It's more complicated than a lot of fixed wing aircraft by virtue of the fact that you have an almost infinite variety of ways of getting airborne and landing again. A normal conventional aircraft gets airborne at a set speed and lands at a set speed. With the Harrier you have from zero, a vertical takeoff and landing, all the way through to fully conventional which can be up around about 160 miles an hour. The Jump Jet Harrier, often considered the world's smallest and most elusive combat aircraft, stands as a truly distinctive creation. In the event of a conflict between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, it's virtually assured that all NATO airfields would be obliterated within a mere 24 hours and potentially even within 24 minutes. Consequently, NATO would be left devoid of any land-based air power, save for a limited number of Harriers strategically dispersed for concealment and combat readiness. Regrettably, many individuals have underestimated the significance of this aircraft. The Harrier and the Sea Harriers executed fighter and attack missions under conditions that would have rendered any other fast jet inoperable. It has been nearly seven decades since the Harriers precursor, the Hawker, first touched down. Over this time, the Harrier family has undergone remarkable advancements, and its story was far from complete. Around 1954, the press humorously dubbed this particular invention the flying bedstead, often seen as a jest. However, the underlying concept of vertical takeoff using jet engine thrust hinted at a potential for high-speed aircraft to function without traditional airfields. In essence, they were engineered for survivability in times of war. The SC-1s were built in Belfast, each fitted with five RB-108 turbojets. Four were arranged amidst ships, pointing down to provide lift. The fifth one was in the tail to provide thrust in the normal way. The SC-1 was the first research aircraft, flat rising, not tail swing, to use the principle of separate lift engines. In theory, these could be shut down for flying around on the wings and you use this for propulsion. This did not contribute to lift in VTOL. You lit up four lift engines in the case of this Fetch-C-1 aircraft, and having fired them up and decelerated, you landed on the thrust in these engines." With Chief Test Pilot Tom Brooks-Smith in the cockpit, the throttles of the four lift jets were opened up. The SC-1 had the ability to ascend vertically from the ground and then maintain hover using compressed air jets located at the wingtips, nose, and tail. By increasing the engine throttle at the tail, the SC-1 could be propelled forward. As the speed picked up, the wings generated more lift, eventually allowing four lift jets to be shut down, a phase known as accelerating transition. Upon completing the flight, a deceleration transition was necessary to return engine supported hovering flight, followed by a vertical landing. This era marked a prominence of VTOL, which stands for vertical takeoff and landing. In California, the US Air Force and Ryan were experimenting with a simpler VTOL design that demanded exceptional piloting skills. Powered by a British Rolls-Royce engine, the X-13 VertiJet could either take off down a runway like conventional jets or stand vertically on its tail for VTOL. With its compact fuselage tilted at a 90-degree angle, it relied on its jet for propulsion, and could move up or down based on the pilot's careful and precise manipulation of the throttle lever. Similar to the Bedstead and SC-1, compressed air jets were used to control the way it hovered. Its airfield was a sizable flatbed vehicle known as the ground service trailer, with a large platform that could be raised vertically using hydraulic rams. The delta-wing vertijet would take off or return to the trailer, akin to a moth landing on a wall. Transitions between wing-borne and jet-borne flight, both accelerating and decelerating, were skillfully executed by Pete Girard, the test pilot making the VertiJet an impressive spectacle. But unless it could have been linked with computerized blind landing systems, it was impractical for an Air Force. When the German aircraft designers got back into business after World War II, they were 10 years behind the Americans, the British, the Russians. They decided rather than try and catch up, they'd leapfrog over the technology, which is why they went for a vertical takeoff. Our tank was famous for producing tough, reliable, battle-hardened aircraft that could survive a lot of damage. He took that design philosophy into the post-war era in building the VAC-191. In effect, the 191 is a modern VTOL version that was old World War II Focke-Wulf 190. It was, however, the Europeans who pioneered military VTOL because, being nearer to a potential attacker, they saw the jet lift could enable their aircraft to escape from their highly vulnerable airfields. West Germany built the VAC-191B. The aircraft featured a central lift cruise engine with nozzles that