Harrier at RAF Wittering

[Tony2or4]

Was driving up the A1 yesterday, and on passing RAF Wittering I noticed the Harrier which they've got on display at the entrance, but I only got a few seconds' glimpse of it. Back home, I checked it out on GoogleMap Street View for a closer look, and it seemed to me that the Harrier in the Google image was different from the one I glimpsed: I'd got the impression of the shorter-nosed version, in plain grey, whereas the Google image one is the long-nosed variant, in camouflage green/grey.

Does anyone know whether they have in fact changed the Wittering Harrier, or was I just mistaken in what I thought I saw?

[Simpo Two]

Can't say, but I expect they've had to change the sign as well because it used to say 'RAF Wittering - Home of the Harrier'.

[KieronGSi]

They changed it from a GR3 (long Thin nose) to a GR9.

http://forums.diecast-aviation.eu/showthread.php?t...

[Tony2or4]

KieronGSi said:

They changed it from a GR3 (long Thin nose) to a GR9.

http://forums.diecast-aviation.eu/showthread.php?t...

That is very interesting. Thanks for that, K.
Once more, a question rapidly answered by the collective knowledge of PHers.

[robmlufc]

'Christine' (ZD469) I believe is the Wittering gate guard. She tried to kill various Airframe guys over the years before finally being taken out by a rocket/mortar in Afghan while on the ground, sustaining quite a lot of shrapnel damage to the cockpit area.

Edited by robmlufc on Tuesday 7th August 11:45

[spitfire-ian]

Shame the old one has gone as it was the first aircraft I ever sat in...


Harrier by imulford, on Flickr

[Eric Mc]

The various RAF Harriers over the years -

GR1



GR3



GR5



GR7



GR9

[Fat Fairy]

Ah, Christine! Never had a problem with her myself, but I was a 'Fairy'. Did she ever clock up 1000 hours?

[mrmaggit]

I thought it was a fibreglass mock-up.

[andym1603]

Might be an odd question, but why no even model (variant) numbers?

[Eric Mc]

There were - the two seat trainers - the T2, the T4 and the T10. The T2 and 4 were based omn the first generation GR1 and 3. The T10 on the second generation models.

The Sea Harriers were a separate line of development based on the GR1/3 airframe.

[andym1603]

Thanks for answering.
One other question if I may, When a plane does a loop why do they always start low and go high. Is it possible
to start high and go low, over the top so to speak?

[robmlufc]

T10 is a GR7 two seater, T12 is the GR9 two seater.

Fat Fairy said:

Ah, Christine! Never had a problem with her myself, but I was a 'Fairy'. Did she ever clock up 1000 hours?

It was an engine bloke who was sat in the cockpit five minutes before she attracted carnage at Kandahar so I'm not sure she discriminated trades

Edited by robmlufc on Tuesday 7th August 21:21

[Tony2or4]

andym1603 said:

When a plane does a loop why do they always start low and go high. Is it possible
to start high and go low, over the top so to speak?

Not a pilot myself, so don't know the ins and outs of looping (nor indeed any other manoeuvre), but I recall seeing a film at least 30 years ago, called 'The Great Waldo Pepper', starring Robert Redford, in which the main story line involved the Redford character attempting to do the downwards-first loop.

[CanAm]

andym1603 said:

Thanks for answering.
One other question if I may, When a plane does a loop why do they always start low and go high. Is it possible
to start high and go low, over the top so to speak?

It is possible and is called a bunt, or outside loop, and involves severe negative G, so not as popular with pilots as a traditional "inside" loop where you only have positive G to contend with.

[Eric Mc]

I wouldn't like to try an loop a Harrier.

[andym1603]

CanAm said:

It is possible and is called a bunt, or outside loop, and involves severe negative G, so not as popular with pilots as a traditional "inside" loop where you only have positive G to contend with.

Cheers for the answer/explanation. Sorry for the thread hijack.

[Ayahuasca]

Eric Mc said:

The various RAF Harriers over the years -

GR1

My favourite! Sat in one when I was 9 years old.

There are very few pictures of them on tinternet.

I believe most were converted to GR3 with updated radar / avionics.

[Wedg1e]

Most RAF bases have gate guardians although not all are visible from outside the base - Marham and Leeming are two that spring to mind (Marham has a Victor, Leemings is a ...er... er.. I forget, something like a Buccaneer. You should be able to see it on Google Earth).
The air-sea rescue section at Valley has the tail boom of some old chopper sticking out of the ground as its welcome sign

[KieronGSi]

Marham has three, a Tornado which is visible from the main gate as well as a Victor which is just visible and a Cannerra which you won't see until your half way round the camp.