Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Tornado>HA6707

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

The first unit of the Bundeswehr to receive the new Tornado was MFG-1 (Naval Aviation Group 1) that was formed in 1959. In the summer of 1977 the first Tornado arrived for testing but it wasn’t until July 2, 1982 before the MFG-1 received their first aircraft. A total of 57 Tornados equipped MFG-1 but they encountered several staffing and spare parts problems. Because of these problems all the other Bundeswehr squadrons used these to learn from and avoid. Tornado IDS 43+44 c/n 121/GT025/4044 was written off on September 24, 1999.

Specifications :

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 Takeoff :	27.9 t (61,508.9 lb)
Performance
Power Plant:	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)
Range:	1,390 km (863.7 miles)
Ferry range with drop tanks:	3,900 (2,423.3) – 4,300 km (2,671.9 miles)
Service Ceiling:	15.2 km (49,868.77 ft)
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