Testors/Italieri 1/72 MRCA Tornado?

[mdauben]

I've been thinking of adding a Tornado to my stash, and had a question.  Doing a web search, the predominant recommendation seems to be the Revell model.  In my searing though, the model that has caught my eye is the Testor/Italieri MRCA Tornado in German markings:

 

 

I really like the paint job on this and the four Kormoran(?) missiles it is carrying.  Revell does not seem to offer an "MRCA" version of the Hurricane, or a model that includes this weapons load out.  So, how is the Testors kit?  I have not been able to find much info on the model and I'm not sure how it compares to the Revell Huricanes?  If the Testors kit is really inferior, is there a version of the Revell kit that could be converted into this German MRCA version?

 

Thanks!  

[Giorgio N]

There was never an "MRCA" version of the Tornado, this just meant Multi Role Combat Aircraft and was part of the description of the aircraft when the project was started. This means that to build a Tornado in these markings you just need a Tornado with the details relevant to the German aircraft

This is the original italeri kit, that is inferior to the current Revell one in many ways and is closer to the prototype in shape than to the production aircraft. Just look at the shape of the intakes and the area above the wing rotation points and compare with a picture of any production Tornado.

Any of the Revell boxes dedicated to German Tornadoes would work fine to build a Marineflieger aircraft. The only doubt I have is with the Kormoran missiles, as I'm not sure if missiles and pylons are included in any of the Revell boxes. And of course you would need proper decals.

In any case many old kits of the Tornado included these markings and Kormoran missiles, you may well be able to find them in this same forum.

 

[Silverkite]

On 1/28/2020 at 4:19 PM, mdauben said:

I've been thinking of adding a Tornado to my stash, and had a question.  Doing a web search, the predominant recommendation seems to be the Revell model.  In my searing though, the model that has caught my eye is the Testor/Italieri MRCA Tornado in German markings:

 

 

I really like the paint job on this and the four Kormoran(?) missiles it is carrying.  Revell does not seem to offer an "MRCA" version of the Hurricane, or a model that includes this weapons load out.  So, how is the Testors kit?  I have not been able to find much info on the model and I'm not sure how it compares to the Revell Huricanes?  If the Testors kit is really inferior, is there a version of the Revell kit that could be converted into this German MRCA version?

 

Thanks!  

I will try to NOT TL;DR Italeri many Tornado variants and if in the meanwhile I find the piece of paper on which I written who reboxed what and not I will also add this, otherwise nickels

Scalemates timeline is partially correct but messy due Revell reboxes

Italeri #124 box 1st edition prototype aircraft as box art
2x Kormoran missiles; 2x Sea Eagle missiles ; 2x Aim-7 missiles; 4x 250lbs (?) bombs 2x 70mm or whatever rocket pods and 2x pilot figures
Options for two aircraft: RAF XX-948 and Luftwaffe D-9592

Italeri #124 box 2nd edition camouflaged aircraft as box art
Outside the box art and decal sheet paper no other changes were made

 

You can recognize these earlier kits as the lower fuselage comes with a raised step for belly pylons (no raise in the middle section though)

 

Revell reboxed either box with code H-2023 with no changes in the decal sheet

Testors reboxed either box with code 872 but decals had the following options:

Marineflieger 98+03

RAF XX-948

 

Italeri #151 box art with a Marineflieger aircraft

Changes were mostly made only in the sprue marked as a square

2x Kormoran missiles; 2; drop tanks; 2x Aim-9 missiles and related pylons; added probe for inflight refueling and LMRTS sensor, plus something funky standing as what I guess should be 2x Cerberus pod were also in for the fun, both crew figures were still there

Sprue marked as a triangle still had the same stuff from previous #124 but the raised step for belly pylons was removed

Markings for AMI 6-07; Luftwaffe 44+10; Marineflieger 43+32 and RAF ZA-590

 

 

Reboxed by Revell as #4333 decals had the following options:

AMI 6-05

Luftwaffe 43+93

Marineflieger 43+46

RAF ZA-592

 

 

Italeri #164 box art with a Luftwaffe aircraft

Italeri revised different things here:

Intakes received narrowed lights instead of that huge tear shaped thing

Main instrument panels received raised detail

Pilots went AWOL

Vertical stab had some of its antennas removed

Wing pylons lost their locating dents for drop tanks

Upper fuselage received the dent for the intakes and also tail base between engine nozzles was lengthened

Rear section of the lower fuselage was partially revised as they added a couple of lumps and what I guess are a couple of drains

250lbs bombs replaced with slimmer ones, added MW-1 munition dispenser, BOZ-107 and Sky Shadow pods were added

