eng Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Nice easy one folks! And probably a dumb question too but would I be right in saying that a GR.4 fitted with 2250 ltr tanks has a restriction in the wing sweep angle due to the size of the tanks, and subsequent interference with taileron movement? I've found stacks of images of all versions of the Tornado with wings at full sweep (67 deg) but in all these pics the aircraft have the smaller 1500 ltr tanks. Haven't found one yet with 2250 tanks fitted and at full sweep. Can anyone confirm for me? I'm currently working on Revell 72nd scale kit as a mid 90's 12 Sqn jet armed with 2 Sea Eagles. I've already glued the wings in place at full sweep but suddenly realised putting the big tanks on it might be wrong. Thanks for your help, Eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 You are indeed correct. However, I think I've only seen pictures of GR1Bs carrying the smaller tanks. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eng Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Ah, I thought so Richard, thanks for the clarification and bad me for saying it will be a 12 Sqn GR.4!! You're quite right it is a GR.1B I'm working on. Using reference pics from World Air Power Journal Vol.33, which has great pic's of some scruffy Lossie jets all tooled up. Thanks for you're help, Rgds, Eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Ah, I thought so Richard, thanks for the clarification and bad me for saying it will be a 12 Sqn GR.4!! You're quite right it is a GR.1B I'm working on. Using reference pics from World Air Power Journal Vol.33, which has great pic's of some scruffy Lossie jets all tooled up. Thanks for you're help, Rgds, Eng Many of which are also lugging around a pair of 2,250 ltr drop tanks, happy to help and now standing corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirfixAndy Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Eng.....Max sweep is 67 degrees but its limited to 63 with the 2250 tanks . Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eng Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Richard, I never twigged that you had thought the GR.1B only used the 1500 tanks, as you say most of the pics of the jets in this article have the big jugs!! Andy, thanks for confirming that there is a restriction. Out of an engineers curiosity is it a physical baulk in the sweep lever or a programming change in the flt control system that put in the sweep restriction? I signed up to the Tornado SiG the other night but it didn't occur to me to ask over there! Just for laugh's check this out. My wife walked past earlier and asked what I was doing as I put in my original query and when I told her - "I'm trying to find out if there is a wing sweep restriction on the Tornado when it's fitted with 2250 ltr tanks to avoid interference with the operation of the tailerons" she swiftly, with no hesitation said "yes there is but only when they turn left!". My poor long suffering wife is so used to hearing me talk about stuff that's happened at work, and no end of aircraft technical terms, that I frequently get my own tech-talk thrown back at me in a completely nonsensical and jumbled manner as if she's an expert on the subject!!!! Wasn't far wrong tonight either Eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I think that it was a piece of metal or a block at least that could be fitted into the slot of the wing sweep control lever in the cockpit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troffa Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 As Jabba states, a mechanical detent was fitted on F3 and (Probably) GR1, but apparently an electrical interlock activated by a switch on the GR4 (at least) was utilised to prevent an unwanted Tank/Taileron interface. There is an old thread on the subject on PPrune started by a Mr "Zotbox" (Don't know who he is but he seems like a bloody nice bloke ). I would post the link but Windoze 7 seems to have a personal vendetta against such activities. Until some kind soul posts said link or further clarification, use your favourite search engine to find "PPrune Tornado Wing Sweep" It should be one of the first hits. Edit: Here's that link, thank you google chrome! http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/269052-tornado-external-fuel-tanks.html Regards, Zotbox, I mean Troffa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmsphoto Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) Hi I am building the italeri 1/48 tornado and making it a gr1b. I am using the airfix kit for sea eagles and decals. In 1996 I was at raf lossiemouth for school work experience and spent the day with 12 sq. The tornados used both tanks. Graeme Edited March 7, 2014 by gmsphoto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scootsah1 Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The wing sweep limit switch was introduced on the GR1 for Gulf War 1. It is a dual lamp switch, green for 67, orange for 63, just behind the throttle box. Part of the post-load tank checks was to set the limit switch for the tanks fitted and pull the wing-sweep lever back and see where it stopped (electric's on, hyd's off of course!!!!) Happy days Scoots Ex-Tonka Armourer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eng Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Great info folks, thanks ever so much. I've yet to read the PPrune article but will "hoover" up the info when time permits. Thanks all, Rgds, Eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike7451 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I think that it was a piece of metal or a block at least that could be fitted into the slot of the wing sweep control lever in the cockpit. IIRC,the was a rectangle of metal that was simply screwed over the slot for the cockpit sweep lever, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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