Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Harrier>HA2619

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

USMC aviation can trace its beginning to 1912 with VMA-231 beginning as 1st Division, Squadron 1 February 8, 1919. 1921 they became the First Air Squadron "Ace of Spades". The ace is the first card in a suit, the A in the top left stands for Air and the S in the bottom right stands for Squadron. AV-8B Harrier II 164562 first flew January 15, 1994 and was delivered to VMA-223 January 31, 1994 and transferred to VMA-231. In 2012 the aircraft was painted to celebrate "Marine Aviation Centennial".

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