Name this aircraft

[mylesmcd]

Tornado?

Italian Air Force Base if it helps.

[SantaBarbara]

Ids it a variant of the Tornado?

[aeropilot]

mylesmcd said:

Tornado?

Italian Air Force Base if it helps.

Yes.

As said, Tornado IDS.

[SantaBarbara]

Pan Avia TORNADO

[SantaBarbara]

Three countries collaborated to design and build Tornado, Germany, Italy and UK

[Ayahuasca]

Jetty McJetface

[mylesmcd]

It sits beside a 31st FW F-16 static and their older aircraft...a f-100?

[Zetec-S]

Ayahuasca said:

Jetty McJetface

[Riley Blue]

One for the bad parking thread - who the hell reversed it onto that grass...?

[mylesmcd]

Mario!

[Eric Mc]

It does have reverse thrust.

[Riley Blue]

Eric Mc said:

It does have reverse thrust.

But no wing mirrors...

[Dr Jekyll]

SantaBarbara said:

Three countries collaborated to design and build Tornado, Germany, Italy and UK

The complete story was ludicrously complicated but yes.



BAC P.45 This would have been a British aircraft.




AFVG, Would have been an Anglo French aircraft, but the French objected to it being based on a BAC design and took their ball home.




Mirage G. French aircraft built after AFVG was cancelled.




UKVG. Would have been a British aircraft if we could have afforded it.




Panavia MRCA. Was going to be a British/German/Italian/Canadian/Dutch/Belgian aircraft but ended up British/German/Italian.

[mylesmcd]

The knowledge here is first class.


What I was surprised about was the size, up close. I will take a picture of the f-16 situated near it. I know single engine as opposed to twin, but all over the Tornado is considerably larger.

[Simpo Two]

Well that was an easy one. As an 'MRCA' I always thought it was too small to be a bomber and too big to be a fighter. I know it's bombed plenty of things but how is its air-to-air record?

[SantaBarbara]

Simpo Two said:

Well that was an easy one. As an 'MRCA' I always thought it was too small to be a bomber and too big to be a fighter. I know it's bombed plenty of things but how is its air-to-air record?

There are a lot of variants and modifications over its service life

[JuniorD]

Dr Jekyll said:

Middle drawing is like a big aircraft sneaking up behind a little one.

[Dr Jekyll]

Simpo Two said:

Well that was an easy one. As an 'MRCA' I always thought it was too small to be a bomber and too big to be a fighter. I know it's bombed plenty of things but how is its air-to-air record?

Not very good. It was intended as an 'interceptor'. IE long range and equipped to fire a missile at an incoming bomber/missile carrier before the enemy is close enough to do any damage. Ironically a similar role to what the original (and rather smaller) AFVG was meant for. Might have been OK at that once the radar was sorted out but not suited for taking on enemy fighters. The RAF would have preferred the F14, and actually considered leasing some while waiting for the air defence Tornado.
Ironically, before Grumman got the F14 contract Dassault got together with a US firm to make a rival proposal, and the mock up they showed was actually an AFVG in US Navy colours.

We should have got together with the US instead of the French in the first place.

[Regiment]

Dr Jekyll said:

Not very good. It was intended as an 'interceptor'. IE long range and equipped to fire a missile at an incoming bomber/missile carrier before the enemy is close enough to do any damage. Ironically a similar role to what the original (and rather smaller) AFVG was meant for. Might have been OK at that once the radar was sorted out but not suited for taking on enemy fighters. The RAF would have preferred the F14, and actually considered leasing some while waiting for the air defence Tornado.
Ironically, before Grumman got the F14 contract Dassault got together with a US firm to make a rival proposal, and the mock up they showed was actually an AFVG in US Navy colours.

We should have got together with the US instead of the French in the first place.

I never knew the RAF were looking at the F14, I presume Grumman would have altered it to remove the reinforced front undercarriage and the arrestor gear.

[Dr Jekyll]

Regiment said:

I never knew the RAF were looking at the F14, I presume Grumman would have altered it to remove the reinforced front undercarriage and the arrestor gear.

Good point. Did they do that for the Iranians?

Eric? Ginetta?