Tornado GR-4 In Cockpit Through The Mach Loop

[@rugglesl5610]

For those who don't know the route the GR4s took, or the Mach Loop itself. They start from RAF Marham then its W to Peterborough and Stamford followed by a general WSW routing to mid-Wales (LFA7). They enter the Loop from the SW, with a right turn over Machynlleth then a run up the Dyfi valley to Dinas Maddwy. They then follow the A470 to just short of Dollegllau, followed by a left turn and then over the pass to Tal-y-Llyn with Cader Idris on the right. Then its another left turn at Corris Corner, over the pass and down the valley to Machynlleth. I assume they flew the southern leg of the Loop again, because the next thing we see is the exit out over Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) with the snow covered peaks of the Arenigs on the left. Then its the practice approach into RAF Valley followed by the run into the circuit and then the landing at RAF Marham. And yes, this video did bring back a few memories...

[@anandmorris]

Hang on... the do all that in 17 minutes?!

[@techstepman]

this comment is pure gold! thank you! im gonna try to recreate this in msfs.

[@davidrobinson4118]

I've watched and photographed these from vantage points at the 'Loop'. Absolutely amazing experience when these boys came through. R.I.P. Tornado, what an aircraft.

[@DazzaKin]

Lucky enough to have had a back seat flight through the Mach loop in one of these, back in the mid 90’s. G-74 out of RAF Cottesmore. The most awesome thing I have ever done.

[@jimibartlett7531]

Wow man. How did you manage to bag that ride. 😳

[@125brat]

Were you a liney there?

[@GJones462-2W1]

...and THANK YOU, THANK YOU for no music!!!! I love jet noise! Great video!

[@hishonoursirdrinksalot1916]

Thats the aircon mate

[@razony]

Yup. Some like it cute and fluffy with cool tunes to keep you...I like it RAW and HARD the way it was built to hear, sound and feel!

[@MrsLiederlover]

My wife and I (-live near Memphis, US-) were on a walking trail near picturesque Lake Windermere UK in 2010 or so. I barely detected the distant, faint but Very high-freq. shriek, immed. told Lucy to "Cover your Ears!" as she froze......my reactions are quite good. The beautiful Tornado passed maybe 500 yards away. What a treat for this (now) retired transport pilot!

[@Zeus-kj7nn]

I believe in progression and the importance of necessity to keep ahead, but the Tornado will surely be missed by many RAF staff and British public alike. A true classic to be placed along the echelons with planes like the Lightning and the Spitfire surely..

[@craigpennington1251]

Thanks guys for the excellent video. Awesome jet fighter.

[@littlesteve1000]

Absolutely FANTASTIC, this aircraft did so much, and so effective in Middle East, thanks for the time and effort putting this up for everyone to see. Steve from London UK

[@nightfall22]

The Tornado is just pure beauty

[@peanuts2105]

Love the Tonka. Not the most glamorous but it is a sledgehammer if needs be. This will go down as one of the best multi-role combat aircraft of all time

[@harrybagwandeen8103]

Didn't do mach loop but did TFR( Terrain Following Radar) through Yorkshire Dales, loop the loop over North sea ( upside down and over the top) flew over Red Arrows , buzzed a TTTE Tornado GR1, flew round my home town and over my village, did an aerodynamic bump landing. This vid brought everything back ( no video or gopro at the time) Thanks for sharing. :)

[@luiscpb4158]

Amazing

[@Scotscan]

The RAF aircraft of my youth whilst living in Cumbria in the early 90s when low flying was an hourly occurrence. The jet stood the test of time that's for sure from the early GR1 variant and finally the GR4. Now we have the Typhoon and what can only be described as a dieing low level system in the UK.

[@markfox1545]

Scotscan - 'dieing'? Really?

[@thomaslund6013]

Absolute Legends the pilots of the RAF

[@asheshinfinite3766]

8:36 to 8:55 Awesome video and piloting skills! Love the roar and howl of those engines, instead of some whacky music! Thanks for sharing with us!👌👍

[@kailashknight4804]

Thanks for not adding music…we want to hear all the noises as is in actual flight. Fantastic

[@cestmoi2681]

I love these planes I remember when my dad took me out of high school to go and see them at an airshow now that I'm winding down for retirement I'm impressed that they are still flying

[@David-th2ug]

My favourite plane. Just before the outbreak of the first Gulf War a pair would frequently target Hambledon Hill in Dorset. As a rural postman I got to see and hear their low level runs many times. I will never forget the noise, the trembling ground beneath my feet as the roared through the sky just a few hundred feet up! How I envied them. Superb pilots, world's best at low level. We on the ground didn't all curse the noise!

