FPP048 - Panavia Tornado

Anyone who watched early superhero shows years ago recalls opening scenes where bystanders gawking skyward exclaim, “Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird!… "It’s a plane! "It’s…” (…of course, we all know: it’s Superman!).

But when the subject of today’s episode blasts overhead, folks might similarly cry, “it’s a fighter!...” “It’s a deep interdictor striker!...” “It’s a reconnaissance craft!” …Well, which is it?

On this episode, retired Royal Air Force flight lieutenant Cameron Mckay (and his alter ego, “Dangerman”) joins us to explain that the Panavia Tornado is all of those, and so much more. Jointly designed by the UK, Italy, and—at the time, West Germany, the Tornado admirably served these three nations and Saudi Arabia for over four decades, seeing action in numerous armed conflicts. Today, the aircraft is on its way to retirement but the “Fin,” as aircrew lovingly referred to it, is still a favorite.

During the listener question segment Jell-O discusses F/A-18 angle of attack probe contingencies, mission specialization among U.S. Navy and Marine Corps VFA squadrons, and ‘newbie’ yellow shirt considerations.

Opening audio taken from an actual Tornado strike on an Iraqi airfield during the 1991 Gulf War. Bumper music by Jaime Lopez announcements by Clint Bell Productions.

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