by Mick Mirkovic

Tornado GR.1 ZG791-DC, 31 Squadron, Coningsby, 10-8-1994

On Tuesday June 21 the RAF officially handed over to the Aviation Heritage Museum Tornado GR.4 JG791. We are the only museum outside of the U.K. to have one. The aircraft arrived on site on 19 May after a period of quarantine at Fremantle port and stored here until RAF (JARTS) assembly crew arrived here in early June. Over the period June 13 to June 20 it was assembled and moved to its display site on the east side of the South Hangar. Also we received 3 Turbo Union RB199 engines - one for display and the other two for spares or swaps, engines were not installed into the Tornado. We are very proud to be selected to have this aircraft on display.

Was the 3rd to last Tornado GR1 to be built, batch number BS (British Strike) 190. 1stflew on 28 June, 1992 and after trials was allocated to 31 Squadron at RAF Bruggen, Germany on August 7, 1992. She flew with the squadron for almost seven years with brief loan periods to IX(B), 14 and 17 Squadron which were also based at Bruggen.

On April 14 1999 ZG791was delivered to British Aerospace, Warton to be upgraded to a GR4. 11 months later on March 15, 2000 was returned to RAF Bruggen was operated by IX(B), 31 and 14 Squadrons before a brief spell at RAF Lossiemouth with XV(R) Squadron. She then spent 12 months on Operation BOLTON (Iraq) and was used by various Tornado squadrons as they rotated through Kuwait. She then returned to RAF Lossiemouth and was operated by 12 and 617 Squadrons.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791 fuselage arrival at Museum, 19-5-2022.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791 fuselage starboard after arrival, 19-5-22.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791 fuselage, port side, after arrival, 19-5-22.

ZG791 being lifted off the truck, 19-5-22.

ZG791 being lowered, 19-5-22.

On September 24, 2002 it suffered a bird strike and diverted to RAF Kinloss, damage was assessed as CAT 3 and repairable. On October 10 was moved to RAF St Athan in South Wales for repairs. She was delivered back to 617 Squadron on September 9, 2003. After 2 years with 617 Squadron, she was moved down to RAF Marham and served with 13 Squadron. The following years served with various squadrons as she moved between Lossiemouth and Marham.

ZG791 being positioned, 19-5-22.

ZG791 in postion, 19-5-22.

Port side frontal, 21-6-22.

Starboard 3-4 view front, 21-6-2022.

Port side rear view, 21-6-22.

In Febuary 2013 she deployed to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK. After a year in theatre JG791 was returned to RAF Marham for major servicing. After this returned to RAF Lossiemouth and served with 12 and 15 Squadrons before returning to RAF Marham with the drawdown of Tornados at Lossiemouth.

Laterly in her service life was deployed twice to RAF Akortiri, Cyprus as part of Operation SHADER (Syria). On Febuary 4, 2019 returned to RAF Marham with the remaining aircraft deployed on Op. SHADER, thus drawing to a close 29 years of RAF Tornado GR1/GR4’s continuous operations over the Middle East. Her last flight was on 28 Febuary, 2019 where she formed part of the final Diamond 9 flypast. She amassed 6778:15 flying hours over a 27 year career.

Tornado GR.1 ZG791, 31 Squadron, Lossiemouth, 31-7-1995.

Tornado GR1 ZG791,14 Squadron, Lossiemouth, March, 2001.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791 - P. 13 Squadron, RAF. Cold Lake, Canada, May, 2005.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791-137, 13 Squadron, Luqa, Malta, 22-9-2006.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791-137, 13 Squadron, Luqa, 26-7-2011.

Tornado GR.4 ZG791-137, IX Squadron, Marham, U.K., Feb., 2019.

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