Long wait is nearly over for a Hawarden based heritage centre as their historic Tornado fighter jet is set to arrive next week

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The Tornado Heritage Centre based at Hawarden is getting a long awaited new arrival next week.

The heritage centre has been preparing to take delivery of a former Royal Air Force, F3 Tornado Air Defence Fighter, ZE966.

It has taken almost two years to acquire the aircraft but the wait is finally over and is scheduled to arrive, ‘by road’ on Saturday February 18th

The Tornado was built in 1989 was the 800th Tornado fighter to be built.

ZE996 served with the RAF’s 11, 43 and 56 Squadrons, it was given to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester following retirement in 2007.

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The jet was in storage until March 2014 when it was moved to the Science Museum Group’s storage facility in Wroughton, near Swindon.

It was donated to the Tornado Heritage Centre last year.

The Wings, Tail-fin & Tailerons have been removed prior to transport and will arrive ahead of the Fuselage.

The Route by Road

The planned route will be from its current location at Wroughton Airfield, near Swindon, onto the M4 towards Bristol, North on the M5 to Birmingham, onto the M6 before heading across the M54, then along the A5 to Chirk, A483 Wrexham Bypass to Chester, A55 to Broughton and into Aviation Park.

The journey is planned to start on Friday February 17, arriving at Hawarden on Saturday morning at approximately 9.30am.

The aircraft will be unloaded and then towed into Hangar 4 thanks to the kind permission of the Aviation Park Group.

Due to the aircraft being 98% complete, only as short 4 – 8 week restoration period is required, after which, the aircraft will be lifted into place onto a purpose-built concrete apron by local firm Bryn Thomas Cranes of Flint.

Members of the public will be able to visit Hangar 4 during the restoration period on Saturdays & Sundays 10am-4pm.

More details on their Facebook page: Tornado Heritage Centre.

Visitors to the Hangar are welcome, but due to Health & Safety/Airfield Regulations, can only be allowed in, once the unloading process is complete and Airside Doors are closed.

There is no vehicle access allowed to the hangar, so visitors are kindly asked to park in the designated area and continue on foot.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Panavia Tornado F3(T) ZE966
” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:36px|text_align:center|color:%23000000″ google_fonts=”font_family:Arimo%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#657204″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]This aircraft has the distinction of being the 800th production Tornado and the 160th ADV (Air Defence Variant)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1486319351814{margin-bottom: -30px !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Armament: 4 x MBDA Skyflash semi-active radar homing or AIM-120B active radar guided AMRAAM beyond visual range air to air missiles in staggered recesses under the fuselage and 4 x AIM-9L/M or MBDA ASRAAM infrared guided air to air missiles on inboard stub pylons. A single 27mm Mauser cannon
Powerplant: Two x Turbounion RB199 Mk104 afterburning turbofan engines, each rated at 42.9-kN (9,656 lb) dry and 75.2-kN (16,410 lb) in afterburner.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Maximum Speed: Mach 2.2 (1,452 mph/2,337 km/h) at altitude, Mach 1.2 (800 kts/921 mph/1,473 km/h) at sea level. 
Range: 1,853-km (1,151-miles) on a subsonic interception or 556-km (354-miles) supersonic interception.
Wingspan: 8.6m (28ft 2in) swept in 67-degree position and 13.91m (45ft 7in) un-swept.
Wing Area: 30.00-m2 (322.93-sq/ft) in 25-degree position.
Wing Sweep: 25 – 67 degrees. G-Limits: +7.5
Length: 18.6m (61ft) Height: 5.95m (19ft 6in)
Empty Weight: 14,500-kg (31,967-lb)
Maximum take-off weight: 28,000-kg (61,729-lb)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Take-off run: 762-m (2,500-ft)
Landing roll: 370-m (1,215-ft)
Ceiling: 15,250-m+ (50,000-ft+)
Internal fuel: 4,700-kg in fuselage and wing fuel tanks and 440-kg in vertical tail fuel tank.
External fuel: Two x 1,550 ltr (341 gal) or 2,250 ltr (495 gal) external fuel tanks. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]