BA Sea Harrier FRS.1 / FA.2 ZA176 NAHR – National Benchmark
ZA176 arrived at the museum on the 21st July 2004. The Sea Harrier was the choice of Karen Bradley as her Aircraft of the Week, she would often stop to chat to us during the museum’s 40’s events, having arrived, dressed in the fashion of the time for the occasion. By Jan McGeachie
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a subsonic aircraft designed for strike, reconnaissance and fighter roles. Its short take off and vertical landing capabilities were provided a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine with four vector thrust nozzles, controlled by a single lever.
The prototype first flew from Dunsfold on 20th August 1978, the first Sea Harrier becoming operational with the Royal Navy in 1981 on board HMS Invincible. The type provide air defence for Royal Naval aircraft carriers using the ski jump to take off from a shorter flight deck than would otherwise be possible, serving both the in the Falklands War as the only fixed-wing protection fighter using Blue Fox radar, before later taking part in the Balkans conflict.
ZA176 was first flown at Dunsfold on the 25th November 1981 and delivered to the Royal Navy as an FRS.1 on the 16th December 1981. Initially placed into storage at RAF St Athan ZA176 was assigned to 809 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton on the 6th April 1982. ZA176 was flown to Ascension Island during the Falkland War and taken on the journey south on the Atlantic Conveyor on 6th May. ZA176 was flown off to join HMS Hermes on 18th May where it took part in CAP (Combat Air Patrol) and ground attack missions.
The utility of the vertical landing capability of the Sea Harrier was demonstrated by one pilot of ZA176 on 6th June 1983, when after completing his patrol Sub Lieutenant Ian Watson suffered an avionics failure; with his fuel situation getting low and having trouble finding the aircraft carrier he located a Spanish cargo ship on which to land.
He managed to land ZA176 on a metal structure (part of the base plate for a telescope at the Las Palmas Observatory) located on top of some containers. Pitching of the vessel saw the rear of ZA176 ending up resting on the top of a vehicle on the foredeck of the cargo ship Alraigo. Initially blamed for the incident, ‘Soapy’ Watson was ultimately exonerated due to ZA176 having been found to have suffered regular avionics issues prior to the incident. It is often debated whether or not the MoD paid salvage rights to the Spanish so their aircraft could be returned.
ZA176 was later to serve with 801 NAS aboard HMS Ark Royal from 19th January 1988 and in August 1990 was assigned to 800 NAS before on 22nd February 1992 being flown from RNAS Yeovilton to Dunsfold for conversion to the FA.2 standard.
Allocated to 899 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton on the 11th November 1993 ZA176 was later transferred to 801 NAS on board HMS Illustrious to fly operational sorties during the Bosnian conflict. ZA176 was later transferred on the 24th September 2001 to 800 NAS on board HMS Ark Royal and then in 2002 to 801 NAS also on HMS Ark Royal. Finally withdrawn from service on the 20th September 2003 ZA176 was used as spares at AMG Yeovilton before becoming the first Sea Harrier in a volunteer managed collection, when it was delivered to the museum on the 21st July 2004.
Photo Credit: Jan McGeachie