For Aircraft Enthusiasts: the last of the all British designed and built fighter plane retires

[Blazer]

Well a few weeks ago, the Indian Navy retired their fleet of Hawker Sea Harriers

Along with the INS "Viraat" Carrier from which they operated, which after 33 years of Indian service sees the end for the operational life of the last all British Jet Fighter.

A Sea Harrier with two examples of the plane that replaces it, the MiG-29K Fulcrum which will be flown from the INS "Vikramaditya"

But let me start at the beginning.

This is the Hawker P-1127 Kestrel, which was the Prototype Harrier. In the early sixties the idea of vectored thrust was an unproven concept but the idea quickly caught on since vertical lift off, thus having no need for conventional runways got people standing to attention.

The kestrel to demonstrate the type's merit was demonstrated on Aircraft carriers.

But the Fleet Air arm had no interest in the type, luckily the RAF and the American Marine corp were and the Kestrel went into production as the Harrier GrMk. 1 and the nearly identical AV-8A. The Biggest difference between the two was the removal of all Magnesium parts to make the Harrier suitable for carrier use and the capability to carry Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

In both cases though the type was put into service as a ground attack plane and in both cases little regard was given to the planes, since the type was regarded a one trick pony and due to its relatively slow speed, was deemed to be vulnerable in a dog fight. As such both types were fitted with Ground terrain seeking radar which made it unsuitable for air defense duties.

Then in the late seventies something happened, with a new government taking power in the UK, it was decided that the Royal Navy would be cut in strength and that its Carrier the HSM Ark Royal would be decommissioned with its squadrons of F-4 Phantom fighters and Blackburn Buccaneer ground attack planes transferring to the RAF.

But with the Helicopter now having proven itself to be not just a valuable but VITAL part of marine warfare, the decision was made to commission Helicopter carrier in service to replace the conventional aircraft carrier.

HSM Invincible in her original guise as Helicopter carrier

But having already learned the merit of having air cover, the admiralty took a look around to what could possibly replace their previously strong Phantom fleet, now that they had no carriers capable of operating the type from. How was that funny little plane with the vectored thrust doing in service?

Very good actually, the RAF had taken into service the GR mk.3 which had a stronger engine and a more advanced terrain seeking radar housed in an elongated nose. While in the USA studies were underway to change the Harrier's stability issues and to fit it with an improved wing. (More of that later)

So Hawker got the order to develop a dedicated fighter version of the Harrier. Using the GR Mk.-3 as a starting point, they went to work, which turned out to be quite a hassle. Because fitting the air to air radar needed for a dedicated fighter meant that the fuselage had to be redesigned to have a raised cockpit with a bubble canopy for greater visibility and an extended forward fuselage to accommodate the Ferranti Blue Fox radar. Also much of the avionics were modified for the dog fighting role the Sea Harrier, as the plane was now called, would be expected to perform.

A Sea Harrier FRS-1 as how it looked when the type entered service in 1978. Compare it to the GR Mk.3 pictured above it and see the difference between both types

With the entrance of the Sea Harrier in service, the carriers from which the type were to operate were also modified.

To make a lift off less fuel consuming, a ramp was added from which the planes would jump into the air, the "Jump-jet" was born.

Of course, the Sea Harrier quickly proved its worth during the Falklands war, where it dominated the Argentine Airforce's Mirage supersonic jets

FRS-1 Sea Harriers and RAF GR Mk.3 Harriers together on the flight deck of the HMS HERMES, again showing perfectly the difference between the types in both looks and role as the RAF Machines are loaded with bombs for their ground attack role.

Following the success of the Sea Harrier during the Falklands, the Indian Navy bought the Sea Harrier and became the type's only customer, the main difference between the FRS-1 and the Indian FRS-51 is that rather than Sidewinder missiles, the Indian Sea Harrier is armed with French made Matra Magic Missiles. They entered service in 1983 and served faithfully for 33 years.

Meanwhile in the USA the very first revised Harrier took to the air, the AV-8B Harrier II basically was a completely new plane, the use of spage age materials meant that as a whole the weight was drastically reduced. It also much like a Sea Harrier had the revised fuselage with the higher cockpit.

Again though, that new Harrier was not meant to be a jet fighter, it reverted firmly back to the Harrier's original role for ground attack.

While the RAF received their own AV-8B as the Harrier Mk.5 and Mk.7 the Royal Navy wasn't allowed that same pleasure, the Sea Harrier would receive essential updates but no new planes were forthcoming.

A Sea Harrier FA-2 showing the most obvious difference with the FRS-1, the bulbous nose which housed the new advanced radar and avionics.

Already in the mid nineties the decision was made that the both the Sea Harrier and the carriers of which they flew would be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II and the HMS Queen Elizabeth type of carrier and in 2006 the last flight of a Royal Navy Sea Harrier took place and the type was retired.

The HMS Illustrious and the HMS Queen Elizabeth side by side, showing quite dramatically the size difference between the two. However ten years on, both the F-35 and the Queen Elizabeth still haven't entered service yet, leaving the Royal Navy once more without air cover.

And now this year, after 33 years of service the Indians have retired their Sea Harriers but different from the Royal Navy, their replacement carrier and planes HAVE already entered service.

The INS Vikramaditya, showing it's ramp, from which the MiG-29K fighters will jump into the air, keeping the concept behind the Jump-jet intact.

But with the retirement of the original Jump-jet, the Sea Harrier also ends the life of the last all British designed Jet Fighter.

Or does it really?

