History

History

Overview

Engine

Overview

During the late 1960's a number of countries were looking at replacing their existing aircraft fleets. Many of these countries started to look at variable geometry as a means of making an aircraft perform well throughout a wider flight envelope. Variable geometry allows the pilot and/or fly by wire system to adapt the aircraft wing shape to the optimal settings dependant on its height, speed and load. The Tornado takes this one step further and incorporates swiveling weapons pylons that always ensure the stores are parallel to the airframe and therefore the airflow, thus minimising drag.

Britain and France joined forces on a variable geometry aircraft project, called the AFVG. (Anglo French Variable Geometry). France was already in the process of developing a variable geometry airframe of its own. In 1968, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Italy, and Canada formed a working group to look at replacements for the F104. The outcome of this project was initially called the MRA or Multi Role Aircraft, later changed to the MCRA, Multi Role Combat Aircraft. Britain later joined this group on the strength of its variable geometry design.

In July 1968 a memorandum of understanding was signed by Germany, Italy and Britain covering the proposals for the MRCA. Canada and Belgium pulled out the following year. Holland later pulled out over technical concerns with the MRCA.

The initial Tornado design was for a deep penetration all weather bomber, known as the IDS (Interdictor Strike). This aircraft is designed to fly at extremely low level at high speed in almost any weather. At low level the Tornado excels, the large all moving tailerons and fin provide the necessary damping action to keep the ride relatively smooth and on track.

The MoU covered work share for the partner companies, which was initially allocated as shown in the table below. The Tornado project was controlled by a central company, Panavia GmbH based in Munich, Germany. This company was formed by the three member countries who each had a share, Britain & Germany held 42½% and Italy held the remaining 15%.

Britain	Germany	Italy
Front Fuselage	Centre Fuselage	Wings
Tail Assembly

A further company, Turbo Union was formed to produce the engines for the MRCA/Tornado, it was comprised of the following shareholders, 40% MTU, 40% Rolls Royce and 20% FIAT.

Britain later decided that it wanted an air defence version of the Tornado. Britain went ahead at built three prototypes under the designation F2. As this version would be involved in seeking other aircraft rather than ground targets a different radar was required. The three prototype airframes were as follows,

Airframe	Variant	First Flight
ZA254	AA001	09/08/79
ZA267	AB001	18/07/80
ZA283	AC001	18/11/80

There were few significant changes between the IDS and the ADV/F2, the most noticeable was the longer ,more slender nose, this was to enable the AI24 radar to be fitted. The advent of the RB199-34 Mk 104 engines which were installed in ZA267 first, saw a new designation, F3. All ADV airframes from 19 onwards, (18 F2s had been produced.) were fitted with this engine.

All Tornado variants have easily accessible radar. The radar electronics are mounted within the forward airframe and easily accessible once the radome has been hinged out of the way.

The F2/F3s Foxhunter radar is produced by GEC Marconi and Ferranti and is a pulse doppler frequency modulated interrupted carrier wave set operating in I band(3cm). The AI24 radar had a troubled early life, the first F2s had lead weights installed as ballast in place of the AI24. The feasibility study for the new radar set was started in 1973, with full scale development beginning in 1976. Since its inception it has been delivered in various different modification states, W, Z, stage 1, stage 2, AA and possibly other interim standards.

The GR1 has two radar, one attack and one terrain following, they are both produced by Texas Instruments and operate in KU band.

Engine Installation

The two RB199 turbofan engines are mounted in the rear of the airframe with the compressor faces positioned just to the rear of the fin air intake. The engines are mounted within individual cells to afford some protection should a fire or other catastrophic failure occur. The APU is mounted on the starboard side to the rear of the undercarriage bay, it exhausts just ahead of the starboard taileron. The engine intakes have a combination of spill ducts, suction relief doors and hydraulically controlled ramps to control the amount and speed of the air entering the intake.

I am aware of the following major engine models,

Model	Use	Power, Dry	Power, Reheat
RB199-34R 101	Early IDS	3,650kg/8,090lb	7,253kg/15,950lb
RB199-34R 103	Batch 4 onwards	4,380kg/9,656lb	7,675kg/16,920lb
RB199-34R 104	ADV/F3	4,079kg/9,000lb	7,706kg/17,000lb
RB199-34R 105	ECR

A number of the Mk101 engines were upgraded to the Mk103 standard. The Mk 103 included an improved lubrication system and modifications to improve its reliability. The Mk104 was optimised for mid and high altitude performance, it has a digital engine control system, FADEC(Full Authority Digital Engine Control) and a lengthened jet pipe hence the modifications to the rear fuselage of the F.3/ADV. The Mk 105 is basically a Mk 103 with a modified compressor section that operates at a higher compression ratio than the Mk 103.

