Harrier - An aviation phenomenon
Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.
The latest subject to come under our blog spotlight is a classic aircraft type on two fronts, not only because it has to be regarded as one of the most significant aviation developments in the history of flight, but also because of its importance within the heritage of the Airfix model kit range. We are, of course, talking about the amazing Hawker Siddeley Harrier, an aircraft which captured the imagination of the British public and proved to be an irresistible prospect for both the British and American military, a fixed wing aircraft with the flexibility of a helicopter. The aircraft also happened to inspire the creation of one of the most impressive Airfix model kits ever produced, one which was viewed as the pinnacle of the modelling world when it was released back in 1974.
To mark the impending release of our historic 1/24th scale Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 kit and its induction into the popular Vintage Classics range, we will be looking at the early development of this incredible aircraft, up to GR.1A standard and its introduction into Royal Air Force service. We will be featuring the two scheme options which will be included with this impressive kit, following its release in early October and asking Workbench readers who have built examples of this kit in their collections to please sent in pictures of their models, by way of an additional Harrier tribute. This week's blog subject matter has to be considered aviation and Airfix royalty!
An aeroplane that can hover
Artwork produced in support of a previous 1/72nd scale Airfix Harrier GR.1 release, which illustrates perfectly why the Harrier offered the RAF unrivalled flexibility, with regard to away from airfield operation.
The post-war emergence of the helicopter as arguably the most useful aircraft type for many military and civilian applications, must have aircraft designers asking some searching questions during the 1950s. What if they could develop a fixed wing aircraft that could take off and land like a helicopter, but also transition to high speed forward flight and back again? The prospect of such an aircraft would result in significant development work taking place across the aviation world, with various teams pushing technological barriers as far as they could, to see if this concept was indeed a possibility or simply an aviation pipe dream.
Over a 25 year period, around sixty different projects would all have the aim of testing the viability of V/STOL flight concepts, with varying degrees of success, but with all providing valuable research data in support of this cause. Unfortunately, many of these international projects were advancing in relative secrecy, with each one jealously guarding the research data they obtained and as a consequence, the possibility of a viable military aircraft was still some way off. In Britain, the ungainly looking 'Flying Bedstead', or to give it its proper title, the 'Rolls Royce Thrust Measurement Rig', was a machine which may have had a somewhat comical appearance, but was a genuine attempt to secure valuable data for the advancement of the V/STOL concept. Exploring the challenges of control whilst in hovering flight mode, this aircraft may have started the world on a V/STOL journey, however, there was still a long way to go.
Internationally, research into the V/STOL concept continued apace with the same varying degrees of success, but did manage to produce several aircraft designs which certainly looked impressive, if lacking the potential to be developed into a fully functioning operational combat aircraft, with one notable exception. In Britain, all the previous years of V/STOL research toil looked as if it was finally bearing fruit and with the first flight of the Hawker P.1127, the prospect of a workable design appeared to be within their grasp. Using all the research data currently available and incorporating the huge potential offered by a new type of Bristol jet engine, one which could direct its thrust using a series of rotating nozzles, their P.1127 prototype was ready for static engine testing by the summer of 1960.
Before the aircraft could fly conventionally however, the development team wanted to fully discover how the aircraft could be controlled by a pilot in the hover, so the first flight of the aircraft on 19th October 1960 would see it tethered to the ground by strong cables, to allow this work to be done more safely. As the programme advanced and confidence grew, so the length of these tethers increased, to a point where the test pilot insisted that if they were to advance any further, the aircraft must be allowed free flight. On 13th March 1961, the Hawker P.1127 made its first conventional flight, performing a successful horizontal take-off - they had done it, but there was still much work to do if this incredible hovering jet was to attract sales support.
In total, six P.1127 development aircraft were constructed, however, in a situation which illustrated the ground-breaking nature of this new aviation technology, three of these aircraft would be lost during the punishing test and evaluation program. With the world already enthralled by this incredible aeroplane, the final day of the 1963 Paris Airshow seemingly brought this project right back down to earth, quite literally. Displaying alongside a French V/STOL rival, the P.1127 was coming towards the end of a thrilling display which had held the massive crowd completely spellbound, when something appeared to go wrong. As the aircraft neared the runway at Le Bourget, it appeared to lose power and came crashing down in a very heavy landing, sending undercarriage components flying in all directions. Not the most auspicious of international entries for Britain's new hovering jet, but this was only a setback and there would be no stopping Hawkers now!
Flight of the Kestrel
One of the nine Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 development aircraft which operated with the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron at RAF West Raynham prior to the introduction of the Harrier.
