FighterControl

Read from a reliable source that 41 loose their Tornados end of the week.

Any one heard anything similar?

Mike

Post by Squadron Prints on Twitter seems to suggest this as well, would be a great shame.

17th October for the fly out to Marham or that is the date being mentioned , 41(R) TES have a special tshirt for the event

Craig Sluman
Admin · Yesterday at 09:45
Further to your fantastic support in raising money for 41 Sqn's charity, we have been given the chance to purchase this Squadron T shirt. The cost is £18.00 plus postage and packaging. For further information and to make your order please contact Tim via pm Tim Poppa
Largest sizes available is 2 XL also I've been informed that only 100 shirts are available. Thank you for those who have already ordered

Might have to be a member of the FC Facebook page to see the image, looks like the tshirt has sold out

Straight to Marham on the 17th? Or maybe a detour to LFA7!? :-)

Just wondering wether 41 Sqdn will receive any F-35Bs? Have heard about the Squadrons which are supposed to receive it but don't know what the situation is with 41?............

Is the date on the t-shirt 17th October, or is it October 2017?

Pat

17th is next Tuesday, probably means October 2017,

Glad I caught them when I did few weeks back.

Why would 41 (soon to be the all Typhoon) Test and Evaluation need any F-35Bs, when they are out flying with 17 (F-35B) TES at Edwards AFB

Unknown74 wrote:Just wondering wether 41 Sqdn will receive any F-35Bs? Have heard about the Squadrons which are supposed to receive it but don't know what the situation is with 41?............

No, not scheduled to. 17(R) I believe is to remain the exclusive test squadron for the F35. There was a rumour a bit back about 41 getting some Hawk T2s but what they would use them for I have no idea (assuming the rumour has any truth to it).

Had there photo flight over cby this morning . Three fly throughs of the airfield with typhoon 2 seater camera ship

Another proud heritage within the Tornado history being nibbled away...

Dan214sqn wrote:Had there photo flight over cby this morning . Three fly throughs of the airfield with typhoon 2 seater camera ship

ZA607 as Viking 1
ZA560 as Viking 2
ZK379 as the photoship calling Viking 3

Will they be operating from Marham? Station transfer maybe.

The original plan as written in an AFM article from admittedly several months ago, did say they were slated to go in April 18 and that should they (41) have any further things to test that would involve using jets from the Marham fleet.

So they bought the move forward, but they could still fly jets from Marham if needs be, but meantime i guess the 2 at Coningsby will just join the Marham jets pool.

A few years ago, one of the pilots from 41(R), told a group of us some of the squadrons GR4s were to modded to rejoin the main fleet ZA600 being one of them (can't remember the others) but they have long gone to RTP. The current two were meant to be standard GR4 so they could be absorbed back into the fleet once finished with by 41.

Unless it's changed April 2018 should see the next squadron stand down, likely 12(B) as they were meant to have gone years ago and would fit into the Shader rotation. The remaining two squadron soldier on until the end of TGRF in 2019, not managed to get to Marham for a while so it might have all changed since then. Also with the Whitehall penny pinches who know what they are planning once Daseh have been defeated.

Original plan was to have IX(B) as the last GR4 squadron after they were the first frontline squadron to convert to Tornado all those years ago

ZA607 could possibly be due some maintenance when it arrives at Marham as on a tour of the ejection seat repair shop this week, there are two overhauled seats waiting with this serial on them. At least it looks as if it will be continuing to fly and not rtp for now

Trev

It would be nice if IX (B) Continues till the OSD, however, I do wonder about the current ops. Once you have taken back the territory that Daesh have, I hope it stays that way.

Although as has already been seen in Afghanistan, all the parts of Helmand we took from Taliban control. They took it back after we left !

And quite a lot of Daesh will simply melt away into the local areas in Iraq and Syria or regroup elsewhere.

From what pilots have said during tours of Marham. Tornado is only funded for Daesh ops. So unless there is a rethink after Daesh have been defeated. The end will come swiftly I am guessing. The MOD / RAF didn't expect Tornado to be in service after the 2015 SDSR. Thats why there was no or only one? reference to the fleet.

I should added there was talk of keeping a small fleet going until 2020 or 2021 (Germans plan until 2025 at least). Like the end of the Canberra life but that would have relied on a lot of factors. Funding, airframe, paperwork being signed off etc

We can but hope Gary....

Back in July a German guy who has worked on Tornadoes for many years told me they are due to stay in service until 2030