could be directed either to the rear or downward. Additionally, there were single lift jets in the front and rear fuselage, which were adapted from the SC-1 and used exclusively during take-off and landing. In the post-war years, there were lots of wacky VTOL projects, but Curtin Tank's VAC-191 was a beautiful little airplane. It really worked. Willie Messerschmitt was a fighter pro. He knew that burdening a fighter with useless lift engines would be a complete waste of time. But Meshersmith was good at thinking out the box, he had a solution. To speed up the development process, Meshersmith used the fuselage of the American F-104 Starfighter. A distinct German prototype was the VJ-101 equipped with six Rolls-Royce turbojets. Two of them were positioned vertically in the fuselage solely for VTOL operations, while the other four were mounted in pods on the wingtips. These pods could pivot to direct the jets downward during VTOL or rearward for supersonic flight. Another early jet lift aircraft was constructed by Dassault in France. Based on the Mirage III supersonic fighter, the Balzac had an enlarged fuselage housing eight RB-108 lift engines. However, none of these remarkable aircraft projects led to significant developments. In contrast, a simpler type of VTOL jet aircraft featuring only a single engine and minimal cockpit instrumentation gradually transformed tactical air warfare. It not only enabled power to be deployed from virtually any location, but also made it possible to win wars that might have been otherwise impossible to fight. Among the many research models tested in wind tunnels, the one described here underwent testing on a rotating arm. Researchers faced numerous challenges, many of which were unprecedented. Concerns about the tailplane being thrusted violently downward when the rear jet nozzles were angled downward under the tail were eventually dispelled through model testing. This pioneering VTOL aircraft was the Hawker P.1127, a groundbreaking innovation. For the first time in aviation history, an aircraft powered by a single jet engine could rise vertically from the ground with its fuselage in a standard horizontal orientation and accelerate under precise control to attain jet fighter speeds. This prototype was a later P.1127 called Kestrel, first flown in March 1964. This was three and a half years after the first tentative tethered hover of the first P.1127. With its unusual landing gear retracted, the Kestrel could do most things a 1950s jet fighter could do. It could also slow to a standstill, hover in mid-air if necessary, and finally make a feather-light vertical landing. During a high-speed pass at the Farnborough Airshow, two Kestrels in a Hunter aircraft demonstrated that the small Kestrel, despite the inherent challenges of its hover capability, outperformed the conventional Hunter in terms of speed, range, and rate of climb. This remarkable feat was made possible by the groundbreaking Pegasus engine, which was developed by Bristol Siddeley and became part of Rolls-Royce in 1966. The Pegasus engine was a truly innovative design, as it was the first turbofan engine to feature four nozzles. Two nozzles were located on each side at the front to handle the air from the fan, while the other two were positioned at the rear to manage the hot gases from the jet. It's important to note that these nozzles were not integral to the engine itself, but were part of the aircraft. This unique design made the basic engine exceptionally compact while delivering substantial power, generating approximately 21,500 pounds of thrust, all within a length of about 8 feet. To install the Pegasus engine, it was lowered into the fuselage from above and then connected to the four nozzles. These nozzles were strategically arranged, with two in front of the aircraft center of gravity and two behind it, ensuring that the thrust lifted the aircraft vertically without tipping it forward onto its nose or backward onto its tail. To assess the performance of the exceptional Pegasus engine, specialized ground test beds were conducted at Bristol. The engine's exhaust was channeled away from the building through twin ducts. The test engine was positioned on a cradle high within the building and the test bed was designed to simultaneously measure both vertical and horizontal thrust. It was also versatile, able to accommodate future vectored thrust or vertical lift engines. On this alternative outdoor testbed, the engine is started and then the nozzles are rotated not downwards, but upwards so that the four jets do not blast straight onto the ground as they would in the aircraft. The pilot or the operator on the testbed has just a single lever to control the nozzles. Twin compressed air powered motors drive through shafts and strong chains to rotate all four nozzles in exact unison. The four nozzles on these aircraft boasts remarkable agility, capable of moving through their entire 99 degree range in just one second. These nozzles are indispensable components akin to wings in conventional aircraft. For a vertical takeoff during the taxiing and engine warm-up phase, the nozzles are maintained in a horizontal position to prevent ground erosion and the ingestion of debris. When the throttle is open to full power, the nozzles pivot downward, allowing the aircraft to ascend vertically. To transition into forward flight, the nozzles are gradually rotated backward. The aircraft accelerates forward and attains typical wing-borne flight speed. The aircraft's large inlets have generously rounded lips and perform well at low speeds. During training, pilots practice numerous VTOs followed by transitioning into wing-borne flight. With the nozzles angled at 75 degrees, the four jets still provide 96% of the maximum vertical lift, while also generating a 25% horizontal component sufficient for forward acceleration. This can be achieved with a fuselage nearly level. In the mid-1960s, P.1127 and Kestrel aircraft executed numerous VTOs under various conditions, including takeoff from rain-soaked runways, grassy surfaces, and even desert environments. From the outset, it was recognized that as an alternative to VTO, pilots could perform short takeoff. To initiate an STO, the engine is opened up with the nozzles pointing forward. This results in substantial forward acceleration without causing ground erosion. Once a suitable speed is reached, the pilot tilts the nozzle down to 55 degrees, allowing the aircraft to leap off the ground, propelled partly by its small wing and partly by the jets. The aircraft continues to accelerate. STO allows the aircraft to take off with a significantly heavier payload of fuel and weapons. By 1964, it was apparent that the standard operational method would involve short takeoffs and vertical landings. In between, pilots would make fast passes up to 600 knots before coming back to harbor. Then, at very low level, they would practice using the puffer jet reaction controls of the wingtips, nose, and tail. Fed with the highly compressed air from the engine, these high-powered jets enable the pilot to pitch, roll, pirouette, or just hold the aircraft over a fixed point, even in a strong wind. When the pilot's control stick is centered, the puffer jets are shut off. Of course, as one of the key advantages of VTOL or STOVL is that the aircraft can fly from any spot of reasonably level ground. A lot of the early trials involved rough strips, though the main development flying was done from Hawker's airfield at Dunsfold. One of the early problems was directional stability in hovering flight, because the huge airflow into the engine inlets overcame the natural weather conch stability. Pilots could often be seen making 360 degree turns exploring the handling. The early P-1127s required constant attention and posed a new and unique challenge. We'd done some flying on helicopters. We'd flown a variable stability helicopter to understand what these numbers like radians per second squared per inch of stick meant, that's control sensitivity, and we'd also done a little bit of hovering on the short SC-1, which had four lift engines, a separate propulsive engine to get a feel for jet reaction controls. So it was with that background that we started the tethered hovering. You don't require any courage to do tethered hovering. You're controlled from going out of control by the tethers themselves. We had phenomenal numbers of problems, I mean, in terms of getting the correct control powers, getting the correct feel, getting the correct sensitivity, getting the right gearing from the throttle to the engine, all these things had to be resolved. And when we started taxiing and going for conventional flight, we found that when putting the brakes on, triggered the natural frequency of the undercarriage and snapped it off like a carrot. We also had occasion to have very severe outrigger shimmy during a high-speed taxi and a lot of aerodynamic problems that were affected by the jetty flux blowing underneath the wings and onto the tailplane. These aircraft were akin to the right flyer of Jet VTOL, representing a pioneering step in aviation. To address some of the challenges, in 1963, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Federal Republic of Germany decided to jointly fund a tripartite squadron. Each nation financed three improved P-1127s known as Kestrels. In 1967, the squadron became operational, consisting of pilots from the RAF, US Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Luftwaffe. It marked the first time in history that combat pilots had to be fully trained on both fast jets and helicopters. Even so, this training did not fully prepare them for the complexities of operating transonic jet-lift aircraft that could conceal themselves in wooded areas and take off from locations accessible to a jeep traveling at 40 miles an hour. While all pilots found vertical takeoff, VTO, relatively straightforward, it often caused ground erosion problems. The accelerating transition, followed by a fast, low-level pass, was