Luftwaffe Tornado IDS 50 Years Scheme

[chopper2004]

Airbus Defence has unveiled unique paint scheme Luftwaffe Tornado IDS making 50 years since the first flight (images courtesy of Airbus Defence)

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https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/img_1508_f67b29c95df9903f1452a012e16ae601dcb0859e.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_1509_a951b32f3f6ea56a43e464f78de29c4c6a03a1c7.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x853/img_1510_3c7f0b81e665bb02676c73750ef22e0839c341b2.jpeg

Cheers

[Ninthace]

I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,

[Herod]

MRCA "Must Refurbish Canberras Again".

[Diff Tail Shim]

I like it. I remember building the Airfix model of the prototype as a 10 year old. The Europeans really do great ceremonial schemes.

[RetiredBA/BY]

[QUOTE=Ninthace;11620885]I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,[
Variously : Must Refurbish the Canberras Again, or Mother Rileys Cardboard Aeroplane !
Sorry, Herod just beat me to it !

[BEagle]

Or 'Must Reopen Chivenor Again'!

Which they did - until it was later squaddified. Such a tragedy!

[Ninthace]

Chivenor is boot necked.

[just another jocky]

A good-looking tribute to one of the most effective warplanes ever built.

[Buster15]

A good-looking tribute to one of the most effective warplanes ever built.

Yes indeed.
And the GAF has continued to invest and update their versions of Tornado to maintain its effectiveness. Similarly the Italian and Saudi AF.

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.

The Panavia Tornado and its organisation paved the way for EF Typhoon and now for the GCAP Tempest programme.

[Lyneham Lad]

Still have my Project Team tie - lots of trips to Warton (Rate 1's / Blackpool B&B), Main Building meetings & even a week in Turin at the Aeritalia factory. An interesting time.

[DuncanDoenitz]

I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,
I remember the early-70s RAF Yearbook illustration when it had semi-circular intakes, a la Starfighter/TSR2!

[frodo_monkey]

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.


Not sure that’s an accurate reflection of why we retired them - having used and abused them on ops for the best part of thirty years, they were just plain worn-out despite the best efforts of the excellent engineers and support personnel. They had about twice the hours of any other fleet.

[Finningley Boy]

MRCA "Must Refurbish Canberras Again".
And of course, Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane!:ok:

The scheme is certainly eye catching, but really busy.:8

FB

And I've just noticed that Retired BA/BY betan by Herod also beat me to the second alternative achronim meaning!:O

[Expatrick]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.

[Finningley Boy]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.
They look awful pretty!!!!:cool:

FB

[Tartiflette Fan]

Following upon Expatrick's post,is this example just a one-off PR example ( presumably paid-for by Airbus ) or will it usually be copied onto other airframes

[Mogwi]

They look awful pretty!!!!:cool:

FB

Or in some cases, pretty awful!

Mog

[clockman]

A very jazzy MRCA P01/P02 colour scheme, and P02 was my main aircraft before it went camouflage (for which Paul Millett exploded when he saw they had painted the underside white, for it would most often be on its side down a valley, than at V bomber altitude! - Paul got his way, for all after that were camouflage all over) - I would like to see a view from above the flashy top, to better see the pattern across the top of wing to fuselage to wing please!

[Diff Tail Shim]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.
If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.

[Ninthace]

If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.
Indeed, it is well known that pilots are attracted to bright and shiny objects.

[EXDAC]

I started my career in avionics systems engineering on the MRCA and that was in 1971. The aircraft may have outlasted many who participated in its development. Yes, I too still have a couple of project ties.

(ExDAC but previously ExEASAMS)

[reds & greens]

I'm liking the front and back paint scheme of the aircraft; however, I do find the centre absolutely garish and more attuned to some F1 racing car.

[bobward]

It looks like a mix of all the colour schemes the jet has ever worn. It's very different to any of the other 'specials' I think.
To Tonka fans, enjoy it while you can before the all-gray F35 takes over the world!

[Expatrick]

If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.

I seem to be going through a grumpy old git phase - hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly!

[Davef68]

The fractal upper surfaces look a bit messy

[Ninthace]

The fractal upper surfaces look a bit messy
And that doesn't change as you look closer and closer :8

[Stuck On The Ground]

Yes indeed.
And the GAF has continued to invest and update their versions of Tornado to maintain its effectiveness. Similarly the Italian and Saudi AF.

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.

The Panavia Tornado and its organisation paved the way for EF Typhoon and now for the GCAP Tempest programme.

The RAFs jets were pretty worn out, with the Force having been on ops almost continuously between Aug 90 and Jan 19. The other nations’ jets have not been subject to the same tasking pressures, hence why they have lasted longer.

plus, the German jets don’t fly so much because they spend half their lives in the paint shop for wacky schemes (I’m only half joking here)

Edit, to add: And the GR4 of 2019 was a very different beast from the GR4 of 1997, or even 2010.

[EXDAC]

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal-27A-Seminar-Birth-of-Tornado.pdf

Starts at the beginning rather than at first fight. Unfortunately the author uses ESAMS instead of the correct name EASAMS (Elliot Automation Space and Advanced Military Systems) as the systems integrator.

[mike1964]

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/309x163/download_788a5cf2f26a7b4574199664323f80611ae350cd.jpeg
I have fond childhood memories of receiving this one Christmas in the mid-70s

[Finningley Boy]

It looks like a mix of all the colour schemes the jet has ever worn. It's very different to any of the other 'specials' I think.
To Tonka fans, enjoy it while you can before the all-gray F35 takes over the world!
So is there no chance we'll see a prettily painted Dave?:8

FB

[bobward]

FB,
That's an oxymoron surely?

[Buster15]

The RAFs jets were pretty worn out, with the Force having been on ops almost continuously between Aug 90 and Jan 19. The other nations’ jets have not been subject to the same tasking pressures, hence why they have lasted longer.

plus, the German jets don’t fly so much because they spend half their lives in the paint shop for wacky schemes (I’m only half joking here)

Edit, to add: And the GR4 of 2019 was a very different beast from the GR4 of 1997, or even 2010.
​​​​​​
Understood.
But remember that the GAF has recently had a programme of re-manufacture of some of the fuselage components in order to extend the service life. Something the UK could have done had it chosen to do so.
But it was obvious that the funding was going to be allocated to Typhoon, which was understandable.

[Sue Vêtements]

It's a little like the WWI Dazzle camouflage they applied to naval vessels

[AndoniP]

The Italians and Germans have painted many striking liveries on their aircraft. This one commemorates the 60th anniversary of the flying test wing of the IAF and made quite the impression at RIAT a few years ago.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1100x745/4702225_3397e15cd5b6f7903589f1a134acfe0ac66829bd.jpg