[@sergpinto1]

Thank you all for making and posting these fantastic videos for others to watch. phenomenal.

[@grahamjpjones]

I will always miss the Tonkas, what an aircraft, a total beast

[@yellowbelly8402]

A Great sturdy workhorse of the skies

[@Optikification]

Awesome Jet, spent 3 years on 17(F) Black Hand squadron at RAF Bruggen when they phased out the jags and put these bad boys in their place.

[@craiglington]

Fantastic footage. Thanks so much for the effort taken to upload this. And I agree with other commentators; so much better for no annoying, pointless music track overlay.

[@kempmt1]

That is some excellent flying and, oh, how I wish I was in the back seat!

[@markpriestley7812]

Aircraft painter enjoyed every minute doing Sqd Markings

[@gazza2933]

Good work Mark!

[@markpriestley7884]

Worked on them great aircraft could do with them now !

[@chrissimmonds3734]

Can't believe the RAF grounded them. Great video.

[@Odysseuss.]

@Arsene Who? bollox! you have NO idea what you are talking about.

[@jonathanwilcox7318]

Andrew Brown what's the reason then?

[@Odysseuss.]

@@jonathanwilcox7318$ 21 billion to supply a working weapons system at build level 4 for a start announced last week. Incremental step up to build level 5 delayed for a minimum of 4 years probably double that at least. It's crap and we have bought the crappiest version of the lot.

[@stevenvater8720]

I can't believe the RAF full stop 🙄. Our once proud military a shadow of what it was, but all part of the plan. (which is working perfectly...)

[@TheGreatBoppino]

God I love the Tornado, saw it at Nellis many years ago.

[@lellobrass7634]

Sono stato per 20 anni un crew chief del tornado e nel 92 ero alla Red flag di Nellis❤

[@davidkitchener-martin61]

Visiting the RAF museum in Hendon in London 2 years ago had the chance to go right up to a Tornado touch it and the controls inside such a remarkable aircraft.

[@shd4618]

This was my dream aircraft. If I'd made fighter pilot, this would've been my choice. Low, fast, lofting bombs. Awesome.

[@MavAuto-Pete]

Absolutely 💯great stuff thanks for sharing 👍🏼

[@daz804]

What an amazing experience, had the absolute pleasure of working on one of these at raf st.athan, best time of my life ❤❤

[@Odysseuss.]

Did it ever fly again?

[@vwtransportersandmotorcycl3729]

Probably the most aggressive and bad ass looking aircraft of its time! IMO

[@dazzajaxza9333]

In 80's and 90's growing up in south central Scotland i used to see these come down from Lossiemouth every day, low, roaring past, following the roads and traffic as practice. They were loud AF !! Miss all that since i moved to Australia

[@alanco608]

I remember, back in the early eighties, at work on the roof of a house in open countryside one afternoon when a colleague noticed a smudge of black, low on the horizon and pointed it out. Upon looking I said, " get ready to cover your ears" seconds later two Tonkas came roaring over us at about a hundred feet, you felt the heat and jet wash as they passed overhead. We just had time to turn and watch as the did a sweeping right turn down the valley and away. You could still hear the sound of their engines for about a minute as I assumed they were climbing to a higher altitude. What a thrill.

[@gp1011]

Fantastic ....Tornado it's number one

[@roygavin8219]

I once spent a week working in a glorified shed at the end of the flight line at Marham. Every time a Tornado took off (frequent) my chest would pulsate and my tea cup would vibrate off of my desk if I wasn't quick enough to catch it. A very dry week!

[@erwin4501]

Awesome

[@carrera2.7rs]

I had weeks holiday in Wensleydale recently and the RAF did not disappoint We got: Grob prefect T1 Embraer Phenom T1 s Hawks A chinook An AW101 Merlin F35s Typhoons Mostly at eye level or below while walking in the hills. Shame there where no tornados. Though I was lucky enough to see them close up at Marham before they left. The way you can feel the sound on take off is phenomenal.

[@Maurice_Moss]

Love the Torandos. Saw 2 flying over Wales, and their wings open up as they banked hard. Was only a kid at the time, was the first time I'd even seen a fight jet, so it stays with you.

[@WizzardPrang]

What a brilliant video. Closest I'll get to being in a Tonka ! Thank you 👍🏻

[@ozzy7763]

Love the video. Thank you !! From Ky USA .

[@gazza2933]

A fitting tribute to a superb combat jet. Thank you for this. 👍🏻

[@stevenvater8720]

Well, that was a genuine treat, when the RAF actually was an airforce. I was very impressed. There was a lot to flying that,... We're leading edge flaps and rear operated manually?

