McDonnell Douglas AV-8C Harrier - Seattle, WA - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

Located at the Museum of Flight are a large number of static aircraft on display. One of them is a McDonnell Douglas AV-8C Harrier. The Museum of Flight website contains a page devoted to this aircraft and it reads:

The Harrier is one of the most extraordinary and recognizable fighter aircraft in the world. Built to support troops on the ground and intercept and attack enemy aircraft and helicopters over the battlefield, the single-man light fighter currently flies with the United States Marine Corps, the British Royal Air Force, and the Spanish and Italian navies.

The trait that makes the Harrier unique from other U.S. airplanes is that it can take off and land vertically. The Harrier accomplishes this amazing flying feat by directing thrust from the engine through four swiveling nozzles located on the fighter's belly. Sometimes called a "jump jet," the Harrier can operate from short fields, the decks of ships, or even roadways located close to the fighting.

This Harrier flew with Marine Attack Squadron 542 before it was retired and loaned to The Museum of Flight.

This aircraft loan courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.

A nearby placard also highlights this AV-8C Harrier in more detail and reads:

The Jump Jet
Descending from Hawker Siddeley's P.1127 (1960) and XV-6A Kestrel (1964) experimental aircraft, the AV-8A Harrier became the first vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) attack aircraft. The Harrier entered service with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) in 1971. The Harrier's ability to take off and land vertically enables it to operate from assault ships and forward air bases to provide close air support (CAS) to Marines in the critical, early stages of an amphibious invasion. Though designed exclusively as a strike aircraft, the Harrier has also developed a formidable capability for air-to-air combat.

Life Before the Museum
Hawker Siddeley Aviation, at Kingston upon Thames, England, built the Museum's Harrier as an AV-8A and delivered it to the USMC in February, 1974. Between 1979 and 1984, the USMC converted 47 AV-8As, including the Museum's into AV-8Cs. The C models incorporate many improvement over the earlier A model including radar warning receivers, an on-board oxygen generating system, and chaff/flare dispensers.

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): McDonnell Douglas AV-8C Harrier Tail Number: (S/N): 158977 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Museum of Flight - Aviation Pavilion inside / outside: outside Other Information:: Not listed Access restrictions: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   08/28/2022 r.e.s.t.seekers visited it 08/19/2022 Ninja Fairies visited it 10/01/2018 Ulven7470 visited it

View all visits/logs