FighterControl

The Tonka is rumoured to sound different to normal when fitted with the Terma pod, I've certainly heard the odd strange sounding one around here. It's something to do with the apertures in the pod, something along the lines of the well known "Blue Note" heard from Hunters which emanated from the gun ports at a certain speed.

Len, its not the engines that whine. The recently delivered TERMA definsive aid pod which is carried on the port outer pylon gives off the distinctive howl which I think is caused by the airflow going over the flare louvres.

Dinger.

CAB wrote:It's normally the back seater.

Agreed, noisy old R2 units............

Theres a Tonka out of Boscombe that sounds 'funny' when it passes over, not heard nothing else like it...

The bad thing is it drowns out the beautiful noise of the Two RB199 turbofan engines.

I wonderd what all the fuss was about untill today. Tonka came screaming over Howden about 14.05 . I nearly fell out of my flat window watching it. Heading towards Brough last I saw of him. Sounds awsome

Ben

Saw 2 tornados last week very low and very fast near Ripon. One was screaming like a banshee!!

dinger wrote:Len, its not the engines that whine. The recently delivered TERMA definsive aid pod which is carried on the port outer pylon gives off the distinctive howl which I think is caused by the airflow going over the flare louvres.

Dinger.

Hiya,
i "sort" of know one of the Team Principals at Bae Warton and have been told that the noise is caused by a modified BOZ pod fitted to Tornado BS186 (ZG773) Wartons development aircraft as part of UORs for the RAF in Iraq/Afghanistan. The pod is the latest AIRCM pod, a forward firing one, and the howling it creates is called "Organ Piping". Boscombe are also running trials in conjunction with Warton, in order to speed up the release to service.

That explains the pass over (BAE) Brough.

Thanks.

Ben

heard one over-fly while at cby the other week it sounds awesome!

Would be interested to know if the howl is simply a by product of the design or an intended feature?

Surely if a by product, and if some of the reports as to the actual volume of the howl are to be believed, it can't be very tactical?

Or is it intended for a purpose and a specific design feature?

To strike fear into the populace of a certain country which ends in 'stan?

To associate the noise with an impending attack?

..........anyone else aware of the siren fitted to a Stuka, to magnify terror?

Grateful for any factual evidence as to design.

GOOSE wrote:Would be interested to know if the howl is simply a by product of the design or an intended feature?

Surely if a by product, and if some of the reports as to the actual volume of the howl are to be believed, it can't be very tactical?

Or is it intended for a purpose and a specific design feature?

To strike fear into the populace of a certain country which ends in 'stan?

To associate the noise with an impending attack?

..........anyone else aware of the siren fitted to a Stuka, to magnify terror?

Grateful for any factual evidence as to design.

Ive no idea Goose, but since ive heard that the design has now been 'frozen', then there must be a reason as to why the piping has not been "designed out". Ill see if i can get an answer. Like you say though, not tactical at all, in some instances the howl can be heard BEFORE the sound of the aircraft itself!

Anyone else any info?

Basically, I can't wait till they get them up to Lossie. I am well excited for hearing this 'howl'

Follow this link to view pdf file from the pods manufacturer, a small pic of the pod mounted on the guilty Tornado can be seen on page 6.

http://www.terma.com/multimedia/EW_broc ... e_2009.pdf

Below is the link to the manufacturers website.
http://www.terma.com/

Gary.

This was covered months ago. Terry got the answer from the Boss of Air Warfare Centre on a visit to Donna. When the flare dispenser is empty the note is produced.

See thread for info and photo.

viewtopic.php?f=55&p=26896" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Video of howling Tonka at Warton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z0nZiX-RPo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An empty pod would make a great addition if the GR4 ever returned to the display circuit. Imagine the noise of two empty pods on a GR4?

TJ

Nice one TJ, I was wondering what I was missing as I've not heard one yet.

Sounds great!

^^Gord^^ wrote:Nice one TJ, I was wondering what I was missing as I've not heard one yet.

Sounds great!

No problem, Gord. A few weeks ago I experienced it first hand myself with two 41 Squadron GR4s doing a run and break at Coningsby.

TJ

What a noise!!!
Thats is awsome!!!

That certainly is a thrilling noise.

Takes me back to the days of Hunters and Hooters at Binbrook.