[@steverowlands338]

Remember driving up to Ingleton in my wagon on the A683 when one of these Tonka's flew right over my head from behind😂😂😂😂 .....did'nt hear him coming...but Jesus I knew about it when he'd passed me!!!!!!!! The words "Barry Sheens" springs to mind.......

[@rogergregory5981]

Great memories of these flying really low through hills where I worked was perfect to see pilot's in the cockpit early 80s really impressive to see them so low

[@adriandavies4012]

Real tough toys for real tough boys,,,, TONKA!!

[@thelastdruidofscotland]

I think iv seen more fighter jet variants here in the uk than anywhere else possible in the world, these low flight exercise areas are insane the uk, the gfa for this area stretches all the way into the scottish borders, at Duns, on the east coast border region, I saw fighter sweeps roll in from the border, everything from gripens, jaguars, tornados, f15's, f16's, f18;s, the eurofighter, the new f35 and two raptors, the gfa here in the uk is run as a school of excellence, and running these flight paths over and over increases a pilots skill levels no end, and when you see a squadron roll into a glen at mach 1.2, its just simply awe inspring, I have been on the mountains for near 30 years, and have probably seen over 100 aircraft variations run these flight paths, and I cant wait to see the new tempest in action, thats one jet I am very excited to see running the gfa at full pelt, my number one experience was at the preston loop near duns, where I had 3 sepcat jaguars turn the top of the hill at 50 feet, all 3 were banked, and doing a full 8g turn, it nearly blew me of my feet......

[@daveo226]

Great film I live very close and recognise a lot of the area your flying over around Machynlleth and Dyfi estuary etc 👍

[@TheSNIPERmac]

I live not to far from Windermere in the lake district and used to see these guys and girls fly past all the time. Best was when a group of at least 10 were flying chasing each other when two flew over my van at less than 200 feet. I S**t myself they were that low, but oh man what a sight, truly amazing flying...

[@thomaslund6013]

Damn shame the Torny went obsolete. Beautiful aircraft looking awesome with its shark fin over there.

[@luiscpb4158]

Es espectacular

[@alexcraig8543]

Those must be some noisy neighborhoods down there! Lol!

[@keithdonnellan5564]

Beautiful - nearly as beautiful as the Buccaneer.

[@nightfall22]

keith donnellan 😮 I’m a huge BAe fan but the Toranado gets first in my book! But the Blackburn was sexy!

[@philholt577]

nightfall22 the Tonka was the better weapons platform but the Buccaneer totally outclassed it at low level

[@fungibleunit4477]

​@@philholt577 I love Buccaneers, but whenever I saw them on their (rare) low-level runs down our valley they cruised along at a sensible 200ft, and you could hear them coming - with time to turn your head to watch them go by. By our house the Tornado GR.1s were already 500 yards past you before you could hear them and turned your head to see them (and you would be looking across at them sometimes rather than upwards). If you did manage to see a Tornado coming before you heard it, the skies were grey (they often were in Cumbria), you could see shockwaves forming on the nose cones of some of the GR.1s. It's a bit of a sore point for me that I didn't get to see Buccs given the full beans down our valley. :)

[@jetthias972]

L'un des meilleurs jet Européen de tous les temps 👍👋 Panavia

[@ianfolan9584]

that was awesome , really miss the tornado . merry Christmas

[@tc5684]

Superb footage - Thanks for sharing!!!

[@scottcunningham5065]

Love the Tornado

[@bluenote2412]

Awsome footage , congratulations

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Great flight, front seat would have been fab. An amazing and very capable aircraft to this day despite being some 40 years old! They rarely, according to my friend who was an RAF airframe and propulsion tech, get pushed too hard these days to limit stress on the airframe but they can still deliver the goods.

[@musoseven8218]

Awesome views.

[@WATP-1872]

This has to be one of the best ground attack aircraft ever 🇬🇧👍🏼

[@TachyonDriver]

Good old Tonka! I used to weigh those in the 90s at BAe.

[@Darknamja]

Does anyone else remember Tornado the best and most realistic PC flight sim of the early '90s? I would spend hours using it. The flight manual was very concise and the graphics were phenomenal for the time.

[@spiragira1972]

I love that game.

[@kennethjameskerr]

Yes. I had that one and loved it.

[@sambrewer4811]

Great to see and hear the tornado in her natural environment..I never got to see a raf tornado fly sadly one of my top 5 fastmovers .

