Motley

We currently use both types of GPU to start Tonkas, all comes down to which GPU's are about and which ones are working. The big Houchin 48kvh's seem to be the more common ones we use and they are more reliable too. Even on current ops, such as Shader, we always use GPU's to start, only use internal batteries to start if no GPU is free or if the GPU is not working properly at the time of the see off

Marking wise the Tonkas in Cyprus are the same as the whole Tonka fleet, some have sqn markings some dont. There was one recently out there in full 31 Sqn markings and there is currently one out there with a 2 sqn mark on its tail. Bomb tallies are hit and miss on the jets too, some have them some dont, it seems to come down to which sqn is out in Cyprus, i know IX( dont ever put tallies on the sides of the jet. Tbh if all the drops were put on the side of the Tonkas they would be pretty full of little paveways now after a year of Shader

Weapons wise in the UK, they usually fly with either to BOZ pods on, or a BOZ and a Sky Shadow on the outer pylons. Then they usually have little jugs on, only time they really use the big jugs is if they are on an excerise. Above the tanks on them pylons youll usually find a dummy training ASRAMM on the left and a RAIDS pod on the right handside and then finally they will have a Lightning pod on underneath most of the time. Shader is different, normal set up from out there as can be seen in pictures is, BOZ pod on one side, on the other you would have a terma pod on the other side. They fly with the big jugs on and above them are BOL lauchers with nothing on them. Underneath you have 2 Paveway IV on the right handside with a Lightning pod at the fronton the left and then finally a Brimestone launcher with 2 Brimestones on at the back on the left

Dont know when your pictures were taken, but over the last few weeks the SWO on base has been getting people together and all 3 of the gate guards are now all nice and clean, the Victor looks kind good now, can see it from my window as i type this

As others have said it is all part of the TCAS system, they are just small almost A5 sized lumps bove and below the jet, quit a few of the jets have it now, they are slowly having it put on as they go through 2nd line work, seems to be harder to find one without recently here at Marham

This looks briliant soo far, the inside looks bang on to me, i work in HAS's everyday at Marham i know they might be slightly different but if you need any pictures just let me know and il see if i can get any

It is one lovely jet, the spine is green and yellow too and you have the still going strong art on the left hand side too

The LOX bin is just a bin of water, its kept around anywhere LOX is kept or being used, as if you get LOX on you it will burn so the first thing your meant to do is get water on it. Not 100% sure Harriers have LOX but most RAF aircraft do. The seat oxygen bottles are jut charged with oxgyen bottles which are on a trolley that looks identical to a nitrogen bottle trolley. A POL bin is where all the contaminated waste goes, so all the oily rags and things like that. Your right with the drip trays, jet love to leak, soo they are just metal trays that get chucked under the jets to collect all the leaks. Youll find most of this stuff if not all of it in both hangers and on the line.

To me the box looks like a flare box, we had pallets of them sat along the side of the rubbs in Cyprus, if you look on top you can see the warning signs. T add to things you may see inside a rubb you could add a FOD bin, POL bin and a LOX bin, drip trays, steps and waste metal boxes.

If you look on this link below theres another new Typhoon in a special BOB scheme, look good in camo http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=112907 Also there is a rather nice new special Tonka scheme soon to be revealed at Marham Enjoy

Im a Liney on IX(B ) Sqn atm, and it is only the left hand intake that has strake in it, the right hand is totally smooth and alot easier to go down. I was told before its all to do with changing the airflow in the intake to help for when it hits the blades at the front of the engine

That looks alot like the formation that will be doing a flypast over London today, maybe it was practice for them, theres a Herc in the flypast to so mabe thats why you saw that too

Heres some more pictures on this site of the jet for you, http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=111338

Theres a Haynes manual for the Tornado bout now and that has really good pictures of both the front and back cockits for GRs and Fs

Tornado's, Tornados, a Hawk or two yesterday and ohh yeahh more tornados, does help i live on a base with three active Tornado squadrons

The undercarriage pins go through the drag brace part of the assembly about half way, like here With the map, although the MASS flag is on that side of the cockpit i've seen aircrew put all sorts of maps and paper work on either side so having the map there isn't to far from the truth. This build is totally mad its sooo realistic its brilliant

Always strange seeing pictures of Halton like this for me, as when i when through there on my basic training of course everything has changed, barely any aircraft left for one thing, that hanger in them pictures is now used by the Regiment to teach all their side of basic training things. Lovely photos btw

Thats right, once the hyd system have pressure the ram pushes the door back out and that becomes horizontal, becomes a very useful ledge to put things on like chocks when towing

The door in that picture is when there isnt much hydraulic pressure in the system, usually only look like that if the jet has been left for a few days with out running the APU or engines. There is a gap there but youd only see it looking down if i remember correctly

Theres a couple of different types of steps in use atm, all are used at Marham, i currently work on IX( Sqn and we use 2 different types, one ive been told are old F3 steps, which i believe is true seeing they have 111 Sqn drawn all over them. And yess they are all painted in the same dark green colour same as all the GSE

Nice IX(B ) Sqn Tonka would be nice, i know there was a sort of competition to design a special tail with a fair amount of rules which made me chuckle abit, hopefully they will do it seeing we are still in the 100th year of the sqn

If it had a white tail it could be one the the 41 Sqn special jets, think they have 2 special tails both which are white, and the only other Tonka with a white tail i can think of is the 40 Year special jet

It does look good in real life too and does stand out alot, the fin never stays white though when it does go flying, but still looks good dirty

Probably the 7th Special Operations Squadron flying out of Raf Mildenhall, recently started flying them from there

Looks like an F3, so the serial may be correct