Farewell to Tornado 98+59 – The End of a Flying Testbed’s Journey

On Friday, 31 October 2025, a long-serving and distinctive member of the German Air Force’s flight test fleet took to the skies for the final time. The Panavia Tornado with the registration 98+59, operated by WTD 61 (Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61) at Ingolstadt-Manching Air Base, completed its Last Flight and closed a remarkable chapter of nearly four decades in the air.

This particular aircraft was never a front-line bomber or reconnaissance jet; instead, it was a tireless test and evaluation platform. Over its career, 98+59 embodied the technical spirit of WTD 61 – the Luftwaffe’s central hub for experimental flying, weapons integration, and systems trials. Its lifespan mirrored the story of the German Tornado fleet itself, evolving through several registrations, colour schemes, and roles.

From 43+21 to 98+59 – Early Days

The aircraft was originally built in the early 1980s as a Tornado GT015 – a dual-control trainer variant of the IDS version – under construction number 4021. Delivered to the Luftwaffe around 1983, it first carried the tactical registration 43+21. Like other GT-series Tornados, it featured full operational capability with a second cockpit for training, making it perfectly suited for later use in test roles.

In its first decade, 43+21 served within the German Tornado training stream and bore the standard Norm 83 green-and-grey camouflage pattern – the two-tone disruptive scheme common across the 1980s fleet. Its early service years were likely spent in a training environment before the aircraft was transferred to Manching, home of the Bundeswehr’s flight test operations.

Transition to the Test Centre – WTD 61

During the late 1990s or early 2000s, the aircraft was reassigned to WTD 61. At Manching, it underwent modifications for flight-test duties, including the installation of instrumentation, telemetry wiring, and data systems.

The dual-control cockpit made it ideal for engineers and test pilots conducting evaluation flights. As part of its new role, the Tornado received a new tactical code – 98+59 – marking its official entry into the WTD 61 register of test and development aircraft.

Repainting into the Standard Grey

Alongside its new role came no new appearance apart from WTD61’s blue badge on the tail. 98+59 showed up in a ‘Frankenstein’ appearance, when it received a new, fully grey, tail from another jet. Back then, it was Germany’s easiest recognisable Tornado.

It kept this style for nearly eight years until the aircraft’s original green camouflage gave way to the latest low-visibility grey scheme, matching the modernized look of the operational fleet. By doing so, it skipped the Norm 95 scheme, consisting of tree different shades of grey. This finish, in use since the introduction of the Eurofighter into Luftwaffe service, became standard across German Tornados and reflected the evolving visual doctrine of the Luftwaffe – subtle, stealthier, and easier to maintain. From February 2021 on, 98+59 was operating in this clean grey finish from Manching in test configuration Through the 2010s, the Tornado continued to serve in routine test and evaluation work, often participating in avionics trials, weapons integration checks, and systems verifications.

While the details of specific test campaigns remain classified, numerous sightings from 2016 through 2020 confirm that 98+59 remained one of WTD 61’s workhorse platforms. Highlights of the weapon trials include flights with the HOPE (Hochleistungs-Penetrator = High Performance Penetrator – a weapon which was never introduced into service) precision-guided munition in 2008, and in August 2024 98+59 was spotted returning to Edwards AFB with a B61-12 inert nuclear bomb under its fuselage.

The Orange Returns – 2022 “Flight Test” Markings

In late 2022, WTD 61 revived a touch of history. Tornado 98+59 was repainted with striking orange-coloured high-visibility panels on its fuselage and tail – a visual homage to the early German Tornado prototypes of the late 1970s. A small tail badge reading “65 Jahre WTD 61” (65 Years WTD 61) completed the scheme. This vivid pattern immediately made the aircraft a favourite among aviation photographers and symbolized the enduring test legacy of Manching.

50 Years of Tornado – The 2024 Anniversary

In May 2024, the Tornado type celebrated its 50th anniversary since the first flight of the P.01 prototype. For the occasion, 98+59’s orange test scheme was updated once more with large small “50 Years” marking on the tail together with the Panavia roundel. The special markings appeared during spring and summer of 2024. By autumn, the commemorative decals were removed, but the orange test highlights remained.

Final Months and Last Flight

Throughout 2025, 98+59 continued to operate from Manching alongside its sister ship 98+60, serving as one of the final two Tornados in the WTD 61 inventory. The aircraft’s last recorded flight took place on Friday, 31 October 2025 – a short farewell mission over southern Germany, witnessed by ground crews and long-time test personnel. With this final sortie, a remarkable airframe retired after more than forty years of continuous service, bridging the early Cold War era of the Tornado with its sunset years in German service. The close bond between the ground crews and the aircraft became especially evident through the many farewell messages all around the goodbye marking that was applied to 98+59 as well on several other places on the airframe.

Legacy of 98+59

The career of Tornado 98+59 perfectly illustrates the adaptability of the Panavia design and the depth of technical expertise at WTD 61. From its beginnings as a green-camouflaged trainer 43+21, to decades of grey-painted flight-test work, and finally the bright orange celebration of its prototype heritage, the aircraft became both a workhorse and a symbol of German aerospace testing. Its final flight in 2025 closes not just the story of one aircraft, but a significant chapter in the Tornado era at Manching.

WTD61’s Flight Test Tornado 98+59 / GT015 – Photo Gallery