Privately owned Harrier "Jump Jet" GR.3 - Full Engine Run Up - 12th May 2024

The Harrier is owned by father and son Roy and Julian Millington... and kept in superb condition at their Shropshire Farm.
The aircraft was originally built as a GR.1 and made its first flight from Dunsfold, Surrey, in January 1971. Its first operational unit was 4 Squadron, based at RAF Wildenrath in Germany, where Harriers were deployed in large numbers. While at the German base, the aircraft was transferred to 20 Squadron and upgraded to GR.1a status - it gained new paintwork and had its original Pegasus Mk.101 swapped for a Mk.102. By the mid 1970s, the Harrier fleet received further modifications, this time becoming GR.3s. The changes included adding the distinctive Ferranti laser ranger and marked target seeker nose, the radar warning receiver and yet another engine upgrade to the Pegasus Mk.103.
Although the date isn’t certain, XV808 underwent this upgrade in or around 1976, and was then posted to RAF Gütersloh with 3 Squadron. The fighter returned to the UK in the mid 1980s, to join 233 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) at RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire, from which it flew until retirement in 1990. The Harrier was then allocated the maintenance serial 9076M and moved to RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, where it was utilised by No.1 School of Technical Training. By July of 1994, it had been transferred to the Royal Navy at and its Culdrose air station in Cornwall. Initially with the School of Aircraft Handling as A2687, it was then passed on to the Royal Navy School for Flight Deck Operations. At Culdrose, the aircraft was given the code ‘08’ and tail marking ‘DD’ (Dummy Deck), which can still be seen today, along with its old 233 OCU badge on the nose.
XV808 was finally moved to HMS Sultan (Gosport) with the Royal Navy Air Engineering and Survival School, before being put up for disposal in 2012.

[@Paul-Nicer58]

When full hover power & hovering nozzles position is selected the engine is still generating full forward thrust which is opposed by the full reverse thrust created by the gas flow 90° turn downwards at the nozzles.

[@PaulDonovan]

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