2 Sqn are celebrating their 95th anniversary this year, so a Tornado GR4 at Marham has been painted up to give them a special marked jet, all four GR4 squadrons at Marham now have one. Jet is on the 24 approach.

What the powers that be seem to want the RAF Tornado GR4 fleet to look like in the future. Hopefully, as has frequently been the case in the past, some form of insignia will return.

One of the six new Merlins acquired from the Danish order and diverted to the RAF to meet the critical shortfall of rotary transport assets.

At the time of the photo this was the only one to have flown and did a single overshoot at Marham on this friday morning before returning to RAF Benson where it will become part of 78 Sqn, now reforming in the UK. The nose is different on these HC3A's compared to the standard RAF HC3.

ZA597/063 shows evidence of recent swapping of panels with another airframe.

Another GR4 from the same flight turning in sharply onto the 24 approach.

Lead ship in "Rocket" flight on the bank and inbound to RAF Marham. This jet shows the typical configuration of RAF Tornado GR4s at the moment - completely blank besides the new style tail code which is specific to the airframe rather than a sqn code. The colourful days are on the way out.

The last of a flight of three Tornado GR4s returning to Marham. "Rocket" was the callsign, so indicated a flight from 31 Sqn, one of four GR4 units at the Norfolk Tornado hub.

"Rocket 3" actually shows markings for 617 Sqn at Lossiemouth in Scotland and is one of very few GR4s in RAF service to retain any markings at all.

This was a friday in Norfolk of contrasting weather. Bright sunshine followed by very heavy showers which threw some interesting lighting up for photographing Tornado's. On this November morning several 13 Sqn jets were returning from a exercise at Kinloss. A few minutes after this shot it became very wet!

Two GR4's shot against the changeable weather on a Friday morning in November. The light is reflecting nicely off the tail of the 31 Sqn special jet.

The large store under the fuselage (but always carried offcentre on one of three fuselage stations) is a RAPTOR pod, the next generation in recce pods for RAF Tornados. Although it has been in use for several years, the pod has not - as yet - proven to be very reliable and has not, I believe, been formally cleared yet for widespread service. Taken on a very cold and bitter November morning on 06 at Marham.

Tight visual circuits at Marham seem to be the normal at either of the runway.

A 13 Sqn Tornado GR4 turning tight onto 06 at Marham on a cold November morning. Several of the Marham Tornado's retained 13 Sqn markings despite the majority of the fleet going unmarked in recent times. Perhaps a stand is being made by this unit and this daft order is quietly forgotten about.

06 approach at Marham on a friday morning. A gaggle of 13 Sqn GR4s arrived, returning from exercise 'Neptune Warrior' in Scotland. This one pulled a few circuits tight, showing it's top sides off.

The very changeable light on this stormy day brought out some nice colours.

As well as four frontline Tornado GR4/4A squadrons. Marham is also home to the joint RAF/BAe Tornado engineering flight which carry's out major depot level servicing of RAF GR4s. Stripped of stores and markings and looking clean, this airframe is returning from a post servicing test flight. Tarnish is a BAe callsign used by BAe crews at both Marham and Warton. A new aerial under the rear fuselage is a bit of mystery though...

According to my info, Dominie XS712 was delivered to the RAF on the 28th August, 1965 and with it's sisters on 55(R) Sqn will have to do quite a few more years as yet. Based at the RAF college of Cranwell, these conduct non-pilot aircrew training for the RAF and are maintained by Serco.

This one was photographed landing at Marham for a brief friday lunchtime visit. 55 Sqn used to be one of the two Victor tanker Sqn's stationed at Marham for many years.

Another jet showing markings for one of the Lossiemouth units. In this case, 12 Sqn.

While 617 Sqn, the famous 'Dambusters' operate a group of unmarked and unanimous Tornado GR4s up at Lossiemouth, what looks like the only jet still left in complete 617 Sqn markings is being operated by the Marham based GR4 sqn's.

Unusually, many of the Tornado's were operating without wing tanks - a configuration rare for RAF GR4s. The short duration sorties were probably local ACM missions.

Another ACM configured jet. A strange mix of markings here, the Bat emblem represents Marham's 9 Sqn, while the format of the codes suggests 15(R) Sqn from Lossiemouth.

I last saw and photographed 2 Sqn's anniversary bird late last year so it's nice to see it still marked up and more importantly clean! Coming in as 'Spartan 1', the jet is carrying a TIALD pod on the centreline.

RAF Tucano taxying into the small static park at the Marham families day. Went for a bit of prop blur.

A pretty standard looking GR4 at the Marham families day, supposedly set up for kids to sit in the cockpit although I don't remember that happening.

Originally started with a single Bo.105, the East Anglian Air Ambulance service now uses two BK 117s for a comprehensive coverage of the East Anglian counties.

My first opportunity to see Vulcan XH588 flying since being restored to flying status. Unfortunately, the facing sun and short display routine didn't allow for much of a chane to get a good shot. This is the best of a bad bunch.

Second jet was a little more typically marked, meaning next to nothing.

First two jets back on a brief visit in September were a Rafair flight of two - including 9 Sqn's Tornado anniversary aircraft - returning from overseas, complete with baggage pods.

Although no longer used on the frontline, the TIALD pod is still used for training purposes and is fitted under the fuselage on this jet.

ZA370 is a GR4A, although the designation means little nowadays as the internal camera fit (window behind the roundel) is no longer operationally used, the Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR) seen here offset under the fuselage is the usual replacement, although another smaller pod is also in use - formerly used by the defunct Jaguar force.