I had the good fortune to spend several months in Belize in 1976 as an artist with an archaeological expedition at a Maya site in the jungle, surrounded by monkeys, parrots, jaguars and caymans. Every week, you could just about have convinced yourself that you were a thousand miles from civilization, maybe even in ancient times, when suddenly, at around 1:00 p.m. every Sunday, an RAF Harrier would come screaming over the treetops, heading North on a line parallel to the Guatemalan border to the West. What a shattering reminder! As it happens, the threat of invasion was considerably reduced while I was there, when a huge earthquake struck Guatemala City and diverted the military toward disaster relief.
In 1996-ish I flew into Belize to scuba dive the Blue Hole (in the background @26:33) and on final approach as we are coming over the fence I look down and there sits a Harrier sitting in a little park!? Turns out it was a static display left behind by the Brits. Btw, there is at least one very curious Hammerhead shark in there.
I also went to scuba dive in Belize stayed on the island Caye Caulker. I had the best Dive of my life there. Diving on the reef there was incredible i have about 100 pictures of the dive hundreds of sharks bull, nerf. basically jumping in the boat as the chum was thrown out this was in 2011.
Excellent! I really liked the unique looks of the "Snoopy Nose" GR.3, and even the external refuelling probe added to the effect. I saw my first Harriers at CFB Edmonton, AB, Canada when they were deployed for the Spring, 1983 Maple Flag Exercise in Cold Lake, Alberta. WOW! To see the full VSTOL display was jaw dropping & I couldn't stop talking about it for hours afterwards. I wonder how the early Harrier faired against dissimilar fighter a/c types? I know that the SHar had an enviable reputation amongst the 527th TFTAS/AS Aggressor drivers at RAF Alconbury. A 'slippery', unpredictable type I am sure. I must go and read about how the Guatemalans thought that they would fair vs. the RAF in any conflict? Cheers! 🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦
Very cool. Interesting how ergonomics and instrument layout didn't get a lot of attention, but could be important for operational flying (e.g., instrument flying).
I'm from Belize. We still find bombs in the swamp dropped by the RAF back in the day. Does anyone know if the bombs are still live or just dummy rounds for training??
Assume it's live. A lot of live was shipped out to Belize. It only has a limited shelf life. To save disposing of it back the policy was to use it up on the ranges. So assume it's LIVE.
Not at the Yorkshire Air Museum, no. Presumably this was convenient for both interviewer and interviewee. Isn't a first gen Harrier enough for you? Why must people be so demanding? Is the interview not interesting enough?
Hi Chris, if you're reading this. Great to hear your voice and hope you're well. Your chat brought back many memories...Thanks!
I had the good fortune to spend several months in Belize in 1976 as an artist with an archaeological expedition at a Maya site in the jungle, surrounded by monkeys, parrots, jaguars and caymans.
Every week, you could just about have convinced yourself that you were a thousand miles from civilization, maybe even in ancient times, when suddenly, at around 1:00 p.m. every Sunday, an RAF Harrier would come screaming over the treetops, heading North on a line parallel to the Guatemalan border to the West. What a shattering reminder!
As it happens, the threat of invasion was considerably reduced while I was there, when a huge earthquake struck Guatemala City and diverted the military toward disaster relief.
Awesome... we have a GR3 Harrier at Ashburton Aviation Museum...thanks from NZ ✈️🇳🇿
In 1996-ish I flew into Belize to scuba dive the Blue Hole (in the background @26:33) and on final approach as we are coming over the fence I look down and there sits a Harrier sitting in a little park!? Turns out it was a static display left behind by the Brits. Btw, there is at least one very curious Hammerhead shark in there.
I also went to scuba dive in Belize stayed on the island Caye Caulker. I had the best Dive of my life there. Diving on the reef there was incredible i have about 100 pictures of the dive hundreds of sharks bull, nerf. basically jumping in the boat as the chum was thrown out this was in 2011.
Excellent!
I really liked the unique looks of the "Snoopy Nose" GR.3, and even the external refuelling probe added to the effect.
I saw my first Harriers at CFB Edmonton, AB, Canada when they were deployed for the Spring, 1983 Maple Flag Exercise in Cold Lake, Alberta.
WOW! To see the full VSTOL display was jaw dropping & I couldn't stop talking about it for hours afterwards.
I wonder how the early Harrier faired against dissimilar fighter a/c types? I know that the SHar had an enviable reputation amongst the 527th TFTAS/AS Aggressor drivers at RAF Alconbury. A 'slippery', unpredictable type I am sure.
I must go and read about how the Guatemalans thought that they would fair vs. the RAF in any conflict?
Cheers! 🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦🍺🇨🇦
Great interview.
Very cool. Interesting how ergonomics and instrument layout didn't get a lot of attention, but could be important for operational flying (e.g., instrument flying).
Love the word "chuntering".
I like the hi-tech canopy hold-open device.
That's the Mk.I*.
The Guat's mellowed after the Falklands
Alot of the world did too .
Great interview, thanks Mike. At which museum is that GR3 at the end?
Cheers! Yorkshire Air Museum
@@Aircrewinterview cool, I havent been there in years. Looks like time for another visit!
Excellent 😊😊
Good chat Chris, although not sure why you are standing infront of a SHAR? Great to see the 3(F) pictures!
@@nickkurth8442 we use the closet museum to the guest that is most suitable and not everywhere we go has the exact type the guest has flown.
Noted - sensible but a tad confusing! @@Aircrewinterview
@@nickkurth8442 ha fair enough
Nice!
Did Chris ever have a "flight" in the school glider, the supersonic Slingsby Grasshopper ?
I’m not too sure, Tim.
I'm from Belize. We still find bombs in the swamp dropped by the RAF back in the day. Does anyone know if the bombs are still live or just dummy rounds for training??
Assume it's live. A lot of live was shipped out to Belize. It only has a limited shelf life. To save disposing of it back the policy was to use it up on the ranges. So assume it's LIVE.
When is part 2 ?
This Sunday
24:45 What is an A38?? I can't find anything on Google at all. Did he mean A-37s?
Yes the A-37 was in service with the Guatemalan Air Force at the time.
A-38s. What are they? Does CB mean A-37s?
Oe TA 38 /F5 ?
How accurate was the INS actually ?
@ 19:18 No lets carry on talking about DAC with EEL's F15's and Mirages.
1417 Flt best Harrier posting. 90-91.
Couldn’t he find an RAF Harrier to stand in front of?
Not at the Yorkshire Air Museum, no. Presumably this was convenient for both interviewer and interviewee. Isn't a first gen Harrier enough for you? Why must people be so demanding? Is the interview not interesting enough?
Does it matter? 🤷♂️