Tornado GR4 last flight
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Thats an interesting comment and one that had struck me as well. If you go back a few years there was definitely precedent for types to be retained and flown right up until OSD and sometimes beyond. The Lightning is one example, where in the case of both 5 and 11 squadrons they flew on well past the formal squadron stand downs. Nowadays I expect it comes down to MAA regs and the nature of the support agreements in place with BAES, in that ANY extension of flying past 31st March would probably come at a eye-watering cost!
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I heard one of the ‘Diamond 9’ was ZD848 (BC). She would have been 34-years old.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
But mostly very precious memories of a fine bunch of people not all of whom saw their children grow up. How many I wonder? We should remember them all.
Maybe we need another thread as a tribute to those who gave their lives during the 40 years of Tornado.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
But mostly very precious memories of a fine bunch of people not all of whom saw their children grow up. How many I wonder? We should remember them all.
Maybe we need another thread as a tribute to those who gave their lives during the 40 years of Tornado.
I heard one of the ‘Diamond 9’ was ZD848 (BC). She would have been 34-years old.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
But mostly very precious memories of a fine bunch of people not all of whom saw their children grow up. How many I wonder? We should remember them all.
Maybe we need another thread as a tribute to those who gave their lives during the 40 years of Tornado.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
But mostly very precious memories of a fine bunch of people not all of whom saw their children grow up. How many I wonder? We should remember them all.
Maybe we need another thread as a tribute to those who gave their lives during the 40 years of Tornado.
However, for the UK all the skills and knowledge and memories will rapidly fade away and soon be forgotten.
I worked on the engines during the development, production and in service working very closely with the RAF and I have many friends who did the same.
It would be a great shame for these memories not to be recorded somewhere.
It appears to me that they could not even wait until the end of March to retire them as planned.
They are still flying this week, so those aircrew are now current until beyond 31 March. There comes a point when no more routine flying is needed to sustain the required capability until the end of the funded period. My understanding is that the aircraft remain ‘on the hook’ for operations until the end of March; they just don’t need to fly them routinely for much longer. That is sensible risk management.
I remember being shown a Tornado engine, in pristine condition. I am not an engineer, but was struck by the sheer beauty, almost filigree in detail.
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One of my mates photographed them taking off today so that isn't true at all.
They will also try to get one airborne for the second (and final, final...) Enthusiast's Day on Friday.
If I didn't have so much work to do over the next few weeks I'd take some time off to try to capture the Bat special. Sadly it's not to be - no more time off for me until the summer.
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One jet will be involved in a flypast over the disbandment parade on March 14th, but any flying after that is TBD. I'd have presumed there wouldn't be any more flying after that date.
Flying today in respect of another great loss:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/tornado...pley-1-5922444
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/tornado...pley-1-5922444
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The RUSI has a decent academic obituary of the Tornado here;
https://rusi.org/multimedia/panavia-...944a2-46338801
The video lasts 13:50 minutes. A lot of experienced aircrew talking heads.
https://rusi.org/multimedia/panavia-...944a2-46338801
The video lasts 13:50 minutes. A lot of experienced aircrew talking heads.
You’re entitled to your opinion... but you’re wrong. The Tornado is arguably the most significant and long-lasting fast-jet in the history of the Royal Air Force.
The Tornado did superb service. In many ways it was the right machine at the right time.
It is amazing though that it has lasted after GW1 when low level largely lost its attraction - It's not the machine you would chose to be a medium level bomber is it!
If you think I am being disloyal to the blokes that flew them - I'm not. Just realistic I think that they would have done an even better job with a upgraded Bucc or Strike Eagles!
As at the end of the day it is just a lump of metal - which is brought to life by the men that operate them. I am privileged to have seen some superb skill being displayed by Tornado crews at times - Especially the 617 crew that dropped the very low boomer over me
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Did I miss the last flights?
Hi all,
My dad Russ Pengelly was a test pilot on Tornado and was killed flying prototype P.08 in June 1979. I failed to get into the RAF due to an allergy to cats and aside from 15 years instructing in gliders and about 150h on SSEP a few years ago i'm not involved in aviation. The Tornado has always been part of my life and I'd wanted to see her fly one last time but the past few months at work has been 7d/w and at least 15h/d, so i've missed pretty much everything going on in life. I think I missed the last flight a few days ago from skimming this thread but if anyone knows differently then please let me know as I'd dearly love to see one fly to say goodbye.
Kind regards
Jim
My dad Russ Pengelly was a test pilot on Tornado and was killed flying prototype P.08 in June 1979. I failed to get into the RAF due to an allergy to cats and aside from 15 years instructing in gliders and about 150h on SSEP a few years ago i'm not involved in aviation. The Tornado has always been part of my life and I'd wanted to see her fly one last time but the past few months at work has been 7d/w and at least 15h/d, so i've missed pretty much everything going on in life. I think I missed the last flight a few days ago from skimming this thread but if anyone knows differently then please let me know as I'd dearly love to see one fly to say goodbye.
Kind regards
Jim
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I heard one of the ‘Diamond 9’ was ZD848 (BC). She would have been 34-years old.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
That had me dusting off my logbook to reveal 41 sorties between Aug 85 and Aug 88 which read like a history of RAFG operations at the height of the Cold War:
SSPs (remember them?); laydown and dive at Nordhorn, Vliehors and Siegenburg; ‘bounce’ sorties on the North German plain; multiple low-level attack formations; MALLET BLOW; air combat training (including one memorable sortie when the SPILS failed and the aircraft departed; we were within a second or two of ejection); WPC at Capo de Frasca; ACMI at Deci; dissimilar air combat (2 + 1 v 3); OLF at Goose Bay; and the highlight, RED FLAG.
Some amazing memories.
Dad was a Tornado test pilot - he was killed in June 1979 flying a prototype when I was a little boy. A thread to remember all those who gave their lives to Tornado would be a good thing to my mind.
EDIT: Someone pointed out that the gentleman was referring to 41 sorties on a particular airframe rather than type. I know air forces around the world are struggling to pay to keep pilots training sufficiently but I figured things can't have been that bad in the 80s. I need more sleep - and perhaps some reading lessons :-]
Last edited by Jetset Jimbo; 16th Mar 2019 at 10:52.