a source of enjoyment for everyone. The nine Kestrels were adorned with unique roundels and fin flashes that incorporated the national markings of the three participating countries. However, these aircraft remained early in their design, equipped with little more than a simple gun sight and a camera in the nose, though they theoretically could be fitted with two underwing pylons. Most of the flying was conducted from RAF West Rainham in Norfolk and the surrounding countryside. Multinational ground crews were responsible for aircraft servicing. This period yielded substantial experience in taxiing and rolling takeoffs from paved and rough strips. Experiments were conducted using various types of surface protection including metal planks, discs, flexible sheets, and even bright pink fiberglass sprayed on soil or grass. The squadron also explored rough field rolling landings which resolved issues related to ground erosion and the ingestion of hot gas or debris into the engine. Often the squadron operated as a cohesive unit and in theory it was possible to fire the engine starter cartridges and then within seconds take off vertically. However, in practice, it was soon determined that the most effective operating technique was short take-off and vertical landing, which has remained the preferred method ever since. After nine months of operation, 938 sorties had been flown, and it appeared that there was little more to learn with these rudimentary machines. Six of the Kestrels were sent to the USA, where they were designated as XV-6A. They flew sporadically from Edwards, Patuxent River, and Fort Campbell. However, the limited American interest in STOVL aircraft relegated them to the status of curiosities. In Britain, there was a much more pragmatic appreciation of the potential value of these aircraft in any future conflict. Back in 1963, a P-1127 had flown from the big carrier, ARC Royale, and in June 1966, a Kestrel carried out more serious trials from the smaller carrier, HMS Bulwark. These trials were integrated with the flying of Wessex helicopters. At the start, it was established that the guidance directions of a Batsman were unnecessary. Numerous VTOs were made with the ship underway, and it was also found possible to hover in the lee of the island in a region subjected to considerable turbulence. The Ls were made of various kinds of approach. The conventional approach for helicopters involved approaching the ship from the stern on the port side and then translating sideways to reach the deck. However, this approach was found to be unnecessarily complex and jet pilots much preferred a straightforward straight-in approach from the stern. In 1966, the government finally reconsidered its stance on permitting manned combat aircraft, overturning a decree from 1957. This development allowed the P.1127 and Kestrel to evolve into the Harrier. The Harrier represented a complete redesign, even though it might not have appeared significantly different at first glance. One of the early Harrier GR1 aircraft, where GR stands for Ground Attack and Reconnaissance, underwent a remarkable series of trials, taking off from the small helicopter pad at the stern of the cruiser Blake. The pad was considerably smaller than any area from which jetlift aircraft had previously operated, and the ship often experienced a 12-degree roll with dusty winds of up to 35 knots. Additionally, the pad was downwind of a large superstructure, which typically housed the ship's helicopter and air officers' control position, causing severe turbulence. Consequently, every takeoff from this location had to be a vertical takeoff, and every landing a vertical landing. Despite these challenges, the entire program of flying proceeded flawlessly, leaving the ship's crew quite impressed when the Harrier was eventually ordered for the RAF. It was anticipated that these aircraft would frequently operate from the two remaining Royal Navy fleet carriers, the Ark Royal and the Eagle. In March 1970, two Harrier GR1s from the RAF conducted extended trials from HMS, Her Majesty's ship, Eagle. By this point, it was established that Harriers could operate from ships, but these tests aimed to demonstrate that genuine combat missions could be flown. As the trials continued, the takeoff weight of the Harriers was progressively increased and all takeoffs were of the free-rolling type, eliminating the need for a ship's catapult. The aircraft were equipped with fuel tanks, rocket pods, and inert bombs, some of which were jettisoned in practice runs before aircraft recovery. Many vertical landings were carried out with the ship steaming at full speed. The trials also involved topside servicing of the aircraft, the use of elevators, and simulated maintenance in the hangar. As a result of these trials, the RAF was cleared to operate its GR1s from carriers. This was the first time such a clearance had ever been issued to an Air Force unit. In the following year, 1971, No. 1 Squadron took its Harriers aboard Ark Royale. None