The next aircraft in the antecedence of Harrier development was the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, a fully developed variant of the P.1127 and an aircraft which was intended to be the forerunner of production aircraft destined for Royal Air Force service and hopefully capturing wider international sales. Underlining both the success of the P.1127 programme and the appeal the new aircraft possessed, a tripartite agreement between Britain, the US and West Germany was signed in 1961, with the intention of establishing a joint squadron of aircraft to fully evaluate the operational potential of the aircraft in as near to service conditions as could be achieved. Nine aircraft were ordered and would go by the name of Kestrel FGA Mk.I, the first of which commenced test flying in March 1964.
The Kestrel was essentially a P.1127 prepared for combat flying and differed from its predecessor by having a new wing which featured a 40 degree sweep at the leading edge, a taller, modified tail, redesigned fuselage and the installation of a more powerful Pegasus 5 engine. Forming the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron at RAF West Raynham, pilots from Britain, West Germany and the US would be trained to fly the new aircraft, whilst at the same time, around 200 ground crews from all three nations would learn how to handle the aircraft in an operational environment. Crucially, the additional financial backing the partner nations brought with them provided a new impetus at a time when financial austerity had the potential to derail the programme altogether, effectively seeing the aircraft through to service introduction.
Pilots who did not have prior rotary experience were first required to learn to fly in a helicopter, just so they were familiar with the concepts of hovered flight, before eventually going on to fly the Kestrel in every aspect of its impressive flight envelope. During these test, the aircraft were also operated from various locations in a 25 mile radius from their home airfield, including forest clearings and various types of temporary surfaces, just to prove the incredible operational versatility of the new aircraft, tests the Kestrel passed with flying colours.
Another view of Kestrel XS695, one of the many historic aircraft on display at RAF Museum Cosford.
When aircraft from the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron displayed for NATO commanders in Germany, the occasion attracted the attention of the world's media and a British broadcast made at the time described the new aircraft as a 'Miracle of our time'. Highlighting the flexibility and unique performance of the aircraft, the display not only showed how the aircraft could be operated from all but the most basic of facilities, but also how in forward flight configuration, it could be a devastatingly high subsonic strike and close air support aircraft. The display proved to be a huge success and not only was a large order from the Royal Air Force expected, but also further interest from several other NATO nations - Britain’s incredible hovering jet was now taking the world by storm.
As was agreed at the outset of the evaluation programme, once the TES had completed its work, six of the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel jets were shipped to the US for further evaluation trials, as the Americans were keen to see the aircraft positioned for entry into their own armed forces, particularly with the US Marine Corps, who were similarly impressed with the new aircraft. Back in the UK, the Kestrels had already achieved their aim and the Royal Air Force were about to welcome their new Harrier GR.1 into service.
Although the production of Britain's first V/STOL jet aircraft should have been a time of great excitement, the dire financial state of the nation at that time meant that budgetary constraints and project cancellations were very much the order of the day and as such, nothing could be taken for granted. The RAF were desperate to seek an immediate modern replacement for their Hunter fleet and whilst the P.1127 and Kestrel showed great promise, they were not exactly the aircraft they were looking for. A project study was requested to produce a modified Kestrel for RAF service, an aircraft which was initially referred to as the P.1127(RAF) and powered by the new Pegasus 6 engine. Other changes from the Kestrel included a redesigned engine intake arrangement with 'blow in doors' and the general upgrades associated with the militarisation of an aircraft and all the associated weight increases.
In truth, it does have to be said that Britain's new V/STOL jet was always something of a trade-off. Despite being able to do things no other individual aircraft type could do, it was not the fastest aircraft, had relatively poor range and if operated in anything other than a conventional manner, could only carry a modest weapons load. On the flip side, it possessed the ability to be operated away from traditional airfield facilities, dispersed to anything from a stretch of motorway to a school playground and offer close air support to ground units much more effectively than any other aircraft types. In the midst of the terrifying Cold War period, the Harrier offered NATO a new and effective deterrent threat, an aircraft which could not be pinned down, but could strike back at a moment’s notice, re-arming and returning for further strikes in short order - the Harrier's time had most certainly arrived.
A revised specification for a P.1127(RAF) and a production contract for six aircraft was placed in April 1965 and the following year, the government finally committed to an order for sixty single seat P.1127(RAF) aircraft, to be followed by a further order for ten two seat trainer variants. Additional orders were also expected, but this was a significant moment for the project and the Royal Air Force had their new jump jet. On 17th March 1967, the P.1127(RAF) was officially named the Harrier GR Mk.I and on 28th December the same year, the first full production aircraft XV738 made its first flight.
