Luftwaffe Tornado IDS 50 Years Scheme

[chopper2004]

Airbus Defence has unveiled unique paint scheme Luftwaffe Tornado IDS making 50 years since the first flight (images courtesy of Airbus Defence)

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/img_1507_47fbc0f5bb33420383a19830b484f0d80e0a0d90.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/img_1508_f67b29c95df9903f1452a012e16ae601dcb0859e.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_1509_a951b32f3f6ea56a43e464f78de29c4c6a03a1c7.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x853/img_1510_3c7f0b81e665bb02676c73750ef22e0839c341b2.jpeg

Cheers

[Ninthace]

I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,

[Herod]

MRCA "Must Refurbish Canberras Again".

[Diff Tail Shim]

I like it. I remember building the Airfix model of the prototype as a 10 year old. The Europeans really do great ceremonial schemes.

[RetiredBA/BY]

[QUOTE=Ninthace;11620885]I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,[
Variously : Must Refurbish the Canberras Again, or Mother Rileys Cardboard Aeroplane !
Sorry, Herod just beat me to it !

[BEagle]

Or 'Must Reopen Chivenor Again'!

Which they did - until it was later squaddified. Such a tragedy!

[Ninthace]

Chivenor is boot necked.

[just another jocky]

A good-looking tribute to one of the most effective warplanes ever built.

[Buster15]

A good-looking tribute to one of the most effective warplanes ever built.

Yes indeed.
And the GAF has continued to invest and update their versions of Tornado to maintain its effectiveness. Similarly the Italian and Saudi AF.

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.

The Panavia Tornado and its organisation paved the way for EF Typhoon and now for the GCAP Tempest programme.

[Lyneham Lad]

Still have my Project Team tie - lots of trips to Warton (Rate 1's / Blackpool B&B), Main Building meetings & even a week in Turin at the Aeritalia factory. An interesting time.

[DuncanDoenitz]

I remember it when it was called MRCA and was a wind tunnel model,
I remember the early-70s RAF Yearbook illustration when it had semi-circular intakes, a la Starfighter/TSR2!

[frodo_monkey]

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.


Not sure that’s an accurate reflection of why we retired them - having used and abused them on ops for the best part of thirty years, they were just plain worn-out despite the best efforts of the excellent engineers and support personnel. They had about twice the hours of any other fleet.

[Finningley Boy]

MRCA "Must Refurbish Canberras Again".
And of course, Mother Riley's Cardboard Aeroplane!:ok:

The scheme is certainly eye catching, but really busy.:8

FB

And I've just noticed that Retired BA/BY betan by Herod also beat me to the second alternative achronim meaning!:O

[Expatrick]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.

[Finningley Boy]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.
They look awful pretty!!!!:cool:

FB

[Tartiflette Fan]

Following upon Expatrick's post,is this example just a one-off PR example ( presumably paid-for by Airbus ) or will it usually be copied onto other airframes

[Mogwi]

They look awful pretty!!!!:cool:

FB

Or in some cases, pretty awful!

Mog

[clockman]

A very jazzy MRCA P01/P02 colour scheme, and P02 was my main aircraft before it went camouflage (for which Paul Millett exploded when he saw they had painted the underside white, for it would most often be on its side down a valley, than at V bomber altitude! - Paul got his way, for all after that were camouflage all over) - I would like to see a view from above the flashy top, to better see the pattern across the top of wing to fuselage to wing please!

[Diff Tail Shim]

Could somebody please explain (to an obvious ignoramus) the obsession with flashy paint schemes on aircraft - given the time, effort and expense.
If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.

[Ninthace]

If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.
Indeed, it is well known that pilots are attracted to bright and shiny objects.

[EXDAC]

I started my career in avionics systems engineering on the MRCA and that was in 1971. The aircraft may have outlasted many who participated in its development. Yes, I too still have a couple of project ties.

(ExDAC but previously ExEASAMS)

[reds & greens]

I'm liking the front and back paint scheme of the aircraft; however, I do find the centre absolutely garish and more attuned to some F1 racing car.

[bobward]

It looks like a mix of all the colour schemes the jet has ever worn. It's very different to any of the other 'specials' I think.
To Tonka fans, enjoy it while you can before the all-gray F35 takes over the world!

[Expatrick]

If you need to ask the question, you have no passion in aviation or celebration of such. If I was you, I would be getting my coat.

I seem to be going through a grumpy old git phase - hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly!

