Italeri Panavia tornado GR4, 1/32 beast.

[Graham316]

So the Christmas of 2020 was a little of a strange one, and the most of the year was no better. Constant home schooling and only essential shops being open. For most of us it was a good time to get plenty of bench time, and make out ways down the pile of kits in the stash.

for me? It was a time to start fresh, go back to the basics of modelling, learn new techniques and above all come back to Britmodeller. 
For Christmas I asked the wife for just one thing, as the title suggests, yes a big tornado.

For many years I have wanted to build a large scale tornado, and have all the bells and whistles to go with it. 
This Italeri offering was released late 2020 (November) and offered a large price tag to go with it (£109.99 - £129.99).

Is it worth the price? Well let’s find out.

 

 

 

As you can see, it has all the usual tornado parts, movable wings and ordnance, weapons, control surfaces which can be posed open or closed, real rubber tyres and wing gloves (nice touch), and much more. 
 

The decals are also impressive, with four options to choose from.

These are for various tornados as follows.

Tornado GR4, ZA542, danger mouse, operation Tellic 2003. 
 

Tornado GR4, ZA367, 617sqdn, Operation Herrick, 2010.

 

Tornado GR4, ZA542, 31st sqdn, Operation Ellamy, 2011.

 

All the decal options are printed in colour in a separate booklet (Nice touch).

Those walkway lines sure look fun!

The instruction book has clear construction stages from start to finish, showing each step and colour call outs on many parts.

There is a number of parts which are not used, could indicate other versions of Tornado in the future?

 

As for the construction it’s detailed but simple, clearly printed and easy to follow.

Pilot and co-pilot seats with added photo etch (included).

cockpit construction, very nice detail and separate parts for extra detail.

 

Sudden jump to front undercarriage leg and bay assembly.

Installed into underside of front fuselage, note drill points for chin pods.

Wheels and doors, my advice would be to skip to near end of construction.

Join on front fuselage halves and radar, noted weight in front and also detail painting.

more cockpit assembly and start of intakes, note more photo-etch for display screens.

Then a jump to the main fuselage, undercarriage legs and bays also shown in sub assemblies.

Then the intakes are next, note the photo-etch splitter in the starboard intake, then the wing gloves can be installed.

more internal construction, note option of open vents on underside of fuselage.

Rear wings with locking pins to allow rear wings to operate.

Construction of the engines, some nice details but could easily be improved.

Same construction, not the optional parts for the thrust covers.

Adding engines in are next, note you can opt for one engine out on a Tressel for added detail.

With the engines comple it’s onto the wings, note the actuator to keep the pylons and tanks in line. 

Note also the option control surfaces.

Then it’s onto airbrakes, again choice of open or closed.

Then the two halves can be joined together.

Once completed the front can be joined to the main fuselage.

 Then it’s the tornados signature tail.

 More photo-etch for the tail, and finally joined to the main assembly.

Followed by the spine and ariels.

Intakes are next to be added.

Followed by wing covers.

Followed by main wheels and legs.

Undercarriage doors.

Chin pods and alternate antennas.

Arrester hook and start of ordnance.

Refuelling boom in open or closed option.

Antennas and probes.

Canopy and nose cone.

The finished article.

I will show pictures of parts when I open the bags.

 

I will be starting this very soon, hopefully tonight. I plan on doing option 1 for ZA542 with the danger mouse and penfold duo on the nose.

 

thanks for looking, work to begin soon.

[Massimo]

WOW!!!!

Looks really good!!!

I didn't know here in Bologna, where I leave and where Italeri is based, they got this new kit !!!

It's been a difficult time!

Anyway after the F104 thislooks another pearl in this scale!

For us Italians the main work horses for 40 years!

For the RAF the same!

In this scale the engine option offers a lot of different scenarios!!!

 

Here a couple of pics of the week before their disbandment

 

I'll be watching closely this build!!!👍

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Massimo

[Graham316]

Thanks matey, yes the tornado has been a true workhorse, and it certainly looks the part in almost every place, I was very impressed with what was in the box.

[Graham316]

So for 2 hours I’ve been cracking on and getting the seats started, it worked out 12 pieces for each seat and 1 photo-etch part. There is still a lot to do on the seats including ejection handle, seat belts and all the added details. 

 They are looking great so far and will look great when completed 👍🏻

[moaning dolphin]

Totally out of my area of interest but looks like a lovely kit and you have my interest now! will follow along diligently, who knows you may tempt me! . great work so far on those seats, really looking forward to the progress.

Bob

[Selwyn]

Just a quick one to note, the model has GBU 12 Bombs. The RAF does not have these bombs in their inventory.

 

Selwyn

[Graham316]

2 hours ago, moaning dolphin said:

Totally out of my area of interest but looks like a lovely kit and you have my interest now! will follow along diligently, who knows you may tempt me! . great work so far on those seats, really looking forward to the progress.

Bob

Welcome aboard matey, you never know you may be tempted from all the extras😉

 

1 hour ago, Selwyn said:

Just a quick one to note, the model has GBU 12 Bombs. The RAF does not have these bombs in their inventory.

 

Selwyn

thankyou mate, I will remember to look for some resin aftermarket which are more suited to RAF use.

[tweeky]

One from me is RB199 related, Square oil tank were on the 101 engine the round tank was on the 103 (and the F3's 104)its a fully aerobatic tank. We had 103's in Germany , TTTE had 101's 

I'm thinking they made a mistake.

Edited January 15, 2021 by tweeky

[Graham316]

14 hours ago, tweeky said:

One from me is RB199 related, Square oil tank were on the 101 engine the round tank was on the 103 (and the F3's 104)its a fully aerobatic tank. We had 103's in Germany , TTTE had 101's 

I'm thinking they mad a mistake.

Thanks for that matey, I’ve decided not to have the engine out on display as there is no internal detail, so it would leave an empty hole in the rear fuselage, I may try and get a spare engine to have on display.