Panavia Tornado IDS - AG51 - Germany - 1994
Luftwaffe - Aufklärungsgeachwader 51 "Immelmann"
- Subject:
Panavia Tornado IDS
Bundeswehr Luftwaffe (German Air Force 1956-now)
AG 51 Immelmann 45+85
2000- Масштаб:
- 1:72
- Статус:
- Завершённые
At the beginning of te 90's, the Luftwaffe has phased-out its RF-4E and therefore disbanded its two recoinnasance air wings.
Elements of the soon to be disolved Navy Tornado unit MFG1 joined the Luftwafe to form the new 51st Reconnaissance Wing (Aufklärungsgeschwader 51/AG-51). Although Tornado ECRs dedicated for electronic warfare were already available as soon as 1990, the AG51 was formed at the beginning only with the Tornados IDS from the disolved MFG1. This officially took place in 1993 with freshly painted Tornados in the standard Luftwaffe Norm 83.
Since a new grey-based camouflage pattern (Norm 95) was adopted for the Luftwaffe only 2-3 years after, the green-based camouflage dedicated for ground attack did not last long for the newly formed AG51. For this reason there aren't that many photographs of AG51 Tornados in the green camouflage.
A dedicated reconnainsance pod was used exclusively by the AG51: the EADS GAF Telelens Pod. Here, it seems there were two versions of this pod, but I might be wrong.
At a later stage, the AG51 Tornados were painted in the Norm 95, took part of several mission in the Bosnian and Kosovo conflicts as part of Einsatzgeschwader 1 and later one in missions in Afghanistan as part of ISAG.
Particular to the Tornado 45+85 are the tiger paw marks on one side of the front landing gear door.
P.S: this is as well an older model which is of course not perfect.