History

According to my log book I last flew this particular aircraft in June 1997, while on my final (third) Tornado conversion course – I had had several years between Tornado tours.  It will soon be a museum piece, I suppose, but today it was part of a static display for an informal ceremony, the Hangar Party.

I went to the Hangar Party for the end of the Tornado; the aircraft has been affectionately called the Fin, after its disproportionately sized tail fin, so the end has been called the FIN-Ale.  It was another opportunity to speak to colleagues whom I had not seen for decades.

The flypast of nine Tornados in formation, "Diamond Nine" was very good, a difficult sort of formation to hold; it was a fitting end and I managed to grab a quick shot between chats – in Extras.