[QUOTE=TEEJ;1818124]See following for explanation. As Swerve has pointed out there was no set standard.

Palm Trees would be mission markings. For example used on Nimrods during Op Granby 1991 and Op Telic 2003

Ok, they are definitely palm trees but… Their meaning? These for example were TIALD missions:

hi italy! im lucky enough to live quite close to a tornado base, and also get to see them practice bombing at the local range.they really are a joy to watch, and i will be sad to see them leave for england in the not too distant future. wont lie, cant help you much with the info you are after but wish you the best of luck with your project.;)

Hi stavid! Thanks my friend. I live 150 km from Gioia del Colle. I visited its Air Base when 36° Stormo of AMI was based there with its Tornado IDS’s. Very cool experience. Yesterday from Gioia del Colle RAF Tornados take off to bomb Libia but I had no opportunity to go to see those very cool birds. Yesterday on Gioia Air Base is still based 36° Stormo but with Typhoons, while the remaining Tornados were assigned to 6° Stormo on Ghedi Air BAse.

If I might add the Tornado GR1B. This was the anti-shipping variant that replaced the Buccaneer and was based at RAF Lossiemouth & operated the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile. Although this variant still had a radar, it relied on Sea Eagle’s seeker to aquire surface ships. When the GR1s were updated to GR4s there was no need to have a GR4B due to the lack threats from the sea.

Thanks EELightning I knew that version.

Were there any differences, visible or not, between the GR1 and GR1B?
Apart from being based at Lossiemouth and having operated the Sea Eagle.
If not, that would make the GR4 capable of using the Sea Eagle in theory. I ask because german wiki states GR4 Tornados retained Sea Eagle capability.

Eagle I think were no visible differences between two versions. The Italian Tornado anti-ship capability was assigned to IDS version without external modifications. I think the only differences were in the cockpit. 😉

Thank you guys.
Therefore:
The first pic is a GR1;
the second is a GR1A;
the third is a GR4;
and the fourth is a GR4A.
Am I right???

Bye.
Simone.