Harrier/Hawker Siddeley factory
 

I took the chance to visit the Brooklands museum a few days ago and whilst hanging around the Wellington Hangar overheard someone say that the Harriers that were built at Hawker Siddeley's factory in Kingston were flown out to elsewhere once completed. It jogged something in my memory and remember at least one flying either in or out of the factory. Can anyone remember if this did happen and if so where did they go onto ?



SHJ

I thought they went by road to Dunsfold for final assembly and test flying...

Many, many years ago (late 60s) remember seeing one parked on the grass just next to the factory

Treadigraph is right so far as I know.

I remember suggesting to Robin Balmer (Aerodynamicist who later was type designer of one of the Harriers) that only a company whose main factory was without an airfield would design an aeroplane that didn't need one! I was told they had once run an engine up in the carpark and the local populace reacted in rather a hostile manner.
Even the use of St Pancras coal yard for the Paris Air Race stirred the public up a bit.

John Farley can probably tell more.

It must've stirred up an awful lot of coal dust and redistributed it onto many a drying clothes line in the neighbourhood!

As to the aircraft going from Kingston, I'd have concurred with the trucking them out to Dunsfold, as there was a factory/assembly line there if I recollect ?



SHJ

It was for the 1969 Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race (London / New York).

I think they flew some out of Kingston in conjunction with the Falkland war build-up.

That is most likely the answer as it would tally with the time frame that was in the recesses of my memory banks.



SHJ

John Farley once told me that for a production 'first flight' they would load full fuel and do a vertical takeoff, hence they wouldn't (theoretically) need an airfield!

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.

I seem to recall many years ago seeing the occasional Harrier making ILS approaches to Gatwick then going around before returning to Dunsfold as part of their final per delivery checks.

That's the start of the London to New York 'race' isn't it ? I heard a radio programme a few years back and they were saying that that the RAF had done a practice run the week before, to make sure that it was possible without embarrassing hiccups.



SHJ

Quote
That's the start of the London to New York 'race' isn't it ?

Yes, my earlier post relied on rusty memory and I'd forgotten the New York "race" as nobody I knew was involved, unlike the earlier Paris job when one of my deH apprentice contemporaries went from Marble Arch to the aerodrome in a home-made car, was flown to Paris in a home-made aeroplane (Turbi G-AOTK) and another home-made car took him to the Arc de Triomphe.

RAF St Pancras to a downtown Manhattan heliport (17th St?); bet the yanks were green with envy they hadn't got a fast jet that could land in Manhattan.
As an aside, (thread creep) the FAA used Phantoms operating to/from Wisley for the race and I'm told that in the absence of arrestor gear at Wisley they would slam it down so hard they invariably burst a tyre or two.

Daily Mail TransAtlantic Air Race 1969
 

:D


Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

re the 1st Phantom tyre bursts at Wisley...

Good write up here about the 3 x Phantom flights - originally by a member of the Navy team...



https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...ys_QBfqdT7dw1w

Daily Mail Trans Atlantic Air Race 1969
 

Some years ago, I recall seeing a nice little diorama in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton showing a model Phantom with two flat tyres, sitting slightly askew on a section of runway at the the end of a pair of long skid marks. Next to this, in a showcase on the floor were the actual tyres with the huge (right through) flat spots for all to see. I wonder if it's still there? I must go again soon as it's well worth a visit!

Naval Aviation Museum, Royal Navy Helicopters, Aircraft, South West

:ok:

Some nice footage here of the St Pancras take off (AAR a few minutes later ;)) and interview with Lecky Thompson :)!
Starts at about 2.20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToDQuNpOPnQ