Not long left for these Birds!
http://www.flypast.com/view_news.asp?ID=2789F3 at Hendon
November 2010
A Panavia Tornado F3 has gone on display at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, North London to mark the type’s imminent retirement from RAF service.
F3 ZE887 was one of 152 aircraft ordered in the early 1980s that would go on to equip eight RAF air defence squadrons. ZE887 last served with 111(F) squadron at RAF Leuchars in Fife and was marked in special markings in recognition of 43(F) Squadron’s Latin motto Gloria Finis – ‘Glory Is The End’. The letters ‘GF’ were always allocated to the CO’s aircraft, as these were the initials of the Squadron’s motto.
43(F) Squadron disbanded in July 2009 and all remaining F3s were allocated to the last remaining unit, 111(F) Squadron, which is due to disband in March 2011.
ZE887 was withdrawn from use on March 4 and had logged 4,966 hours of flight during its life. It was dismantled at Leuchars and taken to St Athan in Wales on September 23 for temporary storage, finally arriving at Hendon on October 18.
