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Tornado GR.1 Operation Granby


is it windy yet?

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Inspired by my new 1:48 Eduard/Revell 1:48 Tornado.  I have been checking my resources and have discovered that I know a fair bit about the overall use of the tornado in operation Granby. However I have very little knowledge of the specifics of individual aircraft and load outs during the operation.   Most of my books are pilots personal accounts of the operation and don’t focus on the areas needed for building an accurate model.  I know that early missions were low level strikes against airfields using unguided bombs and the JP 233 weapon systems. Later on in the conflict the role switched to medium altitude precision weapons delivery.

 

 Most of the markings on the Eduard decal sheet seem to have large numbers of mission markings. One can assume that these higher mission markings correspond to later stages of the conflict. And conversely fewer mission markings would be  earlier in the conflict. So later in the conflict which weapons would be seen on tornadoes such bottom ZD739, armoured charmer and ZD892, Helen.   If I were to depict armoured charmer with a TIALD pod. What else would be on the aircraft?  The Hindenburg tanks, BOZ pod, sky shadow? Sidewinders on both Hindenburg tanks?  Any other ECM pods or countermeasures?

 

 When did the TIALD pods start being used around how many mission markings would be on the plane?  Any other changes or things I should be aware of?  The ALARM missiles would not have been carried on a GR.1 they were only used on the F3? 

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According to the RAF yearbook of 1991, the TIALD equiped aircraft started Ops on 10 Feb when Wg Cdr Iveson and Flt Lt Purkiss flying in ZD848 were accompanied to H3SW airfield by Flt Lts Walker and Frost, plus the 4 bombing aircraft.The aircrft would normally be equpied with the TIALD pod, plus 2  underwing 495 Gallon (2.250 Ltr) drop tanks with a 330 Gallon (1,500 Ltr)tank on the STBD belly position, jettisoning the latter before the target so that it did not obstruct the lasers alround view. They would also be fitted with 2 sidewinders, Skyshadow and Boz pods. There were 5 aircarft that went to theatre ZA393/CQ, ZA406/DN. ZD739/AC, ZZD844/DE and ZD848/BC which shared 2 TIALD pod named "Sandra" and "Tracey". TIALD mounted 72 successful and 23 aborted operational sortiesbetween 10 and 27 Feb.

 

The F3s did not use ALARM missiles as I think that this was only an experiemnt and also much later than the Gulf Conflict, these were only used by the GR1s.

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8 minutes ago, Jabba said:

According to the RAF yearbook of 1991, the TIALD equiped aircraft started Ops on 10 Feb when Wg Cdr Iveson and Flt Lt Purkiss flying in ZD848 were accompanied to H3SW airfield by Flt Lts Walker and Frost, plus the 4 bombing aircraft.The aircrft would normally be equpied with the TIALD pod, plus 2  underwing 495 Gallon (2.250 Ltr) drop tanks with a 330 Gallon (1,500 Ltr)tank on the STBD belly position, jettisoning the latter before the target so that it did not obstruct the lasers alround view. They would also be fitted with 2 sidewinders, Skyshadow and Boz pods. There were 5 aircarft that went to theatre ZA393/CQ, ZA406/DN. ZD739/AC, ZZD844/DE and ZD848/BC which shared 2 TIALD pod named "Sandra" and "Tracey". TIALD mounted 72 successful and 23 aborted operational sortiesbetween 10 and 27 Feb.

 

The F3s did not use ALARM missiles as I think that this was only an experiemnt and also much later than the Gulf Conflict, these were only used by the GR1s.

I am a bit confused, so the F3’s didn’t use them, which I understand. But the GR.1 did use them, just not during the gulf war but later enforcing the no fly zone?

 

Any source of decals for Tracy and Sandra markings for the pod?  I saw a photo of one of them, I was kind of hoping that other pods didn’t carry the names and I could go that route. 

 

Also the TALID pod aircraft never carried the pod and bombs simultaneously.  Is that correct?

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TIALD was only available at Tabuk  (for the composite sqn formed from 16 and 20 sqns) and as noted above only 5 a/c were modified to carry the pod,  At the beginning the TIALD a/c only carried the pod (plus tanks etc) but later on they would carry 2 LGBs as well. Another option was to carry the TIALD and another fuel tank..  ZA739/AC "Armoured Charmer" flew the most missions at 36.

 

George

Edited by boffin
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ALARM were carried by a few GR1s. At first in fact (and little photographed) on the main wing pylon with the tanks moved to the belly positions. Then the tanks were moved back to the usual location and three ALARM carried on the belly - later reduced to two as stocks ran low. 

 

Two excellent sources if you if you can find them are the special gulf war supplement issue to the RAF yearbook, and the book Thunder & Lightning by Charles Allen ( used copies on amazon).

 

ah, some kind would did a PDF of the yearbook supplement https://www.docdroid.net/iqL7qID/royal-air-force-yearbook-special-air-war-in-the-gulf.pdf

 

note that most nose art was not applied till after things kicked off so doesn’t necessarily fit with early war loads such as JP233 or 8x1000 lbs 

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18 hours ago, is it windy yet? said:

Any source of decals for Tracy and Sandra markings for the pod?  I saw a photo of one of them, I was kind of hoping that other pods didn’t carry the names and I could go that route. 

 

The only decals that I can find in my collection is one the Modeldecal sheets for Gulf War aircraft, but these are in 1/72 which does not help you.

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2 hours ago, Plastikschrottler said:

The new Brassin TIALD pod comes with the decals for Sandra and Tracy.

TIALD instructions

Well that make my life easier doesn’t it. Thanks

20 hours ago, boffin said:

TIALD was only available at Tabuk  (for the composite sqn formed from 16 and 20 sqns) and as noted above only 5 a/c were modified to carry the pod,  At the beginning the TIALD a/c only carried the pod (plus tanks etc) but later on they would carry 2 LGBs as well. Another option was to carry the TIALD and another fuel tank..  ZA739/AC "Armoured Charmer" flew the most missions at 36.

 

George

Good to know. 

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19 hours ago, wombat said:

ALARM were carried by a few GR1s. At first in fact (and little photographed) on the main wing pylon with the tanks moved to the belly positions. Then the tanks were moved back to the usual location and three ALARM carried on the belly - later reduced to two as stocks ran low. 

 

Two excellent sources if you if you can find them are the special gulf war supplement issue to the RAF yearbook, and the book Thunder & Lightning by Charles Allen ( used copies on amazon).

 

ah, some kind would did a PDF of the yearbook supplement https://www.docdroid.net/iqL7qID/royal-air-force-yearbook-special-air-war-in-the-gulf.pdf

 

note that most nose art was not applied till after things kicked off so doesn’t necessarily fit with early war loads such as JP233 or 8x1000 lbs 

Great info.  The PDF will be handy, and I ordered the book 2nd hand, quite inexpensive actually. 

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