Harrier makes it's final flight...

[rvt]

What did you guys make of this?

 

[Stilldrillin]

Very sad news.

The situation we're now in, without them, makes me feel very uneasy.......

David D

[Bluechip]

Considering the principal security threats come from internal terrorists and cyber attacks, it's hard to see what use Harriers are ..

Things have moved on ... and I think this sort of thing borders on politics, which should have no place here .. or anywhere else  .. just MHO

Dave BC

[rvt]

Wasn't my intention to cause any trouble... Just wondering what people on here thought with there being a fair few British folk and a lot of them interesting in engineering...

[Bluechip]

rvt

I don't think you are causing any trouble.

You are quite entitled to post as see fit.

I just don't see any reason to lament the demise of any device, no matter how technically ingenious, whose sole purpose is to kill.

Dave BC

[techno ludite]

I spent 9 1/2 yrs ( some good, some bad ) working on them at BAE Dunsfold, and I can still remember the day we was all told we were being made redundant. Time has moved on, I'm sure there are people with fond memories of many things, like 'concorde' now that was a real sad day when she crashed.

I'm sure that when the next generation of V-STOL aircraft finishes its useful life, it will be remembered in much the same way as the harrier is.

Roll on the summer time when I can get back into my workshop again.

TL

[Artie]

and I think this sort of thing borders on politics, which should have no place here .. or anywhere else 

Yes RVT, it is sad to see such an icon no longer recognised... I am not exactly 'young' but these thoings seem to have been around 'forever'..

Bluechip I couldnt disagree more with the above statement, RVT is quite within his rights to make this comment without fear of being condemed as political or otherwise...particularly on 'this' site.......

Seriously RVT, if  hadnt been involved with this aircarft it would never have taken off straight up! 

[Lew_Merrick_PE]

On the other hand, the A6 aircraft, designed in 1957, and it's electronic jamming version, the EA6, have been contracted for a "re-wing" and "re-engine" yet again.  I have no idea (without looking it up) what the current "dash variant" of these planes are today.  Similarly, the B52 (1950-51 design) is also still in service.

Many years ago, the master models and engineering drawings for the A6/EA6 wings were destroyed when a warehouse collapsed on Long Island.  I was a member of the team that reconstructed their geometry by running around and measuring airplanes.  I went through the original engineering notebooks from 1957.  I even got to meet LeRoy Grumman (though I had mistaken him for Leon Grumman and repeated that canard for many years) and go through his recollections of the program.  It was quite an experience.