RAF Harrier 1960-2010

Was there when the GR1's entered service at Wittering in '69 by flying in and putting on a display for the servicemen and all the families. Gobsmacking to say the least - it seemed to make nonsense of the theory of flight! My wife even fell in love with it and would never turn down the opportunity to watch it perform.
Stayed with the Harrier force working on the simulator for the next 15 years both in the UK & Germany so actually learned to 'fly' it although was never able to take the opportunity to fly in the T4. Only managed JP4's and Hawks for actual flights.
Truly shocked that the entire force was scrapped, there is nothing that can match it flying today, and read that those mothballed are to be sold to the US but only to be stripped of components for spares. A travesty.

as one of the comments mentions the 30th anniversary of the falklands, would be typical if the raf took the limelight with the vulcan on display.....vulcan made very little impact in the war despite what the raf 'bullshit' machine says.....it only took part cos the buccaneer didnt hold enough engine oil...fact.

i first saw the sea harrier fly at yeovilton in about 1980, i was amazed that a plane could fly so fast then stop in mid air!!!
i was at yeovilton when 800 naval air squadron came in for the last time, very sad. its like part of my childhood has gone with there retirement!!!
really cant understand why weve kept tornado and not the harrier, whatever argument you have for tornado,harrier comes out as the better plane apart from speed and endurance. ask the soldiers on the ground in afghanistan which they would prefer and i bet thay would say the harrier. enough said!!!!!!

wat if the argentinians try to invade the falklands wat then

So sad the conservitives still keep getting everthing wrong about defence and selling out to the American aircraft industry for out airforce, hope everybody that voted for David cameron will try to remember all this at the next election, Margaret Thatcher is not gone yet. I hope they mothball the Harrier's for a while just in case???.

ANOTHER BRITISH ICON SENT TO THE SCRAP HEAP ...WHAT NEXT I WONDER . ITS OK FOR THE BIG WIGS TO SIT ON THERE FAT ARSES ..SCRAP OUR AIRCRAFT AND CLOSE OUR FRONT LINE BASES BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR HERITAGE .THE THREE FORCES ARE ONE OF THE REASON THAT WE BECOME SO GREAT ..WE SOON WON,T HAVE THE MEANS TO PROTECT OUR SELVES..SOON AIR SHOWS WILL BE CANCELLED ..ALL THIS FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING MONEY .....POLITICIANS GIVE YOURSELVES A PAY CUT AND STOP SCREWING THE COUNTRY WITH ALL YOUR FALSE CLAIMS FOR SECOND HOMES ETC ..THEN SEE HOW MUCH THAT SAVES US ...

Sad day yesterday at Cottesmore ,the weather came out in sympathy too
Reminded me a bit of the last lightning display at Binbrook as the display
Was dumbed down due to the weather,not proud at all to be British,feel for the armed services
What next... No Nimrod No Harriers No AirSea Rescue No Coastguard .... Condems Mr Cameron & Co
You should be ashamed your short term cuts and savings will come
Back and bite you in the arse VERY HARD.. Read the history books
Must be the right time for Argentina to have another try !!! N

Lets hope that they will at least keep one operational for future public airshows

great plane ,great memories my favourite being practice day at biggin hill with the sea harrier ,about 200 watching ,,it was like your own personal display .will be missed by fans and military personal ,the con-dems have the right name nearly as bad as the last load of crap .

it's a sad day for all us Harrier fans, what a great plane.