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Early Tornado GR1 9 Sqn RAF. Revell 1/48


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This is Revells 1/48 Tornado GR4 back dated as one of the initial GR1's to equip 9 Sqn at RAF Honington in 1982/3. In it's early days the Tonka was not cleared to drop much in the way of weapons, only 3kg and 28lb practice bombs and totally at the other end of the spectrum WE177 strike weapons! This meant the regular station exercises to get the squadron ready to declare operational very quickly got into the fun and games of "no lone zones" and strike loads. This is how I have represented the aircraft.

I used the Neomega resin cockpit to revert to GR1 standard. Also the first airframes were lacking the LRMTS fairing under the nose. I had to bend the rules a bit, and fit a BOZ 105 pod. These were not available in the early days, but I did not have a second Skyshadow pod to fit. Also the green flash around the forward roundel is the larger version adopted when the Sqn moved to Bruggen. Other AM used were Brassin wheels, Master pitot tube and Seans wing seals and outboard pylons. The WE177 is from Shapeways.

 

All comments welcome.

Rob.

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That’s just great. Treat yourself to a base for a couple of quid. All that effort and a clean build to be shown off on a creased bit of cloth.

 

Steve.

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That's very nice, a good backdate. The camouflage is particularly well done.

 

Did you alter the nosewheel leg at all? Yours doesn't have the usual Revell nose high attitude which affects all their Tornados in every scale!

 

Alan

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Great work, I've  had a hankering to do an early Tornado line jet (in 1/72) for some time- and thanks for the reminder ref the BOZ Pod drought- I had it in my head that it was the Sky Shadow pods that were late turning up. I have read your post a couple of times and I don't think you mention what paints you have used- any pointers?

 

My only comment- as an ex-fairy the white Marker Antenna is obviously missing from the starboard Engine Door- It's a conformal antenna, rectangular with rounded corners. and quite visible. It's Seen on the F3 as well. It stands out nicely on the UK test scheme here:  Tornado Underside

 

 

In the interests of Nostalgia, here is a cracking video from those heady days:  RAF Recruiting Video: IX Sqn Bombing Mission  (Note the Two Skyshadow pods 🙂 )

 

 

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Lovely model, in my favourite Tornado scheme! I do agree with the others though that it really deserves a better - less distracting - background.

 

As you obviously know the jet well, can I ask about the open airbrakes? I always thought they were closed on the ground - were they actually regularly left open?

 

Keith

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Thanks for the comments guys. Yes, I totally agree about the cloth, it is an old dust sheet I grabbed, maybe not the best idea! I also have  difficulty getting good light on the subject, maybe should take it outside to get the photo's.

 

 

14 hours ago, Alan P said:

Did you alter the nosewheel leg at all? Yours doesn't have the usual Revell nose high attitude which affects all their Tornados in every scale!

 

Yes, I reduced the length of the oleo section to get rid of the nose high attitude.

 

11 hours ago, Troffa said:

My only comment- as an ex-fairy the white Marker Antenna is obviously missing from the starboard Engine Door- It's a conformal antenna, rectangular with rounded corners. and quite visible. It's Seen on the F3 as well. It stands out nicely on the UK test scheme here:  Tornado Underside

Duly noted. I didn't see that on any of my reference photos. I'm currently building the F3, so will add it.

Paint wise, they are all Tamiya acrylics XF81 dark green and XF82 ocean grey with a final coat of XF86 flat clear.

 

48 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

As you obviously know the jet well, can I ask about the open airbrakes? I always thought they were closed on the ground - were they actually regularly left open?

I don't really know the Tornado well. I was only on one of the station load teams that went over and loaded the bombs. Maybe it was only done in the early days, I seem to remember them being left open at that time. This was one of my reference photo's of ZA590 at that time https://www.flickr.com/photos/59455242@N07/7925291828 . Also in the video Troffa linked to they are open at 47 seconds in and at 3:05.

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10 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

As you obviously know the jet well, can I ask about the open airbrakes? I always thought they were closed on the ground - were they actually regularly left open?

 

Keith

I only worked on F3's but the system was the same- and the brakes were left out occasionally, maybe once a month or so, at shut down, to enable routine inspections to be carried out. The hydraulic Reservoir indications on the side of the fuselage would be a couple of litres low due to the fluid in the actuators. In short it wouldn't be unreasonable to have them deployed on the ground.

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3 hours ago, Troffa said:

I only worked on F3's but the system was the same- and the brakes were left out occasionally, maybe once a month or so, at shut down, to enable routine inspections to be carried out. The hydraulic Reservoir indications on the side of the fuselage would be a couple of litres low due to the fluid in the actuators. In short it wouldn't be unreasonable to have them deployed on the ground.

 

12 hours ago, Phone Phixer said:

I don't really know the Tornado well. I was only on one of the station load teams that went over and loaded the bombs. Maybe it was only done in the early days, I seem to remember them being left open at that time. This was one of my reference photo's of ZA590 at that time https://www.flickr.com/photos/59455242@N07/7925291828 . Also in the video Troffa linked to they are open at 47 seconds in and at 3:05.

 

Thanks both!

 

Keith

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  • 3 months later...
On 9/1/2019 at 3:20 AM, Phone Phixer said:

This is Revells 1/48 Tornado GR4 back dated as one of the initial GR1's to equip 9 Sqn at RAF Honington in 1982/3. In it's early days the Tonka was not cleared to drop much in the way of weapons, only 3kg and 28lb practice bombs and totally at the other end of the spectrum WE177 strike weapons! This meant the regular station exercises to get the squadron ready to declare operational very quickly got into the fun and games of "no lone zones" and strike loads. This is how I have represented the aircraft.

I used the Neomega resin cockpit to revert to GR1 standard. Also the first airframes were lacking the LRMTS fairing under the nose. I had to bend the rules a bit, and fit a BOZ 105 pod. These were not available in the early days, but I did not have a second Skyshadow pod to fit. Also the green flash around the forward roundel is the larger version adopted when the Sqn moved to Bruggen. Other AM used were Brassin wheels, Master pitot tube and Seans wing seals and outboard pylons. The WE177 is from Shapeways.

 

All comments welcome.

Rob.

20190831-192736-4.jpg

20190831-191805-3.jpg

20190831-185011-4.jpg

20190831-192745-3.jpg

20190831-191516-3.jpg

20190831-192745-3.jpg

20190831-185044-4.jpg

20190831-192756-3.jpg

Nice work. I was stationed at Honington when 9 sqn formed. I was a fireman and remember the exercises well. Happy days. Nice to see 

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