cherisy Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Hi I'm aware there has been some discussion on this forum in the past but can anyone give me a definitive answer as to whether ZA447 carried the shark mouth markings on the early ops or in fact if any of the Tabuk aircraft did. All the publications and online photos I've found either show aircraft with nose art which I am led to believe only came about after the first few days or no markings at all but with the codes not visible so I cant confirm which was which. I did read on here somewhere that some Tabuk aircraft had sharkmouths from the beginning and the only photo I've found was taken 19th Jan with the outlines of a shark mouth and taken from the right. Any help would be great. Thanks In advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Just read in "Gulf Graffiti" and it states in here that "during the course of the hostilities the Tornado received some very impressive personal paint jobs, in the form of really outrageous artwork that for many will remain the hallmark of the campaign". Now this does not say that the artwork was applied before the start of the conflict, but does seem to suggest that the artwork was added after the start. Hope that this maybe of some help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 24, 2021 Author Share Posted January 24, 2021 2 hours ago, Jabba said: Just read in "Gulf Graffiti" and it states in here that "during the course of the hostilities the Tornado received some very impressive personal paint jobs, in the form of really outrageous artwork that for many will remain the hallmark of the campaign". Now this does not say that the artwork was applied before the start of the conflict, but does seem to suggest that the artwork was added after the start. Hope that this maybe of some help. Thats the feeling I was getting looking at what photos there are of the early JP233 missions . I was planning on doing Mig Eater at the very beginning sans artwork using the model decal sheet . I had heard somewhere that some had sharks teeth but nothing else . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainpeden Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 @cherisy My personal recollections may help a little. I went on holiday to Kenya in mid-August 1990 just as Desert Shield was starting and came home (after a fortnight of no internet/tv/radio/newspapers) to pictures on TV and in the newspapers of Tornadoes with nose art. So at least some gulf graffiti was applied before the fighting started and the operation became Desert Storm. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 51 minutes ago, iainpeden said: @cherisy My personal recollections may help a little. I went on holiday to Kenya in mid-August 1990 just as Desert Shield was starting and came home (after a fortnight of no internet/tv/radio/newspapers) to pictures on TV and in the newspapers of Tornadoes with nose art. So at least some gulf graffiti was applied before the fighting started and the operation became Desert Storm. Tornados only operated in Op Granby, Desert Shield/Storm was the American operation for this conflict. Sorry to be a bit pedantic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV107 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jabba said: Tornados only operated in Op Granby, Desert Shield/Storm was the American operation for this conflict. Sorry to be a bit pedantic. The pedant in me applauds, but I would note that there are times when the Desert Storm/Desert Shield terminology is used within the RAF when studying Granby, simply so that people know whether the sorties/mission (particularly if involving the Air Transport or Support Helicopter side of things) we're talking about was pre- or post-Jan 17th. It also avoids instances of certain exchange officers looking puzzled as to why the discussion's gone from the subject of fighting Saddam to a pub in Sleaford to which they were taken upon visiting the fine county of Lincolnshire... Edited January 27, 2021 by XV107 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 3 hours ago, iainpeden said: @cherisy My personal recollections may help a little. I went on holiday to Kenya in mid-August 1990 just as Desert Shield was starting and came home (after a fortnight of no internet/tv/radio/newspapers) to pictures on TV and in the newspapers of Tornadoes with nose art. So at least some gulf graffiti was applied before the fighting started and the operation became Desert Storm. I just wish I'd paid more attention at the time Id been out of the RAF about 3 years so had got it (so I thought) out of my system. I read somewhere that there are photos of Tornados at Tabuk with the shark mouths painted sans any other art work around the 17th Jan. Cant find the photos sadly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 I have a book called "Gulf Graffiti" and charts the application of the shark mouth. I will have a look tonight, but I think that the only photos concentrate on the shark mouth itself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 28, 2021 Author Share Posted January 28, 2021 1 hour ago, Jabba said: I have a book called "Gulf Graffiti" and charts the application of the shark mouth. I will have a look tonight, but I think that the only photos concentrate on the shark mouth itself. Thanks Jabba keep me posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluffer77 Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 John Nichol posted a pic on Twitter the other day with pics from GW1 and Mig Eater does have a sharks mouth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 6 hours ago, Sluffer77 said: John Nichol posted a pic on Twitter the other day with pics from GW1 and Mig Eater does have a sharks mouth Brilliant.. many thanks. I'll see if I can find it. But failing that: sharks mouth but nothing else, obviously mission markings came later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 6 hours ago, Sluffer77 said: John Nichol posted a pic on Twitter the other day with pics from GW1 and Mig Eater does have a sharks mouth I've had a look at John Nicols twitter feed and unless I'm missing something the only ones of Mig Eater are her once all the nose art was applied after the JP233 ops. Bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 There is a cheat if you want full nose art and JP233. Many were displayed this way on the air show circuit later in the year, so make that your subject... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 13 hours ago, wombat said: There is a cheat if you want full nose art and JP233. Many were displayed this way on the air show circuit later in the year, so make that your subject... Now thats an idea. Like that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Having looked through the book I mentioned it does not state when the shark mouth was originally applied. It states that "During the course of hostilities the Tornado received some very impressive personal paint jobs, in the form of really outrageous artwork that will for many remain the outstanding hallmark of the campaign". There are however a couple of pictures of ZA447 loaded with JP233 with some mission marks, but with a different shark mouth that we normally associate with this aircraft. It also shows that side of the aircraft that has the art work, but unfortunately the crew ladder is also fitted and I cannot see what is there. Unfortunately due to copyright I do not think that I can put the photos here but if you PM me your e-mail address I will send them on to you if you wish. Hope that this is of some help. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 21 hours ago, Jabba said: Having looked through the book I mentioned it does not state when the shark mouth was originally applied. It states that "During the course of hostilities the Tornado received some very impressive personal paint jobs, in the form of really outrageous artwork that will for many remain the outstanding hallmark of the campaign". There are however a couple of pictures of ZA447 loaded with JP233 with some mission marks, but with a different shark mouth that we normally associate with this aircraft. It also shows that side of the aircraft that has the art work, but unfortunately the crew ladder is also fitted and I cannot see what is there. Unfortunately due to copyright I do not think that I can put the photos here but if you PM me your e-mail address I will send them on to you if you wish. Hope that this is of some help. Thanks Jabba. PM sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG-Mech Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 There is a HiDecal Line sheet with MiG Eater with blue-pink shark mouth and less markings. I have never seen a pic of that real plane. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Didn’t the Mig turn out to be a Mirage F1 in the end anyway? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 15 hours ago, wombat said: Didn’t the Mig turn out to be a Mirage F1 in the end anyway? Yes it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blimpyboy Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Is this a Granby shot? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 It is. Interesting to see the jp233 handling gear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finn Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 Here are some getting ready for war Tornados with JP233s: https://youtu.be/RkJ4nDAqXSE?t=195 Jari 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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