Why so many Tornado mid-airs in its early years?

[O-P]

I think there were 3 x F3 mid-airs in 25 years. A fin vs belly scrape in LOTA C (23 Sqn?), the OCU 2v1 head-on and the 43 Sqn NVG wallop. Can't think of anything else in its RAF service.


I seem to remember that the ironmongery in the front was partially to blame for two of the incidents...Note, I said partially!

[27mm]

2 x 29th Sqn RSAF ADV (F3) were lost in a night mid-air collision.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Moving the body around as well as the head to see round the ironmongery, done properly, does hurt after an hour, and even more after 2 and half hours with AAR in between. And, as my ex-Bucc QFI used to say, mid-air collisions don't hurt at all.

Maximum nerve conduction velocity, 120 m/s. Typical front sector closing velocity 135 TCA, 420kt for both a/c, 360m/s

[Wrathmonk]

O-P

I think there were 3 x F3 mid-airs in 25 years

Does the St Andrews cross one count?

[Take That]

St Andrews Cross mid-air was F4s, 111 Sqn, Sep 87.

[Wrathmonk]

Take That

D'oh! Of course it was .

[TheWizard]

Originally Posted by Onceapilot

All good thoughts to the C130 and its crews. However, I doubt mr wizz is one of them with a fatuous "evil" comment.

OAP

Au contraire. That was meant as mischievous rather than 'evil'.

C130, CH47 and Puma. I concur with all three.