte
Repainting an aircraft can have massive effects on aircraft C of G as paint does have mass (that's why most RAF special schemes are limited to less than 25% of the airframe, any more than that and the aircraft has to be weighted and re-ballasted (if required)). Also the normal paint scheme has been trailed extensively for its camouflage effects, plus its solar IR heating reflective qualities. The later can have major effects on aircraft avionics bays if they don't met the spec (the bays get hot and the electronics get cooked, if the air conditioning system can't cool the equipment fast enough. This has happened to at least two fast jets that I know of when the aircraft had a total repaint in something other than a standard paint finish. (The first case was approved and highlighted the problem, the second wasn't, but the unit OC said "Pfff. Regulations" (if he or his SEngO had bothered to read the regs in the first place). The second aircraft was also massively out of limits on C of G when they got to weight it after it had flown a few times from what I've been told by more than one person)).
If you think paint colour is not important as regards solar heating, Cessna beg to differ.
http://www.cessna.com/en/company-inf...rbo-stationair
It's as good a scheme as has gone on any other type for an RAF in service type celebrating number of years since first flight or entry into service. All of the Jaguars that had type in service years (25 and 30 years) only had a special fin job. The original red spine of the prototype Panavia 200 MRCA (It wasn't named Tornado until 1975/6) had the names of the three manufacturers along it. Can't paint them on as its advertising a commercial business (again against the regs).
We don't know the story of its design, but the Camouflage Working Group and command chain up to CinC Air approved it. As for unit Badges on the frame, anybody wanting to do this aircraft as a model decal sheet or print has to pay the MoD a licence fee for every unit badge that is on the design. The designer may be aware of this thus the reason for the lack of unit badges. Read the MoD IRP web site if you don't believe me.