The Rise & Fall of the Harrier Jump Jet

[@charlesyarwood6146]

I'm an old man now and remember an air show at Farnborough where 4 Harriers on the ground faced the crowd. They rose vertically, bowed, turned and transitioned in different directions. I will never forget the overwhelming power and noise. It was there, previously that I also witnessed the Lightning's astonishing vertical climb. Heady days of national pride. Long gone, sadly. As an Air Cadet I also illegally went up in a Vulcan for a single circuit after maintenance.

[@kevinburt44]

I heard about your flight when I was an air cadet (2196 Trowbridge sqn) it was the stuff of legend! Lucky sod. 😂

[@charlesyarwood6146]

@@kevinburt44 It was a long time ago and think it was at RAF Wildenrath, don't think it was Cranwell which was the only other place I went to as a Cadet. I was at a station in the bird where I saw absolutely nothing! LOL

[@Chris-hf2sl]

@@charlesyarwood6146 I saw them twice in action - once at Portsmouth on Navy Day and again when I took my then very young daughter to an airshow at Booker Airfield. At that display, the Harrier was the last plane in the show, with everything preceding it being tiny biplanes and other flying machines held together with string and elastic bands. When the Harrier's turn to take off came, I warned my daughter that it was going to be very loud and not to be frightened. The pilot got in and there was a very small amount of noise, but still loud compared to the other aircraft. "That's loud. Is that the engine running?" she asked. "No, that's only the air conditioning for the pilot" I replied. Anyway, eventually it taxied to the end of the grass runway and took off, disappearing into the distance. Moments later, it came back flying low at a tremendous speed very near to the crowd. "Yes, loud, but not that loud" claimed my other half who was also with us as it disappeared into the distance again. I just smiled, knowing what was about to happen. Soon enough it was back. This time it stopped - not on the ground, but in the air, right in front of us. "Loud" just doesn't describe the noise. It basically ripped the air apart. After doing a little dance and bowing a couple of times, it pointed its nose skywards and climbed vertically into the clouds and was gone. "Yes, that was loud" agreed my other half.

[@matt.willoughby]

The noise of the F35 is incredible too, always amazed by how loud they are

[@beefgoat80]

As an American, the retiring of the Harrier is probably the British version of when the F-14 was retired. No one wanted to see it go, but it had been long since time. 😢

[@andersjjensen]

People still argue that the F-14 should have had a complete overhaul package and remained in service.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

It wasn't really due for retirement. It was retired because of defence cuts and left the navy without fixed wing capability for nearly a decade. It was short sighted and foolish and was typical of the government of the time.

[@beefsuprem0241]

​@@AWMJoeyjoejoe Typical of every government we've had Tbh 😂

[@repairdroid77]

​​@andersjjensen The major issue with the F-14 was maintenance to flight hours. Roughly fourty hours in the shop for every flight hour depending on service required. Plus the design had lots of assemblies that had to be removed just to get to other assemblies. And that's after pulling access panels. Also bundles of cables had to be moved or disconnected to do that same task. My uncle used to hate working on them. The aircraft was awesome to look at but an absolute nightmare to service according to him.

[@tommo9757]

​@@repairdroid77Sounds like the old Lightning the RAF used to have. Because the engines were stacked vertically, if you wanted to change the bottom engine, you had to take out the top one first. 🙄

[@JMMC1005]

"Rise and fall" - I see what you did there.

[@BigMobe]

They aren't called "North Carolina Lawn Darts" for just any reason.

[@JohnnyWednesday]

I don't get it

[@TheOtherSteel]

You've stolen my line. 😂

[@louithrottler]

Plane and simple

[@ShaneSchrute]

@@JohnnyWednesdaythe Harrier jet literally takes off and lands in a way that can be described as “rise and fall”.

[@PhilipMReeder]

In 1969, while in the family car in north St. Louis County near Lambert Airport with my father and sister, we noticed something above the highway that seemed to be hovering. At first we thought it was a helicopter, but then as we got closer, realized it wasn't. It was a Saturday afternoon, sunny and clear. The "craft" was orange and white and extremely loud. We were on N. Lindbergh Ave, which was a major overpass with a lot of traffic. The plane was maybe a hundred feet above one of the cloverleaf sections and the pilot was clearly visible. Every car in all directions slowed or stopped to watch this unbelievable sight. Seeing a helicopter hovering was nothing, but this plane just sat there above us nearly motionless. We and all around had never seen anything like it. Eventually it increased power and flew away. When we returned home and told the rest of our family what we had seen, including my mother, they laughed at us and thought we made it up. It wasn't until many years later while looking at a Signal - "Harrier in Action" publication that I saw artwork showing the Harrier in its McDonnell Douglas test paint scheme, from that period, that I realized what the aircraft was.

[@GleichUmDieEcke]

I went to college in St Louis, and I'm trying to imagine what a sight that would be even today.

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

Thats a bloody cool story.

[@yootoobnz8109]

That is so awesome! Thanks for the memory :-) The first time I ever saw my very first jet plane was just days before my fourth birthday, at the opening of the Auckland airport at Mangere NZ in 1966. I remember our family all arriving and getting out of the car, while seeing Vampires doing a big loop above us. I was dumbstruck, never seen anything like that before! Of course I never knew what they were at the time, but always remembered the distinctive twin tail booms. The next time I saw a military jet was the same day I first saw snow as a kid. I remember lying on my back, spreadeagled on a pile of snow on Mt Ruapehu, looking over to Mt Ngauruhoe (topped with brown ash from a recent eruption). In my tiny farm gumboots, I remember being quite embarrassed and frightened, as I was sure I was going to get into big trouble, because having come straight from the farm, I was making dirty footprints in the pure white snow! Shortly after, I had just slid down a long slope of snow on a sheet of black polythene, and had come a cropper. I was laughing and laughing, and this dark triangle wooshed past high overhead, far too noisy for its tiny size. Years later, I figured out it was most probably an RNZAF A4 Skyhawk, but to me at that age it was as alien as, well, a flying saucer ;-)

[@SmoochyRoo]

Aww man imagine being such an early witness to an aircraft's operational life

[@PhilipMReeder]

@SmoochyRoo I was actually very surprised when the video stated that the USMC was beginning its first inquiries into the Harrier in *1964!* That was the year I was born! 😆

[@Knightboat99]

Excellent video, I worked on the UK Harriers (mainly GR7/9 T10/12) for 15 years right up to the bitter end in December 2010 and was there at RAF Cottesmore for the final flight, a sadly missed amazing machine..

[@devlin7575]

Nice of you to share. For what’s it’s worth I watched from my university lecture hall in London the flight of two harriers across the capital in 1996 / 1997 as a ‘farewell flight’ to its chief engineer (?) who had passed away.

[@hazchemel]

You're right, it can't be ignored, and it stands almost alone in a singular category. Watching them take off and land is pretty gripping? Which part or system of the Harrier was your terrain?

[@Knightboat99]

@@hazchemel I was an electrician to start with then specialized in avionics/weapon systems. 👍

[@hazchemel]

@@Knightboat99right. Good decision. thanks for replying.

[@jake9705]

Watch enough videos of Harriers landing vertically and the landings will seem quite abrupt, maybe even painful for the pilot. This is by design: the Harrier often flipped upside-down right before touching down during vertical landings. Sadly, many pilots lost their lives to this unknown danger because they'd be crushed in the cockpit. After the deaths, vertical landing protocol was changed. Harrier pilots were instructed to massively reduce thrust and drop down to deck before the dangerous flip-over, ground effect phenomenon could happen.

[@andrasbiro3007]

Play enough Kerbal Space Program, and this will be painfully familiar. Perfect soft touchdown, then your craft bounces back and flips over, and you are too surprised and disoriented to do anything. Don't even need ground effect. A tiny amount of horizontal speed is enough to push the plane out of balance when the wheels touch down, and the spring in the landing gear is enough to push it back up in the air. Plus if you are reducing your vertical speed while touching down, which is what you do instinctively, that means you are accelerating upward, so if you don't cut the engines, you'll bounce back and keep flying up, uncontrolled. And to make it worse, jet engines have a lot of inertia, their thrust changes slowly. The fix is the same in the game, cut the engines a second or two before touchdown.

[@alveolate]

not my place to be pedantic, but that does not sound like it was "by design"... more like "by order" in response to incident reports and adapting to what they had?

[@AA-xo9uw]

Numerous problems with the design and functionality of the RCS in the first generation Harrier. Those deficiencies were corrected when McDonnell Douglas undertook the redesign for the Harrier II.

[@Madeyes6]

Worked on them for 15 years & had 10 flights. The ex RAF & navy harrier engineers still meet up every year near their bases at wittering & Cottesmore. Loved working on them & definitely missed at air shows round the uk.

[@meiketorkelson4437]

I worked on Harrier until deciding to move on in 2009. Given it was retired in 2010, I chose a good time to move. Great video.

[@OiDivision]

16:22 Spanish Armada EAV-8B Harrier IIs have appeared at Farnborough in 2014, RIAT in 2019 and 2023, and are also set to appear this year (2024) as well. If you want to see a flying Harrier at a UK airshow, head to RAF Fairford.

