As an American this is probably my favorite British aircraft. My earliest memory of the war on television is watching the news with my grandfather. Seeing his battleship shoot missiles and shells. As well as seeing tomcats, and tornadoes on missions.

It is a great privilege to hear the stories from the people that were actually there. I love the Tornado. Being in Canada though, I've never seen one fly in real life. They are still one of the most bad-ass looking aircraft ( along with the F4 ), coming in low and fast, with it's wings swept back, looking like a bird of prey about to pounce on it's next meal. A huge thank you to all the men & women of the armed forces - past and present.

I have been to this museum over ten times, seeing this very tornado every time. To have this such a personal story to go with it is fabulous. Respect to this man and all our armed forces alive or not. you lot do a job of a heros.

Mal's gulf experience covered very well in John Nicol's book 'Tornado'. Respect to all of those crews

Honestly such an educating and entertaining video, huge respect to these pilots and such a wonderful aircraft.

Really humble navigator. Clearly mission focused, highly skilled and very young at the time. Lucky to come home…

I feel unsure that the Tornado Force got due recognition for their hazardous JP233 attacks against the airfields. As an RAF pilot, I was on exchange at the time with the USAF at HQ TAC, as it then was, at Langley AFB, and I spent much time with the TAC/DO who had staff running the in-theatre CAOC. The TAC/DO at the time was a quite exceptional man who went on to great things in the USAF. The overheads of the JP233 attacks on runways were less convincing than Mk84/LGB craters on the runways, but the effect of the various JP233 munitions was just as debilitating to the airfields as the large and visible craters from a MK84 or other munition. I was not a Tornado man, and my knowledge of the JP233 was limited, but I tried to explain to the General that the overheads which showed more of an out of focus smudge, rather than a great big hole, did not mean that the attack had not been effective. Because of the total air supremacy that the coalition achieved in fairly short order, it meant that he could ask his folk to put some big holes in the runways to make him feel more confident that the runways had really been taken out - but by then, many of the Tornado attacks had achieved exactly what they were supposed to achieve, so the subsequent big holes were more icing on the cake rather than the immediate effect which had already been achieved. No criticism of the USAF desire to make certain - they could do it and had the firepower to do so - but the Tornado/JP233 attacks had done exactly what they were designed to do - and at some considerable risk to the crews. I flew Harriers during the Falklands, so I am well aware of how distracting AAA and other things can be. So well done to the folk who did what they did in a pretty hostile environment. All participants in that particular air war did a quite remarkable job.

An honour to hear the story and the clear stress in his voice of those experiences. To him all who have served, thank you.

I remember Mal from flying training at RAF Finningley. It's scary how little he's changed from those days in the late 80s, still looks very much like the student Nav I knew! Good video, cheers mate.

What a lovely, lovely bloke, maximum respect for his role in Iraq. As a (very!) retired F4 and Tornado pilot I finished up in 1985 so didn't get out to the Gulf. Some of my mates (Harrier pilots seconded to the navy) went 'down south' in 1982 and certainly got some 'experience' against the Argentine air-force back then. Loved my time in the RAF, still keep in touch with many of of my (now getting a bit old) comrades!

Excellent video. It's always great to hear about events from the actual people involved.

Great commentary spoken with modesty and respect! I enjoyed this video thank you!

Refreshingly frank narrative with well planned footage making for a valuable documentation of the difficulties faced by the RAF in Iraq.

Great to see this pilot talk about his combat missions with this amazing jet!

Lancasters and Tornados, different eras, different technologies, but two things remain the same: the bomber crews risking their lives over enemy territory with surface fire and enemy interceptors, and the skill and courage of the RAF aircrews remains resolutely the same, to get the needed jobs done.

My dad was a previous era RAF pilot from WW2 through to the early 70s, we lived on many stations and I loved being surrounded by the many aircraft types of those days...and the displays! Sometime in the early 70s he brought me home an enormous poster that was probably about 1 metre long (3 feet in those days!) of the Panavia MRCA which became the Tornado....wish I still had it.

It's good to hear an honest and open recollection of a horrible situation

3 minutes in and This is already a great Video 👍

Absolutely the best presentation I have seen on this channel. Excellent work.

I had the privilege to add a minor part in the development of this 'majestic' aircraft. I have watched them at low level through the 'mach loop' utterly awesome. Just to listen this brave Man, describe in detail, how men and machine, risked life and limb, in combat, has left me in tears. Thank you for what you did, but also for sharing it with us.

Thank you for that concise and comprehensive account of your activities during the Gulf War. It was fascinating and scary at times. Much appreciated👍

thank you very much for that sure many of us can remember watching the little bits of vid on the news at that time of afterburners dissappearing off in to the night on what was probably some of the most difficult sorties, excellent insight in to a trip from inside the cockpit, thank you Mal and IWM for your trouble. a very good episode.

i spent 11 years servicing the GR1 and F3 Tornado and was out in Saudi as part of the battle damage repair unit, fortunately we were never called upon. This has brought back many memories of our time there.

Fantastic video, what an insight into the crew, operations, and the aircraft.

Thank you, a very interesting presentation from someone who knows what they are talking about and was out on the front line. I live near the Cumbrian fells, and spend a lot of time on the fells, I love to see you guys training here, quite often the pilot is below me flying through Dunmail raise. Max respect for you guys.

Fascinating stories, I could listen to them all day, many thanks👏🏻👏🏻

If anyone is interested in hearing more, John Nichol's book, Tornado In the Eye of the Storm is a cracking read. Would highly recommend!

Really great Video ! An iconic aircraft.

Excellent video. I've heard much of the information before but it's completely transformed when hearing it first hand from the guys who were there actually flying these missions. Hats off to you and your colleagues, Mr Craghill, for doing such an outstanding job during the war.

Great video. Really enjoyed listening to the story told first hand

Loved hearing this, thank you.

A few years ago I visited the museum in Duxford and was very impressed with the collection of aircraft...I probably saw that famous Tornado too :) Today I regret that I didn't pay more attention to individual planes, because now I learn a lot more about their history and actions.

It's a real privilege to hear those men tells us the dreaded and intense experience they had during war time. The French did similar missions with the Mirage F-1 CT and Sepecat Jaguar A, and joint missions along RAF and USAF. Respect to all of them and admiration for their bravery.

It's good to hear the Air crews perspective of these missions and I have a respect for Pilots , specially those that go deep into enemy territory . The Tornado GR was a beast the Interceptor maybe not so much , how ever still an great aircraft . Thank you Mal Craghill

Another great video IWM

Thank you for your candid talk. A brave man.

Respect, Mal 🙏 Hey IWM. Love your work 👍

My dad served on an airfield with Tornados until the early 90s. He was no pilot, but a creative and well liked man. After his retirement, a formation of two visited us at home. Maybe 150m altitude, close formation, wings swept back, right over our kitchen window. I don't remember the sound, but i vividly remember the sight.

We used to see them all the time flying low level in Scotland. I also went to the Falklands many years ago in a 747 leased by an oil company. Two tornados came out to escort us in. It was pretty cool 😎

Great job; thank you for making a difference. At the time, the Tornado was one of only a few aircraft that could achieve Mach 1 at sea level condition.

Thank you to Mr Craghill for sharing your experience.

Well done! Great video, great story! Keep on going!

Amazing story.. thanks for sharing with the world

That was fascinating, thank you.

The Tornado was an absolute beast.

My mates dad was a tornado pilot and did this exact mission in the first and second gulf war was cool to hear his stories as a kid

Thanks IWM for the video. Thanks Mal to you & all your comrades for your bravery & service ! (Nuff said from me, far better comments below).

As a child, I remember the Gulf War footage of the Tornado flying at low level over the desert. One day, on front of every paper were the bruised and battered faces of Nichol and Peters after ejecting from their Tornado. I also remember the interviews with Tornado pilot, Pablo Mason; now there is a name worth googling.

Thank you for your service

Incredible video IWM! Thank you to Mr Craghill for sharing your experience. Thank you for your service and your bravery.

Fascinating!! And the Tornado is such a beautiful aircraft.

Absolutely fascinating, an insight into what actually happens. Explained by a very brave and knowledgeable guy

I used to live in an area of the countryside where the Tornadoes practiced in the 90s, the amount of times I have jumped when playing outside, then suddenly Roooooar!! as a Tornado jetted across the sky low flying.

Flying for a HEMS unit right over the peri fence at RAF Waddington, I was privileged last year ( 2022) to see the German Airforce join a joint Exercise with a Squadron of their Tornadoes- yes they still have them although I don’t think fir much longer. Fantastic to see!

You, sir - and your comrades have my upmost respect....

when i finished my apprenticeship at Marconi i worked in airborne systems division building the TI and fox hunter systems for the Tornado...great job.

True living history. Respect.

Hey there, love your videos, what software you use for editing? Can you please share??

I love the Tornado jet fighter. It's a beast. I adore it's engines roar when it goes in low and fast. But what I like most about it, is that it brought back home so many of our war fighting heroes. Sir, I love the Tornado for bringing you and your pilot back home. Keep you attitude. There is no shame in getting caught by those experiences.

When we talk about hero's, legends etc. These are the real hero's. The men and women that put themselves at risk at the command of often crazy politicians. Thank you for your service one and all. The Tornado was a fabulous aircraft, saw plenty at air displays and one particular display at Southport Beach where two of them went through a full attack display. Seeing them coming in from distance diving down and then splitting off from one another to enact an attack ....incredible

Brilliant story and very insightful. I was stationed in Germany on an EW Range at Borholzhausen and was part of the Tonka Sqns work up for deploying. I was also deployed to RSAF Tabuk for the duration of the Gulf War and randomly had my photo taken next to Foxy Killer (she had the best name) and on my return home, I was fortunate enough to be able to get a Sqn Print of FK signed by the POW aircrew including John Nichols and I have built the kit of FK! I plan to go to Duxford and recreate the photo of a young me standing next to the legendary Foxy Killer, just wish they would paint her in her Gulf colours. For a really good insight into the Tornado and crews flying during the Gulf War, read John Nichols - Tornado. Great read.

as someone with an Anglo-French upbringing and heritage,on my british side,my cousin Lesley,her other half Peter(Fenlon-Smith) flew Tornados during the Gulf war and was mentioned in dispatches and on my french side,one of my cousins on the other side of the channel,before joining the national police force in 1994,served in the military and was in one of the Divison Daguet's reconnaissance units.Their job was to cross the border on the left flank and advanced into Iraq three hours before the French main body of troops attacked.A very surreal moment to have two cousins on active combat duty in the same war,one in the air and the other on the ground.

Gulf War is still vivid in my memories, was the first major conflict I saw in my life

I was at RAF Waddington for 3 years and we were phasing out the Vulcan when I left for Germany. I spent 3 years on 17(F) squadron, helped set up the tornado squadron at RAF Bruggen in 1984 when we phased out the jag.

FYI IWM, this aircraft is the GR1. The dash in 'GR-1' is an Americanism not used in the UK. Apart from that, love the Norfolk Land Shark! The JP233 mines were not just anti-personnel. They were designed to inhibit runway repair and would certainly do anti-personnel but also included a shaped charge. If bulldozed away they would topple over and detonate the penetrator, which was proved to go through the dozer blade, the engine and probably the driver too. Sadly, the GR1 that was lost with two flight commanders, ZA467, is thought to have flown into the ground during a night low-level attack. It is hard to overstate the difficulty of flying these sorts of profiles, at night and at heights way below those normally flown in peacetime, in an effort to avoid enemy air defences. The ground does indeed have a Pk of 1. Brave men all.

Love this kind of program I can relate to the people who died the night before you went out my granddad severed in the RAF and he told me the story’s about the war

My father helped test & develop the RB199 engines that powered the tornado at the ngte, pyestock, Farnborough. Rip dad.

