Heavily loaded RAF Harriers returning to the UK....

^^Gord^^ · 2 Dec 2007 at 14:50

I spent a few hours in the cold and wind to catch these to coming home from somewhere to the "East". As you can see they have two fuel drop tanks under each wing.

I believe each tank is 1,500ltrs, with 3,446ltrs internally, that's 9446ltrs of fuel! Should be good for about 3100 miles.

TheKnat · 2 Dec 2007 at 15:06

Man that must be boring for them to just sit there for 3000 miles with nothing to do.

I like the more head-on shots better than the side facing ones. Pic 3 is my fav because of the amount of aircraft detail your can see.

fini · 2 Dec 2007 at 15:18

Just going on a quick round trip to pick up a few cornish pasties and lagers?

^^Gord^^ · 2 Dec 2007 at 16:20

TheKnat said:
Man that must be boring for them to just sit there for 3000 miles with nothing to do.

I like the more head-on shots better than the side facing ones. Pic 3 is my fav because of the amount of aircraft detail your can see.

I'm hoping they have an auto-pilot!

fini said:
Just going on a quick round trip to pick up a few cornish pasties and lagers?

Cornwall isn't "East"

Look under the cockpit on the last jet.

steveo · 2 Dec 2007 at 16:57

thats a long trip of 3000k in a plane that cant do mach 1, glad to see them home save and well

VapourTrail · 2 Dec 2007 at 19:10

They have been operating from Kandahar Airbase in Afghanistan

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/D...mphHarriersInTheirElementOverTalibanHeads.htm

^^Gord^^ · 2 Dec 2007 at 20:02

Indeed. Love how that articles has photos of the Harriers from 2004! Still in GR7 spec.

Greenlizard0 · 2 Dec 2007 at 21:54

TheKnat said:
Man that must be boring for them to just sit there for 3000 miles with nothing to do.

They'd be going quite a bit faster than a Jumbo would

TBirdUK · 2 Dec 2007 at 22:05

Not much faster with those tanks on!

Mint_Sauce · 2 Dec 2007 at 22:53

Great shots.

I love harriers, I keep asking my girlfriend for a harrier jumpjet for a birthday or christmas. So far she hasn't picked up on the hint and it's been about 7 years asking now... Might just have to buy my own :/

^^Gord^^ · 2 Dec 2007 at 23:26

Mint_Sauce said:
Great shots.

I love harriers, I keep asking my girlfriend for a harrier jumpjet for a birthday or christmas. So far she hasn't picked up on the hint and it's been about 7 years asking now... Might just have to buy my own :/

http://www.everettaero.com/ZH806.html

Mint_Sauce · 2 Dec 2007 at 23:28

Can't be more than a couple of hundred quid.... right..

Amp34 · 3 Dec 2007 at 00:04

Total Time Airframe: 1291 Hours.
Total Time Engine: 870 Hours

All very well but you'll never be able to fly it (in the UK at least).

^^Gord^^ · 3 Dec 2007 at 09:37

Amp34 said:
All very well but you'll never be able to fly it (in the UK at least).

You know, I'm not actually sure if it would be possible or not. Since the Vulcan was returned to the sky (the first complex rated plane to be restored) things have changed.

The Sea Harrier has the best accident record of the various Harriers (ignoring the Falklands of course) and the Pegasus Mk 107 engine is still in use in the GR7 and GR9 spec Harriers (this would allow you to get support from RR - another important aspect of getting the CAA to approve the aircraft type).

Getting certified on type would be a problem unless you were ex-RAF or ex-FAA.

I assume you know of Art Nalls with your reference to in this country?

For those who don't, Art Nalls is an ex-USMC Harrier pilot who has restored a Sea Harrier F/A.2 to flight. Although, he did have a minor problem with it recently!!

http://www.nallsaviation.com/

Flibster · 3 Dec 2007 at 11:03

^^Gord^^ said:
I assume you know of Art Nalls with your reference to in this country?

