Panavia Tornado F2T, ZD900 / AT002, MoD(PE)
This picture is © Martin Laycock and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: ZD900
Construction Number: AT002
Code Number: AT2
Military Unit: A&AEE
Model Panavia Tornado F2T
Operator: MoD(PE)
Airport: Boscombe Down (EGD / EGDM), UK - England
Airshow: Boscombe Down - Air Tournament International - 1992
Photographer: Martin Laycock
Date Taken: 13/06/1992
Date Submitted: 23/03/2010
Photographed in the static display during Air Tournament International 92. This Tornado was the first production standard F2 to fly when she took to the air on the 5th March 1984. The F2 variant was fairly rare, only eighteen examples were produced, as there were serious technical difficulties with the Marconi/Ferranti AI.24 Foxhunter radar. It was this variant that initially flew with the imfamous 'Blue Circle' concrete and lead ballast in the nose as an interim measure until they could be fitted with serviceable radar sets. The F2 was also inferior to the later F3 in that it had the same RB.199 Mk 103 engines as used by the Tornado IDS, was capable of only four wing sweep settings and was only equipped to carry two underwing sidewinder missiles (four could be carried on the F3). The F2 had only a brief period in RAF service before being replaced by the F3. This particular F2T was used by A&AEE for a while before being retired, and her centre airframe section used as a donor to repair Tornado F3T ZE343, one of sixteen F3s that were badly damaged during maintenance. The rest of her was either used for ground instruction at RAF Lossiemouth or scrapped.
Picture ID:1222106