61026 Tamiya - 1/48 Hawker Sea Harrier FRS.1  [61026]

The FRS.1 is easily distinguished from the land based counterparts by a modified nose area including an increasing pilots chair and Ferranti Blue Fox radar, plus principal armament of water Eagle anti-ship missiles and AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Martel or Harpoon ASMs might be carried as options to water Eagle before latter become functional. 1st FRS.1 to visit ended up being actually the first manufacturing water Harrier, on 20 August 1978, which means prototype model later on in December 1978. Your home from the Sea Harriers have been designated Yeovilton Navy Base, additionally they received first aircraft in June 1979, in which intensive flight studies began with '100/VL' squadron four times afterwards.

This IFTU unit was designated 700A squadron in September 1979 and was re-designated 899 Squadron in March 1980. Three "Through - Deck" cruisers have been purchased for water Harrier operations: Invincible; Illustrious and Ark Royal, initial which ended up being commissioned in July 1980. All three vessels can be fitted with a "Ski-jump" to aid take-off with complete load, which installation was indeed additionally added to the commando provider HMS Hermes with regards to ended up being allotted a Sea Harrier squadron. A tiny export purchase for water Harriers had been placed by Asia in November 1979 for six FRS.51's and two T.60 trainers.

The ocean Harrier, along side all the GR3 Harriers through RAF, was in fact put to actual combat tests throughout the recent Falkland Isles crisis. The Uk Southern Atlantic force wound up being developed by adding GR3 and FRS.1 Harriers bringing the sum total jump jet power to around 40 aircraft companies Hermes and Invincible. The Ocean Harrier (FRS.1) has about 30percent more re-action control for easier landings, and better 'over the nose' visibility; nevertheless the GR3's from RAF worked well in the overall operations through the conflict and both aircraft distinguished on their own toward utmost. The Royal Navy Harriers, through conflict, have been painted to the new "toned down" finish of matte ocean blue basic, whilst the RAF aircraft was in fact into the extra dark ocean grey scheme. With a cruise rate of mach .9 and a premier rate of 1.25, and landing rate of 0, that is truly a versatile combat aircraft and something which can be likely to be in tools inventories for quite some time later on.