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Tornado GR4 last flight
I assume that the out of service date for the GR4 is still March/April time? Does anyone know if there is a set timetable and will there be some sort of flypast of past and present Tornado bases or any other event planned to mark the end of this excellent aircraft's distinguished service?
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Not many 'past' GR operating bases left. Bruggen, Laarbruch, Honington, & Cottesmore have all ceased flying. Even the peripheral GR hosts such as Bedford and St Athan have also wound down with only UWAS still flying from St Athan. So sadly, that leaves just Lossiemouth and Marham with perhaps a nod to Boscombe Down. .
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RAF Marham have organised a photo shoot on January 25th. I would imagine that all the places have been allocated.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dc1b59bae5.jpg |
Bollox, another shoot missed :( it would be nice to see some go to museums instead of the U.K. PLC's normal sell for scrap or to high a price for most museums. It's all well and good trying to get back the maximum profit for the UK but sometimes that is to the detriment of future of the UK's aviation history, the F3 was an example, very few survived. |
Just 16 F3s remain according to this list (out of a couple of hundred?)
ZE168 (N) Private Thorpe Wood, Selby ZE204 FC, 25 Sqn marks Fire School Manston Fire School ZE256 TP, also wears 'ZE343' Private Thorpe Wood, Selby ZE340 GO, 9298M, 43 Sqn marks DSAE Cosford DSAE ZE760 AP, 229 OCU marks Preserved, gate guard Coningsby ZE836 36-12, MM7210 Museum Vigna di Valle, Italy ZE887 GF, 43 Sqn marks Museum, inside Hendon, Barnet ZE934 TA, 56 Sqn marks Museum, inside East Fortune, East Lothian ZE936 (N) Museum Neatishead ZE965 (N), 111 Sqn marks Private UK ZE966 VT Preserved Hawarden - Chester Airport, Flintshire ZE967 UT, 56/111 Sqn marks Preserved Leuchars, Fife ZG751 Centre fuselage JARTS Boscombe Down ZG795 (F) Stored Boscombe Down ZH552 Preserved, gate guard Leeming ZH553 RT, 56 Sqn marks Museum, outside Newquay Aerohub List from Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft |
Originally Posted by HaveQuick2
(Post 10346166)
Just 16 F3s remain according to this list (out of a couple of hundred?)
ZE168 (N) Private Thorpe Wood, Selby ZE204 FC, 25 Sqn marks Fire School Manston Fire School ZE256 TP, also wears 'ZE343' Private Thorpe Wood, Selby ZE340 GO, 9298M, 43 Sqn marks DSAE Cosford DSAE ZE760 AP, 229 OCU marks Preserved, gate guard Coningsby ZE836 36-12, MM7210 Museum Vigna di Valle, Italy ZE887 GF, 43 Sqn marks Museum, inside Hendon, Barnet ZE934 TA, 56 Sqn marks Museum, inside East Fortune, East Lothian ZE936 (N) Museum Neatishead ZE965 (N), 111 Sqn marks Private UK ZE966 VT Preserved Hawarden - Chester Airport, Flintshire ZE967 UT, 56/111 Sqn marks Preserved Leuchars, Fife ZG751 Centre fuselage JARTS Boscombe Down ZG795 (F) Stored Boscombe Down ZH552 Preserved, gate guard Leeming ZH553 RT, 56 Sqn marks Museum, outside Newquay Aerohub List from Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft So I make that 21 of the 165 Tornado ADVs that were made are still complete (there are more examples of cockpits and even an excellent complete simulator at Thorpe Camp) - so in excess of 12% preserved, which isn’t too bad really? |
Originally Posted by Lima Juliet
(Post 10346795)
Missing from the list: ZA267 Tornado ADV in 25(F) Sqn markings at RAF Syerston. ZD889 Tornado F2 at Bury or emergency training. ZD900 is a Tornado F2 ground instructional airframe at RAF Lossiemouth. ZD936 Tornado F2 at the Boscombe Down Collection at Old Sarum. ZD938 is a Tornado F2 at Doncaster Museum. So I make that 21 of the 165 Tornado ADVs that were made are still complete (there are more examples of cockpits and even an excellent complete simulator at Thorpe Camp) - so in excess of 12% preserved, which isn’t too bad really? |
Errmmm, preserved isn't how I would describe all of those on the list
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/858/4...a1e3dc15_z.jpg Panavia Tornado F3 - ZE204 by Liam Daniels, on Flickr |
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Originally Posted by HaveQuick2
(Post 10346808)
As I stated, that was a list of F3s (NOT F2s or ADVs)
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ADVs were employed by RSAF and were essentially F3s with post Granby mods and AWSMDS selectable on demand.
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Originally Posted by Vendee
(Post 10345926)
I assume that the out of service date for the GR4 is still March/April time? Does anyone know if there is a set timetable and will there be some sort of flypast of past and present Tornado bases or any other event planned to mark the end of this excellent aircraft's distinguished service?
I would therefore hope that the RAF will give this iconic jet a suitably respectful retirement and ensure that as many people as possible get the opportunity to say good by. |
I reckon those hoping for a big flypast will probably be a little let down.
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The final flight of the F3 was a 3-ship from Boscombe to Leeming via Coningsby and Leuchars. The final flight of a GR1 (ZA326) was a
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
(Post 10346972)
Errmmm, preserved isn't how I would describe all of those on the list
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/858/4...a1e3dc15_z.jpg Panavia Tornado F3 - ZE204 by Liam Daniels, on Flickr |
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Originally Posted by nipva
(Post 10345957)
Not many 'past' GR operating bases left. Bruggen, Laarbruch, Honington, & Cottesmore have all ceased flying. Even the peripheral GR hosts such as Bedford and St Athan have also wound down with only UWAS still flying from St Athan. So sadly, that leaves just Lossiemouth and Marham with perhaps a nod to Boscombe Down. .
How about Mach Loop, Thirlmere, OLF Selkirk- Moffat pass, Spadeadam, Tain, Cowden, Donna, Wainfleet and Holbeach |
Originally Posted by typerated
(Post 10347521)
How about Mach Loop, Thirlmere, OLF Selkirk- Moffat pass, Spadeadam, Tain, Cowden, Donna, Wainfleet and Holbeach
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In Oct 1986, I visited Bruggen on a sort of ATC camp without cadets, just a few adult staff the excuse being a looksee to see what the cadets would be doing the following summer. The last RAFG Jaguar Squadron stood down and was replaced by a Tornado Squadron that very week.
Seems such a short time ago now but please excuse my ignorance; what are the GR4s being replaced with? |
Originally Posted by chevvron
(Post 10348774)
In Oct 1986, I visited Bruggen on a sort of ATC camp without cadets, just a few adult staff the excuse being a looksee to see what the cadets would be doing the following summer. The last RAFG Jaguar Squadron stood down and was replaced by a Tornado Squadron that very week.
Seems such a short time ago now but please excuse my ignorance; what are the GR4s being replaced with? I spent some time at RAF Bruggen and Laarbruch. It was an extremely busy flying operation with (I think) four squadrons at each base and close to 100 jets. Typhoon has extremely big boots to fill once Tornado is retired. |
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