[@JanTonovski]

I saw them last year at RIAT, they are quite a sight to behold! The engine sound is also very typical

[@davidlyon1899]

The Armada!, in English waters. Light the bonfires. I remember riding back from Devon to London seeing bonfires on every hill on my journey so i stopped to ask what was happening. It was 400 years since the sighting of the Armada.

[@nickjames2370]

For me the Spanish Harrier was the highlight of RIAT 2023. Nostalgia overload!

[@OiDivision]

@@nickjames2370 The joint hover with the RAF F-35B was an excellent set piece. Very much looking forward to seeing them again this year.

[@kevin-l7r7p]

Yup it put a better show on that the F35

[@MostlyPennyCat]

With a father serving on HMS Invincible during the 90s, Pegasus was the soundtrack of my childhood.

[@samuelgarrod8327]

You were lucky to be on the flight deck. These days it would never happen. Health and safety gone mad etc.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

@@samuelgarrod8327 Well, we were on the tower, only flight crew are allowed in the decks during active flight ops and very sensible that is too. I did, however, get to sail from Gibraltar to Portsmouth on her when I was 13 though. Now THAT was a lot of fun! Explored inside the rock, fed the monkeys, cleaned and fired SA80s. In fact, back in the 80s a young me was at HMS Mercury when one of the twinning staff asked if I wanted a go as we passed the rifle range. I bet they don't hand battle rifles to 9 year olds any more! 😂😬 Had rather a black and blue shoulder the next day.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

It's the smell I miss. The warships all had this smell and it was different to every other type of ship, _only_ warships smell like this. And with the Navy Days cancelled you just can't get on board them any more.

[@patrickdurham8393]

Loved working around Harriers when I was in the Corps back in the 80s. I remember the first time I saw one was when we were ordered to secure a short section of road at Camp Lejuene. Fuel truck and a service truck came first and then 2 AV8-Bs showed up a few mimutes later. About 10 minutes on the ground and everything went back from where it came. Had to dust the sand off my bottom jaw from where it hit the ground.

[@StefanoBorini]

The feels. The feels. I loved the Harrier. There's one outside of RAF wittering. It always brings me a tear to my eye every time I drive on the A1.

[@RobertHawthorne]

I worked with a US Marine helicopter squadron in the middle 70's. I remembered the Harrier when the Marines started using them being called internally the "Widow Maker". The only issue with the Harrier in those days was the piolet had a lot to do, correctly, getting off the ground and back down. One little mistake or slow reaction was deadly.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. Much better. Used by Australia. 🦘

[@Jerakeen2826]

I don't recall the RAF pilots having any problems of that nature when I was on 3(f) Sqn in Gutersloh

[@MostlyPennyCat]

@@RobertHawthorne The Harrier2 avionics and the Mk100 engines solved a lot of these issues.

[@Gurumeierhans]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b I like apple juice

[@ValkyriesMoon]

​@@user-kc1tf7zm3b who cares

[@justandy333]

I remember going to Riat - Fairford in 1997 with my family as a kid and the Harrier was the highlight for me. My enduring memory of it was that it was flipping LOUD!! Hovering a short distance from the crowd doing all its display maneuvers I was in absolute awe of it. The trouble is when its hovering, its practically on full power and absolutely guzzles the fuel. So they rarely use the thrust vectoring to take off. Plus it can't take off vertically with a full loadout, its just too heavy. But vertical landings on the other hand, they do it all the time.

[@chrisb3380]

"..it's unlikely that we'll ever see them again at any airshows in the UK". Checks airshow listings, Spanish navy harrier flying at Fairford airshow in 4 weeks time!! 😁

[@mho...]

....details....😆

[@mattheide2775]

I finally saw a Harrier in person and I was struck by how small it is. One of my favorite military aircraft. Thank you for the video ❤

[@D.IronsWorld]

Pepsi Harrier stunt is one of the funniest thing around this jet aircraft 😃 As always great video, keep 'em coming.

[@lightofjahs]

I've seen these doing a display at an airshow as a kid, and the noise when hovering is insane. Amazing aircraft though

[@workingguy-OU812]

I unknowingly drove underneath one - with my windows open - when it was landing at the very end of the city's runway. I couldn't guess what jet would be that loud for that long as, at that thrust level, most planes would have taken off and been gone in seconds. I agree - very loud.