Amazing document.

What a remarkable guy, fantastic video guys.

Thank You Sir (:

Mal and (Mike, mentioned much later) on FK, wow. 6 weeks. Imagine 30 missions WWII. Good history. Heroes.

this was really interesting. thanks for posting the interview. I signed up to the RAF in 1990 when I left school, then changed my mind when I had to wait 12 weeks for basic training. grr I would have been out there getting shot at too

What a bad ass looking jet. To think it was designed in the 60s is just crazy. Miss the sound of them as a kid when they flew around Northumberland. Respect to the navigator

interesting video, I worked on JP233 for 6 yrs in the 1980s.

Thank you.

Amazing insight into the air-warfare in the Gulf War, the promissory note is fascinating . I loved the Tornado, shame it had such a short life-span .

As is written, approaching Bagdad and having your target downtown seemed to be looking at a fireworks display from port... Once the aircraft turned to it's initial waypoint to drop bombs you were going straight for the fireworks, realizing it was anti air fire... Bombardiers would set their seat to the lowest position, so to focus on the map screen and not outside.. Tornado's were the perfect aircraft in the Gulf War, with all risks calculated they suffered some important losses but changed the whole Ground War destroying important Iraqi airfields like H2 and H3..

The Tornados of various services were also used in the Bosnian War, Kosovo War, Iraq War, in Libya during the 2011 Libyan civil war, as well as smaller roles in Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria. Including all variants, 990 aircraft were built.

They reminded me of the landspeeder off star wars the movie flying so low beneath the radar because you could see the shadow on the desert floor! I couldn’t believe a fighting jet could do this

Thank you for your fine service to our country Mal.

Excellent video, thank you. Very courageous lads, thank God we have them. Thank you to each and every one, both past and present. The war in Ukraine is showing just how important flying low and fast is. Did we retire Tornado too early?

I miss seeing the Tonka in our skies!

The turbo fan leaky can. RB199. The engine that could shove the flying brick around the place in the most noisy way possible. Mostly good memories of the GR1 - Op Granby. Even ended up RHWR system while at the Air warfare centre. Ex 14 Sqn member - I spread my wings and keep my promise.

Beautiful Warbird

School freind Gary Lennox gave his life during this conflict,he was a great guy.

Some of the in cockpit footage looks familiar. Years ago i had a vhs about the tornado which featured it, id love to get a copy somewhere.

Back in the 50/60s the Promissory note was called the Ghoolie Chit.

Thank for this video, and what a fantastic brave inspirational crew you were.I served during this conflict and can remember the devastating news at the time of the losses.We did our job professionally, all at the top of our game, but when you return the memories comeback and never leave you.

Seems like a decent, professional bloke.

Very reassuring

Thank you..........

I have seen them taking off from Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. They were VERY LOUD!

They were something to see coming through the hills round Torridon, Achnasheen, Loch Carron , Great Glen sometimes with their American buddies in F-15's , what a racket when they came through a glen low.

Really interesting stuff on escape and evasion - it would be really interesting to have a video about what happens to pilots ejecting over hostile country.

Love thus aircraft...just finished building a model of it (West German Navy) in a winter camo scheme of white,dark grey,medium grey and dark green

These aircrews had the biggest cahones .I remember watching videos of them flying low level in the war , f***ing awesome .Tornado is one sexy beast

good video

Rock solid on the deck. It’s been described as like sitting in a Barcalounger at high speed and low level.

Fantastic account

I was fortunate enough to work on a decommissioned RAF airfield in Norfolk 2014-2017. I saw the Tornados flying in the skies overhead most days, along with the occasional F15 from Lincolnshire. They didn't use the airfield but they certainly used it's airspace. It was fantastic to see them every time. Sad to see them go. I wish they had been supplied to Ukraine to help them, but sadly not. SUPERB aircraft, by all accounts. Whatever the political motivations, you guys are heroes in my eyes even though you were just doing your job. Deep respect and thanks.