Panavia Tornado variants?

Which Panavia Tornado do you want?

1. Tornado IDS - interdictor/strike

2. Tornado ADV - interceptor/fighter

IDS because the ADV was bloody useless until very late in its career - when it was upgraded to mediocre

GR1 (IDS)

The ADV wasn't much of a fighter as at couldn't dogfight. It was designed to shoot down the Bombers.

None of them. Sweeping the wings manually is pretty janky stuff.

1. Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike)

2. Tornado ADV (fighter/interceptor)

You forgot the Tornado ECR on your list!

My wish would be the Tornado IDS ASSTA 3.1 that is currently in use with the German air Force (although that one is probably way to modern to be a realistic option for DCS)

None of them. Sweeping the wings manually is pretty janky stuff.

The ADV has automatic wing sweep as far as I know.

The ADV has automatic wing sweep as far as I know.

Auto wing sweep never cleared for use in service AFAIK.

Go for the GR4 update then and get auto sweep. Better than ADV for DCS as more weaponry to cause havoc with.

1980s IDS

None of them. Sweeping the wings manually is pretty janky stuff.

The Saudi IDS has automatic wing sweep... and it fits to the PG map

I'd mostly like early GR.1 / IDS, but wouldn't mind the GR.4 or one of the ASSTA upgrades.

The modern upgrades are focused more on high altitude operations which was not what the airframe was designed for. Plus, the documents on these are probably classified given the modern weapons on them. So, I'd personally prefer the original IDS. ADV would of course be nice to have as an extra for some fictional scenarios over the North Sea, though I'm not sure how fun would it be to fly those engines at high altitude.

Well the ADV is an interceptor. I'd rather have the EE Lightning for that, but if it'd be not too much work to get that variant as well once the IDS is done, I'd gladly take it. Same goes for the JA-37 BTW. I'd buy them on day one.

Early Tornado IDS variant is probably the most feasible variant to model (GR.1/ GR.1A with maybe the GR.1B as a possible variant) I mean I'll buy any Tornado (though personally I'm all about the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 / GR.3A)

80s or 90s IDS.

The modern upgrades are focused more on high altitude operations which was not what the airframe was designed for. Plus, the documents on these are probably classified given the modern weapons on them. So, I'd personally prefer the original IDS. ADV would of course be nice to have as an extra for some fictional scenarios over the North Sea, though I'm not sure how fun would it be to fly those engines at high altitude.

While they gained a lot of capabilities for mid-high altitude operations, they didn't loose their capabilities needed for low level operations (apart from weapons like JP233 or MW-1 being phased out and reduced pilot training for low level flying). I agree with the classification problem for the modern avionics stuff though. And the oldschool analog and monochrome instruments/displays are always pretty cool!

I think the ADV gets a bad rep, mostly from Internet armchair quarterbacks who think turning well is the only defining characteristic of a good fighter, but given the choice I'd definitely go for an IDS.

I'd take an early one (say from Desert Storm) over a new one because it kind of fits the DCS period better, and shiny new toys like JDAM and Storm Shadow are flashy but they aren't nearly as fun as the old-school low altitude, so I personally wouldn't miss them.

I think the ADV gets a bad rep, mostly from Internet armchair quarterbacks who think turning well is the only defining characteristic of a good fighter, but given the choice I'd definitely go for an IDS.

 

 

 

I'd take an early one (say from Desert Storm) over a new one because it kind of fits the DCS period better, and shiny new toys like JDAM and Storm Shadow are flashy but they aren't nearly as fun as the old-school low altitude, so I personally wouldn't miss them.

Ask WindyTX about it. A former F3 pilot. I asked him about it and it was a more capable airplane than people ever gave it credit for. I believe the radar was particularly good. I’m sure he would defend it from some of the bashing it receives. That being said I would prefer the interdiction variant. I just love it.

I wasn't going to say anything but if we got stage 1 plus I would be happy. I retired before Amraam and Asraam that was in with stage 2 but I heard good things about it.

To be fair tho the pre active missiles days was the glory days of the fighter pilot. You had to get close (I guess the Lightning guys said a similar thing tho of the guns era), at least in a semi active war you are always in close at the end, so end up in a visual merge half the time. It takes a lot more coordination to fight a semi active war tho which I guess makes it less popular in DCS.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

While they gained a lot of capabilities for mid-high altitude operations, they didn't loose their capabilities needed for low level operations (apart from weapons like JP233 or MW-1 being phased out and reduced pilot training for low level flying). I agree with the classification problem for the modern avionics stuff though. And the oldschool analog and monochrome instruments/displays are always pretty cool!

They indeed lost capabilities. The resolution of the MFDs is lower then the CRPMG. On the CRPMG the details were more nuance.

TFR is frozen, they're not even sure if they can be reactivated. So no low level in bad wather any more. They gained 3 JDAMS, more is not cleared yet. They mostly gained in EW stuff, but that would not affect us.

So in terms of DCS, we would even get less, if we get a modern bird.

80s or 90s IDS.

+1

I think the ADV gets a bad rep, mostly from Internet armchair quarterbacks who think turning well is the only defining characteristic of a good fighter, but given the choice I'd definitely go for an IDS.

The ADV wasn't a great aircraft and was in a lot of ways unsuited to its intercept role, in fact, It had problems with intercepting the latest Soviet bombers as it was quite slow at altitude. The concept was fundamentally flawed as it was based on a design for a low-level Interdicter strike aircraft wasn't really manoeuvrable and had questionable high-level performance. I remember transiting back from the Gulf on an RAF VC10 which was refuelling Tornadoes on the way back to UK. The VC-10 had to slow down and decrease altitude in order for the Tornadoes to refuel, I remember talking to one of the crew afterwards and he said it was like balancing an elephant on top of a pencil at above 20,000 feet with a combat load... ;)

So ADV was @#$% IMHO would not add much to DCS, IDS version however (probably Gr1) would be a great addition and would be great fun with varied weapons loads and a targeting pod. TFR at low level would also be awesome.

BTW, I'm not an armchair critic by any definition... ;)

While they gained a lot of capabilities for mid-high altitude operations, they didn't loose their capabilities needed for low level operations (apart from weapons like JP233 or MW-1 being phased out and reduced pilot training for low level flying). I agree with the classification problem for the modern avionics stuff though. And the oldschool analog and monochrome instruments/displays are always pretty cool!

:thumbup:

Same thoughts here, told it in short.

With best regards.

GR.1 for me.

I dont know much about the Tornado, but ideally I would want something that can do ground and air. Guess thats a problem.

Early Tornado IDS variant is probably the most feasible variant to model (GR.1/ GR.1A with maybe the GR.1B as a possible variant) I mean I'll buy any Tornado (though personally I'm all about the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 / GR.3A)

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk