VTO's were not normally done with heavy fuel loads,a more normal sortie would be STO for take off and then do a VL or sometimes an RVL on return to the circuit.
Although some early Harriers may have been built entirely at Kingston and then roaded to Dunsfold for final assembly - by the time I worked at Dunsfold the (metal) Harrier wings were being built at Brough (possibly tailplane as well ? ).The fuselages being built at Kingston.
Last edited by longer ron; 5th Sep 2013 at 20:16.