Jump to content

What is this? a Drop tank I think


Southern Bandit

Recommended Posts

This is from one of my friends recent eccentric purchases, LOL.

Given our location in NE Scotland I recon this is an ex RAF Tornado GR-4 drop tank? I've spoken with RAF Tornado pilots/nav that flew in our area in my pursuit of building a good 1/32 GR4 Tonka out of the old Revell kit and I've got some fairly heavy resin tanks just like this for that project.

We as modellers would refer to this tank as Hindenburg tanks ... is that right? and again the reason I ask is ... when I mentioned this to the RAF Tornado pilot, he was not sure ... but end of day his job is to fly the aircraft and not become aware of perhaps *slang* groundcrew or us modellers call under wing fuel tanks?

I'm pretty sure this an ex (surplus) RAF Tornado drop tank and probably from when the RAF Tornado's were retired in my area.

I and my friend once bought mint condition RAF Buccaneer Martin Baker ejection seats for just £15 each, kept mine for ages but in the end found it quite hard to give away to a good home!

F5bzQij.jpg

Edited by Southern Bandit
spelling in title
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup - that's the big 2250 Litre Fuel Tank - originally fitted to the F Mk3s - and later fitted to the GR Mk 1s around time of the first Gulf War.

 

I can remember going through the 'wing sweep baulk' mod on the 'GR' simulators around that time - I was a Senior Tech Author looking after instructor AP updates for the RAF/RSAF simulators. If you go full sweep with those tanks you interfere with tailplane movement - so wing sweep was restricted when carrying them.

 

Nice thing to have - but not sure what I'd do with one...

 

If you need some for a 1:32 Tornado (and don't have the Revell 'RAF' boxing of the IDS Tornado) then wunwinglow of this parish (www.flyingstartmodels.com) has done a beautiful set in vac and resin which I'll be reviewing shortly.

 

Iain

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Guys, yep its definitely a Tornado tank, it was GR4's flew in this area (near RAF Lossimouth) and it must have come from one those aircraft, RAF Tornado's did fly from RAF Leuchers air base near Dundee, they were GR1's though ... an almost different Aircraft again and that base is/was well down south from where i live ... this tank is from an RAF Lossiemouth Tornado GR4, no doubt about that ... unless it was a visiting Aircraft that got scrapped here.

I'll have to have a dig in my Revell IDS box for a look (thanks Iain) I've got just about every aftermarket part for that kit to turn it into a local 617 squadron GR-4 but am waiting to hear on the promised Italeri 1/32 new tool GR-4 Tornado too .... its been a while since I heard anything on that one?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Hardcore said:

Wonder if it would be possible to hold beer in them, or if that would be contaminated by fuel remains. 

 

They are already designed to hold fluid, and almost anything can be cleaned and disinfected enough to be safe for food storage. The question is really whether or not they fulfill the desired function without being more of a hassle to use than a container purposed-designed for holding beer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve got a bit of a nose panel of a crashed ETPS Hawk in the garage (great for colour matching) and the antenna that sits above the canopy on the T5 ETPS Lightning, which I acquired when it was being decommissioned.

 

NB - I’m doing the 1/32 cab at the mo and I may not be using the Big tanks......

 

Steve.

Edited by Stevepd
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...