spacetiger hobbes Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Horribly mundane question, but give a Yank a break. There's Tornado in desert tan camo named "Nikki/Norra Batty." One ref indicates it's a GR1, another that it's a GR4. One indicates it flew in the Gulf War in '91, another that it flew in later operations post-Gulf War. I'm trying to buy decals and I want a bona fide Gulf War vet. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Womby Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 In 1991 it would have been a GR1. Most GR1s were later upgraded to GR4s. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacetiger hobbes Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 That's part of the problem. One ref says it's a Gulf War plane, but a decal calls it a GR4, which didn't fly in the Gulf War as I understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AjD Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 The aircraft you are referring to was a GR.1, ZA491/N and to the best of my knowledge was a 20 Squadron jet operated out of Muharraq AB, Bahrain. It was not Alarm or TIALD-capable. I think my memory serves me right when I say that GR.4 deliveries to the RAF did not begin until 1997, so long after the 1990-91 Gulf War was over and the Desert Pink jets returned to normal operational colours. Hope that helps. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AjD Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Sorry, that's not 100% clear. There were certainly no GR.4s taking part in Operation Granby, so you're safe to assume GR.1...! It's the 1997 date for GR.4 introduction that comes from memory and I stand corrected if wrong, but I doubt I'm all that far out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) As others have said she started life as GR.1, was later converted to a GR.4 and was lost after crashing into sea on 22/07/04 (crew ejected safely). Edited February 16, 2015 by andym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacetiger hobbes Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Thank-you. Conversion to a GR4 would explain how it went to the Gulf War as a GR1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Just to confirm that 'N' Nora Batty/Nikki was indeed a GR.1 and was part of the four aircraft group that made up Snoopy Airways at Muharraq during the first Gulf War. The original artwork was named 'Nora Batty', but only lasted a day before we changed her name to 'Nikki'. I was the line controller and electrical trade manager on the Snoopy Airways contingent which, interestingly operated out of the old RAF Muharraq dispersal and hangar. We shared the dispersal with the Jaguars and Buccaneers, so things used to get a bit hairy when seeing aircraft off on sorties. Here are two pictures of 'N' wearing the respective nose art names. XVTonker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) Just out of curiosity; what was the reason for the change of name? Is there some (naughty?) double meaning in the name "Nora Batty" that I miss, not being a native speaker? Edited February 17, 2015 by Sten Ekedahl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Just out of curiosity; what was the reason for the change of name? Is there some (naughty?) double meaning in the name "Nora Batty" that I miss, not being a native speaker? No, we just thought that Nora Batty didn't fit in with the image......... XVTonker 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Just out of curiosity; what was the reason for the change of name? Is there some (naughty?) double meaning in the name "Nora Batty" that I miss, not being a native speaker? Nora Batty is a TV charactor from the British TV series "Last of the summer wine." some people find her glamourous? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6836813/Nora-Batty-alive-and-bossing-men-1000-years-ago-study-finds.html Selwyn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike7451 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Sorry, that's not 100% clear. There were certainly no GR.4s taking part in Operation Granby, so you're safe to assume GR.1...! It's the 1997 date for GR.4 introduction that comes from memory and I stand corrected if wrong, but I doubt I'm all that far out. IIRC the upgrading of the GR1 to GR4 standard started in the mid 90's & carried on till the mid 2000's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Nora Batty is a TV charactor from the British TV series "Last of the summer wine." some people find her glamourous? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6836813/Nora-Batty-alive-and-bossing-men-1000-years-ago-study-finds.html Selwyn Ah, thank you. That was completly unknown to me. Seeing the pics of the "real" Nora Batty, I can understand the reason for changing the name to Nikki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike7451 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 No, we just thought that Nora Batty didn't fit in with the image......... XVTonker Yeah,and we called the TIALD pods Sandra & Tracy aka The Fat [email protected] figure...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotthldr Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I think I may be correct in saying that ZA491 wore the 20 Sqn "GC" code on the Starboard of the fin and "N" on the Port? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirfixAndy Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Confusion arises because a decal manufacturer ( think its Kits world) incorrectly describes the Tornados of the Gulf War as GR4s . Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xvtonker Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I think I may be correct in saying that ZA491 wore the 20 Sqn "GC" code on the Starboard of the fin and "N" on the Port? No she carried N on both sides of the fin throughout her time at Muharraq, as seen on the pictures below. These were taken close to the end of hostilities with a full compliment of mission markings. She is parked outside what used to be one of the original RAF Muharraq hangars. XVTonker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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