Goodbye Harrier old friend

I remember staying at RAF Wittering (home of the oint Force Harrier squardon) for a week when I was in the Airscouts - going up in a Harrier II trainer - and I mean STRAIGHT up - is possibly the best experience of my life after my children being born.

I'll always remember flying one - well, for at least 5 seconds whilst the pilot took a photo. "Would you mind taking the controls whilst I take a phot of my girlfrends house?". "Erm, sure :-?". "Ok - you have control", "I have control Sir", "You have control".

The best conversation with an RAF pilot EVER!
 
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Reading that article it says they are being decommissioned with our carriers both of which wil be replaced at the end of the decade, are we really going to be left with no carriers or strike craft for 9 years?

The harrier is a brilliant bit of kit, didn't realise it was 41 years old.
 
^TANK^ said:
:( Goodbye to a marvelous piece of British engineering, even though its forty years old I feel its looks still have a modern look to it given its age.
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I completely agree, these are so loud and are stunning. Shame to see them go. :(
 
It is a sad day and another wonderful aircraft gone from the RAF.

A photo from me of a Harrier low level in Wales late October -

5131335246_a88fd3a9ec_z.jpg
 
I remember seeing a Marine Harrier down in Chatham at a "Navy Days", quite simply amazing and the loudest thing I've ever heard then or since, hmmmm maybe a Vulcan was louder ;)
 
A bit off topic I know but on the line of amazing British tech being phased out its kinda surreal to think its now 26 years since the Vulcan was retired and 17 years since the Victor retired, I mean tell me these look horribly outdated:

Vulcan260507_468x308.jpg


victor.jpg
 
Above they both look and are horribly dated, neither has a place in a modern airforce.

For me it's been a downward spiral since the demise of the FA/2 which was in my opinion the definitive harrier model. To loose such a stunning piece of technology with no replacment is a sad day indeed and shows how far the UK has fallen in recent years.
 
ubersonic said:
A bit off topic I know but on the line of amazing British tech being phased out its kinda surreal to think its now 26 years since the Vulcan was retired and 17 years since the Victor retired, I mean tell me these look horribly outdated:
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Amazing aircraft.

Did you see the accidental take off from the victor on a taxi run at Bruntingthopre?!

 
My old man was an aircraft engineer at Brize Norton and Dunsfold, he used to work on the Harrier a lot. I remember him going on about them when I was a kid, I think I've seen a couple flying about at airshows back then, great bit of kit.
 
Indeed sad.

They have served fantastically since day 1 and took care of enemy aircraft nicely during the Falklands conflict with no loss in return.

Now the UK is left with no Harriers and no capability to launch them from aircraft carriers for a decade.

Strategic decision ? :confused:
 
Sad day... I love the Harrier it's an awesome plane. And as said it is silly to think they are 40 years old, I can't really get my head round it....

:( (and the Christmas hats take away from the sadness...)
 
Von Smallhausen said:
Indeed sad.

They have served fantastically since day 1 and took care of enemy aircraft nicely during the Falklands conflict with no loss in return.

Now the UK is left with no Harriers and no capability to launch them from aircraft carriers for a decade.

Strategic decision ? :confused:
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Maybe it's all a big ruse!

Someone tries to launch an attack against British territory thinking we have no Harriers/Aircraft Carriers. Then we go, "LOL we were hiding them the whole time!"
 
a1ex2001 said:
Above they both look and are horribly dated, neither has a place in a modern airforce.
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I see... and what exactly have you seen that looks/performs better? for a comarison basis here are the equivelent US bombers:

B-1B-Lancer-bomber.jpg


B52Wooden.jpg


The B1 Lancer shown above and the Tu-160 Blackjack (not shown) are (today) better than the Vulcan mostly because they have been kept in development whereas the Vulcan was never updated properly and retired 26 years ago, if it had been updated and kept in development it would still be almost on the same level as those two.

Btw if your thinking of the B2 Spirit (black triangular stealth bomber) its slow and cannot carry many bombs, its only real use is against third world countries that cannot see through its 1980's stealth.
 
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