[@Rom3_29]

I visited Seattle’s Boeing, museum of flight over 20 years ago. Museum is in a middle of busy Boeing airfield. Just as we got in. Suddenly, less then 100 yards away two Marine Harrier jets took off, sporting new camo paint job. Awesome sight.

[@BillKermanKSP]

A spanish harrier will actually fly at RIAT airshow in the UK next month

[@KiwiHelpgeek]

I remember when a Hawker Harrier took part in the 50th celebration of the opening of the Auckland International Airport way back in 1992. It was great and I was lucky enough to be right in of the plane when it did it's signature bow to the crowd at the end of the display.

[@meritamity]

When you're used to watching regular planes take off and land.. It was amazing to watch one of those things come to a stop mid-air.

[@bluto816]

My local airport (KLAS) used to get west coast Marine Corps Harriers transiting to and from their home base at Yuma, AZ. Got a lot of photos in those days. When I heard the last public demo was going to be at MCAS Cherry Point, NC I made the trip and took my best lens/camera to get plenty of photos. It really is a captivating machine.

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day Paul, thank you for this video. After all these years, it's sad to see them gone from their 'birth country'. Still, good that the USMC use them; it's a testament to the lingering usefulness of this amazing design. I was in the RAAF that, although interested in the Harrier JJ, never got around to purchasing any. Australia doesn't have any worries about space for air bases and after the RAN was forced to give up its only true carrier, the HMAS Melbourne, there was no practical home for this unique airframe. However, I do recall hearing 'whispers' that if we actually had gone ahead with our planned purchase of HMS Invincible, before the Falkland's war, the RAN was going to 'explore' the possibility of 'stocking' the Invincible with Harriers. The RAN has at least one Amphibious Assault Ship, the HMAS Adelaide; a much smaller vessel than a carrier, that takes large and small helicopters and, could, take some Harriers but, as they say, 'that ship has sailed'. It is amazing though, when you talk about the longevity of military aircraft there are only a short list of contenders like, the B-52, the C-130, the F-111 and, of course, the dear old Harrier. That's just off the top of my head and I'm certain the KZbin experts will point out the aircraft I've 'forgotten' for that list. Cheers, mate and thanks again. Bill H.

[@goodfes]

Excellent video. The design was so pure with one engine and surely there is still a place for another modernised harrier, but guess not. The sudden 2010 closure of UK fleet left a sour taste indeed

[@grahamkearnon6682]

Enjoyed that. I served on the ship that was filmed in the Falklands segment HERMES, the 'viffing' abilities of the harrier were fairly common knowledge onboard at the time.

[@originalkk882]

I don't believe the FAA or RAF ever advocated viffing. In ACM speed is life.

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@originalkk882 True. It was not an approved operational tactic for the RAF or RN. During the Falklands only one SHAR pilot attempted to down a Pucara by utilizing it without success.

[@tacwolf4962]

Your channel is one of my favorite channels! In a mess of drama, politics, and insanity…your channel stands with only a few where you provide some exceptional history, facts, and at a spoken pace anyone can follow and learn from. Thank you!!!

[@rjp666]

Watching the Harrier Bow at the end of the many air shows was always a proud tear jerking moment

[@jockmccartney30]

The Kestrel, before it became the harrier landed opposite the Royal Engineers School of Engineering on the hard across the river Medway in 1967. We watched from our classroom as it slowly turned on its axis, landed and quickly took off leaving a bunch of sappers amazed hardly believing what they had just witnessed

[@Raven319s]

This has always been one of my favorite jets. The high set down swept wings always looked so cool to me.

[@dave_n8pu]

I got to see one of those in action in 1980 at that base you mentioned, an air show if you will, the person that was the MC said of that model, it had a speed of zero to about 700 MPH, a range of about 200 (US) miles, there and back, and could tilt forward 17 degrees nose down which could be used for close ground support if needed while hovering.

[@Prifly70]

Paul, thanks for including a Hellcat doing a JATO take off, I've never seen that one before. Love it.

[@Mookie1340]

Thank you for sharing. I’ve been looking for a shot of the Harrier taking off from horizontal to straight up for ages and you’ve manage to show it at 11.43. Such a fantastic aircraft.

[@t5239857289578947594]

True Lies...😮

[@JonBowe]

One thing I always remember about my fitters course at RAF Cosford was Nimonic 75 was used for the ducting to the wing tips etc for exhaust/stability flow.

[@siegeteamcweir6859]

Hahaha. Yeah, "rise and fall"

[@niftybass]

that's a song by Helloween 😁

[@kineticdeath]

watching those harriers take off and transition to forward flight in the form of a near vertical climb out was quite the rise!

[@ianbell5611]

Great video. Sad that the UK seems to be in a constant state of decline.

