The British Aerospace / McDonnell Douglas Harrier

v2.0.1 / TOC / 01 may 02 / greg goebel / public domain

* While there have been many experiments with "vertical take off & landing (VTOL)" combat aircraft, only one has gone on to operational status in the West -- the Harrier. A British development, to which the Americans later made contributions, the Harrier has in its over 30 years of operation been one of the most interesting flying machines in the West's military arsenal. This document provides a short history of the Harrier.

[1.0] Harrier Origins

• [1.1] MICHEL WIBAULT & THE BE.53
  
• [1.2] HAWKER EMBRACES VTOL
  
• [1.3] P.1127
  
• [1.4] TES / KESTREL
  
• [1.5] HAWKER P.1154 / BIRTH OF THE HARRIER
  

[2.0] First-Generation Harriers / Sea Harrier

• [2.1] HARRIER GR.1 / T.2
  
• [2.2] HARRIER GR.1A / T.2A / GR.3 / T.4 / RAF HARRIER IN OPERATION
  
• [2.3] USMC AV-8A / AV-8C / SPANISH (THAI) AV-8S & TAV-8S / VIFF
  
• [2.4] SEA HARRIER FRS.1
  
• [2.5] SEA HARRIER IN THE FALKLANDS WAR & BALKAN WARS / INDIAN HARRIERS
  
• [2.6] SEA HARRIER FRS.2 (FA.2) / T.8
  

[3.0] Second-Generation Harriers

• [3.1] ORIGINS OF THE HARRIER II
  
• [3.2] AV-8B / TAV-8B
  
• [3.3] AV-8B (NA) / AV-8B+ / COMBAT / SPANISH & ITALIAN HARRIER IIS
  
• [3.4] HARRIER GR.5 / GR.7 / GR.9 / T.10
  
• [3.5] SCADS / SKYHOOK / VAAC HARRIER
  
• [3.6] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY