Harrier Index Sea Harrier FRS.1 Sea Harrier FA.2 Second Generation Early Harriers and Prototypes

Sea Harriers - FA.2


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Building on the lessons of  the Falklands War, the SHAR FA.2 added a much more capable Ferranti/GEC Marconi Blue Vixen pulse doppler radar (a development of which now equips the Typhoon), with multi-mode air to air, air to surface and lookdown/look up shootdown modes.   enabling use of the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AIM-120 AMRAAM air to air missile as well as Sidewinder.   

In this form, it remained arguably the most capable fighter in Europe in all respects except speed, until its premature withdrawal from service in 2004.


FA.2 - 800 Naval Air Sqn, HMS ARK ROYAL, 2004.

Airfix Club special edition - 800 Sqn decommissioning scheme

In 2004, prior to disbanding then re-forming on the GR.7 Harrier II, 800 Sqn decorated one of its Sea Harrier aircraft in this flamboyant decommissioning scheme, nicknaming it "Satan 1".


FA.2 - 800 Naval Air Sqn, HMS ARK ROYAL, 2001.

Italeri with Model Alliance resin conversion, Italeri AMRAAMS & decals.


FA.2 - 801 Naval Air Sqn, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, 2006.

Hasegawa with Heritage resin conversion, Airfix AMRAAMS, scratch drop tanks & modified Model Alliance decals.

801 were the final Royal Navy SHAR squadron, reluctantly and prematurely decommissioning in April 2006.

To reflect their role as the final RN SHAR operators, for their last commission, embarked onboard HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, they added an Omega symbol to the traditional 801 trident & wings tail marking, in much the same way as 892 Sqn had done with their Phantoms 30 years earlier.


FA.2 - 899 Naval Air Sqn, RNAS Yeovilton, Royal Navy. 2004.

Hasegawa with Heritage resin conversion, scratch drop tanks, Airwaves etched ladder & Model Alliance decals.

899 were the headquarters, reserve & training squadron for the SHAR fleet, based ashore at RNAS Yeovilton.





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