Davide Calzolari Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 finest,sorry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 GR1a? recce version? . . . Kes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 8 hours ago, Kes said: GR1a? recce version? . . . Kes Yes, the IRLS windows are a dead giveaway. Officially it should be designated as an ECR rather than a GR.1A, though. Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 3 hours ago, Hook said: Yes, the IRLS windows are a dead giveaway. Officially it should be designated as an ECR rather than a GR.1A, though. Cheers, Andre The Saudi ones aren't ECRs though, they are the recce version of the IDS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 59 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said: The Saudi ones aren't ECRs though, they are the recce version of the IDS Ah, thanks for the correction. Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 It gets confusing, somehwere I'm sure Panavia has a list of designations for all the variants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Actually they don't. They are either IDS, ADV or ECR as far as Panavia are concerned, with no distinction between sub-variants. The late, lamented World Air Power Journal had a tremendous two-part, in-depth article on Tornado variants, and even they had trouble when it came to nomenclature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 1 hour ago, T7 Models said: Actually they don't. They are either IDS, ADV or ECR as far as Panavia are concerned, with no distinction between sub-variants. So are/were GR.1As ECRs in Panavia eyes then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobski Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 1 hour ago, Seahawk said: So are/were GR.1As ECRs in Panavia eyes then? No, they are classed as IDS. The ECR is a very different (and much later) modification to the jet and the ECR is only used by the Germans and Italians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 The GR.1A differed from the GR.1 only in the installation of the TIRRS (Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System) in the forward fuselage, with the deletion of the two 27mm cannon to make way for it. It was otherwise a standard GR.1. Following the mid-life upgrade to GR.4/4A standard TIRRS was superseded by the RAPTOR pod which could be fitted to any RAF IDS aircraft. As a result the RAF dropped the 'A' suffix, and all RAF IDS aircraft were subsequently designated GR.4. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Were GR.1As alo converted to GR.4s? And did they get one cannon back then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Having to hand a book on Op Telic to hand I had a quick look through and although still calling the recce aircraft GR.4As there are no guns fitted. Probably cost to much to have them fitted, as I don't many of them had them fitted in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 On 5/17/2017 at 2:57 AM, Hook said: Yes, the IRLS windows are a dead giveaway. At the risk of being a pedant, the IRLS is located in the fairing on the bottom of the fuselage beneath the windows. The windows were for "side-looking infra-red" (SLIR) sensors. I'll get my coat...or, rather, my anorak! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 The Saudi Tornado IDS have been reported as being essentially to the same equipment standard as the RAF GR.1 and GR.1A and went through an upgrade programme said to be very similar to the RAF's GR.4 and GR.4A. The system upgrade that brought the GR.1 to GR.4 standard was also applied to the GR.1A to create the GR.4A which remained without cannon and continued initially to use the internal reconnaissance suite. Later this was deactivated although retained in place for centre-of-gravity reasons when the podded RAPTOR system was adopted and as use of this was predicated around software updates it could also be carried by any suitably updated GR.4 so consequently the former GR.4A as mentioned were thereafter used as standard albeit gun-less GR.4 and spread around the Tornado force to even out flying hours. According to one 12 Sqn. pilot I spoke to the former GR.4A were quite obviously limited operationally by their lack of a cannon in an escalating show-of-force scenario and that on transit flights and peacetime deployments the remaining deactivated reconnaissance equipment and lack of a cannon ammunition bay barely left enough room for a safety pin kit far less the crews personal bags. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 14 hours ago, mhaselden said: At the risk of being a pedant, the IRLS is located in the fairing on the bottom of the fuselage beneath the windows. The windows were for "side-looking infra-red" (SLIR) sensors. I'll get my coat...or, rather, my anorak! When you're right, you're right - thanks! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Centurion Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Although I'm late to the party in this thread, I find it an excellent read. Thank you to all who contributed. If I may ask one question: If I'm hearing this right, the GR.1 is in fact an IDS? Are the differences shown anywhere online via photo comparison etc? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 7 hours ago, Blue_Centurion said: Although I'm late to the party in this thread, I find it an excellent read. Thank you to all who contributed. If I may ask one question: If I'm hearing this right, the GR.1 is in fact an IDS? Are the differences shown anywhere online via photo comparison etc? TIA The mist visble difference apart from national insignia is the fairing beliw the nose of the GRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Centurion Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 On 6/2/2017 at 3:59 PM, exdraken said: The mist visble difference apart from national insignia is the fairing beliw the nose of the GRs. Understood, are the cockpit views the same? layout etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornadofairy Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) From my fading memories from the 1990's (lol), a RSAF Tornado IDS and a RAF Tornado GR1 were in all modelling respects identical. The only differences that come to mind (from my particular job) were minor avionic equipment changes; even in 1:32 scale they would be difficult to spot in the cockpit. Be careful not to use a German version as a basis for a Saudi model - the cockpit would be wrongI! If I remember anything else I'll add it later..... Edited June 5, 2017 by Tornadofairy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazza Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 On 2017-5-16 at 6:07 PM, italian intruder said: finest,sorry Not even close to the 'finest' ever pic of a RSAF Tornado, loads of far better images out there on the WWW, some of those of the BAES TSP jobbies going through the Mach Loop for instance... -Dazza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornadofairy Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 It is a nice picture, but looks like it is (a) straight out of the production shed and/or (b) been airbrushed/Photoshop'ed - that tail is just toooooooo clean, lol.... A hot, sometimes humid, sandy environment does not treat things very well; I remember failing the local MOT because the windscreen wipers were glued to the screen! (They sold tee-shirts downtown with the slogan, 'The hottest summer I ever had, was a winter in Saudi Arabia'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davide Calzolari Posted June 10, 2017 Author Share Posted June 10, 2017 (edited) probalbly fresh painted/one of the last of production line in end 80's or veyi first 90's (to see hindenburg tanks and recce sensor under belly ) , straight line from factory , but i think not photoshopped Edited June 10, 2017 by Davide Calzolari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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