of the RAF pilots had ever flown from a ship before. In contrast to the other jet lift aircraft, the entire Harrier family shares one distinctive feature in the cockpit, a nozzle selector lever. The cockpit itself is relatively simple, featuring a single curved box with two levers. One lever serves as the throttle, while the other is the nozzle lever, which is telescopic, spring-loaded, and controls the angle of the nozzles. The pilot can typically operate the nozzle lever without needing to glance down. To accelerate forward, the pilot pushes the nozzle selector lever forward along with the throttle. For short takeoffs, a predetermined speed is set and the lever is moved to a preset stop, usually around 50 or 55 degrees. For vertical takeoff, or hover, the lever is pulled back to a vertical position at a fixed stop. When braking in air combat or for deceleration before landing, the lever is lifted over the VTO stop into the braking sector, with most pilots going straight to maximum braking. While the pilot can adjust the nozzle angle during air-to-air refueling, they typically rely on the throttle and airbrake for such maneuvers. From the early days of service in 1969, RAF Harrier GR1 squadrons practiced refueling from Victor K1A tankers. Little did anyone suspect how critical this practice would become 13 years later, allowing Harriers to fly extended distances of 4,500 miles and go directly into battle. In 1961, Hawker Aircraft was instructed to create a two-seater trainer for the P-1127. Although this project was initially canceled, a two-seat Harrier was requested in 1965 and subsequently developed. The first Harrier T-4 took flight in April 1969. This variant was significantly longer than the single-seater and featured a larger tail, yet it retained full combat capabilities. The introduction of the Harrier T-4 debunked the notion that only experienced frontline pilots could operate Harriers. Given the nature of jet-lift aircraft, it was considered unwise to bring them anywhere near an airfield during wartime, as it would invite destruction. Instead, Harriers were often deployed to remote locations, particularly wooded areas. Appropriately, the 1st Terrier Squadron was the RAF's number one, which lived up to its motto, First in Everything. They quickly explored dispersed operations from wooded areas, employing various weapons. However, in March 1970, the squadron traveled to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for an armament practice camp. They conducted numerous sorties using live ordnance, including cluster bomb dispensers, rockets, and 30mm cannons, all of which were employed effectively. Despite its small size, the Harrier was discovered to be highly potent and boasted unexpected assets such as agility and relative invisibility. By 1971, Harriers were in service with the 1st Squadron of the U.S. Marine Corps, designated AV-8A. These aircraft were even simpler than their RAF counterparts, but were equipped with the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile. This enabled the AV-8A to fly rapid reaction air defense missions, though of course only under day visual conditions. During tests, an AV-8A formated behind the USAF KC-135 in order to fly through a dense spray of water. This test, similar to the one carried out in England with an RAF Harrier, was to check proper operation of the engine and airframe in heavy rain or severe icing conditions. Like other Harriers, the Marine Corps AV-8A can have a bolt-on in-flight refueling probe. This enables the aircraft to make for long ferrying flights, refueled by such tankers as the KC-130, KA-6D, or A-4 with a body pack. The 8V8As also routinely operated from ships such as the US Navy Assault Vessel Raleigh. The Marine AV8As also operated from the much bigger Tarawa class of amphibious warfare transports. Unlike all other fast jets, the Harriers do not need a larger deck. One Harrier, assembled from parts freely donated by the suppliers and with appropriate registration vetoed, is the British Aerospace Demonstrator. One of the users of the AV-8A is Spain's Naval Aviation. Their aircraft are called the VA-1 Matadors, the trainer being the VA-E1. The Matadors equip Squadron 008, based at Rota, Spain, also operates from Spain's two carriers. A notable feature of the Matador is the large ratio antenna mounted atop the fuselage, which facilitates communication between the pilots and surface vessels and helicopters. At that time, Spain's Matador fleet consisted of 11 single-seat Matadors and a pair of two-seat trainer versions. Following the cancellation of the Hawker P-1154 jetlift aircraft, a supersonic counterpart to the Harrier, the Royal Navy found itself without fixed-wing airpower except for the massive Phantom FG-1, which required a lengthy takeoff run and cannot operate at sea except from large carriers. However, the British government cancelled these large carriers in 1966, suggesting that seagoing airpower should be the responsibility of the RAF alone. This decision