Some great photos of Harrier Jump Jets here

[Dedworth]

Flying in a spectacular diamond formation so tight it *appears they are *almost *touching, 16 of Britain’s legendary jump jets soar through the wintry skies.

The occasion was billed as a celebration but, for many, the mood was as sombre as the gloomy weather.

On a freezing day heavy with *emotion, the *Harrier — the *revolutionary aircraft that helped Britain defeat Argentina in the Falklands War in 1982 — took to the air for the last time.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/16/article-1338886-0C7ED107000005DC-704_964x484.jpg


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338886/Harrier-jets-skies-final-farewell.html#ixzz18GUYybPP

[Englishman2010]

Great photo:xxgrinning--00xx3:

I have very fond memories of the Harrier as I grew up a few miles from RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore, where these mighty aircraft were based. As a kid I would regularly see Harriers in the skies over south Lincolnshire/ north Cambridgeshire. Watching them hover and fly backwards is an awesome sight.

The RAF Tornado's were also based at Cottesmore. Growing up in the East of England I have been very lucky to have seen some of the finest cold war aircraft we ever built - Vulcan's, Lightning's, Tornado's and of course the Harrier.

The Eurofighter is an unbelievable aircraft and is capable of some amazing things, but it will never have the same aura of a Harrier or indeed a Spitfire

[Dedworth]

Great photo:xxgrinning--00xx3:

I have very fond memories of the Harrier as I grew up a few miles from RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore, where these mighty aircraft were based. As a kid I would regularly see Harriers in the skies over south Lincolnshire/ north Cambridgeshire. Watching them hover and fly backwards is an awesome sight.

The RAF Tornado's were also based at Cottesmore. Growing up in the East of England I have been very lucky to have seen some of the finest cold war aircraft we ever built - Vulcan's, Lightning's, Tornado's and of course the Harrier.

The Eurofighter is an unbelievable aircraft and is capable of some amazing things, but it will never have the same aura of a Harrier or indeed a Spitfire

That must have been great growing up seeing all those fantastic aircraft. Make sure you click on the Mail link more pics there.

What amazes me is that the Harrier can be linked straight back to the Hawker Hurricane as it's designer Sir Sydney Camm also came up with the P-1127 Kestrel on which the Harrier was broadly based. He grew up in a small Victorian terraced house in Windsor owned now by the council - it's only in very recent years they put a blue plaque on it.

I suppose the Harrier is the last truly British military aircraft - more or less everything since has been some sort of Euro joint venture

[alanmf1]

Indeed an icon..
Ian, i visited cottesmore a few years back for a FifthGear speed attempt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YeaWyxTJaU

I was fortunate to see the harrier up-close and personal....

If you have any engineering background it was definitely goosebumps

[bornatbirth]

to bad we wont see them any more, thx to the current goverment :NoNo:

[Englishman2010]

to bad we wont see them any more, thx to the current goverment :NoNo:

I don't think you can blame the current Gov't for this, Harriers were always going to be replaced by the Eurofighter. After 40 yrs of operational duty the MOD felt they wanted a more modern aircraft. I'm not entirely sure of when this was announced, but I'm pretty certain it was long before May 2010.

We can be nostalgic about these great aircraft in the same way we are about Spitfires and Hurricane's, but if we ever had to use aircraft in arial combat, the Eurofighter is far better equipped and capable, I don't think many RAF pilots would want a dog fight flying in a Spitfire or Harrier today

[joebloggs]

Great photo:xxgrinning--00xx3:

The Eurofighter is an unbelievable aircraft and is capable of some amazing things, but it will never have the same aura of a Harrier or indeed a Spitfire

:xxgrinning--00xx3: