HUNDREDS of sightseers gathered at both the north and south ends of the Boscombe Down airfield runway last Wednesday afternoon to watch the final flight of three Royal Aircraft Tornados as they overflew the airfield where so much of the aircraft’s development had taken place.

Watching from the Control Tower, the three aircraft from RAF Marham crossed the runway at 500 feet in close formation as they made their way across the South and South West of England on their farewell tour.

The Tornado was the RAF’s workhorse for 40 years, the longest in-service time for any British jet fighter. It began life on the drawing board as the Multi Rile Combat Aircraft 75, the Tornado was a co-operative venture between UK, Germany and Italy with almost 1,000 being built during the lifetime of the aircraft.

It was originally a cold war fighter aircraft and first entered service in 1979, but as the world developed, later versions developed the ground attack role and Tornado first saw operational service in the 1991 Gulf War where it was used extensively in operations against Iraq.

Since 1991 there has been little relief from combat operations, with Tornados active in policing and combat missions over the Balkans and Iraq, then back to Iraq in force for Operation Desert Fox in 1998 and Telic, the UK contribution to Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2003.

Most recently bombarding Daesh to push the terrorist group back through Syria and Iraq with the last aircraft returning to UK on February 5.

There have been Tornado aircraft for 30 years at Boscombe Down as the aircraft was tested and developed, the last one left in 2015.

One man who has flown the Tornado for 30 years is former RAF pilot and Empire Test Pilot School instructor Dave Southwood. “The version we saw flying today, the GR4, is an incredibly capable aircraft able to carry a varied weapons load.”

“No other combat aircraft of the RAF has been on combat operations as long as the Tornado. For me it was fascinating to watch it develop over 30 years from the Cold War to operations against Isis, a hugely, hugely capable aircraft.”

“I flew on the last flights of the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3, so watching the flypast today was moving.”

Volunteers needed

THE Royal Artillery Museum is calling for volunteers to help them prepare the vast and historic Royal Artillery collection for display to the public once again.

There are many roles needed including photographer, vehicle mechanic, vehicle electrician, gun fitter, recovery mechanic and ‘Jack of all trades’ needed for the collections team to work on Wednesdays.

The operations/archives team requires family history and historical items researchers, office assistants and people with a knowledge of policies and procedure and grants and bids. These tasks are on any weekday.

Please email it@RoyalArtilleryMuseum.com or call their office on 01980 653333 to arrange an interview