This is Art Nalls, a former Marine corp Harrier pilot and the only civilian operator of a Sea Harrier Fa-2, he owns the only airworthy Sea Harrier left, making sure that the last of the all British designed Jet Fighter will remain a well known sight for many years to come.

 

[blastoff99]

Thanks. I really enjoy these.

A truly stupid question I'm sure, but I'll ask it anyway. Biggest change from Harrier GrMk1 to AV-8A was elimination of magnesium, you said. Did this have to do with fire hazard on carriers, or ???

Interesting that the Indians have moved on successfully, while a huge chunk of the world waits... and waits... and waits... for the F-35.

 

[Blazer]

Thanks. I really enjoy these.

A truly stupid question I'm sure, but I'll ask it anyway. Biggest change from Harrier GrMk1 to AV-8A was elimination of magnesium, you said. Did this have to do with fire hazard on carriers, or ???

Interesting that the Indians have moved on successfully, while a huge chunk of the world waits... and waits... and waits... for the F-35.

The Magnesium was removed and substituted to counter corrosion issues on the damp and salty conditions of an aircraft carrier.

I should have mentioned that the GR-1/AV-8A had a third variant: Spain used them as the AV-8S Matador.

But it was basically an AV-8A, nothing different.

 

[Downunderwonder]

The first takeoff from a jump ramp must have been more hair raising than your average test flight. On leaving the deck it was not flying or hovering. It had to use some altitude up in a controlled falling to pick up airspeed before crashing.

 

[fhm555]

The first takeoff from a jump ramp must have been more hair raising than your average test flight. On leaving the deck it was not flying or hovering. It had to use some altitude up in a controlled falling to pick up airspeed before crashing.

The problem with the ramp, at least for American jets, is suspension. They legs are too weak for the transition required to give them any advantage over the existing method.

Back in the old days I was training on Vieques island and part of that training was bringing in a C130 with a load of C rations. Within minutes of their scheduled arrival a couple of Harriers came in low and fast, then came back around and did a few laps around the field before setting down and moving off the strip so the the C130 could land and get offloaded. Once we were done and clear, the Harriers spun up, lifted off, did a few quick laps then took off down the return flight path as the C130 was taxiing for takeoff. I've seen a lot of really nice high speed military hardware and that little demonstration was among the coolest.

 

[Stewie26]

The Harrier Jump Jet had a reputation as a widow maker as it was very difficult and unforgiving to the pilot in the vertical landing mode. The new replacement is the F-35 V/Stol. It is fly by wire so the on board computers make it easy.

 

[Clark Dark]

I'm surprised to see Mig 29's taking off without a catapult.

 

[Blazer]

The Harrier Jump Jet had a reputation as a widow maker as it was very difficult and unforgiving to the pilot in the vertical landing mode. The new replacement is the F-35 V/Stol. It is fly by wire so the on board computers make it easy.

Ah but you overlook the AV-8B Advanced Harrier which had the fly-by-wire systems and a completely redesigned wing for better and safer performance and there's one thing that the JSF cannot do. And what that is can be seen in this clip at around 19:44

I'm surprised to see Mig 29's taking off without a catapult.

They DO have a good amount of torque, don't they?

 

[Roger de Flor]

And they performed great against the Argentinians in Falklands war. They were called "muerte negra" by the Argie pilots. They had 20 Air victories for 6 losses, none of them in Air combat.
Also, the spanish flew their Harriers from Príncipe de Asturias carrier. They sold their aircraft to the Thailand Navy.
Another operator was the Marina Militare Italiana from the Guiseppe Garibaldi carrier.

 

[walterw]

The problem with the ramp, at least for American jets, is suspension. They legs are too weak for the transition required to give them any advantage over the existing method.

i always wondered about that "ski ramp" setup of the british carriers, it seemed like a good idea and i wondered why the american carriers never adopted it.

i guess at the catapult launch speeds of US planes that ramp would have been like getting hit from underneath by a speeding truck.

 

[fhm555]

i always wondered about that "ski ramp" setup of the british carriers, it seemed like a good idea and i wondered why the american carriers never adopted it.

i guess at the catapult launch speeds of US planes that ramp would have been like getting hit from underneath by a speeding truck.

Pretty much. I learned quite a bit while working on a contract for rebuild parts for catapults and arresting engines for the navy. When you consider the amount of weight they move, the speed they achieve and the distance they do it in, their catapult is a piece of technological genius. Same with the arresting gear. Stopping that much weight in that short a distance with nothing broken is almost unbelievable, but doing both time after time after time is nothing short of amazing, at least to a hayseed like myself.

 

[Blazer]

And they performed great against the Argentinians in Falklands war. They were called "muerte negra" by the Argie pilots. They had 20 Air victories for 6 losses, none of them in Air combat.
Also, the spanish flew their Harriers from Príncipe de Asturias carrier. They sold their aircraft to the Thailand Navy.
Another operator was the Marina Militare Italiana from the Guiseppe Garibaldi carrier.

Yes but there's a reason why I haven't named the Thai or the Italians.

Thai Navy AV-8S matadors

An Italian AV-8B Harrier II

Both the Thai and Italian Navys don't use their harriers as fighters, they are used as ground attack aircraft.

The Sea Harrier was the only Harrier designed to be a fighter, whereas the other variants were to be ground attack planes.

Also here's an interesting picture, this is the AV-8B prototype which still has the old AV-8A fuselage but DOES have the new outlets and the redesigned wing. It is photographed at Dunsfold Aerodrome, the birthplace of the Harrier and what exactly is it doing there?

Seems that the Americans were intrigued enough about the ski-jump to at least try it for themselves.