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Tornado F.3 question (drop tanks)


LucaP

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hi guys, please would someone let me know if technically the Tornado F.3 can fly with 4 fuel tanks? (2x 2250 lt. Hindenburg underwing + 2x 1500 lt. standard underbelly) and if yes, the shoulder pylons are the same of GR.1/4s?
I read in an old thread that they had flown so for long transfer journeys, but I can not find pictures.
thanks in advance.

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The Tornado 'EF.3B' had the underfuselage pylons fitted to enable it to carry ALARMs, so I guess that technically it could have carried tanks as well. Whether it ever did I think is probably unlikely, as I doubt it could have carried Sky Flash or AMRAAM as well.

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thanks. I read here (2nd post from the top):

http://www.e-goat.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-36759.html

I have two spare 1500 lt. tanks so I could like to use them together with the Hinds.

regards

That was my post from a few years ago,not in it I said 'I gather' which means,to me anyway,can they/Not sure....I've never worked on the F-3 so I was assuming that as they can carry shoulder pylons & the airframes are almost the same,one would assume they had the same capability.

Bomb'ed would know as he was on F-3's during Gulf war 1.I spent all my time on GR1's....

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thanks for the pic (Andy) and the explanation (Spike).

Spike, based on the photo above (prototype), can we reasonably assume that some F.3 Tonka (series) has loaded those belly tanks during long transfer journeys?

best regards.

Luca

p.s. Spike, unfortunately the pic you have linked is not active... I would be curious to see it :confused:

http://www.xisquadron.co.uk/Heritage/Images/Tornado.gif

what was pictured in it?

Edited by LucaP
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They perhaps had the capability, but the F3 had a pretty long range anyway, and with the big tanks and IFR it probably culd handle any deployments. Add to that the fact that you get a point where the benefit is marginal - the extra drag/weight of the big tanks offsets the benefit the extra fuel gives you.

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There is a thread on Pprune that confirms that the shoulder pylons could be fitted, could carry 1500L tanks and were plumbed. The thread includes details of a UK-Akrotiri mission that fell short owing to strong head winds.

George

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Thhe only time I have heard of a ADV Tornado carrying four tanks was a F2 which flew over the "pond" for some test work in the early 1980's.

I think (I might be wrong) that that was a test in it's own right to see how far a F2/3 could fly without tanker support.

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There is a thread on Pprune that confirms that the shoulder pylons could be fitted, could carry 1500L tanks and were plumbed. The thread includes details of a UK-Akrotiri mission that fell short owing to strong head winds.

George

What specific F.3 bird of these:

http://www.targeta.co.uk/squadronaction_25.htm

was involved in?

thanks and regards

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As always open to correction but I'd suggest that that is a publicity shot of some sort showing what it can carry,although I would have expected a missile display too. You know the type I mean where the aircraft is posed with an amazing assortment of stores which it could never all carry at the same time.

It certainly shows the two types of tank anyway.

RG

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My recollection from my time on the F3 is that a 4-tank fit was NOT in the Release to Service, we could fly with either the 1500ltr or the 2250ltr tanks. It may have been technically possible and BAE may have trialled such a fit (or Boscombe Down) but I am 99% certain such a fit was never used on a Squadron; it was not needed in any of our deployment scenarios with AAR available.

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