RAF Form 414, Vol 27

Plane Tales

My logbook tales continue with my tour on Tremblers flying the F3 Tornado which had got off to a difficult start when our compliment of brand new aircraft were shipped off to other squadrons and, in return, we received the dregs of the RAF’s Tornado ADVs. They certainly weren’t in the best of condition and I began to think I was fated when I was forced to divert following a generator failure and X-drive clutch failure on an air test but then I was looking forward to leading a detachment down to Coningsby to fight F-16s over the North Sea in the Air Combat Manoeuvring range for a week.

The British Aerospace North Sea ACMI served UK and European Air Forces

Tremblers formate on the RAF’s new E3D Airborne Early Warning aircraft.

An F3 Tornado fires an AIM 9 Sidewinder missile

A piper plays at sunset

A 100 Squadron Hawk trainer

An F3 on approach

The K2 Victor Air to Air Refuelling tanker trailing all 3 hoses

Italian firemen hose down a Tornado canopy as it was too hot to close properly

The F3’s single Mauser 27mm cannon

The golfer Tom Kite playing for the USA in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews

The Royal and Ancient golf club at St Andrews beside the 1st tee and the 18th green. In front is the historic bridge built for herders over the Swilken Burn

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the RAF, the R&A golf club, BAe, Mike Freer and Optograph.