[@fungibleunit4477]

It's a shame that sanity prevailed with respect to low-level flying - living in the Pennines we got to see pretty much everything NATO flew in the 80s do a low-level run down our valley. While the Tornado was my favourite (lowest, loudest and fastest by miles) - the EF-111A's and Vulcans were pretty impressive too. We even had a GR.1 take a couple of feet off the top of the big sycamore next to the house once - that was proper scary (allegedly the TRFs were configured with a hard deck of 150ft - that tree wasn't much over 50ft).

[@johnbowe6574]

I agree with your comment I love this plane,I bought a 1/48 model it’s brilliant 🎉🎉😢

[@modelrailwaynoob]

Thanks for posting. Exciting stuff.

[@SprueFascinationChannel]

Magnificent!

[@garymckie5998]

you can stick your Typhoons and Raptors, THIS is a proper machine. Noisey, Smelly and the black reek that would come out the back...

[@TachyonDriver]

You forgot the fugly F-35 too in your list!

[@jonathanwilcox7318]

TachyonDriver no way, it's the future👌

[@ryankc3631]

Still a badass jet!

[@turnagec]

Great Jet!

[@horizonandsky8989]

Wow flight with the Tornado!!

[@MrTonyharrell]

I always thought the Tornado with that massive rudder should be able to do 360’s! 😂😂😂

[@karlbark]

Beautiful ! (I don't know what else I can say, really). -So...how about we comment on my comment like this: "that was succinct, actually" 😁 Cheers from Iceland -K. 🇮🇸

[@Blablagerman]

Snowdonia is beautiful!

[@Penberth1]

Question for those in the know - why's the landing gear down from 11:05 then back up at 13:30? Is this 'diversion approach'? If so does that equate to a go-around type scenario, or last minute 'cancel the landing, we're going somewhere else' sort of situation?

[@Jay-jo5do]

Penberth1 probably a routine practice abort landing, fast jet pilots do it all the time .

[@jonathanwilcox7318]

It was a practice approach into RAF Valley. The crews will usually try and get at least one in during a generic training sortie. Different airfields, different holding patterns, physical locations, bird patterns etc etc. All good training in the long run.

[@davaman86]

Back in the 90's these things would nearly take the chimney off our roof in SW Scotland. Seemed to stop flying up there in the years after.

[@yarmouthiow]

Nothing looks better through the loop.

[@tysoncott7402]

what a ride!!!

[@SimDeck]

Superb!

[@palivula]

Used to work with these back in early 90s. Still prefer the buccaneer or jaguar.

[@ahmedtom6768]

wondefuel

[@shavian208]

And I thought this was supposed to be a low-flying exercise! Looks more like a medium level cross country to this old Hunter/Harrier driver. Only joking. great video.

[@slambies]

Just prior to the gulf war,heading down from Aberdeen driving a truck,this thing aligned with the dual carriageway above me,nearly ended up on the grass verge,couldn’t take my eyes off it.

[@wiesenbefeuchter]

Year ?

[@razumikhinjones6283]

It's a giant grey flying car with missiles, how the F do we do it...humans are incredible :)

[@doreybain]

Looks like a lot of fun and very exciting. Disappointed it was shot with a potato.

[@muellerm9768]

keep going on tornado. we need you.

[@Wildlifesupernannyfan]

Did you go speed of sound?

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Not over land, without good reason

[@PhantomMark]

Awesome, thanks for this, daft question, how annoying it must have been to have a fly trapped in the cockpit with them, wonder how many "G" a fly can sustain , and if the fly gets smeared against the glass in the first 7g corner :P

[@williamsimmons152]

PhantomMark Charles Lindbergh wanted to know if the fly added to the weight of the plane when it was flying inside the cockpit.

[@jonathanwilcox7318]

I've been lucky enough to fly the Mach Loop in the back of a Red Arrow and fly in the back of a Tornado GR4 twice. The Tonka was a big heavy bird towards the end but chrikey she was good at this low level stuff.

[@muhammadindra9090]

Jet blast..👍

[@degu5249]

TOP!!

[@magna4100]

What does "M OVR" mean on a switch at 08.09?

[@mattcope8982]

That's a pretty excellent film.... is film the right word? Upload? Anyway... thank you for posting......

[@ngd9705]

Красивая машина.

[@aaronseet2738]

Did that Tornado's tail lose a panel?

[@thelastdruidofscotland]

tornadoes worked with jaguars, the sepcats would carry the laser targeting, and the gr4's would carry in the jdams, this combo was very effective in iraq, especially given these guys excelled in flying under radar

[@delboy01]

SWEET

[@rgthomson100]

Where can we book a trip out in one, and can we fly them ourselves