Well, big confession here. Never a fan of the Harrier boys in my early years (for no better reason than I was just in a different world, stupid.). But Goodness (insert your own expletive) that is just amazing.

M2, yes, let's hope we don't lose all our expertise in defence cuts. There is a future and we do need to plan for it.

Awesome display. Brings back many good memories of seeing the Harrier fly.
Thanks for posting.



Edit
This time stamp problem of posts going to the wrong location is making it very interesting reading !!!

Harrier display by the Don
 

Mr John Farley (our most distinguished fellow PpRuNer), has posted a most interesting video on youtube - his 1971 Harrier display in a Swiss valley.

John is, I am certain, far too modest to draw attention to this himself (he did this at my suggestion). It is a dazzling display by a true master of his art - if somebody with more brains/time than me would care to create a link, it can be found under 'Switzerland Harrier'.

HB

Switzerland.mpg - YouTube

Master class. Driving like it's a Lynx!

Brilliant - I like the vertical lift into nose up climb bits.

It looks very light there - was this an early Ac pre GR1?

The yawing in forward motion looks rather hazardous! Was it?

So get out your Smiths LPs, watch this, then one or two of the Concorde and reflect on what British aviation has achieved in the last 40 years or so and then just chucked away.

That should thin out the ranks of PPRuNers :(

Seriously though - just brilliant :ok:

That was around the time that John Farley gave Raymond Baxter a ride in a T.2 (may have been G-VTOL). It was the first time I heard of the preflight warning: "If I say EJECT and you say 'Pardon?', you'll be talking to yourself."

Outstanding. That is a man in absolure harmony with his aieroplane. Pray God we can find some people like that shen the new VSTOL arrives. Hats off to John Farley. And, I have to say, all those that operated that jet.

For those that havent read it, his book is an absolutely fascinating read, explaining many of the manoevres seen displayed at low speed by the harrier.

The Metal Harriers up to and including SHar FRS1 were good performers at display fuel loads,the FRS/FA2 was heavier and not quite so sprightly...

That is the first time I have seen that video and I must say I would go out and buy one tomorrow !

I agree with someone above what the UK aerospace industry could have been.

One video has done more than one frenetic poster on this board anyway !

The master at work. What a display! And to think we shall never see its like again. :{

A brilliant display, thanks for sharing it.

Masterful
 

Inspirational.

On a lighter, reflective, note, I now understand where a USAF exchange pilot got the idea for his unplanned 360 horizontal twizzle during a slight crosswind decel at Wittering.

He was on his 2nd or 3rd solo (ISTR) and was about 5 deg nose up on entry (unlike JF). Crewroom spectators thought he was a goner. He went on to do just fine, by the way.

theres a short clip of Baxter's flight at Low-level Vulcan, Victor & Harrier Ski Jump - Raymond Baxter Reminisces About Aviation

Also has a few other goodies such as the 22 Hunter loop

Awsome video, Jamesdevice, thanks for posting the link. Biggest close formation I made were the usual diamond nines. And it took both squadrons at Leuchars to find that many serviceable airframes!

Wonderful to see the Master at work. And it certainly makes you realise yet again what we lost last year.

Anyone know which airfield it was at? I've visited several in Switzerland but didn't recognise it.

This tells you
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPD...20-%201068.PDF
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPD...20-%201069.PDF

"WHAT MUST BE CONSIDERED the finest
Harrier demonstration ever given took
place between June 11 and 13 at Agno
and Grenchen airfields in Switzerland"

It was a great demo, after which the Swiss (who were evaluating Harrier, Mirage Milan with flip-out foreplanes, the F-5, the A-4 and the A-7) scuttled into an underground hangar with a Ouija board and emerged with a decision to buy refurbed Hunters.

Most likely a case of a customer not knowing what he wants.