[@Moto_Medics]

I had a toy of a harrier and still remember my dad telling me what it was and what it could do and still blows my mind to this day 27 years later

[@noisyboy87]

I’ve done a lot of research on VTOL fixed wing propulsion for my degree and I can honestly say that the F-35 compared to the Harrier is levels above. The Harrier will forever be the angel of the skies as she was such a beautiful aircraft and way ahead of her time. There was research conducted in the 70s and 80s for a tandem VTOL engine design. Essentially, a lift fan at the front being driven by the turbojet at the back via a connected drive shaft. The lift fan was facing forward though, compared to the F35’s lift fan which sits vertically within the airframe blasting cold air downwards. The tandem fan was essentially just another big fan which had internal slats that would open or close depending on flight characteristics (horizontal vs VTOL) to blow high bypass air downward for VTOL or backwards towards and around the main turbojet engine essentially creating what is known as as a variable bypass turbo fan. (Twin fan system) However, as much as I prefer this tandem fan design (similar to the Harrier) it came with trade offs such as increased frontal area increasing drag and less stealthy as the fan was facing forward so radar waves would be easily reflected back to the source. Having the fan placed vertically in the F35 creates more thrust as the air doesn’t need to be turned 90• Furthermore, the lift fan has to earn its keep whilst not in use during level flight. So, to put it into perspective; the lift fan alone generates about the same if not more high bypass thrust than the entire Pegasus engine on the harrier… And, the lift fan is driven by the excess torque which is otherwise wasted from the turbojet whilst in its more efficient cruise mode, essentially tapping off power to be used for the lift fan. Absolute genius!

[@stephencrowther524]

Of course the F35 is “levels above” The Harrier was designed in the 1960s !

[@williamrutter3619]

Good in depth description, a lot of what makes a f35 easier to live with are modern gyros and engine controls, over the old jump jet. These could easily been fitted as part of an upgrade to the harrier, the difference would feel like night and day. The stealth on the f35 is over sold, it's still seen on anti-aircraft systems, the aircraft fire missiles out side an area with such systems, similar to how previous generation aircraft are used (battle experience of stealth tech, the majority of stealth ground hugging missiles, are taken out by modern anti-aircraft systems) . The f35 is expensive 100 million dollars and only 29% are operational, communication systems are a vulnerability, the aircraft has the potential to be hacked, one has already been flown away remotely, never to be recovered. A composite body is a good idea, but if it is damaged, repair may not be possible, so many are potentially getting scrapped after only receiving minor damage. This is my opinion but those countries who kept their old jump jets and f16s, were wise, and saw through a lot modern nonsense, and have kept more capability and saved money to spend on other things.

[@noisyboy87]

@@williamrutter3619 Great description! Yes, I agree that when the Harrier was retired it was done so way too early. Super robust, reliable and cheap (comparatively speaking) I wish they had not retired this beautiful aircraft. However, progress only marches in one direction and the capability of the airframe, engine, avionics just to mention a few, would not have kept up with the pace of more modern anti aircraft weapons that have now come to market. She is still capable bird that is now lost to the ages. Thanks.

[@noisyboy87]

@@stephencrowther524 You completely missed the point of the comment, but hey, can't please everyone lol

[@ChucksSEADnDEAD]

@@williamrutter3619 The modern anti-aircraft systems the US has to contend with are the S-300 and S-400. As we have seen in Ukraine, the ATACMS ballistic missile dispatches them with ease. Storm Shadows also make their way through. Also, you are lying in regards to the 29% being operational. It's around 60%. I'd suggest you stop parroting propaganda coming from contrarians and enemies of our states and our way of life. Composites can be repaired. What the hell are you even talking about?

[@randy6999]

I was on the USS Peleliu in 1984 when they tested the AV8B. Really cool they were attaching all kinds of stuff to it. Loud as hell.

[@SuperVictoralex]

What a wonderfully comprehensive 16 and a half minutes, on a plane that I have always been infatuated with. I have learned much by watching this, thank you.

[@randy25rhoads]

That’s so cool! I’d never heard of it bowing at air shows!