For those who don't, Art Nalls is an ex-USMC Harrier pilot who has restored a Sea Harrier F/A.2 to flight. Although, he did have a minor problem with it recently!!

http://www.nallsaviation.com/

Unlikely to be done in this country. Still effectively a current aircraft. CAA tend to be slightly iffy about civillians operating the same equipment as the armed forces. Especially if they've got the cash it could be better maintained.

As for Art... Little bit of a accident. Shouldn't be too much of a problem to sort out though. Bit of t-cut and she'll be good to go.

Video of it is very unimpressive though. Interesting project though.

Shame the CAA aren't as co-operative as the FAA. Lightning soon to be airworthy, Sea Harrier, F104's, F4 Phantom - all the stuff we're not allowed to fly. Over there, it's in the experimental class. Here, complex? Forget it.

The Vulcan is the first and wouldn't surprise me if it's the last. It's set the standard for what needs to be done to get a complex grade aircraft airworthy.

Nice to have the Harriers back in the country though. Missed having them fly over them from time to time. Just need the rest of them home now.

That is a heavily loaded bird though. Interestingly they still have a single live weapon inamongst all that. Not that surprising considering where they came from.

The Harrier was never a traditionally pretty aircraft, but it's kinda our version of the A10. I love them though. Something about them being traditionally British and besically a bonkers idea.

Love them front on with the massive air intakes and stubby U/C

Simon/~Flibster

tres · 3 Dec 2007 at 11:11

^^Gord^^ said:
Cornwall isn't "East"

it is for me

^^Gord^^ · 3 Dec 2007 at 14:29

Flibster said:
That is a heavily loaded bird though. Interestingly they still have a single live weapon inamongst all that. Not that surprising considering where they came from.

I've been scratching my head over that one, as the colour coding on the Sidewinder actually suggests it's a practice (i.e. inert) one. Why it would have it fitted in theatre I don't know and with operational security I doubt people will take me why.

Would have made sense for them to have one live each for protection but that would suggest the colour code is wrong.

:confused:

Flibster · 3 Dec 2007 at 15:36

As far as I can remember....

Inert is designated blue.
Blue stripes on the front - inert warhead.
Blue body - inert motor.

Can't see any blue on them Red generally indicates live explosive.

^^Gord^^ · 3 Dec 2007 at 16:28

As far as I know it goes......

For bombs, inert is blue (although practice (5kg) bombs are dropped as are concrete bombs).

Live bombs are green, usually with a yellow stripe to denote high explosive.

For low explosive (e.g. AIM-9 Sidewinders) the live colour code is a brown stripe.

A pink stripe denotes acquisition training guided weapons e.g. inert sidewinder with a live head.

.....I love to see an official breakdown of the colours but I don't expect that is in the public domain.

Amp34 · 6 Dec 2007 at 14:04

^^Gord^^ said:
You know, I'm not actually sure if it would be possible or not. Since the Vulcan was returned to the sky (the first complex rated plane to be restored) things have changed.

The Sea Harrier has the best accident record of the various Harriers (ignoring the Falklands of course) and the Pegasus Mk 107 engine is still in use in the GR7 and GR9 spec Harriers (this would allow you to get support from RR - another important aspect of getting the CAA to approve the aircraft type).

Getting certified on type would be a problem unless you were ex-RAF or ex-FAA.

I assume you know of Art Nalls with your reference to in this country?

For those who don't, Art Nalls is an ex-USMC Harrier pilot who has restored a Sea Harrier F/A.2 to flight. Although, he did have a minor problem with it recently!!

http://www.nallsaviation.com/

I didn't actually, interesting reading though, thanks.

I was thinking more along the lines of the Lightnings in SA and the Vulcan here.

It's a real shame the RAF don't have the funds to keep a couple of airworthy examples of obsolete aircraft on the books, or at least the CAA allow some of them to fly in civilian hands over here.