My Tornado GR1 cockpit project so far
 

Just wanted to show my Tornado GR1 cockpit as it is so far, the cardboard panels are just a temporary measure until i can either get some original panels, or some made for me, i might even be able to get away with using hardboard but still want a metal frame to support it, I have not put the HUD on as that is very heavy and I am not sure the box could support it.
I think the RWR could do with being a few mm to the right and i think the entire panel needs to be a little higher, but like i said this is just a temporary set up so i can see how its going to look.
I have a few more parts which I have not yet fitted.
Just wanted to show my Tornado GR1 cockpit as it is so far, the cardboard panels are just a temporary measure until i can either get some original panels, or some made for me, i might even be able to get away with using hardboard but still want a metal frame to support it, I have not put the HUD on as that is very heavy and I am not sure the box could support it.
I think the RWR could do with being a few mm to the right and i think the entire panel needs to be a little higher, but like i said this is just a temporary set up so i can see how its going to look.
I have a few more parts which I have not yet fitted.
Just wanted to show my Tornado GR1 cockpit as it is so far, the cardboard panels are just a temporary measure until i can either get some original panels, or some made for me, i might even be able to get away with using hardboard but still want a metal frame to support it, I have not put the HUD on as that is very heavy and I am not sure the box could support it.
I think the RWR could do with being a few mm to the right and i think the entire panel needs to be a little higher, but like i said this is just a temporary set up so i can see how its going to look.
I have a few more parts which I have not yet fitted.
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/145547634@N04/

I think I flew that bit!:)
Best wishes with your project.

OAP

Splendid progress so far but I wonder if the RWR could do with being a few mm to the right?

Elettronica Radar Warning Equipment was fitted to Batch 1 Tornadoes. Mainly TTTE ones. They were programmed by putting Diodes into circuit boards, One way or the other to pass or reject a parameter. The only problem was that some diodes were marked correctly, others were not. After a Tornado/Jaguar mid-air collision it was recommended that the RWE be refitted into the TTTE jets to help prevent further incidents. Caused a bit of confusion that did.

I believe RWE was fitted to all early RAF GR1s, including front line jets. I think the RAF Germany sqns got RHWR first (if they ever had RWE???), followed by the Marham & Honington sqns last.

I thought that as well, its quite hard to get everything in the right position just from looking at photos, especially of the photos are not head on. I wish there was some way of getting blueprints of the panel so when i make a more permanent version i can get everything in the perfect position. I'm thinking about how i can make a frame to support the panel and the side comnsoles and at the moment i'm considering using wood, it would be cheaper and easier to get, plus my neighbor is a carpenter so could probably knock something up for me if i give him all the right measurments, foir the side consoles i think a simple wooden box like structure with appropriatly sized holes for the units to slot into.
just got my first part from the right hand console today, at the moment I am concentrating on getting hold of the bits i think are most important, whilst i know every component was important but stuff like lighting control i'm not to worried about , the bit i got today was the TF Radar control i consider that a pretty vital part of the Tornado!
The bottom switch has writing but its seen some action and what it says is illegible it looks like F??O AGTY on the left and FIX?O or D FREO or D or perhaps even Q so it could be fixed freq?
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...a1b6ae435e.jpg

ZA399 has the RWE and it says that's it's a gulf war veteran so perhaps im ok with this!

Thanks for the info RE the RWE some would this have been replaced by RHWR when they were deplyed in the Gulf war, I would like it to be as accurate as possible but its hard to get it accurate becuase they changed a few things so i can just try to make sure all the parts were fitted at the same time and i would like to base it on the layout when it was in the Gulf war so i might have to replace that RWE.
Cheers.

The TFR control panel is mark on the bottom as Freq Agty (Frequency Agility) and Fixd Freq (Fixed freqency)

Cheers for that info

And if you're going for full normal day to day accuracy it would be in the Fixd Freq position screwed down with a little tell tale wire

Good luck finding an E scope!

still IF you could get one, the EU, right power supply and all hooked up it would look good on test!!!

Aha thanks for that, I thought it was broken or something as I could not get it to move, the on and off switch you have to pull up a little to move it so i was trying to move the other one the same way and it wouldn't budge.
I cant see any wire though but the top is a little different it has a metal top fitted with grooves in the side and a little slot on the top maybe it has to be removed for thre switch to work?
PS I just figured out i can turn that metal top and then the switch can move so its in the FIXD FREQ setting now!

Is there a reason why some particular instruments seem harder to get, i cant image it would be anything to do with being classified as its old tech now, If i can get the altimeter and VSI i will be happy because at least then I have the main flight instrument panel. I have a plan if there are anythings i cant get i really don't want to but i might have to just stick a life size photo in its place, or even try and model one, im quite good at stuff like that so i could make a reproduction out of clay, but that's only a last resort!

Started on the left console, excuse the Blue peter look, it is temporary! I spotted a few panels of hardboard or plywood that have been left outside, I might have to nab a few bits, has to be better than cardboard! with a lick of grey paint it should look decent enough.

ZA399 received parts from a TTTE trainer when it was refurbished. See here:

https://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2014/06/za399-gulf-war-veteran-tornado-gr1-preserved-knutsford-cheshire/

It most definitely had RHWR during Desert Storm.

Drat! that is annoying but also useful to know, cheers Did they still have the weapons control panel above the rapid take of panel? I have located a RHWR but if it turns out the weapons control panel was replaced i might just stick with what I have now, i think the RWE looks mire interesting and it would be good to have oit as an original Tornado, but my plan was to have it as it was when it was used in combat. So i could just replace the RWE and keep it as a display piece or possibly sell or exchange it so i can get another part. Are there any photos of a Tornado GR1 cockpit as it was laid out during Desert storm?