This iconic box artwork was produced by the great Roy Cross in 1974 and features Harrier GR.1A XV788. It has been restored to its former glory and will be used to herald the introduction of this spectacular kit into the Vintage Classics range.
The first example of a production Harrier was delivered to the RAF on 1st April 1969, a date with symbolic significance for them, as it marked the 51st anniversary of the establishment of the force, however it would be Harrier XV746 which became the first aircraft delivered to a front-line squadron, as she arrived with No.1 Squadron at RAF Wittering around three weeks later. The history books record that the Harrier officially entered RAF service on 1st April 1969 with the establishment of the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit (No.233 OCU) also at Wittering, a unit which would be tasked with the honour of introducing this incredible new aircraft into RAF squadron service.
The Harrier's service arrival would be marked in a high profile manner, as the jet was entered into the 1969 Transatlantic Air Race, an event which was taking place to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first non-stop airborne crossing of the Atlantic by aviators Alcock and Brown in their modified Vickers Vimy aircraft. Taking off from an old railway coal yard near St. Pancras Station in central London, an area which the RAF had christened RAF St. Pancras for the occasion and even had a station sign to cheekily prove the point, Harrier XV741 made it to New York in a time of 6 hours, 11 minutes and 57.15 seconds, thus taking the record. In the eyes of the British and American public, this amazing new aircraft was cutting edge technology and rather than ask the question should we have it, their leaders should have been asking, How many can we get hold of?
Full scheme details of this RAF Wittering Harrier GR.1A, an aircraft which was later lost during its detachment to No.1417 Flight in Belize, thanks to a pelican.
The particular Harrier scheme presented here marks the 38th production Harrier GR.1 aircraft delivered to the RAF, making its first flight on 7th April 1970 and delivered to RAF Wittering the following month. She would later be one of 41 GR.1 airframes upgraded to GR.1A standard, following the installation of the more powerful Pegasus 10 (Pegasus Mk.102) engine. She would later undergo an even more comprehensive upgrade, as the GR.3 would see a further engine change, in addition to receiving enhanced electronics capabilities. This upgrade also introduced the distinctive long 'Dolphin nose', which was required to house new laser rangefinder equipment, which gave the Harrier even greater offensive capability. She was one of 61 earlier Harrier variants to undergo the upgrade to GR.3 standard, out of a total of 101 aircraft eventually produced.
In late 1975, XV788 was one of six RAF No.1 Squadron Harriers sent to Belize in the Caribbean, in a high profile attempt to deter Guatemalan forces from encroaching on this British protectorate. Operating from semi-permanent shelters, the aircraft formed No.1417 Flight and provided an aviation show of force in the hope of preventing an escalation of hostilities in the region. Unfortunately, not all the Harriers would return home to the UK following their detachment, with XV788 meeting her end whilst in the Caribbean - during a routine patrol, the aircraft suffered engine failure following a bird strike and crashed into the sea. It is thought that a pelican flew into the engine intake causing a catastrophic engine failure and whilst the pilot was able to eject safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair.
As the Harrier GR.1 entered Royal Air Force service with No.1 Squadron at Wittering, the US military stepped up their interest in acquiring this unique aircraft, as they had their own requirement for a close air support fighter for their Marine Attack Squadrons. This interest encouraged Hawker Siddeley to continue developing the aircraft, ensuring that they improved and perfected the already successful Harrier design, making it the best combat aircraft it could possibly be. Significantly, this included ensuring any US test flying programme would be performed by pilots who were fully conversant in every aspect of Harrier operations. With this in mind, two senior US Marine Corps test pilots were given a high level introduction to the aircraft from the most experienced Harrier test pilot in the world and it didn't take long before they too became infatuated with this unique aeroplane.
The US Marine Corps were in need of a go anywhere close air support aircraft which could do everything their existing aircraft could do, but using less runway and able to operate from smaller airfields and a wide variety of ships. Having obtained congressional support for the purchase, in the UK, the Hawker Siddeley company sent their agents to the US with the aim of securing a manufacturing partner for the AV-8A programme, eventually signing an agreement with McDonnell Douglas, due to their experience in producing capable naval jet aircraft. A 15 year agreement was signed between the two companies, in tandem with a similar agreement with Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney to further develop the aircraft's Pegasus engine.
