Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Harrier>HA2602

General Background

The Harrier is the first operational V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft. By directing the engines exhaust through movable nozzles the force could be used to propel the aircraft along a runway or lift it vertically and then into a forward motion. Because of this ability to lift off vertically the Harriers began to be referred to as “jump jets”. These aircraft were continuously being refined and improved over the years with many new variants being produced.

The Aircraft

VMA-311 was formed on December 1, 1942 and took the name “Tomcats”. The squadron took part in WWII, Korea, Vietnam and all the actions in the Persian Gulf area since “Operation Desert Shield” in 1990. In March 2003 the “Tomcats” flew their first sortie as part of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. VMA-311 was credited with flying over 550 sorties and dropping 77 tons of precision ordnance. The AV-8B II Harriers operated from the USS Bon Homme Richard and the USS Tarawa and were responsible for eliminating 132 Iraqi targets.

Specifications :

Crew:	1
Dimensions
Length:	46 ft 4 in (14.12 m)
Height:	11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Wingspan:	30 ft 4 in (9.25 m)
Wing area	343 ft² (22.6 m²)
Weights
Empty:	12,500 lb (5,700 kg)
Loaded:	15,703 lb (7,123 kg)
Maximum Takeoff :	VTO 18,950 lb (8,595 kg)
	STO 31,000 lb (14,016 kg
Powerplant
Engines:	1× Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk. 105 turbofan with four thrust vectored exhaust nozzles, 21,750 lb (96.7 kN)
Performance
Maximum speed:	662 mph (1,065 km/h)
Combat radius:	300 nmi (556 km)
Ferry range:	2,015 mi ( 3,242.8 km )
Service ceiling:	50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb:	14,715 ft/min (74.8 m/s)
Armament
Guns	2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN cannon pods under the fuselage
Hardpoints	8× under-wing pylon stations holding up to 8,000 lb (3,650 kg) of payload