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Sea Harrier serial numbers


NAVY870

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Shipmates

As my Kinetic Sea Harrier approaches the bung the decals on stage I'd like to complete it as one of the aircraft that visited NAS Nowra for the 75th anniversary of the RAN in 1987

cygXVka.jpg

 

jqOaTHa.jpg

 

As you can see side numbers are easy but no idea of the serial numbers

Any assistance gratefully accepted.

Cheers

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This is not a Sea Harrier or even a Royal Navy Harrier but it is at sea and does carry "Royal Navy" titles! So technically it is a "Sea Harrier" of sorts. 

 

The photo caption online says this is XV281 but I am not so sure. The letter or numeral above the fin flash looks like a "5" instead of an "E" that XV281 carried during the HMS Eagle trials. It does appear to be a P1127(RAF) pre-production aircraft and not a GR3 or even a GR1. The vessel in question is apparently HMS Hermes. Can anyone offer any further information in relation to this aircraft, its identity and its markings? A clearer photo would be appreciated. I am researching early-production and trials Harriers (original and Harrier IIs) and this looks like an interesting scheme. Thanks.

 

BM.

 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HAWKER SIDDELEY HARRIER, 1969 - 1980

 

Edited by Blue Monday
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On 12/28/2020 at 1:01 AM, Blue Monday said:

This is not a Sea Harrier or even a Royal Navy Harrier but it is at sea and does carry "Royal Navy" titles! So technically it is a "Sea Harrier" of sorts. 

 

The photo caption online says this is XV281 but I am not so sure. The letter or numeral above the fin flash looks like a "5" instead of an "E" that XV281 carried during the HMS Eagle trials. It does appear to be a P1127(RAF) pre-production aircraft and not a GR3 or even a GR1. The vessel in question is apparently HMS Hermes. Can anyone offer any further information in relation to this aircraft, its identity and its markings? A clearer photo would be appreciated. I am researching early-production and trials Harriers (original and Harrier IIs) and this looks like an interesting scheme. Thanks.

 

BM.

 

 

 

This is a GR. 1, XV281/B (not V as stated in IWM photo caption) on board HMS Hermes in the 1977 trial. On this occasion, three other Harriers participated in the trial as shown in this photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davids_world_2011/5932723369/in/gallery-39411748@N06-72157626999028999/

 

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

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Happy New Year folks!

 

@NAVY870 - The two SHARs are, depending on the exact dates of your two photos

- ZD578 was 125/N with 800 NAS from 4 March 1987. As your photo has a fin code letter, I'd say it was ZD578.

- XZ492 was 125 with 800 NAS up to that date.

- 003/N is proving elusive. XZ451 was 003/R in Dec-85. XZ495 was 003/N when 801 NAS visited Ohakea in NZ in Nov-83; the photo shows the fin code clearly being N.

On its visit to NZ XZ495 had the name of LT CDR M W WATSON RN in white under the windscreen on the starboard side only.

If you can confirm the exact dates of the visit, I will dig further.

(Source: Air Britain's Fleet Air Arm Serials)

 

Both overall Dk Sea Grey SHARs have natural metal front nozzles, with Light Aircraft Grey intake interiors, white airbrake and wheel bays but the inside of the AB would be DSg with a white number 5 or 3 inside it.

 

On the Hermes deck trials of 1977, Jun is correct! As you can see from one of the photos in the link all had white photo-marking stripes on the intake sides and just under the tailplane on the stbd side; the markings being different for each Harrier involved in the trials. The markings enabled "fixed-speed" cameras to be used to calculate the exact speeds of the Harriers over the deck and at take-off.

 

Bye for now

 

Nick

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11 hours ago, NG899 said:

 

- ZD578 was 125/N with 800 NAS from 4 March 1987. As your photo has a fin code letter, I'd say it was ZD578.

 

Nick

The photo was taken at NAS Nowra 75th anniversary airshow in late 87.

That would make it ZD578 me thinks.

Many thanks

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@NAVY870 Steve, I’m interested in this topic as I have an FRS.1 in my stash. Reading up on the history of HMAS Albatross on the navy.gov.au site, it lists the 75th Anniversary air show as 6 October 1986 which from @NG899 Nick’s dates above suggests XZ492 again. 
 

Regards the other photo, I found this extract from an article on aeropedia which may help date the other photo as 1983. 

 

“Harriers have visited this region on a number of occasions on board Royal Navy carriers. One was the 75th Anniversary of the RAN for an airshow at ‘HMAS Albatross’ at Nowra in October 1986; another was the visit of ‘HMS Invincible’ in December 1983 to Sydney, four of its aircraft from No 801 Squadron being flown off for exercises with the RAN from Nowra; and the Bi-Centennial Air Show at RAAF Richmond, NSW in October 1988. 

 

https://aeropedia.com.au/content/hawker-harrier/

 

 

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