Air Pulford's mission is to collect and preserve its Panavia Tornado aircraft nose sections and collect relevant material & historic information. We also want to share similar projects including aircraft preservation, aircraft photography and other interesting stuff! Please feel free to browse the site and get in touch if you have any questions or can offer some help!

Air Pulford

Air Pulford started in 1998 and the original vision was to collect and preserve aviation artefacts to show to the general public at various shows in the North West area. In 2000 I purchased a Canberra B.2 nose section WJ676 and displayed it at various shows for 4 years but being passed onto another collector. Air Pulford is a non-profiting making title for my collection.

 The collection currently comprises 3 ‘airframes’ and a number of significant airframe parts:

 The main exhibit is the Tornado F.2 ZD938 nose section, first flying in 1985 it became an F.3 in 1993 and the nose section was put into storage at RAF Shawbury. In 2006 I purchased the airframe which I have managed to display publically a number of times. In 2008 it won the Flypast magazine ‘Best Cockpit’ award at the annual Newark Air Museum show. Now stored & displayed very kindly by the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum in Doncaster if you visit the museum you can get up close!

 The second airframe is the former RAF Leeming Tornado F.3 simulator used by 11 and 25 Squadron pilots. Purchased in 2009 the ‘Sim Body’ was completely stripped but is now 85% complete using some parts from the F.2. I use this airframe to raise money for charity by displaying at various shows. I also promote the Air Training Corps.

The third airframe is Tornado GR1 ZD710, purchased in 2013 it is a very long term restoration but because of its poor state of repair it actually raises a lot of interest!

Mission Statement

My mission now is to preserve and show publicly my airframes and perhaps add a GR4 example to give the general public an opportunity to experience the technology and feeling of a modern jet. I would like to encourage young people to think about a career in the RAF or similar technical field. I can deliver a rare opportunity for young and old that is not possible due to today's heightened health & safety and security risks.

 When the F-4 Phantom was retired from RAF service most of the airframes had to be destroyed and very little was made available to the public I am trying to work in advance aware that as Tornado’s are being retired they are being reduced very quickly and I would like to make sure that the same situation does not occur with the Tornado.