[@Meower68]

I was working End of Runway duty at Hill AFB, Utah, I wanna say summer 1992 or 93, and we had an airshow coming up that weekend. We watched as 4 Marine Corps Harriers approached. The first slowed slowed considerably before landing, touched down and took the second taxiway off the runway. The second slowed to little more than walking speed, touched down and took the first taxiway off the runway. The third one drifted down, stopped, landed vertically, then took the first taxiway off the runway. The fourth one drifted down, nearly touched the runway, pivoted to the right, took the first taxiway and finally set the wheels down about 50 yards after the turn, well down the taxiway. He never even touched the runway. We were used to watching F-16s operating from that runway. Show-offs! When it came time to leave, on Monday am, all four of them taxied out onto the runway, halted and lifted off vertically before climbing out at a steep angle, as seen in some of the video you showed. These things were basically massive engines with stubby wings and a small cockpit attached. When the B-17, which came for the air show, taxied out for takeoff, all of us formed up, snapped to attention and saluted as it passed.

[@scottweisel3640]

My brother was an avionics technician in the USMC in the 1980’s. He worked with a Harrier squadron. I believe it was in Yuma. He said there were British technicians there as well that he really enjoyed being around.

[@ianhobbs4984]

We had Harriers at RAF Wildenrath in the 70's and what a joy to watch during station alerts operating from the wooded hideson the opposite side of the airbase.

[@pablopeter3564]

EXCELLENT video. Thanks very much. Greetings from Mexico City.

[@thanksfernuthin]

Hey! The Bone Yard. I drive by that all the time. Great Air Museum.

[@SAM-zt2uy]

15th December 2010 the weather was rubbish and my work for the day was cancelled so drove straight over to Oakham to catch the Cottesmore squadron doing its fly by. Really cloudy gloomy day but 4 Harriers emerged finally emerged for the small crowd and press. The date is also my birthday so that’s a pretty memorable one 😊

[@thlee3]

i always hold my breath until he reveals his amazing shirt for the episode … never been let down

[@kiereluurs1243]

🥱

[@eluberopaullo]

Showing the bow at the end was a beautiful touch

[@chrislong3938]

Awesome jet! It's really too bad that its range was so short compared to other jets, but they sure proved their worth in the South Atlantic in the '80s! I always loved that to solve wind direction problems when hovering, they came up with a little wind vane on the nose of the jet which told the pilot where the prevailing wind was coming from! A simple idea that cost next to nothing to solve a fairly huge problem for the pilots! I saw one of these babies at an air show here in Colorado but was disappointed that it didn't take off from a stand but did a rolling take-off due to the amount of damage the exhaust caused to the tarmac! Once the announcer explained it, I wasn't as bummed. ... still a little! ;-) It did bow at the end though!!!

[@bacburrito4225]

I remember seeing them at an air show many moons ago. I was totally in awe of the Harrier.

[@darkwulf4862]

The Harrier has always been one of my all-time favorite jets, was never the fastest, but it was unique for it's time and one of the coolest.

[@NatoBro]

Last time I was able to see a Harrier up close and in action was while I was working at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Royal Navy Harriers would weekly harass their counterparts who flew the British helicopters. They would put on a "show" right in front of their hangars. Fun to watch. And after the US Marines arrived, me and a few of my co-workers had a close up tour of their compound. Great aircraft.

[@Simonize41]

I miss the Harrier, and its end of display bow… seeing this again had me tearing up if I’m honest. Awesome video! You know me, I love your aircraft stuff. Until next time - keep well, Paul.

[@Dad_Brad]

I saw the Harrier in 1991, by far the loudest jet fighter I ever witnessed in person. The noise reverberated off the tarmac while she was hovering which nearly split my eardrums from hundreds of meters away.

[@PhilipMReeder]

I saw it in 1969! It stopped traffic and scared my sister. When she and my dad and I (I was less than 5!) returned home and told the rest of the family, they accused us of making it up.😀

[@toucheturtle3840]

Coming back from Aylesbury one day, 2 Harriers flying low. Didn’t realise one was in trouble until I saw the plume of black smoke, it had crashed in a field just off the Oxford to Banbury road. They’re still great aircraft. The yanks still fly them.

[@littlerougue]

I always thought the Harriers looked super cool and the bowing thing at air shows is pretty awesome

[@cursivejay]

I miss your intro! It was short, unobtrusive, and nostalgic. Reminded me of classic History channel Modern Marvels.

[@NobleOmnicide]

This remains one of my favorite informative channel on KZbin. I wish KZbin would promote this channel more. (And please do not reply saying KZbin promoted it to you. I know it did because you already like this content. Good on you. Open a private browser window in which you are not signed in and see what KZbin normally promotes.)

[@sheep1ewe]

Thank You! (Next to Swedish aircrafts) the Harrier has always been my favorite since childhood. Would You mind making an episode about the Handley Page Victor? This is also one of the absolute coolest aircraft ever made in my personal opinion.

[@frankgulla2335]

Thanks, Paul, for that special video about the harrier from start to (British) finish.

