Tornado GR.1
This page is about the British strike aircraft Tornado GR.1. For other versions, see Tornado (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Tornado GR.1 is a rank VIII British strike aircraft with a battle rating of 11.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators".
General info
Flight performance
Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 10,972 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
Stock | 1,991 | 1,991 | 12800 | 31.4 | 31.5 | 155.1 | 152.8 | 800 |
Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ |
Details
Features | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
Limits | Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | |||
Min sweep | 972 | 0 | 1,166 | 552 | 440 | ~8 | ~3 |
Max sweep | 1,555 | ~9 | ~3 |
Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
< 670 | < 650 | < 700 | N/A |
Engine performance
Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full internal fuel) | ||||||
Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.101 | 2 | 14,309 kg | 634 kg/m2 | ||||||
Engine characteristics | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load or external fuel) | Max Takeoff Weight | |||||||
Weight (each) | Type | 17m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 58m fuel | |||
2,200 kg | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | 15,801 kg | 16,064 kg | 16,942 kg | 18,258 kg | 19,399 kg | 27,200 kg | ||
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||||
Condition | 100% | WEP | 17m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 58m fuel | MTOW | |
Stationary | 3,633 kgf | 7,015 kgf | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.83 | 0.77 | 0.72 | 0.52 | |
Optimal | 4,032 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
7,845 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
0.99 | 0.98 | 0.93 | 0.86 | 0.81 | 0.58 |
Survivability and armour
The Tornado has no armour to speak of and is relatively large, making it an easy target for enemy guns. Almost any hit to the center part of the Tornado will leave its speed crippled, while any hit to the wings and tail will most likely cripple flight performance, if not disabling the aircraft outright. Although it could in theory make its way back to base even with only one engine, any enemy attention during this timespan will most likely get you sent back to the hangar. It also has 2 pilots, which means that you can continue flying in the unlikely case that only 1 pilot is knocked out.
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Ballistic Computer | |||
---|---|---|---|
CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
Offensive armament
The Tornado GR.1 is armed with:
- 2 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannons, chin-mounted (180 rpg = 360 total)
Suspended armament
The Tornado GR.1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:
- 2 x 1,500 l drop tanks
- 56 x large calibre countermeasures
- 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x 546 kg Mk.13 bombs (2,184 kg total)
- 1 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bomb (2,000 lb total)
- 4 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 7 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (7,000 lb total)
- 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total)
- 12 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
Custom loadout options
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
546 kg Mk.13 bombs | 1† | 1† | 1*†‡ | 1† | ||||||||
1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs | 1, 2 | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2‡ * | 1*‡ | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2 | |||||
1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs | 1, 2 | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2‡ * | 1*‡ | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2‡ | 1, 2 | |||||
2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs | 1*† | |||||||||||
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
Large calibre countermeasures | 28 | 28 | ||||||||||
TIALD | 1† | |||||||||||
1,500 l drop tanks | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
* GBU-24 Paveway III cannot be equipped with bombs on hardpoints 5-6 † TIALD targeting pod must be equipped when using guided bombs ‡ Bombs on hardpoint 6 cannot be equipped with dual bomb mounts on hardpoints 4-8 |
Usage in battles
There are multiple ways to use the Tornado in ARB, one tactic is to stick to the team and try and give support with your AIM-9Ls on your way to the enemy bases and/or ground targets. This gives you the advantage of team cover and a bit of safety, although you will undoubtedly be in the midst of battle once enemy interceptors and fighters reach your team. The other tactic would be to go full throttle directly to the enemy bases while keeping extremely low to the ground to decrease your chances of being spotted visually or by radar. While this leaves you mostly alone and isolated from the possible support of your team, you will be able to take a more direct route to your main target, meaning you'll be able to evade any slower or unsuspecting enemies. Taking an active role in air-to-air combat is not advised, as the Tornado's flight performance is not suited to it and you'll most likely be shot down very quickly. So keep in mind that although the Tornado is fast, its not very manoeuvrable at high speed so try to avoid faster enemies such as the F-16 or the F-14. In the case of 1-to-1 confrontation the best option is to simply hope you are faster and run away, against capable fighters like the MiG-23, F-16, MiG-29, Viggen, F-14, and Mirage 2000 you don't stand a chance, unless the enemy pilot is extremely inexperienced. With countermeasures you are able to survive for longer if you can time their use and can dodge without losing too much of your speed. In GRB you can easily pick off enemy SPAA once you have unlocked your laser guided bombs, so try to fly as high as possibile. If you only have dumb bombs you're going to need to stick to the ground as much as possibile to avoid enemy AA, you can't linger too much on the battlefield or else the enemy team will begin to prioratise you as a target. You also need to be very weary of what type of enemy air has been spawned in, if you focus too much on ground vehicles you become easy pickings for any enemy aircraft which can take advantage of you not realising they're there. In conclusion, play a reserved role and only engage when you think its clear.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Variable sweep wing
- Large payload
- Advanced weapons
- Supersonic
Cons:
- Can struggle in air-to-air combat
- High fuel consumption
- Bombs severely limit its maximum speed to about Mach 1.05
- No search radar
History
The Panavia Tornado GR.1 was a multi-role combat aircraft, the result of an international collaboration between British, German and Italian companies which in 1969 formed the Panavia company to manufacture the Tornado. Its first flight was 14th August 1974 and was introduced to the RAF in 1986 but its first use in combat was not until 1991 in the Gulf war and was in service until March 2019.
Media
- Skins
See also
External links
Panavia Aircraft GmbH | |
---|---|
Strike Aircraft | Tornado (Family) |
Germany | ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG |
UK | Tornado GR.1 · Tornado GR.4 · Tornado F.3 · Tornado F.3 Late |
Italy | Tornado ADV · ▄Tornado IDS · ▄Tornado IDS (1995) |
Britain jet aircraft | |
---|---|
Blackburn | Buccaneer S.1 · Buccaneer S.2 · Buccaneer S.2B |
British Aerospace | Harrier GR.7 · Sea Harrier FRS.1 (e) · Sea Harrier FRS.1 · Sea Harrier FA 2 |
British Aircraft Corporation | Strikemaster Mk.88 |
English Electric | Canberra B Mk 2 · Canberra B (I) Mk 6 · Lightning F.6 · Lightning F.53 |
Gloster | Meteor F Mk 3 · Sea Meteor F Mk 3 · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41F · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41G · Meteor F Mk 8 G.41K · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper |
Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9 | |
de Havilland | Vampire F.B.5 · Venom FB.4 · Sea Venom FAW 20 · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 |
Hawker | Sea Hawk FGA.6 · Hunter F.1 · Hunter F.6 · Hunter FGA.9 · Harrier GR.1 · Harrier GR.3 |
Panavia | Tornado GR.1 · Tornado GR.4 · Tornado F.3 · Tornado F.3 Late |
SEPECAT | Jaguar GR.1 · Jaguar GR.1A · Jaguar IS |
Supermarine | Attacker FB 1 · Attacker FB.2 · Scimitar F Mk.1 · Swift F.1 · Swift F.7 |
Foreign | Phantom FG.1 (USA) · Phantom FGR.2 (USA) · F-4J(UK) Phantom II (USA) |
Australia | F-111C |
India | ▄MiG-21 Bison |
South Africa | ▄JAS39C |