Tornado F.3 (opened panels)

[LucaP]

Hi guys,

I'm planning to build the Tornado F.3 with some opened panels on the port side of the forward fuselage...

would anybody tell me which bays are different from the GR.1 variant and where can I find some pictures?

thanks in advance.

Luca

Edited September 21, 2014 by LucaP

[AirfixAndy]

Hi there Luca ,

Im not very knowledgeable on the differences in the bays between the GR1 and F3 or even the F2 and F3 .

Im sure someone will be along very soon to help out .

In the meantime ...heres a link to the F2 at the Boscombe Down Aviation collection with open panels .

Hope this helps a bit

F2 Open panels

Andy

[LucaP]

thanks Andy

[Steve Collins]

Luca,

Sorry, I can't help with the panel differences. Just one point about aircraft with open panels (and it's kind of a pet peeve with me). If you see and aircraft on the flightline with open panels, it will almost _never_ have weapons on board. Perhaps an inert missile for training, but it will be pinned and disconnected. Generally, panels would only be opened with weapons on board if the crew found a problem. A technician would be called and, if he could fix it very quickly, he would open the panel, fix the problem and close the panel. If it required that the panel be left open for a while, usually, the plane would be disarmed and unloaded. And, of course, as soon as I've said this, there will be a flood of pictures and links to hundreds of pictures of planes with weapons and open panels. Just a thought.

Steve

[spike7451]

Only panels that'd be routinely open on the flightline would be the one in front of the Stbd wheel bays that access the ground controls & refueling port (can't remember the correct name for it) the access panel to the WSC where missile pins would be stowed (iirc) in front of the port intake & the groundcrew comms connection under the stbd intake.If the engines were running or ground power was on, the's a few small blow out cooling intakes/vents that open up (one each side of the nose near the nosecone,and another behind the Nav's cockpit on the port side.

Although don't quote me as 100% accurate as I've never worked on the F3,only the GR1...And the ol memory's not what it used to be....

Luca,

Sorry, I can't help with the panel differences. Just one point about aircraft with open panels (and it's kind of a pet peeve with me). If you see and aircraft on the flightline with open panels, it will almost _never_ have weapons on board. Perhaps an inert missile for training, but it will be pinned and disconnected. Generally, panels would only be opened with weapons on board if the crew found a problem. A technician would be called and, if he could fix it very quickly, he would open the panel, fix the problem and close the panel. If it required that the panel be left open for a while, usually, the plane would be disarmed and unloaded. And, of course, as soon as I've said this, there will be a flood of pictures and links to hundreds of pictures of planes with weapons and open panels. Just a thought.

Steve

Edited September 23, 2014 by spike7451

[LucaP]

thank you all for the info guys.

[LucaP]

I've found this pic... unfortunately it's too small... could someone help me find a more detailed (and bigger) picture of that bay?

which systems stay in there? thanks

Edited September 25, 2014 by LucaP