Hawker, or Fawkes Harrier?

Sorry for the silly title, but hopefully it will make sense in a while.

I have read an interesting snippet in this weeks Flight magazine that I wanted to share with you.

It is reported that back in the 1960's when the future of the P.1127 was in doubt Hawkers test pilot John Farley hatched out a plan to make the Govt take notice of this remarkable aeroplane.

The plan was to fly the P.1127 along the Thames and come to a stop hovering outside the Houses of Parliament, then to demonstrate the accuracy and delicacy with which the aircrafts thrust vector controls could be manipulated it was panned to use the long instrumentation probe seen on the nose below to 'punch out one or two stained glass windows'!

Now doesn't THAT conjure up a brilliant image


Disappointingly, not least for Argentina, there was no need to carry out the plan as the aircraft was approved.



[edit on 13-10-2008 by waynos]

I always liked the Harrier, though not the fastest plane it still is in a league of its own.

I especially liked the scene in the movie True Lies where they used one.