subject: Panavia Tornado Aircraft British, German, Italian [print this page] This multi-role fighter aircraft is a product of joint venture amoung United Kingdom, Italy and Germany. Each nation provided the Panavia Tornado their own produced part of an aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as Tornado GR1 strike aircraft used as a training aircraft. It started a journey of its own in 1982 when it was put at the test on the front lines, also capable of equipping with nuclear bomb to wage war against the Warsaw Pact.
Its design is similar to F-14 Tomcat. It uses swing wings which can provide maximum performance at every moment. When taking-off and landing it uses 25 degrees angle, when on normal fly it uses 45 degrees angle and for high speeds it uses 67 degrees angle. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce turbo engines.
Panavia Tornado is designed to deliver enormous firepower. It may carry up to 454 kg (1000lb) of bombs: Cluster bombs, Storm Shadow, Brimstone, Sidewinder, GPS guided bombs and it is also equipped with a 27mm cannon.
When GR1 got upgraded into GR4 it became apparent that this aircraft is staying in service. Changing and adding elements as: head display, infrared scope, avionics, GPS, fly-by-wire, TI radar and computer software.
Panavia Tornado was used in some vital missions in the Gulf War and later in Iraq.
Specifications and characteristics:
Wingspan - 13.91m (45ft 8in)
Length - 16.65m (54ft 8in)
Height - 5.95 (19ft 6in)
Wing area - 26.6 sq meters (286sq ft)
Weights - 13,901kg (30,620lb)
Maximum weight - 27,975kg (61,620lb)
Maximum speed - 1452mph (2336km/h)
Range - 2778km (1726 mil)
Ceiling - 15,250m (50,000ft)
Power - Two turbo engines 7298kg (16,075lb) afterburn thrust
