At Sea Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 With apologies to Manfred Mann... 2019 is a sad year as the Tornado is being taken out of RAF service, with any luck they will struggle on in Luftwaffe and Aeronautica Militare service for a couple more years but I have decided to spend 2019 building as many Tornado's as I can keep enthusiasm for as a tribute to this marvellous aeroplane. Born out of the 20 years of procurement failures by all nations concerned, TSR.2, Lockheed Scandal etc etc the Italian, German and British governments set about the MRCA project. Unkindly referred to as 'Must Replace Canberra Again' the Multi Role Combat Aircraft was an attempt to build the love child of the F-111 & TSR.2 but made easier by the fact that Technology was catching up with the aspirations of service users and designers. Designed to be short field, line serviceable (note the very clever engine swap hoists), low running costs and high availability the Tornado has been a sight in European skies for 44 years and in front line service (in Cold and Hot wars) for 37 years. Derided at the time as over complex, over budget, obsolete it has matured and proven to be one of the cheapest per-hour aircraft of any equivalent type. The Eurofighter Typhoon was spawned as a direct result of Tornado and the controversy over the F-35 project seems nothing new when you look back. I will miss them. I have no 'road map' for this project other than to work my way through my stash of 10 1/48 Revell Tornado kits, and multiple decals sheets. I will try to build representatives of each nations versions in service, but probably won't duplicate later types as my appetite for a cabinet of grey jets is limited. As Christopher Lee says at the beginning of "To the Devil a Daughter" 'Perhaps you'd better start at the beginning...' So here we go, using the SyHart decal sheet for 44+61, a 2014 Luftwaffe jet masquerading as the prototype to celebrate 40 years of Tornado... Oh! Please feel free to join in, chip in ideas, point out mistakes etc etc. 13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Everybody is a Fan of The Fin, watching avidly 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackster Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Grabbing a seat for this one! What a fantastic tribute to a fantastic A/C! Cheers Kev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 Open box, obviously I hate Revell's end opening boxes, so decanted into something more sensible. Eduard Masks, Eduard zoom, Master Pitot and SyHart decals. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 Not my scale but I have a number of 1/72 kits to build, so I'll take a seat and see what unfolds. Love your first option. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 So wing building, as 44+61 was clean in this scheme I have decided to have operable swing wings, this means they have to be clean. Someone mentioned the other day about the hassle of getting a clean wing to look good with the Revell kit, I have built a couple so here is my method. Build 2 halves and leading edge slat. With a little fettling and a brush of a sanding block over the back the spoiler lies flat too. The 'big bit' of the flap gets test fitted and fettled and the inboard row on locating tabs are struck off to make a tighter fit. The 'little bits' then get removed and individually sanded on the back to sit tight. Then glue in the 'big bit' (here I prefer the Humbrol gloopy glue as it is quite workable and allows plenty of squidge as it dries slowly. The 'little bits' can be fitted individually to the wing. Hope this helps someone. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 Here is the end result on my F.3 I built earlier this year with the same method... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 I am sure I remember seeing one of the prototypes with the three country roundel back in about 79 / 80 at an air show. Makes me feel old to think that Tornado & F-16 were new developments. Still have books & magazines that refer to the MRCA as the name Tornado wasnt really being used yet! The last couple of year I have seen the jets heading in & out of Mariam so will be watching your builds with interest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley John Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 11 hours ago, At Sea said: Hope this helps someone Will certainly help me! Got to love a Tonka. I've more versions of the Tonka in the stash than any other aircraft - although I think I need to get one of the recent 1/48 Italeri GR1's and a 1/72 Hasegawa F3, so will look forward to your builds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 12 hours ago, At Sea said: The 'little bits' can be fitted individually to the wing. Hope this helps someone. Does help - makes sense. I did mine with flaps down etc, but must do another one at some point. Quite possibly German one 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted December 24, 2018 Author Share Posted December 24, 2018 Started nailing the fuselage together. Building using the @Sebastien method which I highly rate, based on his F.3 RSAF build here: And my version of events... Love Eduard etch cockpit parts... I do however cut off the throttle quadrants and use the Kit mouldings for these. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted December 24, 2018 Author Share Posted December 24, 2018 A little work today, fitted the wing gloves, built the eponymous fin and started the intakes. I fit the inner side first and leave the whole lot floating until the outer half, innards etc are fitted and then sit it all against the fuselage. I find this needs almost no filler. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Lyttle Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 You're right, it IS a stonking aeroplane, and will be sadly missed. Maybe missed most by the RAF. Let's face it, they haven't got very much left to work with. Can I be a smart-alec for a moment?..... and just mention that the Quinn, although the Manfred's had a pop hit with a cover, belongs to the mighty, long-lived Nobel laureate Bob Dylan. Like your method for getting the various parts together here. Hope you build loads of them before you run out of steam.... or kits! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Puff Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 I was always told that "MRCA" meant "Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane" ... I will be following this; I have a pair of Hasegawa Tonkas lined up to get finished. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bell209 Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 On 12/25/2018 at 5:45 AM, At Sea said: I find this needs almost no filler. I tried this, too. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line something became glued and I needed a lot of filler on my GR4! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 On 12/25/2018 at 1:45 AM, Admiral Puff said: I was always told that "MRCA" meant "Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane" ... I will be following this; I have a pair of Hasegawa Tonkas lined up to get finished. Yes that was one meaning plus "must refurbish/respar Canberra's again". Like the work that you have done on the model, must remember to note this when I get around (one day) to build one of these. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share Posted January 1, 2019 Now we are cooking! Almost ready to start shaking the white primer rattle can! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Going 'great guns'. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 (edited) Looks very very promising! Great year 2019 project! Will be taking notes.... sure you will find out how best tackle this kit in due course!! I also should fo something like this.... A German green one, Italian Dessert Brown one... of course a Gr1 in DP and a Gr.4 with Raptor or CAS loadout..... And some more! So far I only managed 2 F3s..... Edited January 2, 2019 by exdraken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Lyttle Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Surely there will be a "Snoopy Airways " version on the bench at some point. Even a Buccaneer to ride along if Fin Fatigue sets in... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 9 hours ago, rob Lyttle said: Surely there will be a "Snoopy Airways " version on the bench at some point. Even a Buccaneer to ride along if Fin Fatigue sets in... I have those decals. And if Tan-Model pull their finger out... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Having done some thinking on this I will be definitely be building: Prototype (seen above) Italian early service green / grey over silver. Luftwaffe Norm '83 as per the Revell box top from the 1980's 1/32 box top. Marinefleiger Basalt grey over white because I got to sit in one at Yeovilton Air Day. Will try and identify that aircraft. Luftwaffe Grey current scheme JagBo 33 as pictured by me at Fairford 2018. RAF GR.1 desert pink. RAF GR.4 grey scheme with Storm-shadows. RAF F.3. And of course an RAF early service GR.1 from 9 squadron "where's my long johns" with no LTRMS. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 Tempted to slap some small roundels on this & call it done. 😉 Grey primer on. Feeling confident. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
At Sea Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Ghostly Tornado! Or as Michael Barrymore would say; "All White!" 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Looking great. Your build list looks interesting, like me with Sabres! Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now