Tornado F.3
| This page is about the British jet fighter Tornado F.3. For other versions, see Tornado (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Tornado F.3 is a rank VIII British jet fighter with a battle rating of 12.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Sky Guardians".
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | ___ | ___ | 13000 | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ___ |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 0 | ___ | ___ | ___ | ~__ | ~__ |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < ___ | < ___ | < ___ | > ___ |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||
| _____ | _ | _,___ kg | ___ kg/m2 | |||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | ||||
| Weight (each) | Type | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | ||
| ___ kg | ___ | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP) | |||||
| Condition | 100% | ___%/WEP | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | ___ kgf | ___ kgf | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Optimal | ___ kgf (_ km/h) |
___ kgf (_ km/h) |
_.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
Survivability and armour
Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
 |
 |
|
|
Offensive armament
The Tornado F.3 is armed with:
- A choice between two presets:
- 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
- 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures
Suspended armament
The Tornado F.3 can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:
- 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
- 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
- 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
- 4 x Skyflash missiles
- 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
Custom loadout options
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1, 2 * | 1, 2 * | ||||
| Skyflash missiles | 4 | |||||
| Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles | 4 | |||||
| Countermeasures | 160 * | 160 * | ||||
| 330 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | ||||
| * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint | ||||||
Usage in battles
Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.
The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the AIM-7F Sparrows. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the R-27ER or the Matra Super 530D. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.
Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.
Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.
Your stock Skyflash missiles take 1.8 seconds to begin tracking once launched. The Skyflash SuperTEMP only take 0.7 seconds to begin tracking.
The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.
At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.
Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British Phantoms your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
- Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
- Skyflash SuperTEMP are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
- Has radar gunsight
- Advanced radar for its BR
- Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
- PD has IFF
- All-aspect heat-seeking secondary missiles
- Can carry drop tanks to extend range
Cons:
- Poor turning performance
- Loses energy quickly in a turn
- Lacklustre acceleration
- Stock Skyflash missiles take an extra second to start tracking compared to Sky flash (DF)
- Opposing BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
- Cannot kinetically dodge SARH missiles
- Short ACM range
- The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
History
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| 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 |
