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Latest build from me depicting the loss of Panavia Tornado GR.1 ZD791 on the very first day of the Gulf War, January 17th 1991. Crewed by John Peters and John Nichol, their Tornado was hit by both a surface to air missile as well as taking hits from 23mm flak. Both survived the ejection and were taken prisoner and were released at the end of hostilities.

This is a 1/32 scale Revell kit, the aircrew being aftermarket items. Not a perfect build and certainly some artistic licence was used, hopefully this depicts a well known incident from the first day of the Gulf War.

 

Last picture is a link to Flickr showing a video of the flickering lights representing flames. Not sure it really works, but it was the first time, so very much a learning curve. 


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50682983381_068c09c6f8_c.jpg 

 

50682219943_1ca0716d2a_c.jpg 

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Beautiful work and original theme.

 

I remember seeing a similar theme-build a very long time ago at an exhibition but, it was only the front airframe of the airplane. It was an 1/72 Mirage F.1 with the pilot, ejecting by breaking the canopy.

 

Again, beautiful work!

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6 hours ago, Peter W said:

Great looking build and I think that the flames look incredible. If that's a first effort then can't wait to see where you go from here.

 

Pete

AGREE!

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10 hours ago, carlstavros said:

Fantastic modelling, although doesn’t the MDC shatter the canopy rather than the whole thing detach on a Tornado? Apologies if I’m wrong!

It is a belt & braces arrangement.

 

If the canopy doesn't detach, then the MDC shatters it.

 

See below extract:

 

"2.5 Aircraft Canopy and Associated Jettison System. 2.5.1 The Tornado canopy was an assembly constructed from a stretched acrylic transparency manufactured in two sections, joined by an aluminium alloy strap [9]. The assembly had a mass of around 140kg [10]. It was hinged and pivoted at the rear, providing access to the front and rear cockpits. 2.5.2 The canopy was raised and lowered hydraulically by a single canopy jack, with the locking being carried out mechanically via a shootbolt mechanism [11]. Internal handles in each cockpit and an external handle on the front left-hand side of the fuselage controlled canopy movement. 2.5.3 Jettisoning of the canopy was accomplished via two rocket motors, situated one each side at the forward corners. Actuation of the Canopy Jettison System (CJS) was Page 6 of 70 QINETIQ/AT&E/CR00782/1 initiated by either operation of the canopy jettison handle, or as part of the automatic ejection sequence. 2.5.4 The jettison sequence commenced with either the ejection sequence or the canopy jettison handle operating the canopy jettison initiator unit [7] (Figure 8-8). The initiator unit comprised of two breech units in a main body, a bell-crank and a piston unit. Expending gases, generated by the firing of the unit cartridges, were fed to the Canopy Unlocking Jacks (CUJ's) and canopy jack mechanism via two outlet connections [12]. 2.5.5 The expanding gases detached the canopy jack by operation of the canopy jack release mechanism, which activated the canopy jack trunnion assembly release plunger. 2.5.6 The expanding gases also rotated the locking/unlocking torque shaft via the CUJ's which unlocked the canopy and withdrew•the sears from the canopy rocket motor firing units. This caused the rocket motors to ignite, with the rocket efflux rotating the canopy assembly on its hinges away from the fuselage via nozzle assemblies (Figure 8-9). 2.5.7 As the canopy ascended, the hinges rotated around the link assembly hinge bolts until tongues at the centre of the link assembly's contact the rear of the hinge brackets. The canopy continued to rotate and sheared the centre link assembly at a machined slot (designed weak point) which freed the canopy from the hinge bracket and transferred the canopy from the aircraft separation phase to complete jettison. 2.5.8 If either of the CUJ's failed to operate during the jettison phase, the respective sear would not be withdrawn from the rocket motor firing unit, resulting in the CJS operating with only a single rocket motor."

 

From here:

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/432912/response/1089995/attach/4/20171214 FOI2017 10392 Jones Mk10a ejection seat modifications report.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

 

Turns out RAF aircrew are heavier chaps than they were in 1975 when the Mk10 was cleared for Tornado,  and they never envisaged female occupants either!

Edited by At Sea
Edited to add corroborating source information.
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Love it ! 

 

"Of course we knew we wouldn't be going. Tornados only go to war at Armageddon, everyone knew that". 

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