General

tonka

What does tonka mean?

RAF nickname for the Tornado, the swing-wing strike jet that served from 1979 until retirement in 2019. The name's a play on the kids' toy truck brand — heavy, rugged, indestructible-looking. Used affectionately by Tornado crews and ground engineers; you'd hear it on the flight line at Marham or Lossiemouth right up to the type's last flight.

"Did his first Gulf tour flying Tonkas out of Tabuk."

Origin

RAF slang from the 1980s, riffing on the Tonka Toys brand of heavy-duty toy trucks.

Frequently asked questions

What does Tonka mean?

'Tonka' is a nickname for the Panavia Tornado, a strike jet.

How do you use Tonka in a sentence?

For example: 'A pair of Tonkas roared over the airfield at low level.'

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