Panavia Tornado IDS – 6 Stormo, 102 Gruppo, Aeronautica Militare, Ghedi AB, Italy, April 2001

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA6705: Panavia Tornado IDS MM7071 of 6 Stormo, 102 Gruppo, Aeronautica Militare, Ghedi AB, Italy, April 2001. Production run of 500 models

Length 9.25 inches  Wingspan 7.75 inches

In 1993 6 Stormo moved to Ghedi AB and is comprised of Stormo 102,154 and 156. In 1992 the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment “TTTE” was de-activated and 102 Gruppo “Papero Incazzato” “The Angry Ducks” was assigned the role of Operational Conversion Unit, aka the flight school for Tornado crews. 154 and 156 Stormo are the operational squadrons. Originally assigned to 154 Stormo and then 102 Stormo the aircraft eventually returned to 154 Stormo with a Mid-Life Upgrade and over the years Tornado MM7071 has been assigned several numbers, 6-42, 6-35 and 6-12.

Designed in collaboration with Britain, West Germany and Italy, the Tornado was first flown on August 14th, 1974 and is thought by many to be the most important military aircraft in Western European history. Nicknamed “The Flying Fin” because of its large tail fin, the Tornado has a variable wing sweep design and is capable of taking off and landing on short airstrips. It is equipped with terrain-following radar, which allows for hands-off, low-level flight in any weather. There are three primary versions: an electronic combat/reconnaissance version, an interceptor and a highly versatile strike fighter-bomber capable of carrying almost all of NATO’s air-launched weapons.