48 Hour Photo Comp: HARRIER

[Seamus]

For the next 48 hour competition I want to see your best Harrier images. Up to three images each, let's see if we can cover as many variants and operators of this greatest of aeroplanes

McDonnell Douglas EAV-8B Harrier II Plus | VA.1B-37/01-925 | Spanish Navy | RNAS Yeovilton | 13/07/19 by Shaun Schofield, on Flickr

[jalfrezi]

Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 - 7 by Nick Jennings, on Flickr

McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II+ - 07 by Nick Jennings, on Flickr

McDonnell Douglas EAV-8B Matador II+ - 100 by Nick Jennings, on Flickr

[MUSTANG]

Harrier GR ZD404 by MUSTANG_P51, on Flickr

Harrier GR7 by MUSTANG_P51, on Flickr

Sea Harrier FA2 ZD610 by MUSTANG_P51, on Flickr

[Tuckat]

img284 by Phil Roberts, on Flickr

img227 by Phil Roberts, on Flickr

VL04 1984 by Phil Roberts, on Flickr

[Draken]

[iaint]

RIAT 99 had this USMC example on static
164553/YM-56 - McDonnell Douglas AV-8B+ Harrier II by Iain Thomson, on Flickr

And a couple from Cotty, obviously
BAe Harrier GR.9 by Iain Thomson, on Flickr

IV's Four by Iain Thomson, on Flickr

[Spiny Norman]

Harrier GR.7 back in 1994.

[LN Strike Eagle]

[capercaillie]

The gorgeous raspberry ripple scheme on the VAAC Harrier during trials at Yeovilton in 2008 ahead of an incoming shower
Harrier T4 VAAC XW175 QinetiQ Boscombe Down by Paul Downes, on Flickr

Fun retro-ish scheme for 25 years service of the Sea Harrier arriving at Waddington in 2004
img734 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

More serious, Operation TELIC scheme in 1993 at Brize Norton
img663 by Paul Downes, on Flickr

[Andyph]

IMG_4591-01 - Copy by Andy Heap, on Flickr

[AndyXH558]

Taken at RIAT in 2010, just before they were canned in a very short sighted move by our govenment.
gr9-bow by andrew abbott, on Flickr

Taken in march 2011 at a charity photocall. In the days where i could get on the ground to take a pic and not need a crane to get me up!
gr9retroaa1 by andrew abbott, on Flickr

harrier-2011aa1 by andrew abbott, on Flickr

[buccs2b]

Some dug out from the archives

Halton 1993
Harrier_Halton_1993 by Tony Adams, on Flickr

Yuma 1996
199610_AV8Bs_Yuma by Tony Adams, on Flickr

Coningsby 2010
IMG_0280 by Tony Adams, on Flickr

[Wrexham Mackem]

Rather than go for my 'best' phots, and seeing this is Harrier, I'll go instead for some classic display poses, from classic marks. The GR1 was my favourite and although I have very clear memories of watching it display I don't have any pics. So starting with the rolling take off, a GR3


the bow. Sea Harrier this time.


and in regular flight, a GR5

[PeterR]

Harrier GR9 displaying at the RAF Waddington Airshow in 2010, with IV Squadron special markings.


Currently the world's only airworthy Sea Harrier FA2... hopefully that'll change soon! Seen at Thunder Over Michigan 2012 with special decal as this was the airframe's 100th flight in civilian hands.


Finally, the Harrier GR9 which was resident at the RAF Museum Cosford, rolled out for static display at the 2017 Air Show. Now on display at the RAF Museum Hendon!

[Peter345]

What an aircraft.

Firstly, two harriers (and a couple of Jags) on the evening before Cosford Airshow 2017
Harriers and Jaguars beneath a rainbow by Peter Starling, on Flickr

One of a tooled-up pair through the loop back in 2009
Harrier GR9 by Peter Starling, on Flickr

Something a bit different from 2007. How low? Harrier low!
Harrier GR9 by Peter Starling, on Flickr

Peter

[Tommy]

Three nations from me! Italy, the UK, and Spain.

Verti-Bird by Tom Jones, on Flickr

VAAC light by Tom Jones, on Flickr

Mist demeanour by Tom Jones, on Flickr

[Blackbird]

My first photo of a Harrier, seen at at Biggin Hill, 1974. I'm only sorry I don't have any pics of the Herc or Andover
Hawker Harrier GR1 XW923 by Andrew Shaw, on Flickr

Probably my favourite colour scheme on a Harrier
BAe Harrier T8 ZD990 "Royal Navy" by Andrew Shaw, on Flickr
A Harrier doing what it does best!
British Aerospace Harrier GR7 ZG472 by Andrew Shaw, on Flickr

Andy

[SuffolkBlue]

Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3, Hawker Siddeley Harrier T4(mod), British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2 & Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR9 - Cosford Airshow 2019, RAF Cosford, Sunday 9th June 2019 by Chris Day, on Flickr


British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2 - RAF Cosford Airshow 2018, Sunday 10th June 2018 by Chris Day, on Flickr


BAe Systems Harrier GR3 - Royal Air Force Museum Hendon, Sunday 19th June 2016 by Chris Day, on Flickr

[shorsley]

Well you didn't say it had to be in one piece! Daily Mail Air Race winner XV741 arriving at Brooklands:
HarrierXV741_3 by Sarah Horsley, on Flickr

YeoviltonAD19_103 by Sarah Horsley, on Flickr

Cosford_45 by Sarah Horsley, on Flickr

[Seamus]

Great work everybody, some wonderful images that cover most variants as I had hoped and with plenty of interesting schemes in there to boot- I just love the two tone green scheme of the GR5 and early GR7s. Hard to whittle it down to a top three but here goes:

Third place goes to Peter Reoch's 1 Sqn special under the lights, just a lovely colourful image.

Second place goes to Dan B and his stunning sunset image, an evocative image of the Harrier's final days in RAF service

The winner however is Nigel with his bowing FRS1, my favourite variant, but more importantly an absolutely classic image of the mighty Shar that evokes fond memories of my early Yeovilton Air Days.

Over to you, Nigel!

[Wrexham Mackem]

Thank you very much Shaun. The Harrier and Sea Harrier were such staples of the airshow scene, never taken for granted yet always there. Its one of the big losses, I think.

I'll pop the new topic up, and I'm going to keep the air showmanship in the spotlight.