Construction

The airframe is built around an immensely strong electron beam welded titanium wing box. The central spine houses the control rods and engine bleed air ducting for the environmental systems. Large hydraulically actuated air brakes are positioned either side of the fin. The undercarriage is of wide track and sturdy design. It incorporates single wheel main gear and a twin wheel nose assembly. The undercarriage retracts forwards into the airframe.

A center fuselage section being manufactured by MBB
(C) Panavia Aircraft (Services) Ltd.

Wing

The use of a variable geometry wing allows the tornado to perform well across its entire flight envelope. The wing is assisted with full length slats, flaps and spoilers. The wing is generally used in one of three positions, fully forward, used for take off and landing as it gives tornado good low speed handling; mid sweep, gives best agility or fully swept, which

Tornado wing production line
(C) Panavia Aircraft (Services) Ltd.

wpe10.jpg (3100 bytes)

A view of an RAF Tornado F3 showing the wing in the mid position, This view also clearly shows the four recesses in the fuselage for the skyflash missiles and the two wing pylons in line with the fuselage.

Control Surfaces

The primary control surfaces of the tornado are the large all moving tailerons and the rudder, they are assisted by the slats, spoilers and flaps. The control surfaces are continually monitored and adjusted by the triplex fly by wire system. The fly by wire system is located on the starboard side just behind the cannon. A backup system is enabled should the fly by system fail.

Avionics

The Tornado bristles with a large number of visible and hidden antennae. The more prominent ones are as follows, blade aerial ahead of cockpit, IFF; dual blade antennae on the fuselage spine, UHF; blade aerial lower surface of airframe ahead of the cockpit, TACAN/UHF; fin mounted fairing at rear, ECM; blade antennae on side of fin, VOR. Other faired antennae include the following, top of fin, VHF; lower front of fin root, HF; wing glove, ECM.

In Built Armament

The standard inboard cannon fitted in various combinations to most Tauser 27mm cannon, located singly or in tandem below the cockpit floor. Some versions such as the GR1A do not carry any cannons.

Prototypes

There were 10 prototypes built, allocated as follows, Britain 5, including 1 trainer and 1 static test airframe, Germany 3 and Italy 2.

All the prototype airframes were fully instrumented.

Prototype	Country	FF	Crew
P.01 - D9591/98+04	Germany	14/08/74	Paul Millett/Nils Meister
P.02 - XX946	Britain	30/10/74	Paul Millett/Pietro Trevisan
P.03 - XX947	Britain	05/08/75	David Eagles/Tim Ferguson
P.04 - D9592/98+05	Germany	02/09/75	Hans Friedrich Rammensee/Nils Meister
P.05 - X586/MM586	Italy	05/12/75	Pietro Trevisan/---
P.06 - XX948	Britain	19/12/75	David Eagles/---
P.07 - 98+06	Germany	30/03/76	Nils Meister/Fritz Eckert
P.08 - XX950	Britain	15/07/76	Paul Millett/Ray Woolett
P.09 - X-587/MM587	Italy	05/02/77	Pietro Trevisan/Manlio Quarantelli
P.10 -	Britain	---	---

Prototype P.01 - D5951 later 98+04

This airframe was initially used for general handling and performance trials although as later airframes incorporated more and more modifications it was then used as an engine test bed. It was used to test the thrust reversers and later became the first airframe to be powered by the -04 version of the RB1999-34R engine.

Prototype P.02 - XX946

P.02 was the first airframe to be fitted with fully functioning variable engine intake ramps and was used initially for the expansion of the flight envelope. This airframe was fitted with the RB199-34R -03 pre production standard engine. It was involved in the spinning and stalling trials and was also used for some flutter testing after P.05 which should have performed this testing was involved in a landing accident. This airframe was also used for weapons release and air to air refuelling trials.

Prototype P.03 - XX947

P.03 was the first airframe to be fitted with dual controls. It was also the first to have a production standard radome. This airframe was also used in the spinning and stalling trials and was later used for higher weight performance trials. P03 was involved in an incident on the 4th October 1976 when it aquaplaned of the runway at Warton. Various modifications were introduced after this incident including changes to the main gear attachment points and modifications to the thrust reverser system to try and minimize wandering on landing due to the reversed airflow be distributed unevenly . This airframe was the fir to be finished in a camouflage paint scheme.

