Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Harrier>HA2614
AV-8B Harrier "162972" VMA-231, Operation Desert Storm 1991
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
On 22nd December 1990 VMA-231 completed an 18,000 mile deployment from Iwakuni, Japan to the King Abdul Aziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia. January 17, 1991 was the first day of Operation Desert Storm and the Ace of Spades flew sorties against Iraqi artillery based in occupied Kuwait. In February the Ace Of Spades flew 966.2 hours for a new Marine Corps. Harrier record. While taking part in Operation Desert Storm VMA-231 flew 987 combat sorties over 1195.8 flying hours and delivered 1,692,000 pounds of ordnance.
Specifications :
| Developed by: | Boeing, BAE Systems, and Rolls Royce |
| Operators: | USMC, Italian Navy, Spanish Navy |
| Crew: | (1) pilot |
| Performance | |
| Powerplant: | (1) Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11-61 (F402-RR-408) (Mk 105) vectored-thrust turbofan engine, 23,500 lbf (105 kN) |
| Maximum speed @ sea level: | .89 Mach (662 mph) (1,070 km/h) |
| Range: | 1,200 nm (1,400 mi) (2,200 km) |
| Combat radius: | 300 nmi (556 km) |
| Ferry range: | 1,800 nmi (3,300 km) |
| Rate of climb: | 14,700 ft/min (4,485 m/min) |
| 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 | 243 ft² (22.6 m²) |
| Weights | |
| Empty: | 13,968 lb (6,340 kg) |
| Loaded: | 22,950 lb (10,410 kg) |
| Maximum Takeoff : | Rolling / 31,000 lb (14,100 kg) |
| Vertical / 20,755 lb (9,415 kg) | |
| Armament | |
| Guns | (1) X GAU-12U "Equalizer" 25 mm (0.98 in) cannon with 300 rounds of ammunition. |
| Hardpoints | (7) capable of carrying up to 13,200 lb (STOVL) of ordnance such as iron bombs, cluster bombs, napalm canisters, laser-guided bombs, AGM-65 Maverick or AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, Sea Eagle missiles, a LITENING targeting pod, up to (4) AIM- 9 Sidewinder or similar-sized infrared-guided missiles, up to (4) AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, as well as new “Smart Weapons” such as JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition). |
| Avionics | Raytheon APG-65 pulse Doppler radar |