Although it was initially intended that production would get underway in the UK before later transferring across to the US, despite this being ratified by congress, all of the AV-8A Harriers would actually be produced in the UK by Hawker Siddeley. This agreement would however have important implications for Harrier development in the years to come, as the Harrier II programme would go on to be led by the Americans,
The AV-8A Harrier first entered US service in 1971 at the Navy's Flight Test Centre at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, as the aircraft was prepared for wider squadron service. The first operational Marine Corps Squadron was VMA-513 'Flying Nightmares', a unit which had previously been flying the Phantom, a very different aeroplane altogether. The 'Nightmares' became operational with the AV-8A Harrier in May 1971 at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina.
Full scheme details of this US Marine Corps version of the Harrier, a derivative of the aircraft which has an incredibly important part to play in the history of this most unique of aeroplanes.
The primary mission of the AV-8A was that of a close air support aircraft, one which was never too far away from the action and always there to support the troops on the ground. Operating from forward airfields, unprepared strips and a wide variety of naval vessels, the Marines loved their Harriers, a fact which is borne out by the fact that the latest incarnation of the aircraft are still in service today and likely to be so for several years to come. Indeed, the Americans were shrewd in securing all the former British Harrier airframes following their service withdrawal in 2011 and for a rather attractive price. These aircraft were transported to the US, with the express intention of using components from them to keep their own Harrier fleet in the air.
An aircraft which was the pride of the British aviation industry found new admirers on the other side of the Atlantic and whilst Britain prematurely ended their relationship with their beloved jump jet, the US Marine Corps knew they were on to a good thing and are seemingly doing everything they can to keep their aircraft in service.
This particular aircraft was constructed as a Harrier 50 in the UK with the construction number 712069/8 and allocated the Ministry of Defence serial number XW651 for administrative purposes only. Making its first flight on 7th May 1971, it was taken on strength with the US Marine Corps later the same month, allocated the BuNo 158391 and redesignated AV-8A. The aircraft would go on to see lengthy service with the USMC, serving with VMA-513, VMA-231 than back to the 'Flying Nightmares' following conversion to AV-8C standard. The aircraft would eventually be withdrawn from service and sent to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group facility in Tucson at the end of 1986 and finally, used as a target on the famous Falcon Ranges from November 2004.
When it comes to the subject of discussing significant model kits from within the long history of the Airfix brand, few will argue that this 1/24th scale Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 should not be right at the head of this group. A truly impressive model kit which was produced in 1974, this was a BIG kit in every sense of the word and one which provided modellers with a magnificent large scale representation of this much-loved aircraft. A kit which may have been coveted by all modellers, but only attempted by those who were confident in their modelling abilities, spending time with this kit was an experience never to be forgotten, which probably goes some way to explain why the impending re-introduction of this stunning kit has been met with such interest.
This kit was of such impressive stature that it has a rather unusual claim to fame and one which is quite fitting in this 40th anniversary year of the Falklands Conflict. As the British Task Force steamed for the South Atlantic in 1982, additional Sea Harriers were being prepared to join them back in the UK, having been taken from storage and training units. Before they were allowed to join the Task Force, these Sea Harriers needed to be painted in a low visibility paint scheme, but one which was very different to the ones sported by aircraft already aboard the two carriers at sea, with this different use of colours actually having an interesting Airfix connection.
Such an important kit in the heritage of the Airfix brand, our massive 1/24th scale Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 model will be a welcome addition to the Vintage Classics range.
Important work taking place at the Royal Aircraft Establishment involved technicians applying different paint shade options to built examples of Airfix 1/24th scale Harrier model kits, in order to assess the effectiveness of their low visibility qualities. They decided on a scheme which saw the 809 NAS Sea Harriers painted mainly in semi-matt Medium Sea Grey, with their wing undersides finished in semi-matt Barley Grey, but all intended to make the aircraft less visible to enemy gunners in the combat conditions they would be facing in the South Atlantic at that time of year. These aircraft would also sport new low visibility roundels, using paler shades of blue and red which could be described as a little opaque in appearance.
This South Atlantic connection is just another interesting reason why this impressive kit occupies such a significant position within Airfix modelling heritage and why its impending induction into the Vintage Classics range will be welcomed by many. Scheduled for an early October release, this famous kit is still currently available for pre-order on the Airfix website and might just be the ideal project to see us through the dark winter nights to come.
That’s all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back with more project updates for you next week. As always, we are interested to hear your views on all things Airfix and particularly in relation to our Workbench blog, so if you ever feel like dropping us a quick line, please use our workbench@airfix.com contact e-mail address.
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