August 2024 will mark the 50th anniversary of the maiden flight of the Tornado. To mark this occasion, Hanhart, with friendly support of PANAVIA Aircraft GmbH, is launching a special edition limited to 148 pieces – Hanhart 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight. The number of pieces is based on the day and month of the maiden flight on 14 August.
A SPECIAL DAY IN AVIATION HISTORY
August 14th 1974: On this day, a TORNADO took to the skies for the first time as part of the flight testing of a new multirole combat aircraft in European defense cooperation.
The two-tone aircraft, painted white and red-orange with registration number P.01 D-9591, was flown by a British-German crew under the radio call sign LUNA 23 for test purposes at “Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61”. British pilot Paul Millett was in the front cockpit, with German test pilot Nils Meister in the rear. The maiden flight ended safely and successfully after 33 minutes in Ingolstadt/Manching.
As a milestone in European defense cooperation, the TORNADO went on to equip the air forces of the partner nations Germany, Great Britain and Italy, as well as the export customer Saudi Arabia, in large numbers.
As a supplier to the young German Air Force, Hanhart delivered one of the first service watches for aircrews to the Bundeswehr in 1955. The basic model for the special edition corresponds in appearance, dimensions and function to the 417 ES service watch of the time. Hanhart supplied the German Armed Forces with this timepiece for almost ten years until 1963, when the brand concentrated on the production of manual stopwatches. The few surviving examples of the historic 417 have since become coveted vintage chronographs for collectors.
JOURNEY INTO THE PAST
In a sense, the watch is also a time machine, combining the distinctive details of the past with the most modern materials of our time. Particularly ingenious are the sharply drawn and highly polished chamfers that mark the transition from the sanitized horns to the flanks. The fluted bezel rotates continuously in both directions, a typical stylistic feature of a Hanhart. Its red position markings are reminiscent of the historical model, as are the details on the dial. The bi-compax layout and lettering appear to be a direct copy of the early 417. The numbers, fonts and branding have also been reactivated.
PRECISION AND RELIABILITY
To ensure the chronograph’s precision and reliability, the screwdown stainless steel case houses the reliable Swiss Made Sellita AMT 5100 M Flyback movement. In addition to a stop-second, it offers a power reserve of up to 58 hours when fully wound. The historic 417 was also hand-wound, but its limited water-resistance severely restricted its range outside the cockpit. The new Hanhart 417 ES TORNADO, limited to 148 pieces, is water-resistant to 10 bar.
THE COCKADE– GER/IT/UK
The Hanhart 417 ES TORNADO bears the cockade in the colours of the three partner nations (Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) on the dial below the running second at 9 o’clock. This cockade was worn by P.01 below the cockpit on the port side. The eye of the second hand has been reduced in size to make the cockade more visible.
OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES
The TORNADO logo is located on the lower half of the dial.
An embossed view of the plane from above with the wings at 67° and the TORNADO logo adorn the back of the watch. The location, date, duration of the flight, registration number and serial number XXX/148 are also engraved on the case back.
The hour indices, hour, minute and stop-second hands are coated with luminous material in Old Radium colour to enhance the vintage look of the watch.
OUTSTANDING COMFORT
On the wrist, a black calfskin strap with a waistband-style padding ensures comfort from day one. The Alcantara lining also promises a particularly pleasant feel against the skin. A stainless steel buckle with the historic Hanhart logo ensures a secure fit. The limited edition watch is also available with an optional high-quality stainless steel bracelet (+ 200,- EURO).
OTHERS MAY SHOW THE TIME, HANHART MEASURES IT
As a pioneer in the development of wristwatch chronographs and stopwatches, Hanhart has played an important role in the history of the German watch industry. Thanks to its passion for technical inventiveness, Hanhart continues to set itself the highest standards and is guided by the following maxims: precision and reliability, perfect readability and simple, safe operation as well as the best possible robustness. Since 1882, the watch manufacturer has been producing timepieces that combine perfection with unmistakable design. The development, production and distribution of the mechanical watches is located in Gütenbach in the Black Forest in Germany.
Hanhart 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight Technical Specifications