Prototype P.04 - D9592 later 98+05

P.04 was the first airframe to include an almost full avionics suite and was used to test this extensively. It was used for weapons release trials and some low level testing of the terrain following radar.

Prototype P.05 - X586 MM586

P.05 was due to be used for flutter and airframe load trials but was extensively damaged during a landing accident at Caselle in 1976. After extensive refurbishment including a new forward section in re joined the trials fleet in 1978. It was also used for weapons release trials.

Prototype P.06 - XX948

P.06 incorporated numerous modifications including a revised rear fuselage profile that was slimmer than its predecessors and included a fillet at the base of the fin between the engines to adjust the aerodynamic properties of the airframe. Vortex generators were also fitted on the fin. It was also the first airframe to be fitted with the Mauser 27mm cannon. P.06s main role was weapons clearance trials although this also included other stores as well.

Prototype P.07 - 98+06

P.07 was the first to have a full avionics fit and joined P.04 to complete the clearance trials for the systems. A/C P.07, was lost in the Test Area near Manching when the aircraft struck a 2m high "knoll of earth" trying to pull out of a high-G dive. The aircraft had just completed a test mission when the Pilot decided that there was enough fuel available to practice for the Hanover Airshow. He performed a "Split-S" manoeuvre at about 10,000 ft but neglected to reduce power right away, which meant there was too much energy going into the manoeuvre (or not enough altitude) preventing a safe recovery.( Loss update provided by Harry Bone, many thanks)

Prototype P.08 - XX950

P.08 was the second dual control aircraft and join P.03 in the clearance trials of the systems. Unfortunately P.08 was last with both crew on the 12th June 1979 during simulated weapons release trials over the Irish Sea.

Prototype P.09 - X587 MM587

P.09 was used extensively for weapons release trials and flutter testing.

Prototype P.10

P.10 was destined never to fly but to be used as a static test airframe. The airframe was extensively instrumented and subject to a great number of trials.
Any information on the ultimate fate of this airframe would be much appreciated.

Pre Production

The 6 pre production airframes were allocated as follows, Germany 3, Britain 2 and Italy 1. The two British pre production airframes XZ630/PS12 and XZ631/P15 were used for weapons release trials, PS12; and supersonic flutter testing, PS15. XZ631 was the first aircraft completed to RAF production standards.

Britain produced 3 ADV prototypes under the designation F2, ZA254, ZA267 and ZA283. The first to fly, ZA254 did so on 27^th October 1979 in the hands of David Eagles. A total of 18 F2s were subsequently ordered, but during production a newer version of the RB199 power plant was produced. This newer version incorporated a longer jet-pipe which gave a significant increase in thrust. This engine was designated the RB199-34R Mk 104. The first six F2s were trainers, designated F2T. The new engine being about 14" longer than the Mk 103 required an airframe modification before they could be installed. ZA267 was the first airframe to fly utilising the new engines and in doing so really became the F3 prototype.

Pre Production airframe P11/98+01 was the first to have the rear fin fillet.

Pre Production airframe P13/98+02 was the first to have the modified taileron leading edge profile which has a noticeable kink.

Pre Production airframe P15/XZ631 was the first to have the production rear fuselage and a fin mounted fuel tank.

Pre Production airframe P16/98+03 was later to become the prototype for the ECR.

Code	Country	First Flight	Comments
PS11/98+01	Germany	05/02/77
PS12/XZ630	Britain	14/03/77	Tim Ferguson/Roy Kenwood
PS13/98+02	Germany	10/01/78	Fritz Soos/Rainer Henke
PS14/MM7001	Italy	26/03/79	Manlio Quarantelli/Egidio Nappi
PS15/XZ631	Britain	24/11/78	Jerry Lee/Jim Evans
PS16/98+03	Germany	26/03/79	Armin Krauthann/Fritz Eckert

Production

The production allocation for the Panavia tornado was as follows, Britan 48%, Germany 40% and Italy 12%. The production of the tornado took place at three sites, one in each of the consortium members country. In Britain this was Warton in Lancashire, at Ottobrun, near Munich originally and then at Manching in Germany and Casselle in Italy. The number of tornados initially to be produced by each country was as follows, Britain 385, Germany 324 and Italy 100. There have also been a number of Tornados produced for Saudi Arabia, the current totals are as follows, 66 IDS and 24 ADV. It should be noted all tornado trainers are fully mission capable