1/48 Tornado wheels (standard tires / tires type "a" / tires type "b")

[LucaP]

hi guys, anyone who knows the differences between these 3 types of tyres?

 

std

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/RESIM4809

 

type 1

http://armorymodels.com/ar-aw48501a-148-panavia-tornado-wheels-w-tires-type-a/

 

type 2

http://armorymodels.com/ar-aw48501b148-panavia-tornado-wheels-w-tires-type-b/

 

do they refer to specific versions of the Tornado (GR.1, IDS, ADV, GR.4, ECR etc.) or specific timeframes?

 

many thanks.

[Steve McArthur]

Just looking at the pics: what you call "std." and the "type 1" both look like the same Dunlop tires. The "type 2" are Goodyear radials. I would guess the Dunlops are standard bias ply type VII tires and were probably the original fit tires. Radials didn't start being certified for on aircraft until the 1980s, so the "type 2" would be a retrofit. I have no idea when they would have come into normal use.

[LucaP]

hi Steve, many thanks.

yes you're right, standard=type 1.

can you suggest me specific version in which I could mount the type 2 tires (Good year radials)?

cheers

Edited March 28, 2017 by LucaP

[Steve McArthur]

I don't know the Tornado that well. I just guessing, but the fleet probably switched at some point in the 1990's. It wouldn't necessarily be limited to specific types. My tire references don't show a different tire for different versions of the Tornado, just the tire size used by the fleet, so either should be allowed. Searching the internet, I haven't found a definitive photo with radials, but several that were definitively the standard tire.

 

My guess is that once the radial tires were certified they would gradually replace the older type as stock ran down probably on IDS first, but even then different air forces may have stayed with the older type instead of switching. For a Desert Storm plane it's a safe bet that all Tornadoes were on the Dunlops, but by the 2003+ era it could be either. Really you need to see if you can tell from photos of what you want to model or maybe someone else could chime in here.