Hobby Master HA6713 | Tornado GR.1A ZA371, No. 2 Squadron, RAF Marham 1995

General Background:

The Panavia Tornado was a joint effort between the UK, West Germany and Italy to produce a two-seat, dual-engine aircraft with variable-sweep wings. The Tornado took its maiden flight on August 14, 1974 with the first aircraft being delivered to the German Air Force on July 27, 1979. There are three main variants of the Tornado, the IDS (interdictor/strike), ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) and ADV (air defense variant) interceptor. By the end of production in 1998 there had been 992 aircraft of all versions built of which 745 were IDS variants.

The Aircraft:

RAF No. XIII Squadron was established in 1915 at Gosport. Over the years the unit was disbanded and re-established as well as moving to various air fields. The unit was disbanded in 1978 and reformed in 1990 equipped with the Tornado GR1A forming a reconnaissance unit at RAF Honington before moving to RAF Marham. Disbanded again in 2011 and re-established in 2012 as the first UK-based Reaper RPAS squadron. Tornado ZA592 completed its maiden flight on January 11, 1982 and went into service on February 19, 1982. This aircraft was struck off charge on February 24, 2017.

General specifications for the Panavia Tornado IDS
Country of origin – Italy, UK, West Germany
Service entry date – 1979
Crew – 2
Dimensions
Length – 17.72 m (58.1 ft)
Wingspan
13.92 m (45.7 ft) expanded
8.6m swept (28.2 ft)
Height – 5.95m (19.5 ft)
Weight
Empty – 13.8 t (30,423 lb)
Maximum take off – 27.9 t (61,508.9 lb)
Performance
Powerplant 2 X Turbo-Union RB.199 Mk. 103 turbofans Producing dry with afterburners 2 X 38.48 / 71.50 kN
Maximum speed – 2,236 km/h (1,389 mph)
Service ceiling – 15.2 km (49,868.77 ft)
Range – 1,390 km (863.7 miles)
Ferry range with drop tanks – 3,900 (2,423.3) – 4,300 km (2,671.9 miles)
Armament
Cannon – 2 X 27 mm IWKA-Mauser Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles Brimstone anti-tank guided missiles 454 kg free-fall bombs
CPU-123/B Paveway II
GBU-28 Paveway III laser-guided bombs