[@tony3760758956]

haven't watched for a while but last I remember you was recovering from being very Ill. Good to see you're well and I'll be sure to check through your videos. On an unrelated note I'm a truck driver and you sound like a cockney. I drove past the royal Armories last Thursday when going from Millwall F.C to Twickenham and i was shocked by that battleship gun sat in front WOW! that was incredible!

[@deandesrosiers6857]

This video and everything about it is the best of youtube. Nice work!

[@Doubledeepfried]

2 years after your diagnose video, good to see you still uploading and really hope you are well

[@IMBlakeley]

I used to live in a small village about 5 miles from Dunsfold where the Harriers were worked on by Aerospace. When I worked from home shortly after lunchtime usually on a Friday a couple would flyover it seemed very low, definitely window rattling. A few of my then neighbours worked on them at Dunsfold.

[@louislochner5713]

Always appreciate & enjoy your on-point content, thanks! ✌🏼

[@matthewwinning4986]

Was definitely a remarkable design. I used to go to RAF Leuchars airshow when I was younger, and the harrier used to display there. I was there in 2010 when it displayed there for the last time.

[@andyrawlins]

I've been lucky enough to see them in flight and actually some of their last UK flights at RIAT. Amazing aircraft. I hadn't realised its genesis/influences though!

[@randywatson8347]

This is one of the rare occasion that they do deliver working results in a short time before even home computers existed.

[@RCAvhstape]

VMA-231 Ace of Spades. Oldest squadron in the USMC, Gulf War 1991. Will be the last Harrier squadron when it switches to F-35B likely in 2026. We got a whole lotta mileage out of those beautiful birds. Semper Fi.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. Much better. Operated by Australia. 🦘

[@stephencrowther524]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b Totally different aircraft designed for a different reason 😂

[@originalkk882]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b Not much use off a small carrier though. And no use at all on land when your runway has been cratered.

[@jcn115]

Actually VMA-223 will be the last USMC Harrier squadron

[@Lord_Volkner]

VMA-513 We called them "lawn darts" as the man-hour to flight-hour ratio to keep them in the air was truly staggering. Maybe it has changed since the early 90s when I was in, but back then we had to work 13 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to keep them in the air. The only time off we got was taking leave. Truly hated my time in the Corps as a result of the never ending exhaustion. Can't tell you how happy I was when my time finally was up.

[@bwest6275]

The harrier is my favorite aircraft of al time. It's strangely so beautiful and graceful.

[@nigelmorris4769]

Agreed and a sad day they got rid of it...

[@richarddicey5447]

Spanish Harrier II will be appearing at the RIAT Airshow at Fairford UK next month

[@jonnoMoto]

I got to see the last flights of the harrier when I worked at Boscombe down. The last 3 did a close v-formation vstol take off and followed up with a low flyby before heading off to Warton. Lots of people present were unhappy, just like when Nimrod was scrapped.

[@skrugen]

I appreciate all the combat pilots chiming in but while you were fighting in the Falklands I was playing Harrier Combat Simulator on my Commodore 64 so I'm something of an expert

[@jefftaylor8321]

Great Video. Such an iconic plane.

[@J.wizzle-eh6xi]

I'm sure it'll be mentioned as I'm only a couple mins in, but one of the most interesting things about the harrier to me, is that the front nozzles thrust is fed from compressor stage, and only the rear nozzles are exhaust fed

[@theoccupier1652]

I can remember as a kid seeing the P 1127 flying fron Filton Bristol ... Years later while in the RN FAA we had them in service ... Incredible aircraft and also very pretty ... If it looks right it is right :)

[@yootoobnz8109]

Back decades ago, (probably the early nineties), a Harrier put on a display at an airshow here in NZ. While it was hovering, it was the noisiest thing I have ever heard. I was so lucky to see one, literally the farthest away from the UK a Harrier could possibly be. I was on cloud 9. Not that long after the Falkland conflict, I also got to go aboard HMS Invincible on its visit to Auckland NZ in 1983, I am so glad I took that opportunity.

[@simongeard4824]

I don't know about '80s, but there was a big airshow at Auckland Airport in the early 90's (92, I think) which included a Harrier demonstration... along with an Antonov 124 and some other Soviet hardware.

[@yootoobnz8109]

​@@simongeard4824Thanks for the correction (I have edited my original comment). My old memory had linked the airshow with the HMS Invincible visit, as that was easy to date because I knew who went with me onto the ship. That Harrier was amazing to see wasnt it? I wonder how that Harrier arrived here for the airshow, did HMS Hermes or HMS Invincible visit NZ again?

