Sad end of Tornado F3 ZE204 @ Manston

[F3]

While watching Forces TV News on Thurs 15 Oct. I witnessed the sad end of Tornado F3 ZE204, set ablaze to provide Fire + Rescue Training for budding RAF firefighters. I searched my F3 photo collection but only found the three pics shared below, all taken @ Leeming down the yrs. Our paths first crossed there in September 1990 when it was among the first batch of F3s modified to the Stage 1 Plus standard before deployment to the Gulf with XI ( Composite) Sqn., having originally been delivered to Coningsby where it served with both 29 Sq. & 229 OCU. Returning to Leeming in '91 it remained with XI Sqn., becoming DD where I caught it again carrying a Gulf War momento in the form of a desert pink Tornado GR.1 external fuel tank. Towards the end of the decade it served with V Sqn. @ Coningsby before going north to join 43 Sqn. @ Leuchars at the beginning of the new millenium. However it was soon back with XI Sqn. wearing the fleet tailcode UJ as seen in the last pic taken at that time. Later it moved across to XXV Sqn. where it rec'd their mks and tailcode FC before being placed in storage @ Shawbury, presumably being allocated to Manston after the type's retirement in 2011. If you have any pics ofit pl. feel free to add them to the thread. I would particularly welcome any of it in the markings of the Coningsby sqns.

Tornado F3 ZE204 ends its service as a training aid (BFBS Forces TV News) by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Gulf War work - up - F3 ZE204 DB XI (C) Sqn. 02-09-90 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ZE204 DD XI Sqn circa ,92 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

ZE204 UJ XI Sqn '05 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[paddyboy]

Hi Mick

No way to treat a loyal servant, imho

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[F3]

Hi Mick

No way to treat a loyal servant, imho

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

Too right. But at least its given good service to the very end.

[tc2324]

99.9% certain this hasn`t actually been burnt, just used a lot of smoke bombs for effective training.

[Drinkmat]

While BFBS were filming their report, I was present during the exercise pictured above, where ZE204 was being used for lift-out training. The aircraft has certainly not been on fire at any time while at Manston.
The support staff throw an ignited smoke grenade into one of the engine tunnels and the trainees then drive in with either a Rapid Intervention Vehicle or the larger Major Foam Vehicle to practice extinguishing a fire and lift out an incapacitated crew (dead weight mannekins).

The airframe is actually in very good condition considering it's been in situ for a few years, with the canopy and main gear doors placed about 30 metres away, and in an undamaged state. Most instruments were still in place at the time of filming.
When '204 was placed onto the ground, the undercarriage was retracted so as to simulate a wheels up landing. Also at Manston is F3 ZE165. This Tornado has its nose gear retracted to simulate a nose wheel collapse on landing and was also used for lift-out training. This Tornado had smoke grenades placed in the engine tunnels but has also never been set on fire. The last airframes that were actually burned at Manston were set alight over 20-25 years ago.

Fire training at Manston has now ceased. The final course ended on 30th October. Future military fire training that would have been carried out at Manston will now be delivered from the Fire College at Moreton-in-the-Marsh. All of the airframes on the Fire Training Area at Manston have been either allocated or purchased, and must be removed from the site by the end of next March when Manston goes in to Care & Maintenance status until further notice. I photographically followed the final Basic Firefighter Course during most of their training at Manston on a daily basis, and have many images that I would like to publish in time. I am currently awaiting MOD permission to do so.

[Drinkmat]

Reading the comments earlier in the thread, I would agree that it could be regarded as a sad end to an airframe that has given years of sterling service, but in training airfield Firefighters, it was still serving, but in a different way. To my thinking, if one life is saved in the future by a Firefighter who has learned their trade on the old airframes at Manston, then it's been worth it. There are a few museum locations where Tornado aircraft can be see, and they can't all be saved!

Training airframes at Manston until two weeks ago were;

Nimrod XV229
Jaguar XX116
Harrier XW768
Harrier XZ966
Harrier XW922
Lynx XZ607
Lynx AH7 cabin pod
Tornado ZE204
Tornado ZE165
Wessex XV725
Wessex XR503
Gazelle XW870
Buccaneer XV864
Phantom ZE360 - not used for training, as owned by BPAG
Phantom XV411 - possibly the last airframe to be set on fire at Manston
Dominie XS714

[F3]

Hi Drinkmat. Thanks for the info. I do agree with the sentiment expressed above that through their role as training aids such redundant airframes are continuing to serve a useful purpose. It is indeed gratifying to learn that this one has not in fact been burned. Just goes to show how realistic the training exercises are. It certainly had me fooled. If it is in as good condition as it appears to be, and you confirm, then it is to be hoped that it has been acquired for preservation as the F3 is under represented on the preservation front. I believe that only four were allocated to national museum collections, one of which was declined (by IWM Duxford). There are two gate guards and a couple more have slipped out the back door but by my reckoning there are only a handful (six or seven)- not many considering that it served as the RAF's principal interceptor for quarter of a century. Leeming's gateguard was only preserved thanks to the intervention of the former CO (a former Harrier pilot) who recognised the significance of the last F3 to enter the RTP re-cycling programme to the Station's history. Thanks for yr list of airframes @ Manston which is most interesting. I do hope that you receive permission from the MoD to publish the images you have collected as I, for one, would be interested in seeing them.

[alpha2]

It is indeed good to know that the airframe was used for training and was not actually burned.

[Thunderbird167]

ZE204 has a much happier ending as it is now on display at the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum in Sunderland

The aircraft was handed over by Air Vice Marshall Colin Da' Silva, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff and former Tornado F3 Navigator

[pg1610]

204 In store Shawbury October 2012

Tornado F.3 RAF ZE204 by NTG842, on Flickr