Tornado colours

[Vulture 01]

With the imminent passing of the Tornado into history, I'm starting on a modelling project to build 1/72 models of all the variants and colour schemes.

What I'm finding is that information is rather difficult to come by: where is the Michael J F Bowyer of the new millennium? *


The RAF variants are reasonably easy to find out. They are: GR1, GR1A, GR1b, F2, F3, EF3A, GR4, GR4A.

Airframe colours are a bit more problematical, hence this topic being raised.
As far as I've been able to check the schemes are:

GR1/1a early; Grey/green overall;
GR1b; either grey green as above, or dark camo grey undersides and dark sea grey uppers;
GR1 1a later: greys as per later GR1 b;
F2 / F3 / EF3A; Light aircraft grey undersides, camouflage grey uppers; (EF3A was an unofficial variant for the 11sqn Alarm carriers)
F3: later scheme of medium sea grey overall
GR4 / 4A: initial scheme of greys as per later GR1b's;
GR4 / 4A Final overall dark sea grey.

The above is based on personal observation, interpretation of photographs and decal instruction sheets from Model Alliance and Xtradecal.

I think that's the lot, although I would appreciate any comments from yourselves.

Thanks
Bob.

*For those who haven't heard of him, Michael J F Bowyer was an author who wrote many books on aircraft camo & markings back in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. He and Dick Ward of Modeldecal were seen as the experts in the field back then.

[iainpeden]

Camouflage grey was initially known as Barley grey and was also used on Phantoms and Hawks. When it comes to the later years for the GRs it is best to find a picture of the a/c you are modelling as there was a tendency to swap panels and you got all sorts of hotch potch combinations - some of the best sources are in the low level photography sections on here and UKAR post ed over the last few years.

If you want a bit of colour there were all sorts of anniversary and display schemes and some of the RAFG a/c had painted fins (red or white) to improve visibility following a number of air to air collisions.

[CLPSLFBT]

Hi Bob, found this site that may interest you.

https://www.tornadosig.com/raf-camouflage-schemes.html#

Hope it helps.

Regards

Glenn

[tommc]

The jets that went out on GW2 were painted a different (lighter) shade of grey overall

[tommc]

And of course the well known desert pink colours for the original Gulf War

[iainpeden]

Hi Bob, found this site that may interest you.

https://www.tornadosig.com/raf-camouflage-schemes.html#

Hope it helps.

Regards

Glenn

I know the early pre-production a/c were dark grey and green on the upper surface and light a/c grey underneath. I wonder if the very first a/c into service with 617 were light grey or camo on the underside - I must dig out those pictures from Marham '84 (?).

[Vulcanone]

All the Tornados enter service with the wraparound overall Dark green and Dark Sea grey

[Vulture 01]

Thanks everyone for the re[lies and suggestions.
Much appreciated.
B