left the Royal Navy devoid of fixed-wing fighters or ground-attack aircraft of its own. The Harrier's ability to operate from small decks sparked a novel concept of sea-going airpower. The outcome of this concept was the Sea Harrier, which featured a new front end with a multi-mode radar, an updated cockpit, and other enhancements. It was designated as FR-S1, signifying its roles in fighter reconnaissance and strike missions. The Sea Harrier, also known as the Sea Harrier, was considered one of the world's most versatile combat aircraft for its time. It can operate without the need for a conventional airfield or aircraft carrier, but its performance is enhanced by the addition of a ski-jump launching ramp. Ski-jump ramps were initially tested onshore, on an airfield, and they can curve upwards at angles of up to 12 degrees. These ramps improve safety during takeoff and enable an additional 2,500 pounds of warload to be carried for the same short run. Alternatively, the take-off run can be reduced by 60% while maintaining a fixed weight. Trials involving two-seater and sea harriers began in 1977. Doug Taylor came along and he said, what we want is a ski jump, this curved ramp on the front. If we put a curved ramp there, such that the exit angle from that ramp, no matter how bowed down the ship is, it's still upwards. You're going away from the water, isn't that what every pilot's trying to do? And I mean, it's such a simple idea. It was August 1977 when we had the first trial ski jump built for us at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Bedford. It produced not only this better performance in terms of the weight you could lift in rough water, and it was rough down at the Falklands at times, but it also provided more safety for the pilot. The use of ski jump ramps wasn't initially considered during the design of the Royal Navy's three Invincible-class vessels. However, HMS Ark Royal was later fitted with a ski jump ramp set to the optimum angle, while her sister ships, Invincible and Illustrious, had their ramps set at a seven degree angle. Sea Harriers are capable of carrying 5,000 pounds of weapons on five stations. The FRS-1's combat weaponry includes sidewinder missiles and two 30mm cannons. Fully loaded Sea Harriers are launched without the need for a catapult and are recovered without arrestor wires. The two 30mm Aden cannons are housed in separate pods beneath the fuselage, while additional fuel tanks are attached to the inner wing hardpoints. Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are carried on the outer wing pylons. After being updated to Sea Harrier FRS-2s, they were equipped to carry the powerful Sea Eagle anti-ship missile with a range of at least 70 miles. The Sea Eagle is propelled by a small turbojet engine and features an active radar at its nose, enabling it to locate and target ships in any weather condition while skimming the waves at near the speed of sound. The Sea Eagle could cripple any warship except for the biggest carriers. Another Sea Harrier weapon is the 2-inch rocket, smaller than that fired by the RAF, but salvo in larger numbers, 36 from each launcher. These high-velocity rockets were also fired from RAF Harriers GR-3s during the Falklands campaign and were found highly effective. Rippling away 72 of them gave several seconds of virtually continuous firepower with high accuracy. Sea Harriers frequently practice firing 2-inch rockets against toad-splash targets. Sea Harriers also frequently practice the simulated or real sidewinder firings. At that time, short-medium range air-to-air sidewinders could knock down targets up to 8 miles away. Sea Harriers are capable of performing toss bombing or horizontal laydown bombing. They are also equipped with the BL-755 Cluster Bomber Dispenser, which was effectively used during the Falklands Campaign by both Sea Harriers and RAF Harriers. In 1988, the first upgraded Sea Harrier FRS-2s were introduced, featuring a larger and more powerful Blue Vixen radar which replaced the earlier Blue Fox radar. This radar had full lockdown and shoot-down capability and was compatible with the new American AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. The FRS-2 also featured a longer rear fuselage and underwent substantial internal revisions to enhance mission effectiveness, particularly in adverse weather conditions or against hostile countermeasures. Despite these upgrades, the FRS-2 retained the same compact size as the FRS-1, making it one of the smallest combat aircraft in the modern world at that time. This compact size contrasts with the Sea Harrier's versatility and demonstrated combat effectiveness. During the Falklands campaign, they achieved at least 23 air-to-air victories and possibly as many as 28, even while operating in often atrocious blizzard conditions. I'm going to try to get a better angle. India was the first overseas customer for the Sea Harrier, placing both orders for single seat Mark 51s and two seat Mark 60s. In the RAF, the GR1 Harriers from 1969 were upgraded in terms of engine power and fitted with thimble noses containing laser rangers and marked target seekers, resulting in the GR3 variant. The training unit for GR3s is number 233 operational conversion unit. All RAF Harrier pilots are trained to be proficient with the SNEB 68mm rocket, which has been proven effective against all but the heaviest frontal armor of the modern battle tanks in that era. On the Rangers, GR-3 pilots consistently achieve good results with these unguided weapons, thanks to the inertial platform laser ranger weapon aiming computer and heads up display. Turnaround operations at RAF Wittering, often referred to as the home of the Harrier, are fast and efficient. The SNEB rockets are fired through the aerodynamic cowling on the front of the pods and must be replaced after each mission. Actual practice with live weapons is considered irreplaceable. In April 1982, the Argentine invasion of the Falklands led to the British government's rapid organization of Operation Corporate to recover the islands. The new light carrier, Invincible, and the much larger Hermes sailed from Portsmouth with all available Sea Harriers. These aircraft engaged in battles with a much larger number of enemy aircraft, including Skyhawks, Mirages, Daggers, and others. The Sea Harrier Round Dulls were repainted as the low visibility B-type, without any white areas. The aircraft were given a gray dull finish, which was later replaced by a lighter color they called Barley Gray. All battle maintenance was conducted on the hangar decks, ensuring that every aircraft was ready for service. The ships were loaded with bombs, BL-755 dispensers, rockets, tanks, and, for escort and interception duties, sidewinders. Pre-flight inspection by the pilots, about to go into action for the first time, took The The first operations were flown from about 90 miles east of the islands. The first combat mission was a bombing and strafing attack on Stanley Airfield at dawn on May 1. Viewed from Port Stanley, the Harriers encountered heavy fire from guns of all calibers and from Roland and Tiger Cats surface to air missiles. The target's airfield across the bay received several hits. During the Falklands campaign, the first operation involved 28 Sea Harriers flying 2,197 sorties, with all Sea Harriers returning safely to the carrier. Each aircraft had to make a challenging landing, often in virtually zero visibility. Only one Sea Harrier took hit from a small caliber shell in its fin, and it was back in the air the next day. A night attack by a lone RAF Vulcan bomber resulted in one bomb hitting the runway, rendering it unusable for a large number of Argentine jets. Subsequent sea Harrier strikes place the occupying Argentine forces on the defensive causing both physical and moral damage. The RAF later joined the conflict with the GR3s and a few decades later are equipping squadrons with the second generation Harrier II known as the GR5. Further upgrades with night and all-weather equipment will result in the GR-7. The GR-5 features a long-span wing made of carbon fiber, holding 1.5 times as much fuel as earlier Harriers and providing 11 weapon stations, including four under each wing. The GR-5 is shown carrying BL-755 cluster bomblet dispensers, but is still well below its weight limit of 9,200 pounds. All weapon trials for the GR5 were highly successful, offering pilots a completely new experience. There are two types of Harrier wing that have flown and have gone into service. One, a 200 square foot area metal wing, and the other a 230 square foot plastic wing. This wing was made by McDonnell Douglas and it represents the very latest in technology in terms of strong structures and light structures. If you think of the way they make Formula One motorcars these days, these carbon fibre, graphite, epoxy resins are used all the time for their strength instead of metals. Firstly, and very obviously, the plastic wing has got these much larger flaps and they help you lift off the much greater bomb load that the larger wing can carry. The bomb load, you see, isn't just a case of weight, it's the number of munitions you've got. And so this wing here has got four pylons on each wing. So it's eight wing-borne pylons, as well as the three on the fuselage. Whereas the Harrier I wing has only got two pylons per wing. And so you've got only a total of four pylons on your wings on the Harrier I. They also asked us to make the airplane so as it would fly from narrower roads. Well, the wheels that are on the wingtip, you know, they're over 20 feet apart. And you can hardly wander along a road with your main wheels on the road and your little kiddy wheels in the ditch, can you? You know, you don't mind having your outriggers on the road and your wingtips over the ditch, that's all right. So we moved the outriggers in, just as simple as that. The Harrier II program originated with the YAV-8B prototype flown in November 1978. It introduced a new high-lift wing and numerous changes based