Yesterday, on 14th August 2024, the Panavia Tornado multirole combat aircraft celebrated the 50th anniversary of its maiden flight.
A brief history of development and operational service of that aircraft was already mentioned in a few articles published previously on our web site – please refer here for further details – therefore, we decide to commemorate the Tornado anniversary with special photo story, featuring different types of that aircraft, including some special liveries.
ZG750, Tornado GR4 of No. 15 Squadron, the Royal Air Force. Static display at RIAT 2017 air show. The aircraft was manufactured in 1991 and entered service as the RAF training Tornado. In 2016, the aeroplane received a special ´pink livery´, the camouflage used by the RAF GR1 Tornados during Operation Granby (the Gulf War 1991) and commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Tornado combat operations with the RAF (listed at the tail of the aircraft). However, the ´Pinky´ – as that aeroplane was commonly nicknamed – never participated in any combat operation and was used only for training purposes.
ZA457, Tornado GR1B of No. 617 Squadron, the Royal Air Force. The aircraft was built in 1983 for the RAF and comes from the so-called Batch 3, ordered in June of 1979. During its operational service, the Tornado ZA457 was operated by several RAF squadrons, was a part of the British forces in West Germany, participated in combat operations during the Gulf War and Operation Desert Fox. It was retired from service in 2002 and then donated for museum purposes. Currently, the aeroplane is being exhibited at the RAF Museum in London, where this picture was taken in 2017.
ZA472, Tornado GR4 of No. 31 Squadron, the Royal Air Force. Static exhibition during Phantom Pharewell retirement event, Fliegerhorst Wittmund / Wittmund air base, June 2013. The GR4 standard was introduced in 1994 as a Mid-Life Update for the British GR1 Tornados. The No. 31 RAF Squadron and its Tornados took part in the Gulf War (1991), the Kosovo War (1999), the Second Gulf War (2003) and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan (2009). The aircraft pictured above was reported to participate in the latter of the combat operations listed above.
ZD788, Tornado GR4 of the Royal Air Force (squadron unmarked). Static exhibition during Phantom Pharewell retirement event, Fliegerhorst Wittmund / Wittmund air base, June 2013. At the time the aircraft was showcased in Wittmund, the Tornado was not carrying any squadron identification. However, during its active service with the RAF, the aeroplane was operated by Nos. 14, 17 and 31 Squadrons. In 2014, the aircraft received a special livery to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Tornado.
46+57, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. Static exhibition during Phantom Pharewell retirement event, Fliegerhorst Wittmund / Wittmund air base, June 2013. The pictured aircraft wears the special ´Arctic Tiger´ livery, made for the NATO Tiger Meet 2013.
46+38, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The aircraft is taxiing at Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel / Schleswig air base during the spotting event held there in June of 2019.
46+38, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The same aircraft as above but seen during taxiing shortly after its arrival to Kleine-Brogel air base, where it was showcased at the static exhibition during the Belgian Air Force Days 2023. However, here the Tornado is painted in the ´tiger livery´ created for the NATO Tiger Meet 2023.
44+69, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. Static display during Tag der Bundeswehr, open doors event at Fliegerhorst Faßberg / Faßberg air base held in June of 2024. The aircraft features a special tail art made for Air Defender 2023 multinational live-fly exercise.
44+69, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The same aircraft as above but this time performing a flypast over Fliegerhorst Neuburg / Neuburg air base, during the Medieval Mini Tiger Meet in July of 2023.
45+30, Tornado IDS of the German Navy / Bundesmarine. The aeroplane wears the special MFG 2 livery of Marinefliegergeschwader 2, the German Navy aviation unit disbanded in 2005. The photo was taken in summer of 2013, when the Tornado was exhibited at the static display of Airday Nordholz, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the German Naval Aviation. Currently the aircraft is being exhibited in Aeronauticum aviation museum in Nordholz, Germany.
43+55, Tornado IDS of the Bundesmarine. The aircraft features special tail sticker to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the German Naval Aviation / Marineflieger. Currently, the aeroplane is being exhibited in Aeronauticum aviation museum in Nordholz, Germany.
44+61, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33. A decade ago, the aircraft carried a special white-red livery to commemorate the 40th years of the Tornado. However, the photo, taken in 2017, shows the aeroplane in standard Luftwaffe camouflage, during arrival to Tag der Bundeswehr open doors event in Fliegerhorst Landsberg/Lech (also known as Penzing air base).
43+50, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33. Static exhibition during Kleine-Brogel spotter day 2019, held together with the Sanicole International Airshow in September of 2019.
46+40, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The aircraft is taking-off for the COMAO mission executed during the NATO Tiger Meet 2024 at Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel, also known as the Schleswig air base.
43+25, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The aircraft features a special ´tiger livery´ made for the NATO Tiger Meet 2019.
43+25, Tornado IDS of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The same aircraft as above, this time presenting its eye-catching ´tiger livery´ during a spotter event held at Schleswig air base in June of 2019.
46+28, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The Black Panther livery made for the NATO Tiger Meet 2014. The photo was taken during a spotter event held at that time at Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel / Schleswig air base.
46+23, Tornado ECR of the Luftwaffe, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 ´Immelmann´. The aircraft is touching down the runway at the 31st Tactical Air Base in Poznań – Krzesiny, Poland, during the 2018 edition of NATO Tiger Meet.
6-41, Tornado IDS of the Italian Air Force, 6º Stormo ´Alfredo Fusco´. In June of 2019, a pair of Italian Tornados visited Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel / Schleswig air base in Germany, on the occasion of the open doors day held there, within the Tag der Bundeswehr project.
6-41 / 6-13, Tornado IDS of the Italian Air Force, 6º Stormo ´Alfredo Fusco´. A flypast made over the runway of Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel / Schleswig air base, June of 2019.
6-13, Tornado IDS of the Italian Air Force, 6º Stormo ´Alfredo Fusco´. One more image of the Italian Tornado, this time taken during taxiing at Schleswig, June of 2019.
