Harrier Vertical Landing & Takeoff

USMC Harrier AV-8B performing a vertical landing and take off aboard the USS Boxer LHD4. The second day at sea on our 8 day 2007 Tiger Cruise.

[@koios3]

You have no idea what goes into designing those. Engineering. Respect.

[@daemonwulfe]

This brings back memories. I was stationed on the USS Essex (LHD-2) working in the V-4 department '98-'00.

[@Rock-Steady]

British Flight Enginering (for it´s time ) at it´s best, right there. Initiative combat weapon and perfect for Britain small ACC´s. I love that damn plane.

[@PokerKingTony]

The F35 Joint Strike Fighter is still superior to the Harrier model in terms of estimated time for landing, take-off, as well as other maneuvers since in the F35 the thrusters and rotors are controlled by the on-board computers which can then be manipulated by the pilot. Its quite amazing how we have progressed in air travel or at least in warfare type aviation because it still takes forever to ride in an embraer rj145 ----_____----

[@anjanvenkatesh5529]

The Hydra is based on this baby! GTA got me into the world of jets...xD

[@dhtmo]

Amazing skills

[@LOVOTO205]

there's like a tornado of air underneath before it touches down cool. at 2:07

[@endless7777]

One thing that I always wanted to know about the harrier... what is the control sequence in the cockpit, to go from cruising speed to vertical hover? IS the transition complex for the pilot to handle?

[@erikgardner3616]

sea harrier f 4 phantom two amazing beasts

[@blackrambo1994]

Once it's up vertical ... where does it gain the thrust to move forward without losing altitude ...?

[@dntthe88]

The thrusters shift backwards so in between transition from up to forward its pushing in both directions so at some point it's going up and forward so it doesn't fall

[@Bloodgod40]

The LHD's and LHAs are known to roll like sick pigs because of their hull shape. They are flat bottomed on account of their huge amphibious dock, but this shape also makes them less stable. I heard from a sailor on an LHD who did an exchange program on one of the Brit carriers. The ship carrier was about half the displacement of the LHD, but much more steady in the sea, because of its better hull shape.

[@nbass7928]

jeez i would kill for a ride in one of those

[@rigamarrow]

I wonder if the harrier is subject to fdr(foreign object damage)kicking up sand and assorted ground rubble on takeoff and landings?

[@KartKing4ever]

damn it does roll and that landing is hard because the ship is always moving and if you've evr landed or flown over one (i did in fsx) they're moving fast

[@trommelbiel]

The liftoff is the sexiest thing I have ever seen, but I doubt if such an Aircraft would last long because of the stress the engine goes through to overcome gravity.

[@baggedyman]

@BoxerLHD4 They can still do a normal landing right?

[@xismxist]

Could the harrier land vertical on loose ground (like sand or grass) or normal asphalt? or most it be a special landingway

[@rigamarrow]

One more thing to make the deck crewmen's lives interesting. You can see what the harrier's downward thrusting exhaust does to the deck coating. Just imagine what it would do yo a deck hand in a hoodie and plastic crash helmet?

[@BloodofPatriots]

@daemonwulfe Hey... a smelly grape! Greetings from a Yelllow Shirt (LHA-1), shipmate. By the way, I've always wondered... how long after separation does it take for you guys to get the JP-5 smell out of your clothes, hair, skin, etc.?

[@chipareu]

@WhoDaresWins36 yes harriers can land and takeoff horizontal, their just famous for the vertical landing. but with no afterburners they don't have the speed of other planes. STILL MY FAVORITE though

[@samuelh31992]

Yea that's kinda cool...

[@MP40meatballTR]

It loses altitude a little bit, the nose of the jet kinda sags, but the pilot rotates it up and he should have gained altitude enough for the plane to do a loop upwards.

[@hotfridge]

This thing must eat chunks of fuel on vertical landing and take-off, but what an impressive machine, so steady and controlled when hovering.

[@MasterPacker12]

so pretty much its just some big air blowers pushing the thing off the ground, correct?

[@callmesosaa]

no , i want the old fashion takeoff

[@annoythefish]

but that's all a jet engine is, a glorified air blower