on a deeper understanding of jet STOVL gained during 10 years of Harrier combat duty. British Aerospace became a minor participant and control of the program shifted to the United States due to the British government's decision to not collaborate. The program also led to the creation of a new trainer version, the TAV-8B, featuring deeply stepped tandem cockpits. A production TAV-8B visited England in 1988, though normally they're seen only at Cherry Point, North Carolina. The new trainer, with deeply stepped with tandem cockpits, has the same mean purposeful look as the single-seat Harrier IIs. The cockpit is totally new compared to the 1960s vintage Harriers. The RAF versions have thicker canopy moldings due to bird strikes at full throttle at low altitudes over the UK and Germany. One of the later developed features on the Harrier II is the longer front engine nozzle design for increased thrust. The out-trigger landing gears are positioned halfway to the wingtips instead of at the tips, providing extra pylons for sidewinders in the RAF GR-5s. The view from the AV-8B and TAV-8B is excellent, with a bulged-out canopy and frameless windscreen. U.S. Marine Corps aircraft use stencil ejection seats, while RAF GR-5s are equipped with Martin-Baker Mark 12 seats. The TAV-8B has a longer vertical tail and can carry most of the weapons carried by the single-seaters. The AV-8Ps entered Marine Corps service in October 1983, over five years ahead of regular squadron service by the GR-5. The Marines basic missions included support beach assaults and they practiced various forms of dive attacks, lay down bombing, rocket firing, and strafing with guns in support of amphibious operations. To conduct operations inland, AV-8Bs utilize hides on land, preferably in wooded areas. North Carolina, where much of the training was centered, offered numerous suitable locations. The smaller track between the outer gears made it easier to taxi on narrow paths, and operations weighing up to the maximum of 31,000 pounds have been flown from dirt roads. In this case, a paved highway is used to minimize flying debris and dust. Rolling vertical landings allow the aircraft to move ahead of any debris that might be ingested by the engine during a completely vertical landing. Meanwhile, Sea Harriers of the Royal Navy's No. 899 Squadron in Britain often practice and refine their display routines. Twenty years after it entered in service and nearly thirty years after the first hover And after the first hover of the P-1127, the Harrier was still a surefire showstopper, If you enjoyed this video, please remember to like and subscribe. So, let's get started. So Welcome to the Dronescapes Aviation Channel. Aviation, the art of aeronautics, began with the dreamers, inventors and daredevils who dared to defy gravity. The journey of aviation was nurtured by pioneers like the Wright brothers, whose first flight marked a historic milestone. The role of aircrafts in world wars was groundbreaking, dramatically changing warfare strategies. This initiated a technological evolution in aviation, transforming the simplistic wings of a biplane into the thunderous roar of jet engines. Let's journey through the ages of aviation. Behind every great aircraft there were great minds. These visionaries, like Sir Frank Whittle, the innovator of the turbojet engine, redefined air travel. Then there's Skunk Works' Kelly Johnson, the genius behind the SR-71 Blackbird. His designs combined speed, stealth and power, crafting machines that dominated the heavens. The contributions of these pioneers have left an indelible mark on the canvas of aviation, shaping the course of history and inspiring generations of engineers and aviators. Each epoch in aviation history gave birth to extraordinary aircrafts, each with their own unique features and roles. The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was a marvel of speed and stealth. The F-105 Thunderchief, a supersonic fighter bomber, was vital in the Vietnam War. The P-51 Mustang, a long-range fighter, was critical in World War II. The P-47 Thunderbolt, a heavyweight fighter, was used extensively in the same war. The A-10 Thunderbolt II, the Warthog, is a close air support icon. The Messerschmitt ME-262 marked a leap forward in aviation technology. Each of these game changers were instrumental in their eras, and their legacies still resonate today. Beyond the game changers there are those that have transcended their practical roles to become icons. The Concorde was not just an aircraft, it was a supersonic symbol of luxury and speed. The B-52 Stratofortress, a strategic bomber, is an icon of power and resilience. These magnificent machines and others like them have become much more than just aircrafts. They are enduring icons that encapsulate the audacious spirit, the relentless innovation, and the boundless ambition that define the world of aviation. For more amazing aerial footage and to join us in this incredible journey, check out the Dronescapes YouTube channel.
