Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Harrier>HA2617

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

Rolls-Royce had developed a new turbofan jet engine and named it Pegasus. After numerous testing the 9th variant Pegasus 11-61 was installed in Harrier GR.5 ZD402 was manufactured as c/n P31 with the first flight on December 5 1988. The aircraft was given a special one-off "midnight blue" paint scheme and had the new engine installed. On June 9, 1989 the Pegasus 11-61 first flew and on August 14, 1989 the aircraft broke the "time to height" record 4 times. ZD402 was withdrawn from use at Cottesmore on December 15, 2010 and sent to the USMC.

Specifications :

Number Built:	41
Deployed:	1987
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 X TJE Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk. 105
Thrust:	21,760 lbs (9,870 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed:	662 mph (1,065 km/h)
@ Sea Level:	684 mph (1,100 km/h)
@ Altitude:	(Mach 1.1)
Ferry range:	2,377 miles (3,825 km)
Armament:	2 x 25-mm ADEN cannon pods with 200 rounds
	9,200 lb (4,173 kg) of external stores including:
	16 x Mk 82 free fall bombs
	6 x Mk 83 free fall bombs
	6 x BL-755 cluster bombs
	4 x Maverick air-to-surface missiles
	10 x rocket pods