Spend your money if you want an FSX Harrier, lol. I flew this around 7 hours yesterday - it was that much fun. It's got a few bugs - and maybe the FDE is a little easy... maybe not - I'm not a Harrier pilot. It's probably very stable in the hover due to the location of the gas thrusters at the corners of the airplane... just a guess. Remember, this thing had to be Marine proof, and most operational accidents were probably due to sensitivity to flameout, FOD out, and gross mishandling at low altitude (grabbing the wrong level etc), not failure at attempting to balance an unstable airplane.

Just a little inter-service ribbing there, lol. Does anyone know what the 10a version is? What 'fixes' or feature changes were involved?

When I saw the promo video of the Harrier loaded with a couple GBUs and external fuel tanks come rolling out of the hardened shelter..then take-off vertically.. I had my doubts. From what I understand a Harrier has to be very light to accomplish a VTOL...



BeachAV8R

Harrier

Year: 1969
Role: Attack
Max Speed: 736 mph (640 knots)
Max G-loading: 7.8 G
Weapons: Two 30mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons with 100 rounds per gun and up to 5,000 lb of ordnance on five pylons.

The Hawker Siddley Harrier is one of the most remarkable aircraft of all time, highly flexible and versatile, it is revolutionary in that it does not require conventional paved airfield to operate. Its design originated in 1957 studies at the Hawker Aircraft for a lightweight V/STOL (Vertical and Short Take Off and Landing) strike reconnaissance aircraft. It started out as a private venture, initially not backed by the UK government, the support for the project coming instead from the US. The Harrier is effectively built around the Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan engine, with large intakes on each side of the aircraft and four rotating exhausts for directing its thrust downward for V/STOL maneuvers. Although no radar or electronic countermeasures are provided, a heads-up display (HUD) with computerized attack system is installed to make sure pilot do not have to look down during the critical maneuvers. The thrust available in the first generation Harriers did not allow for vertical take-offs with any useful warload, but its ability to operate from anywhere close to the battlefield proved extremely useful, and the aircraft became an important front-line asset for both the RAF and the US Marine Corps.

Harrier GR.1 [Strike Fighters 2 Europe]
The Harrier GR.1 (Ground attack and Reconnaissance, Mark 1) is the initial production version for the RAF powered by the Pegasus 6 Mark 101 engine. It entered service in 1969 to become the world's first operational V/STOL combat aircraft.

Harrier GR.1A [Strike Fighters 2 Europe]
In 1971, the Harrier is updated with more powerful Pegasus 10 Mark 102 engine and redesignated Harrier GR.1A.

Harrier GR.3 [Strike Fighters 2 Europe]
The Harrier GR.3 is the upgraded version for RAF, with "laser ranger and marked target seeker (LRMTS)" on its nose giving it a distinct appearance, called a "Snoopy nose" by the pilots. It is powered by Pegasus 11 Mark 103 with more thrust and equipped with Marconi ARI-18223 radar warning receiver (RWR). The Harrier GR.3 entered service in 1973.

I've heard Harrier pilots say it's incredibly difficult to hover, like "balancing on top of a geyser."

This thread at CA is pretty interesting and reveals a lot about the Harrier and real world ops:

http://combatace.com/topic/48254-harriers-and-hovering/page__p__347671&#entry347671

I found this post interesting:


First of all this has been discused to death. As a person with first hand knowledge of the Harrier. I can tell you this. A "B" Model (Gr5-7) will take off VTO with a Combat Load with Empty Tanks. Durning OPVAL of the AV-8B with VX-5 at NAS Pax River, MD. It was done sucessfully a dozen times. But as Migbuster has stated, The Engine requires so much Water for this type of Operation. Just about every time it's done, The Engine has to be changed. The requirement to change an Engine in a Harrier contails alot. It means that Aircraft is in a "Down" Statis until the Change is made. But is a Capability. USMC Harriers have the ability to operate from "FOB's" that are just alittle larger than the size of a Tennis Court. The main reason One doesn't see Harriers do it. Or do it "Slicked" or with empty Tanks is COST. It cost for Engines to be reworked, Changed and the "Down Time" of the Aircraft factor in. The Rolls Royce Pegasus Engine is an expensive Componet of the Platform. The Engines from the "A-C" Models had to be sent back to the UK to be reworked back in the Old Days.

Empty Tanks save Weight. The old "A-C" Models had to have a bolt-on IFR Probe Installed. Later on the "B" Model, The Marines required a Retractable IFR Probe. It's still Removeable, But comes as a part of the Airframe. The old "A" Model IFR Probes where an after thought.


MCAS Cherry Point, NC has a Hover Pad that is made of Concrete in the Middle of the Base where two Runways intersect. VMAT-203 is the Harrier Trainning Squadron and is based there. The now operate AV-8B II Pluses and TAV-8B two seaters. They conduct Hover (VTO) every day at the base. It's part of the Trainning of every Marine Harrier Pilot to become familiar with this Operation. Also, VMAT-203 is the biggest user of RR Pegasus Engines in the Marine Corps due to this Trainning. Engines are changed every Day at 203. BTW, The TAV-8B has the same Engine as the AV-8B and can Take-Off Vertical. I wounder how much the extra Ejection Seat, Cockpit, Airframe Strech weighs?

Engines are frequently changed aboard Ships (LPH-LHA-LHD's) because of high Stress these Engines go through durning STOL and VTOL Operations.


The advent of the Ski-Ramp by the Brittish have helped eliminate alot of the Stress on Harrier Engines. This is in STO Operations and have been taken up by the Marines since the Falklands in 1982. The Marines deployed their first Ski-Ramp in Combat durning Desert Storm.


Many in the Avation Community say that Landing a Aircraft on a Carrier by a Naval Aviator is the most Hair-Raising event one could do. Especially at Night. I differ from that Statement. I say, a VTL by a Marine Harrier Pilot at Night aboard a LHA or LHD is it.....

It's bad enough that Hovering in normal conditions is Work Overload in the Cockpit. As one Pilot has described it as balancing a Elephant on the end of a Needle. Now, mulitply that by adding more Weight with External Stores and You have a Recipe for alot of Problems. The "B" is "Fly-by-Wire". The old "A's" were not.


Conclusion:

The early "A's" could do it, But the Gun Pods were empty of Ammo, Drop Tanks Empty. No other Ordnance. The only exception would be the Addition of LAU-7's on the Outboard Stations, Empty. No AIM-9's loaded. The Early Pegasus just didn't have enough "Emph!" (Thrust) in it......

AV-8B's could do it under Load, But You'd be changing the Engine after the Mission/Sortie is done. Water Injection Cooling is the Key. Durning Hover, The Water does two things, It boost Combustion and also Cools the Engine under high Stress use. One more Factor is that the Water Tank on the "B" is only so big. You need the Water to sustain Vertical Flight. Once the Water is gone, Thrust is reduced, Engine could seize up and Your Aircraft could fall from the Sky. Be Sure to throw Your Wallet out the Cockpit if You don't know where the Ejection Handle is.....


An AV-8A/C can do it slick. No Ordnance of extra weight what-so-ever......

An AV-8B can do it........But is RARE.


Semper Fi!

331KillerBee

T/AV-8A/B/C Harrier Ordnanceman

VMA-231 1979-80
VMAT-203 1980
VMA-542 1981
VMAT-203 1982-84
VX-5 1985
VMA-331 1985-1992

Good info..

BeachAV8R