The Tornado will take to the skies of Suffolk for its final flypast today – marking nearly 40 years of Royal Air Force service.
The farewell tour will pass over RAF Honington and the Imperial War Museum Duxford this afternoon to celebrate the end of the warplane’s era.
Those with their eyes on the skies can spot the Tornado between 1pm and 1.15pm over the RAF base, and between 1.15pm and 1.30pm in Duxford.
The full schedule for today, Wednesday, February 20, is as follows:
1pm – 1.15pm: RAF Honington
1.15pm – 1.30pm: Imperial War Museum Duxford – Former RAE Bedford – Cranfield Airfield – RAF Halton – RAF High Wycombe
1.30pm – 1.45pm: RAF Benson – HQ Land Forces, Andover, MOD Boscombe Down
2pm – 2.15pm: RAF Pembrey – MOD St Athan – Cardiff Airport
2.15pm – 2.30pm: Rolls Royce Filton – MOD Abbey Wood – MOD Shrivenham – RAF Brize Norton
On Thursday, the Tornado’s flight path will be:
11.15am – 11.30am: Leuchars Station
11.30am – 11.45am: RAF Tain
11.45am – 12pm: RAF Lossiemouth
What do we know about the Tornado?
Designed by Panavia, the aircraft was a collaboration between the UK, Germany and Italy – coming into RAF service in 1979.
It saw combat during the Gulf War of 1991, while also flying operations over Kosovo, Iraq and Syria.
A flight of Tornado jets returned home to the UK for the last time on February 5, landing at RAF Marham in Norfolk.
The Tornado will be replaced by the F-35 Lightning – costing $85million per aircraft, according to designers Lockheed.
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