The Panavia PA-200 Tornado MRCA (Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) began in 1967 as a pan-European venture to design a fighter airframe that was capable of fulfilling a variety of roles: Air interception, strike/interdiction and maritime patrol, all while replacing the aging and accident-ridden F-104 Starfighter. As such, Germany, Great Britain and Italy have all adopted the resulting twin-Engine, variable wingsweep design, which had its maiden flight in 1974 and has been in service since 1980. The only non-European Air Force to adopt the airframe was Saudi Arabia.

The Tornado, in its different variants, has proven to be an extremely effective and reliable platform which remains in limited service today and is only now gradually being phased out and replaced due to rising maintenance cost as well as growing availability of 4.5 and 5th gen platforms.

The IDS variant showcased here is the most common form of the Tornado in service with the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Marine (Navy). It is being used for both, strike and close air support missions, as well as air patrol and intercepts.

Nothing too fancy about this build. No crazy cockpit or anything (way too lazy for that stuff!). Couple of controls …

VTOL down: flaps
VTOL up: sweep wings
Trim: trim
Brake: airbrakes and spoilers

AG1: extend fuel probe
AG2: lights
AG3: jettison decoy containers (outboard stations)
AG4: jettison drop tanks (inboard stations)
AG8: thrust reversers (watch out, they might kick in rather hard!)

For weapons, it’s got its signature twin 27mm Mauser cannons and two AIM-9Ms, that’s it. Feel free to add more. ;-)

Enjoy and hit me up with an updoot if you like!