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| Aviation Art Collecton - Tornado |
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| Squadrons for : Tornado | ||
| A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
No.12 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 14th February 1915 Leads the field | No.12 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
No.14 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 3rd February 1915 I spread my wings and keep my promise | No.14 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
No.15 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st March 1915 Aim sure | No.15 Sqn RAF On 1st March 1915, the officers and men who made up No.1 Reserve Squadron and the Recruits Depot, all of whom were based at South Farnborough, Hampshire, were brought together to form No.15 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Initially, the new squadron was equipped with a diverse range of flying machines, including Henri and Maurice Farmans, Avros, Bleriots, Moranes and BE2c aircraft. Having relocated to an airfield at Hounslow, west of London, where the squadron was allowed time to work up to operational status, it was, on 11th May, relocated to another airfield at Swingate Down, to the east of Dover, on the Kent coast. On 23rd December 1915, No.15 Squadron, RFC, deployed to France for operational duties. Throughout its time on the Western Front, during the First World War, the squadron was engaged in observation and reconnaissance duties, initially using BE2c aircraft but later, during June 1916, upgrading to R.E.8s. The work undertaken by the squadron, in its reconnaissance role, was recognised by higher authority, on a number of occasions, in the form of telegrams or communiqués. On 1st April 1918, No.15 Squadron became part of the newly formed Royal Air Force, which came into being with the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. With the end of hostilities in November 1918, came a reduction in the fighting strength of the RAF and, although not disbanded as a number of squadrons were, No.15 was reduced to a cadre. The axe finally fell on the final day of December 1919, when No.15 Squadron was disbanded. It was to be approximately five years before No.15s number plate was to be resurrected when, on 20th March 1924, No.15 Squadron was reformed as part of the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk. Over a period of ten years, No.15 Squadron completed 12,100 flying hours on over seventy-five different types of airframe. Over that same period, it also saw five changes of commanding officer. On 1st June 1934, No.15 was re-designated as a new unit, equipped with Hawker Hart Mk.I aircraft, undertaking daylight operations flying as part of Bomber Command. The new C.O. was Squadron Leader Thomas Elmhirst, who secured permission for his squadron to change the number plate to Roman numerals and have the XV applied to the fuselage on all the squadrons aircraft. This decision was to have a lasting effect and was only interrupted by the Second World War. Thomas Elmhirst also gave thought to the fact the squadron should have its own badge and motto, both of which were approved, during 1935. In early 1936, the squadron re-equipped with Hawker Hind bomber aircraft. These machines remained in service with No.XV until 13th July 1938, when the unit converted to Fairey Battle bomber aircraft. It was with the latter aircraft that the squadron prepared for war when, on 27th August 1939, a state of emergency was declared. History repeated itself when the Squadron returned to France on a war footing, but it was forced to return to England in order to re-equip with the Bristol Blenheim bomber. The new aircraft was initially seen as a wonder aircraft, but No.XV Squadron was virtually decimated in strength following the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. With the Blenheim being designated unsuitable for the task, the squadron began converting to the Vickers Wellington bomber, designed by Barnes Wallace, on 7th November 1940. This was really a stop-gap measure as on 30th April 1941 No.XV began converting to the Short Stirling, four-engine, heavy bomber. During the next couple of years, night after night, the squadron carried the fight back to the enemy, enduring many losses and exploits of valour in the process. It participated in all the 1,000 bomber raids against Germany. As 1943 drew to a close, No.XV prepared to continue the fight with new equipment. Having converted to the Avro Lancaster bomber in late December 1943, the squadron went operational in mid-January 1944 with its new aircraft. By the time the war came to an end, No.XV was flying Lancaster B.1 Specials, which were specially adapted to carry 22,000lb Grand Slam bombs. February 1947 saw another change of equipment when the squadron converted to the Avro Lincoln bomber, whilst based at RAF Wyton in Huntingdonshire. However, by the end of that same year, No.XV found itself deploying aircraft to Shallufa, Egypt, as part of Operation Sunrise. Another change of occurred at the end of November 1950, when No.XV Squadron was disbanded but immediately reformed with Boeing B29 Washington bomber aircraft. It was during the Washington period, in March 1951, that the squadrons code letters ‘LS’, which it had been adopted during late 1939, were removed from the aircraft fuselages. The new scheme called for a natural metal finish, adorned with only the RAF roundel, fin flash and aircraft serial. With technology advancing all the time, No.XV entered a new phase in its history in June 1953, when it was declared fully operational flying English Electric Canberra bombers. During the next couple of years, the squadron continued to train and undertook many navigational and bombing exercises, which proved fruitful in 1956 when the Suez crises erupted. No.XV was deployed to Nicosia, as part of Operation Accumulate, on 23rd October. During the short period of fighting that followed, No.XV dropped a higher concentration of bombs than any other squadron. Following a cease-fire, the squadron returned to England where, on 15th April 1957, it was disbanded. The 1st of September 1958 saw the re-formation of No.XV as a V-Bomber squadron, equipped with Handley Page Victor B.I bombers. These aircraft were not only adorned with the official RAF insignia described above, but were also permitted to carry the squadron