Harrier

The history of the Harrier - the world's first successful jet V/STOL aircraft - is as remarkable as the aeroplane itself. Perhaps most remarkable of all, as this book clearly shows, is the fact that the project even survived in the face of official hostility, lack of political and professional backbone, and sheer ignorance.
After the end of the Second World War, the vulnerability of airfields to missile attack became increasingly obvious, while in more recent years the viability of the large fleet aircraft carrier has also been seriously questioned. In both contexts, the availability of a V/STOL combat aircraft, capable o operating from small ships or clearings in forests, makes obvious sense. Yet it was to be many years before the validity of the concept gained Service acceptance.
In this authoritative study, Francis K. Mason - himself a former Hawker senior projects designer - describes early post-war experiments with vertical take-off aircraft and the political climate in which Hawker persevered with their P 1127 design in the face of official apathy. An often unappreciated fact which the author is at pains to point out is that it was only thanks to substantial American funding that the Bristol vectored-thrust Pegasus turbofan was brought to fruition, for without this engine there might have been no Harrier. Indeed, American support for the project has always been enthusiastic and continues today with the joint Anglo-American development and construction o the advanced AV-8B, which seems likely to gain acceptance as the next V/STOL combat aircraft by the two nations.
This book traces every stage of the Harrier's evolution, flight trials and operational success with the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and United States Marine Corps. It discusses the problems inherent in V/STOL operations and not only provides a detailed description of the Harrier's structure, but also a complete list o every aircraft built to date, with brief histories of each. Well illustrated with superb photographs and the author's own painstakingly researched drawings and tone paintings, this book pays due tribute to a shining example of British genius, ingenuity and perseverance.


by F. K. Mason
Published by Patrick Stephens 1982 reprint. 185pp illustrated, index, bibliography, appendix. 17x25 near fine, price clipped d/j.





Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.

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