Hi All,
I was wondering if anyone out there could recommend a decent GR4 Tornado that’s currently on the market. Preferrably in 1/48. Have run a quick search only to come up with a stack of F3’s.
Ta very much.
Lee
The kits are out there…
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=70106&item=5935400773&rd=1
But I think I remember a review about Airfix Tornado’s being Terribly inaccurate. Other than ebay I dont know where else you might obtain one. But they are out there.
Thanks Awood. Will keep looking for somehting other than the Airfix release. Perhaps I should build the wonderful ‘long range interceptor’ that is the F3!!
Lee
Hi Lee,
Having not only built a tornado Gr1 & 4 model but also worked on the real things,i can say that the airfix kit is “beyond help!!!”
Revell make a very good 1/72 & 1/32 scale kit.dont know if they do a 1/48 tho.
The Italiari kit is good but you may have a bit of bother fitting the " kruger " flaps (retractable flaps on the front of the wing glove box,painted black & never used!) i did.
The Gr4 is basically the same as the gr1.Must of the changes are internal.The only obvious thing is the flir pod.
I bought a gr1 kit & a aftermarket set.Just check if its not a trainer jet as the rear cockpit is tottally different from the “norm”
If your going to do the F3,why not do the new SEAD version with BAe Alarm missiles,Skyshadow ECM & BOZ pods on the outer pylons!
For pics af the Tornado in the gulf,visit www.rafarmourers.co.uk & look in album.Hope this helps,
Merv
The Revell offerings are probably the best out there. I have their 1:72 GR.1, and it really is a terrific kit in terms of detail. Revell’s Tornados are the most accurate (I think), but even they get the radome shape wrong. Hasegawa has a “Gulf War” GR.1, and it’s decent (but wrong radome also!). As far as 1:48 scale, Italeri has one of the only good offerings (for a German ECR version). You could alsways do some conversion to RAF GR.4.
Really, there aren’t any actual kits of the GR.4 (yet). They are all GR.1s that need to be converted to the GR.4. There are a few after-market kits that will get you there. If you can find it, AIRWAVES (www.airwaves.org.uk) offers resin conversion kit for slatted wings, TIALD pod and the FLIR seeker. FLIGHTPATH Products from the UK also has a Tornado detail kit that offers several photo-etched parts and a nice resin radome (Proper shape[:D]), ejection sets, cockpit upgrades, new BOZ chaff pod and Sky Shadow pods and and some weapons (LGBs, ALARMs). Check out FSM’s Feb, 2004 issue. There is an article on a the conversion of a Revell GR.1 to a GR.4. Good luck.
Frank