[Davef68]

The fractal upper surfaces look a bit messy

[Ninthace]

The fractal upper surfaces look a bit messy
And that doesn't change as you look closer and closer :8

[Stuck On The Ground]

Yes indeed.
And the GAF has continued to invest and update their versions of Tornado to maintain its effectiveness. Similarly the Italian and Saudi AF.

By contrast, the UK retired their GR4 jets far earlier due to cost pressures.

The Panavia Tornado and its organisation paved the way for EF Typhoon and now for the GCAP Tempest programme.

The RAFs jets were pretty worn out, with the Force having been on ops almost continuously between Aug 90 and Jan 19. The other nations’ jets have not been subject to the same tasking pressures, hence why they have lasted longer.

plus, the German jets don’t fly so much because they spend half their lives in the paint shop for wacky schemes (I’m only half joking here)

Edit, to add: And the GR4 of 2019 was a very different beast from the GR4 of 1997, or even 2010.

[EXDAC]

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal-27A-Seminar-Birth-of-Tornado.pdf

Starts at the beginning rather than at first fight. Unfortunately the author uses ESAMS instead of the correct name EASAMS (Elliot Automation Space and Advanced Military Systems) as the systems integrator.

[mike1964]

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/309x163/download_788a5cf2f26a7b4574199664323f80611ae350cd.jpeg
I have fond childhood memories of receiving this one Christmas in the mid-70s

[Finningley Boy]

It looks like a mix of all the colour schemes the jet has ever worn. It's very different to any of the other 'specials' I think.
To Tonka fans, enjoy it while you can before the all-gray F35 takes over the world!
So is there no chance we'll see a prettily painted Dave?:8

FB

[bobward]

FB,
That's an oxymoron surely?

[Buster15]

The RAFs jets were pretty worn out, with the Force having been on ops almost continuously between Aug 90 and Jan 19. The other nations’ jets have not been subject to the same tasking pressures, hence why they have lasted longer.

plus, the German jets don’t fly so much because they spend half their lives in the paint shop for wacky schemes (I’m only half joking here)

Edit, to add: And the GR4 of 2019 was a very different beast from the GR4 of 1997, or even 2010.
​​​​​​
Understood.
But remember that the GAF has recently had a programme of re-manufacture of some of the fuselage components in order to extend the service life. Something the UK could have done had it chosen to do so.
But it was obvious that the funding was going to be allocated to Typhoon, which was understandable.

[Sue Vêtements]

It's a little like the WWI Dazzle camouflage they applied to naval vessels

[AndoniP]

The Italians and Germans have painted many striking liveries on their aircraft. This one commemorates the 60th anniversary of the flying test wing of the IAF and made quite the impression at RIAT a few years ago.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1100x745/4702225_3397e15cd5b6f7903589f1a134acfe0ac66829bd.jpg

[chopper2004]

Am at ILA Berlin since Wednesday so seen both Luftwaffe AND AMI specially painted Tonka so here are my pics below


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/50_jahre_airbus_tornado__92b24b5916794cc6ca2f170e8662f5856d6 373c1.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/50_jahre_airbus_tornado_2_4d5c9e0423a6ac23e1dc6f05341b1147ef 772e0c.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x640/50_jahre_airbus_tornado_8_6ea06ad8397d24a51bf2b685a6a04fe6ce 4b2b02.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/50_jahre_airbus_tornado_1_4cbeb21a752f34c8fc1f93d52de3138a38 d81a5f.jpg

Not to be outdone, the Aeronautica Miltitare Italiana brought theirs

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/50_jahre_leonardo_tornado_3_4548bb3785e1e1ff3a01d92bde3b80b3 315968f7.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/50_jahre_leonardo_tornado_4_bd2c23296d705ad966e41890c39bb000 bb00502d.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/50_jahre_leonardo_tornado_5_5a97d0589719fb9db721a67b8b546065 f35480ce.jpg

cheers

[yarmouth1010]

Does it glow in the dark

[walbut]

Being a Buccaneer man at heart I always thought MRCA stood for Multi Racial Compromise Aircraft.

[Fishtailed]

From working on the mock up in 13 Hangar in 1971 (as an apprentice), to making parrs for GR4 in 2010 I think am proud to be part of this great aircraft's legasy.

[Buster15]

And so you should be. Tornado was and still is an awesome jet that has served the airfirces admirably.

[NutLoose]

Being a Buccaneer man at heart I always thought MRCA stood for Multi Racial Compromise Aircraft.

I was always lead to believe it stood for…… Must Refurbish Canberra Again.