Tornados left in service

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138EAW
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Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Just to depress everyone this is the list of 15 Tornados left in service

Listed updated 20/02/2019

GR4
ZA463/ 028
ZA542/ 035
ZA553/ 045
ZA587/ 055
ZA597/ 063
ZA601/ 066
ZA613/ 075
ZA614/ 076
ZD716/ 084 - 31 Sqn retirement scheme
ZD744/ 092
ZD848/ 109
ZG775/ 134 - IX(B) Sqn retirement scheme
ZG791/ 137

GR4T's
ZG752/ 129 - Camo scheme
ZG771/133 - Marham 100 scheme

The last GR4A went to RTP just before Xmas 2017

Over on FC we are keeping an eye on the fleet http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/v ... 31#p966531
Last edited by 138EAW on Wed 20 Feb 2019, 3:09 pm, edited 46 times in total.
Gary

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Brevet Cable »

Tôi chỉ đặt cái này ở đây để giữ cho người điều hành bận rộn
아직도 숨어있다

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138EAW
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Forgot to add

ZA469/029 hasn't flown since 2016 and is now reported as the Weapons Load Trainer at Marham. So has ZG771 /133, the truth is out there

ZA459 / 025 took a bird strike on 16/1/2017 and will be WFU to become a preserved aircraft at Marham, airframe is a Granby veteran

ZD741/ 089 (GR4T) is due at Leeming, so didn't list it above
Last edited by 138EAW on Sat 27 Jan 2018, 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gary

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Tommy
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Tommy »

Christ that *is* depressing.

I know it's likely to be moved forward by the bean-counters, but when's the official OSD?

Also, I've always wondered; do the serials/tail numbers tally with age? Is, for e.g. ZA447 / 019 the oldest surviving Tornado in the fleet?

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Binbrook 01 »

They introduced the numbered fleet coding system in 2006. Which didn't account for the three or four GR.4s lost prior to that.

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138EAW
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Tommy wrote:Christ that *is* depressing.

I know it's likely to be moved forward by the bean-counters, but when's the official OSD?

Also, I've always wondered; do the serials/tail numbers tally with age? Is, for e.g. ZA447 / 019 the oldest surviving Tornado in the fleet?


April 2019 is the date the RAF are working towards, or that's the date been mentioned. Getting them out of service before the next tax year

Had a lecture about 12(B) Sqn last week

* 12(B) to disband as expected (April 2018), aircrew to be retained and spread between IX(B) & 31

* Officially IX(B) & 31 to see Tornado out of service, although we all know this can change

* Contingencies to keep Op Shader going, including the Tornados out in Cyprus until OSD. Air Cdre Stringer mentioned in an article last Nov, drawdown could happen this Spring, Belgian's, Aussie's, Canadian's have already started

* Tornado fleet number to keep shrinking until OSD

* No word on the future of 12(B) ie when we can expect them on Typhoon
Gary

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by tommc »

Tommy wrote:Also, I've always wondered; do the serials/tail numbers tally with age? Is, for e.g. ZA447 / 019 the oldest surviving Tornado in the fleet?


No. ZA542 and ZA543 are the oldest/have been in service the longest.
ZA542 first flew in April 1981
ZA543 was delivered to the RAF in July 1981

Source; http://www.ukserials.com
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138EAW
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

ZD741/ F-LS (089) 'MacRobert's Reply' finally made it to Leeming yesterday
Gary

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Big Eric »

138EAW wrote:ZD741/ F-LS (089) 'MacRobert's Reply' finally made it to Leeming yesterday


Noooooo, not Freddie. :sad:

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Craig »

138EAW wrote:Forgot to add

ZA469/029 hasn't flown since 2016 and is now reported as the Weapons Load Trainer at Marham. So has ZG771 /133, the truth is out there

ZA459 / 025 took a bird strike on 16/1/2017 and will be WFU to become a preserved aircraft at Marham, airframe is a Granby veteran

ZD741/ 089 (GR4T) is due at Leeming, so didn't list it above

029 is definitely WLT, saw it at Marham during one of the enthusiast days last year. As for 025 that flew back to Marham after repairs so can only assume It's back with the active fleet for now.

Shame that the last few months have put paid to pretty much all the remaining airframes with any sort of markings on. As far as I can remember just the ex 41 jets remain with any identity.

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Yes I was at the same event, there has been a photo posted on Facebook recently showing 133 in the hangar instead of 029. I'm not on the group, I just got sent a screen grab
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Tommy »

ZA459/025 was active in the Loop on 12 October 2017, so presume it's not WFU just yet (unless you mean 16/01/18 not /17?).

ImageTornado Warning by Tom Jones, on Flickr

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Yep I meant 2018

025 took a birdstike 16/1 and diverted to Leeming, returned to Marham 23/01. Operated with IX(B) 24/1 not flown since

RTP at Leeming is coming to an end, jets will be scrapped at Marham soon
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Tommy
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Tommy »

Ah, a shame. Glad I caught it when I did, then!

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Posted on FC, ZA459 / 025 has been withdrawn. I've updated the first post
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Another one bites the dust ZA560 / 50 reported on FC as being withdrawn from use
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Another day, another report on FC of jets being WFU / stored

ZA447 / 019 'Mig Killer' - Last noted May 2017
ZD711 / 079 - Last noted Nov 2017

If true the active airframe now stands at GR4 =28, GR4(T) =4
Gary

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Pat Murphy »

Have any of these remaining airframes been earmarked for preservation, especially the significant Granby a/c. Hoping the GR's don't go the way of the F3's....rare birds in years to come. :sad:

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Craig »

As I understand it both of the aircraft listed above have been retired at Marham and both are slated for preservation. :smile:

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Next one for RTP has been posted on FC, ZD713 / 081 another GR4T. It will only leave three twin sticks left

Edit

ZD713 has gone to Leeming today
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Listed updated again, total now should be 28 :sad:
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

Slightly good news, ZG771 /133 has returned to the fleet from the WLT, so there are 3 active Ts again. Back to 29
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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by 138EAW »

ZA472 / 031 has been withdrawn. Back to 28

Less than 1 year left :sad:
Gary

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by Jackonicko »

https://www.facebook.com/pg/aerospacean ... e_internal

gives:

ZA556/047, ZA585/054, ZA601/066, and ZD716/084

as the aircraft on the 14 April Storm Shadow mission.

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Re: Tornados left in service

Post by methley »

ZA543 currently on its way down to the west country. Currently over Taunton.

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