Hanhart celebrates the 50th anniversary of the maiden flight of the Tornado aircraft with the 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight chronograph. Price €2,590
German watchmaker Hanhart has partnered with Panavia Aircraft GmbH to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a significant event in aviation history: the maiden flight of the multi-role combat aircraft Tornado. Developed and built by Panavia Aircraft GmbH, a consortium of three partner nations (Germany, Great Britain, and Italy), the Tornado has been a milestone in European defense cooperation.
To mark this occasion, Hanhart has released the 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight flyback chronograph. The production of this model will be limited to 148 pieces, a reference to the day and month of the first testing flight: 14 August 1974.
On that day, the two-tone aircraft, painted white and red-orange was flown by a British-German crew. The maiden flight ended safely and successfully after 33 minutes.
The Tornado went on to equip the air forces of the three partner nations as well as the export customer Saudi Arabia.
RAF Tornado GR4 Photo: Corporal Mike Jones/MOD
The new 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight flyback chronograph corresponds in appearance, dimensions and function to the 417 ES service watch that Hanhart, as a supplier to the young German Air Force, delivered for aircrews to the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence) in 1955.
Hanhart supplied the German Armed Forces with this timepiece for almost ten years until 1963. The few surviving examples of the historic 417 have since become coveted vintage chronographs for collectors.
The new model comes in a 39 mm stainless steel case alternating satin-finished and polished surfaces, strongly characterised by its fluted bezel with a red position marker rotating in both directions. Water resistance is guaranteed up to 10 bar (100 metres / 330 feet).
Protected by an anti-reflective high-domed sapphire glass, which brings the total thickness of the watch to 13.3 mm, the dial of the 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight faithfully reproduces the bi-compax layout, numerals, fonts, and logo of the original from the 1950s.
Hands and numerals are coated with Light Old Radium Super-LumiNova for enhanced readability in darker environments.
Below the running second at 9 o'clock, there is a cockade in the colours of the three partner nations (Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom) that developed the Tornado. The eye of the seconds hand has been reduced in size to make the cockade more visible. 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.
Behind it, the hand-wound Sellita AMT 5100 M Flyback movement beats at the frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with a power reserve of of up to 58 hours when fully wound
Matched to a black calfskin strap with white stitching and leather underlay fastened by a stainless steel buckle with the historic Hanhart logo (lug width is 20 mm), the new Hanhart 417 ES Tornado Maiden Flight, a limited edition of 148 pieces, has a suggested retail price of €2,590, including 19% German VAT. The watch is also available with an optional three-link stainless steel bracelet with a satin finish. hanhart.com
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