Drop tanks with engraved panels

Due changes sprue layout was revised but its detail didn't change from past releases

Markings for AMI 36-34; Luftwaffe 44+76 and RAF ZD717

 

Reboxed by Bilek as #929 new markings for a RAF Desert Storm Tornado ZA447 Mig Eater and a RSAF 501 Tornado again from Desert Storm

Reboxed by Flugzeug as #1006 retained the same Italeri decal sheet plus an extra set of decals for a Special Color aircraft and possibly with PE and white metal parts

Reboxed by Italeri as #1384 new markings for 3 RAF Tornado during the Desert Storm which are ZA447 Mig Eater; ZD746 Alarm Belle; ZD850 Cherry Lips and ZD890 Hello Kuwait G'bye Iraq

Reboxed by Revell as #4355 BUT sprue A was MODIFIED and contained an IFR and a recce pod as per Italeri box #171 in place of Sky Shadow and LMRTS pieces, yet it still had MW-1 dispenser and slicker gpb. New markings for AMI 36-34; Luftwaffe 44+17 (even if the box shows 44+54); RAF ZA412

Reboxed probably by Take Off magazine minus the MW-1 dispenser, I can't find the pictures I saved but I guess it had markings for an AMI Tornado during Desert Storm

 

Italeri #171 box art with a Marineflieger Tornado

Another sprue revision (Sprue B is the same as #164 box)

Kormoran missiles are back

Added 2 Harm missiles and relative adapters

Recce and IFR pod added

Markings for AMI 6-51 (tail art is kinda wrong); Marineflieger 45+45 and RAF ZA412

 

Reboxed by Revell as #4361 markings for Luftwaffe 45+37 and Marineflieger 43+82

 

Italeri #071 box art with an AMI Tornado

Last revision with added parts for ECR/SEAD varaints with Alarm and Harm missiles, IRLS and FLIR sensors added, LRMTS Sky Shadow and BOZ are back onna menu

Markings for AMI 50-55, Luftwaffe 44+44 and RAF Desert Storm ZD851 Amanda Jane

 

Reboxed many times by Italeri as  #1291 - #1336 - #1403 and #6804

 

This should be everything

 

(I'm updating and correcting it from time to time)

 

Luigi

 

 

Edited February 1, 2020 by Silverkite

[mdauben]

9 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

There was never an "MRCA" version of the Tornado, this just meant Multi Role Combat Aircraft and was part of the description of the aircraft when the project was started.

I admit I'm no expert on the Tornado.  I've seen Revell kits marked as "IDS" and the cover art shows them with air to ground ordnance and "ADV" with air to air ordnance in the cover art.  Do these represent actual different models, or is the mission ordnance the only difference?

[stever219]

4 minutes ago, mdauben said:

I admit I'm no expert on the Tornado.  I've seen Revell kits marked as "IDS" and the cover art shows them with air to ground ordnance and "ADV" with air to air ordnance in the cover art.  Do these represent actual different models, or is the mission ordnance the only difference?

The IDS Tornado and ADV are significantly different in a number of areas.  If the IDS is taken as the baseline model with its blunt radome, two Mauser 27 mm cannon (as built: the RAF GR. 4 lost one of the guns), under nose LRMTS and (GR 4) FLIR installation, bolt-on AAR probe, 2 or 3 under fuselage pylons and 2 underwing pylons each side.  the ADV differs in having a longer radome, in-built, retractable AAR probe, one cannon, semi-recessed stations for two BAe Skyflash missiles under the front fuselage, extended front fuselage behind cockpit with additional fuel tankage, wing root glove fairings with increased leading edge sweep, further under-fuselage stations for 2 more Skyflash missiles, normally only one underwing pylon each side and an extended rear fuselage aft of the tailplane pivot to accommodate the extended reheat sections of the RB.199 Mk. 104 engines peculiar to this sub type..

 

Weapons fit depended on the operator but, for example, the RAF GR fleet could carry 8 x 1,000 lb bombs or one WE177 bucket of instant sunshine, 2 x JP233 runway denial munitions dispensers or 2 x BAe Sea Eagle ASMs under the fuselage, 2 x 1500 l or 2250 l tanks underwing, a BOZ 107 decoy dispenser under one wing and an ECM pod whose name I’ve temporarily forgotten, under the other.  Oh, and one, later 2, sidewinders on rails attached to the inboard underwing pylons.

 

I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen images of Kriegsmarine Tornados toting 4 Kormorans but more probably 2 Kormorans and 2 underwing tanks would be a more common load.  As in most things (1) I’ve forgotten something and, (2) other loads for different operators and variants are available, references abound.