[@HazelS71]

A final bow that was nice Grew up fascinated by this beast I had the video game "Eagle One" on PlayStation one absolutely incredible game also my uncle James Joyce served with the British navy and often told me of him sailing around the world and how he worked on deck watching these magnificent machines land RIP Jim you legend! love you bud ,Thank you Pablo for another masterclass video on aviation history!!! Godbless be well

[@joeynyesss1286]

A Spanish AV-8B just performed at RIAT. First time I have seen a harrier since the 2008 shoreham Airshow.

[@rztrzt]

There will be a Harrier flying in the UK soon, a Harrier from the Spanish Airforce will do a solo flight at The Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford in July 2024.

[@andrewfrance1047]

While doing security rounds at my college in the late 70's I went into an aircraft hanger. In addition to the old Buccaneer fighter bomber and Wessex helicopter that were normally there I was surprised to also discover both a P.1127 and a Kestrel.

[@ComfortsSpecter]

Incredible History Alotta misframing Great presentation Good work Beautiful Bird

[@UncleManuel]

The Harrier always reminds me of the VTOL craze of the 60s and 70s. Even West Germany hopped on that train and developed the crazy prototype of a VTOL cargo plane - the Dornier Do-31. ✌️

[@ruggfortress9531]

Interesting, i hope we have harriers like we have spitfires to remember and see in the future at airshows

[@liljasere]

such fond memories of seeing these at southend air show as a kid in the early 2000's thy would hover over the beach at eye level as we sat on the hill

[@johnrumm4786]

Yup, I remember that :-) I recall watching it do some fly pasts low over the water (as you say at eye level for those of us watching from the top of the cliffs). Then you became aware that it was slowing down, before it finally came to a complete halt, hovering over the water about 50m away from the shore. It would then rotate to point at the crowd. Slide to the left, then the right, forward, backward, and end with a bow. Finally it would start to rise vertically slowly pitching up, gaining speed, before transitioning to full forward thrust heading vertically straight up, until it disappeared through the cloud base. All that accompanied by a sound track you could *feel* not just hear! Awesome.

[@steveluck9541]

There was a big water tower near my flat in Yeovil I swear the Harriers at nearby Yeovilton Air base (HMS Heron?) used to race to it and turn round. Felt like the roof would come off. Those living close to the base got free double glazing to help with the noise.

[@dicthorian]

William Elmore who was an engineer with Mc Donnell Douglas and of F4 and F15 fame developed the wingtip thrusters that kept the Harrier from flipping over as the first batch were aught to do.

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

That 12 YEAR development programme looks like a miracle when compared to current gen .

[@erfquake1]

I saw a hover demo of a Harrier at a Hanscom air show in the late 80's. It was mind-bendingly loud, almost nauseatingly loud. Great to watch though.

[@jackozbloke5079]

7:50 I think you mean the Yak 41/141, NOT the 38

[@ChucksSEADnDEAD]

And neither had a lift fan.

[@ginog5037]

Great vodeo for a fantastic fighter jet. To see one in action is amazing. Well done!

[@pgr3290]

It was a difficult aircraft to fly because it was much more involved to control than a normal jet fighter. Particularly transitions between vertical and horizontal flight required much skill and finessing. British pilots usually said you had to be very good at multi tasking, patting your head and rubbing your belly. It was designed well before the advent of modern fly by wire avionics. Later generations incorporated updated electronic controls which lightened the load somewhat, but not everyone could qualify to fly this thing. It's still an engineering marvel and proved irreplaceable for nearly 50 years. The performance of it during the Falklands War allied to the latest sidewinders was outstanding, it routed supersonic Argentine jets with a combination of agility, weaponry and pilot ability. The Black Death as it was known to Argentine pilots. The fact it took so long to come up with something better in the F-35 is testament to the utility of it, especially to the U.S Marines.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video, Paul...👍

[@TioDeive]

What a story! Thank you.

[@jonpeddel9616]

Loved seeing these flying around RAE Bedford.

[@alexjackson936]

Such a beautiful piece of machinery, just a masterpiece imo.

[@dukedepommefrites8779]

Went to Brands hatch for F1 in 70s. By FAR the highlight was a display by a Harrier.

[@richarddye9170]

In May 1969 the RAF flew a Harrier across the Atlantic as part of the Daily Mail air race. It took off from near St Pancras station in London and landed at the Bristol Basin on the East River in New York.

[@craigw.scribner6490]

Thanks, Paul!

[@noelward8047]

I recall being at RIAT, where The Harrier gave it's bow.

[@santos.l.halper1999]

that Mirage concept looked the goods