I think woodworking is a prerequisite for cockpit building. Don't put off learning it if you haven't already! If you are electronically talented theres all sorts of little computers and displays that could be built into fake instruments. I'd love to have a cockpit builder next door. I could probably make a circuit board to drive most of those instruments or simulate inputs from whats missing. Of course I have enough projects as it is. 😊

The problem is I have a disability called dyspraxia which makes certain things very difficult to me, i found it hard enough cutting out right size holes in the cardboard for the instruments to fit in!

You could say my project has reached new heights, since I finally managed to get the proper RAF type barometric altimeter,, also put the HUD in place, I wasnt sure of the box, or the map unit would support the weight as it is rather heavy, but it seems to be OK. I also have noticed the map seems to be slightly tilted upwards in the real cockpit so I will have to try and do that when I make the final version.
I managed to get some MDF which i will use for the panels and got a few bits of wood i can use to make a structure to mount the panels to.
Does anyone know if there are any place with a Tornado cockpit I can have access to so I can take some detailed photos and measurements? I know I am never going to have it 100% accurate but I would like to get it as good as I can.
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/145547634@N04/

Sir. I am interested in what is your motivation to produce your GR1 cockpit. My apologies if you have already stated this previously. I love what you have achieved, looks excellent by the way.

Its just been a dream of mine since I was about 10 to have my own cockpit i could sit at and press buttons, flick switches and examine all the instruments, because of my Aspergers and Dyspraxia it means i can't be a real piloit, taking the controls of the chipmunk when i was an air cadet is as near as i will get, well more recently i had a go in a Piper Warrior 11 which belongs to a rather awesome company called Aerobility to help people with all kinds of disabilities learn to fly. and just over a week ago i was very lucky to have a flight in a Spitfire and got to take the controls,. Sp yes i have wanted my own cockpit for over 30 years, I wasn't particularly fussed about what type of aircraft it was, but the Tornado is one of my favourites, as its been really the backbone of the RAF throughout my entire life, and sadly as they are being retired next year, and quite a few have already been scrapped, there's more parts of them available. although some of the parts seem very hard or imposible to get. Originally i started of just having one or 2 bits which were just meant to be display items then i got more and before i knew it i thought i may as well try and make a cockpit! and i chose to base it on a GR1 as in my mind that is the original and proper Tornado.

Some made a left panel from MDF as they were doing a similar project to me but they gave up so now I got the panel, it was unpainted so today i painted it in battleship grey which seems to be a pretty good match, the gaps between the instruments are a bit wide but i think it would be hard to make it entirely accurate as there would be only a very thin piece of MDF between the holes probably quite difficult to cut it like that, its still a lot better than the cardboard! eventually i might make another panel, using this as a template but using a small amount of metal as a spacer between the instruments that way i can make it look more aunthentic. I finally got all the main flight instruments, the VSI is from an F3 but as far as I can tell its identical to the one used on the GR1 so i can accept that, I got a few other new bits as well, but they are for the side consoles, and other F3 part is the environment controls and yet another F3 part the angle of attack meter, again these both seem to be identical to the ones used in the GR1 and I am currently waiting for the fuel control panel , i dont know what aircraft that was fitted to but i think they are probably standard in all variants.https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...c4bb44db01.jpg

Seen these from below the head down display

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EX-MOD-Pa...4AAOSwjI5avLYS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panavia-T...IAAOSw1S9WgqY4

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panavia-T...wAAOSwcx5ZZ3c9

I have seen those but they are not a part I recognize, can't see it on any photos.

look at 2nd link 2nd last picture

I think they are from the F3, looks like that empty space was for the trims gauge, which I have but it was fitted a different place on the GR1 , its so difficult to get it accurate as i see many photos, even of GR1 which have slightly different layouts.

However there are differences, i will be at Bruntingthorpe tomorrow if I can get in do you wannt me to try and get some pictures of theirs? this one

seen this?

Cockpit large image

That would be great thanks, if possible could you measure how far it is from the floor of the cockpit to the bottom of the main control panel. I'm going to construct the central panel out of MDF and it will also be thre support for ther PMD and HUD plus I will add supports underneath for the instrument panels. i need to make the base for the PMD at a slight angle as it appears to be slightly tilted upwards.

I think I have seen that but did not realize I could see a large version, that's quite handy and seems to be the layout closest to my project

Got a few new parts, just one more instrument to get now to complete the front panel, well I'm missing a few buttons, switches and so on but I am not so fussed about that, I have given up on making it a perfect complete cockpit, it's turning out to be more of an expensive project than I thought! I am going to try and get some proper metal panels cut for the front panels, the wooden left side one is OK but not quite right as there is to much of a gap between the instruments, its probably hard to get the holes cut that accurate uisng wood. My new parts are the total fuel contents indicator, fuel managment panel and environment conntrol panel.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....77af67b4f8.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....461db5733b.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5fa08c911f.jpg

It was all shut up as the weather was bad when i got there, sorry I forgot to let you know.

Thanks all the same.
Maybe if you go again one day?

Will do, some might have the drawings on the flypast forums

Looking good bud...

Cheers! it is getting there. I found somewhere local that does metal panel work so might enquire about getting some panels made up to mount the instruments, the wooden one is OK but not accurate enough for my liking! they say no job to big or small so might have some joy. And as you know I may be getting a seat as well!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392220477848