Did a little digging on Birmingham 1931 (and by that I mean writing a Wikipedia article, go check it out ).
I can confirm that (I)F3 is definitely warranted, moreso than 2005 even. Damage is substantially more severe and widespread.
The core of 1931’s significant (F2+) damage spans from Hall Green, all the way through Bordesley Green (about 4 miles). 2005’s IF2+ damage was sporadic and clustered (due to multiple vortices within a weaker parent circulation).
1931 also was noted by TORRO to have likely been multi-vortex, but had a stronger and more persistent parent circulation, with less discrepancy between the two, leading to more widespread damage.
The paths of the 2 tornadoes are almost parallel, in some locations, both paths are less than a mile apart. If 1931 occurred today, it would likely completely overshadow the 2005 tornado in terms of damages, cost, and human toll.
Unfortunately, images of the damage seem to be few and far between, meaning a definitive track has been hard to map, though with the images we do have, combined with accounts of the tornado and damage, I’ve been able to produce a rough track and intensity map. I’ll share this alongside 2005 when complete- perhaps on the anniversary.
