ESCI Tornado Panavia IDS 1/72 Scale

From conception to operational service took twelve years, but what was remarkable about this was that the Tornado and all its systems were delivered on time and on budget.

The Tornado was originally designed to fulfill six different roles. After the Tornado went into service another role was defined; defense suppression, Italy and Germany procured the purpose built Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR) version. This type is armed with the High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). The six original roles were: 1. Interdiction Strike. 2. Counter Air Strike 3. Battlefield Interdiction 4. Close Air Support 5. Reconnaissance 6. Interception

This last role was not taken up but the RAF went one step further and developed the Air Defense Variant (ADV) now called the Tornado F.3.The Tornado is the RAF's first variable-geometry aircraft. Built by a consortium from Britain, Germany and Italy known as Panavia with its head quarters in Munich, Germany.The first British assembled aircraft flew from Warton in Lancashire on 30 October 1974. The first production GR1 flew on 10 July 1979. A total of 228 GR1's were built for the RAF, 36 of these were dual control and designated GR1(T).

Italeri Model Kit Review:
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/Inbox/t-v/tornado-strike-i.htm

Other Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado
http://www.tornado-data.com/
http://www.planet.fi/~mohman/model/torn.html
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?aircraft=Panavia%20Tornado%20GR.4