Tonka F3 Interesting Facts
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Tonka F3 Interesting Facts
There is this bloke where I work compiling a Typhoon vs Tornado F3 "Top Trumps" list of interesting facts.
I told him that there were no interesting facts about an F3..... prove me wrong.
T
I told him that there were no interesting facts about an F3..... prove me wrong.
T
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The original Blue Circle radar sets had fairly interesting performance I'm led to believe.
Of course that kind of information is probably still classified.
Of course that kind of information is probably still classified.
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Possibly, not for the first time.
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Here's an interesting F3 fact - the RSAF F3s, unlike their RAF counterparts, had the Auto-wingsweep and Manoeuvre Flap/slat system engaged as a matter of routine, throughout their nigh on 20 year service life in KSA. The system saved countless overstresses and considerably reduced pilot workload.
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I did once know why the AAR probe on the Fs was on the opposite side to the GRs, but that bit of triv has gone, so I've got a tad of spare triv capacity.
I did hear it came close to a kill in GW1 but politics dictated that some Saudi Prince got the trade instead.
I did hear it came close to a kill in GW1 but politics dictated that some Saudi Prince got the trade instead.
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I knew a Test crew who had to deliver one to Saudi; by the time they got to Cyprus they were near suicidal, after being repeatedly overtaken at medium altitude by airliners !
Talking of suicidal, there were tales of very silly flying by the Saudi's in GW1, to the extent the RAF refused to fly with them; then again the Tornados were very much kept in reserve, leaving real aircraft like the F-15 to get on with it.
I did hear from a Rolls Royce rep' that it ( or rather the GR version ) had the highest indicated airspeed on record at well over 800kts, though I suspect others including the Russians & B-1B chaps might argue with that.
There was also the - true, believe it or not - case of an F3, ( and who was the genius responsible for the F2 ?! ) - arriving at Boscombe for radar trials, and after a pregnant pause with very little happening, the nose was opened to reveal the Blue Circle kit...
By the usual sod's law, now the thing's got AMRAAM & ASRAAM, so might be of some use, it's going out of service !
Talking of suicidal, there were tales of very silly flying by the Saudi's in GW1, to the extent the RAF refused to fly with them; then again the Tornados were very much kept in reserve, leaving real aircraft like the F-15 to get on with it.
I did hear from a Rolls Royce rep' that it ( or rather the GR version ) had the highest indicated airspeed on record at well over 800kts, though I suspect others including the Russians & B-1B chaps might argue with that.
There was also the - true, believe it or not - case of an F3, ( and who was the genius responsible for the F2 ?! ) - arriving at Boscombe for radar trials, and after a pregnant pause with very little happening, the nose was opened to reveal the Blue Circle kit...
By the usual sod's law, now the thing's got AMRAAM & ASRAAM, so might be of some use, it's going out of service !
Last edited by Double Zero; 24th Aug 2009 at 17:02.