British Aerospace Harrier and Sea Harrier (Osprey Air Combat)

In 1969 the Royal Air Force took a giant leap forward with the introduction of the Harrier GR.1, the world's first operational V/STOL (vertical or short take-off and landing) combat aircraft. Author Roy Braybrook puts the aircraft into a clear political and technical context, revealing the costly errors during the development programme, yet extolling the intrinsic brilliance of the basic design. The Harrier concept was completely vindicated in the 1982 Falklands campaign, and the supremacy of the Sea Harriers in air-to-air combat is fully described. HARRIER and SEA HARRIER is the most complete and original work ever published about the Harrier family. Early design studies, P.1127, GR.1, the two-seaters, GR.3, AV-8A and the Matador are included in the text, together with many new photographs and three-view illustrations. In addition, the history of V/STOL outside the Hawker project office and British Aerospace is also covered in considerable depth. The AV-8B (an enhanced derivative of the AV-8A destined to see RAF service as the CR.5), and more advanced and exotic supersonic V/STOL designs are also featured. Roy Braybrook is no stranger to the Harrier he worked in the Hawker design department during its development, and later became involved in marketing the aircraft outside the United Kingdom. His lively, accurate text uncovers many fresh facts, and displays the insight and specific knowledge born of a close association with the Harrier programme.