Need a new toy? How 'bout a Tornado jet!

[K5DH]

There's an ex-RAF two-seater Tornado listed on Barnstormers right now, in the UK. No price given. (If you have to ask...)

[eze240]

Actually there's a total of three Tornadoes on barnstormers as of a few minutes ago.
1 GR1 that K5DH is probably talking about. The ad sounds like its a complete, nearly oprational aircraft.
1 GR1 thats in pieces shows a "guide" price of 20K GBP.
1 F3 restored for static, don't think it has engines for 100K GBP.
All appear to be advertised by the same company. Look under warbirds in classifieds, all on page 5.
There's also been a couple Harriers pretty regularly, one was a two-seater, with engine, almost complete.
I wonder what it would cost to operate a Tornado?....

[JohnB]

You better have nice (i.e. deaf) neighbors if you want to run them.
From my time in the UK, I have to say that they are the noisiest fighter jets I've ever heard.
They make a F-15 sound like a Prius.

The only thing that comes close is a B-1B at takeoff.

[p51]

Only in the UK could you buy a current, almost functional first line jet fighter plane. Of course in the US, they have to grind them up into little pieces before DRMO will sell any part of a fighter to the public. Heck, you can buy main battle tanks as surplus in Britain, they just yank the breech block off the main gun!

[Chappie]

When I read the headline my first thought was a B-45!

Chappie

[kalamazookid]

One of my best airshow memories was when a pair of German Tornadoes did a bunch of low passes at Muskegon Air Fair in the late-90s. That probably the loudest/lowest I've ever seen from any jet. It would be awesome to see one on the airshow circuit! Too bad the fuel and operational costs would be through the roof...

[RareBear]

It sounds like (no pun intended) that the Tornado may have surpassed the Harrier as the most efficient machine man has ever invented to convert jet fuel into noise, with the possible exception of the B-1B.

Walt

[ZRX61]

Heck, you can buy main battle tanks as surplus in Britain, they just yank the breech block off the main gun!

& there are no restrictions on importing UK armor into the US

[ZRX61]

Tornados cutting the grass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daJofaw0ZkQ

[Fouga23]

Those are Belgian Air Force Alpha Jets on training in Corsica

[ZRX61]

Those are RAF Tornados, well known video, you can even see the squadron markings on the one with the red fin. The video is mislabeled. Also appears to show twin exhausts.

[Mike]

Sorry Rick, they're definitely Alphas. As for the twin exhausts, don't forget that, unlike the massively superior Hawk, the Alpha has to carry an extra engine around with it to haul itself off the ground.

[ZRX61]

Sorry Rick, they're definitely Alphas. As for the twin exhausts, don't forget that, unlike the massively superior Hawk, the Alpha has to carry an extra engine around with it to haul itself off the ground.

& looking closer.. shorter fin too. ok you win

[Fouga23]

I've been around Belgian Alpha-Jets for years, trust me, they are A-Jets. Probably taken in the early 90's. They are in the early camouflage colours. Video is taken in Corsica, where they went for firing training.

*oh, and I forgot the very Belgian accents of the crew!*

[shrike]

Not to mention the Tornado being 3 metres longer, almost 4 metres wider and 10 tonnes heavier empty than an Alpha