badge, together with the Roman XV numerals. The squadron retained these aircraft until 1964 when it was again disbanded. For a period of five years No.XV Squadron ceased to exist. However, this changed on 1st October 1970, when the squadron number plate and badge were resurrected and No.XV was reformed at RAF Honnington, in Suffolk. Equipped with Blackburn S.2B Buccaneer aircraft, the squadron departed for RAF Laarbruch, where, during January 1971, it officially became part of Royal Air Force Germany. After thirteen years service with the squadron, the Buccaneers were replaced with Panavia Tornado, swing-wing, bombers. On 1st September 1983, No.XV became the first RAF Squadron in Germany to be equipped with this type of aircraft. During the latter quarter of 1990, No.XV had deployed two flights, totalling twelve crews, to Muharraq Air Base, on Bahrain Island, in readiness for operations against the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. During the following conflict, two aircraft crewed by XV Squadron personnel were shot down, resulting in the loss of Flt Lt Stephen Hicks and the capture of Flt Lts John Peters, John Nichol and Rupert Clark. The squadron returned to RAF Laarbruch at the end of March 1991, where a number of awards, for service in the Gulf War were announced. Wing Commander John Broardbent was awarded a Distinguished Service Order, whilst Sqn Ldr Gordon Buckley and Sqn Ldr Nigel Risdale were both awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses. Senior Engineering Officer S/L Rob Torrence was awarded the Member of the British Empire. Following disbandment in January 1992, No.XV was reformed a few months later on 1st April, at RAF Honnington, where it took on the role of the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit. It was also granted the status of a Reserve Squadron. No.XV (R) Squadron remained at Honnington until 1st November 1993, when it re-located to RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland. During January 1998, it was re-designated as the Tornado GR1 Operational Conversion Unit and equipped with the up-graded Tornado GR4 variant. In 2011, just four years away from its 100th anniversary, No.XV (R) Squadron still operates from RAF Lossiemouth, providing refresher crews and new crews to the front line squadrons. Text by kind permission of Martyn Ford Jones | |
No.25 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 25th September 1915 Feriens Tego - Striking I defend | No.25 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
No.9 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 8th December 1914 Per noctum volamus - Through the night we gly | No.9 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
| Signatures for : Tornado | ||
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | ||
| Name | Info | |
 Wing Commander Alistair J. Byford MA RAF Click the name above to see prints signed by Wing Commander Alistair J. Byford MA RAF | Wing Commander Alistair J. Byford MA RAF Officer Commanding 31 Squadron. He has flown nearly 3000 hours including 10 operational deployments. Piloted 617 Squadron Tornado during the Gulf War. | |
 Flight Lieutenant Neil Cobb Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Neil Cobb | Flight Lieutenant Neil Cobb Piloted Tornado aircraft of 617 Sqn during the Gulf war. | |
 Group Captain Dick Garwood DFC ADC Click the name above to see prints signed by Group Captain Dick Garwood DFC ADC | Group Captain Dick Garwood DFC ADC Dick Garwood also served on No 41 Sqn at RAF Coltishall with the artist and Glen Torpy during the 1980s. He flew Tornados during the Gulf War and later commanded No II(AC) Sqn before assuming command of Royal Air Force Marham. | |
 Flight Lieutenant Steve Kennedy Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Steve Kennedy | Flight Lieutenant Steve Kennedy Navigator, 617 Squadron Tornado during the Gulf War. | |
Squadron Leader Andrew Marson Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Andrew Marson | Squadron Leader Andrew Marson Squadron Leader Andrew Marson joined the RAF in 1970. Served as a Navigator/Plotter on Vulcans from 1971 - 82, with an intervening 3-year period as Navigator Instructor. He amassed 2000 hours overall on the Vulcan. He transferred to Tornado GRI in 1983 and completed 1600 hours on the type, finishing as an instructor on the Tri -- National OCU in 1997. For the last 4 years he has served as QNI teaching low-level navigation, and is currently on his third season as navigator on the Lancaster and Dakota of The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. He has a total of 5700 flying hours. On 18th October 2007, he flew in the historic flight of the first Vulcan to fly in 14 years. | |
 Flight Lieutenant Steve Morris Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Steve Morris | Flight Lieutenant Steve Morris Navigator, 617 Squadron Tornado during the Gulf War. | |
 Sqn Ldr Clive Rowley MBE Click the name above to see prints signed by Sqn Ldr Clive Rowley MBE | Sqn Ldr Clive Rowley MBE Squadron Leader Clive Rowley was a Tornado pilot who joined the flight in 1996. Fighter Leader, Spitfire of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (2006) | |
 Squadron Leader Bob Sinclair Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Bob Sinclair | Squadron Leader Bob Sinclair Navigator, 617 Squadron Tornado during the Gulf War. | |
 Flight Lieutenant Greig Thomson Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Greig Thomson | Flight Lieutenant Greig Thomson Piloted Tornado aircraft of 617 Sqn during the Gulf war. | |
 Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO | Air Vice-Marshal Glen Torpy CBE DSO Glen Torpy was a reconnaissance/attack pilot flying Jaguars with the artist on No.41 Sqn before moving to Tornados. In the Gulf War he commanded No XIII Sqn and the Tornado reconnaissance force at Dhahran for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He is now Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group. | |
 Flight Lieutenant Paul Wharmby Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Paul Wharmby | Flight Lieutenant Paul Wharmby Piloted Tornado aircraft of 617 Sqn during the Gulf war. | |
 Flying Officer Dave Wilson Click the name above to see prints signed by Flying Officer Dave Wilson | Flying Officer Dave Wilson Navigator, 617 Squadron Tornado during the Gulf War. | |
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