Sea Harrier at Falklands Anniversary
As I've mentioned elswhere on Pprune, & it's been suggested worth a mention here;
The only flyable ex-RN Sea Harrier, XZ 439 ( a Dunsfold development jet which did the first European AMRAAM firings at Eglin ) now owned by ex-US Marines & AV-8B Test pilot Art Nalls, has been unofficially asked to come over for the Falklands 25th Anniversary display, but despite backing from THE TOP Harrier man, is having trouble with officialdom ( sponsorship too but not such a big-hitting snag).
Excuses go as far as lack of glide range over London for a single engine jet ! I happen to have photographed the 50th Anniversary Battle of Britain flypast by a formation of Merlin & Griffon Spitfires, among many others - how does the engine reliability there compare to a Pegasus, I ask you with a lot more knowledge than I ?!
Apparently the Red Arrows Hawks are acceptable, as they glide better ( I know the glide ratio of a Harrier is interesting ! ) but still seems a poor place to be gliding, with maybe Hyde Park or the Surpentine as options...
This seems shameful to me, how can one have a Falklands Anniversary without a Seajet ?
Maybe sour grapes from the Navy as they didn't have the brains to keep one for the Historic Flight, ( I know there's an FA2 in storage ) and the only example of a pretend FRS1 on show at Yeovilton is a bodged-up GR3...