Pontious,
Sorry I'm late into the fray but have been away.
I can't believe you're calling the Harrier a bomber, except for the AV-8B, GR5 5-9 apart from Harrier 2+ ...
The point is it's a proven, AMRAAM etc capable aircraft, even capable of carrying 'special' or rescued people.
It's a proven platform, and while Duncan Sandys was a berk in his time, nowadays one does not to be supersonic ( or bloody expensive ) if one's systems & weapons are !
As of course you know, carrier fighters are a very different breed from land-based aircraft; witness the pitiful at-sea handling of the Seafire, far too fragile & crap u/c ( if you don't believe me, ask my dad, he was at Salerno ! ) compared to the Hellcat which excelled but would be no match for a Spit' .
I'm pretty conviced a marinised Typhoon would be in the Spitfire category...We'd have been a lot better off in the meantime with the Hurricane !
Regards,
DZ
Last edited by Double Zero; 14th Feb 2009 at 17:39.