That was my plane in the RAF. Sadly, never got to fly. I spent a week with 1 squadron - i think it was - in Kuwait 2002 as a driver. I absolutely loved waking up in a truck (we slept and lived in them) to the harriers starting up maybe 20 feet away. Great pilots. Really humble as they have nothing else to prove. Miss those wonderful jets. Love this interview, what a top chap.
I was fortunate to work on Harriers from the GRs, Spanish, Italian, Indian and finally the American AV8s and retired when the the announcement was made to finish production. The best years of my working live.
It is very interesting to hear more stories come out about Falklands now that everyone is ok to talk about it. Crazy though that the British Crown exerted it’s Power projection through some amazing logistics after the Royal Navy and RAF had been downsized to skeleton level. It’s even worse now .
Thank the US DoD - fuel - they gave us millions of gallons of the stuff and AIM 9 Lima & Mike from NATO stocks, AGM-45 and even AGM-84. Without the vast and regular fuel resupply there would have been no operation Corporate.
Great interview. Thanks to you both. In my opinion someone in Government was on a 'back hander' for sure in getting rid of this fantastic and very capable Aircraft. No doubt about it.
Never underestimate the ability of politicians and senior Civil Servants to make stupid, short sighted, irrational, unwise decisions. They make a career of them.
Brilliant interview, love the Harrier (especially the GR3), again me and my dad keep saying the same thing about the outcome of the harriers as well as the Nimrod. Just need a time machine to go back to the days when we had all these different and beautiful types flying in our skies
So many great tidbits. The mention of using a cloud to navigate to. Amazing how fast gps has changed our notion of navigation. Looking forward to part 2
This Interview with Peter Harris has to be up there with one of my favourites! Absolutely loved it, such variation of flight platforms, different experiences, with combat and peaceful flights, loved his experiences with ejections he witnessed, thoughroughly enjoyed this Mike, well done, and also to Peter 😊👍👍
one of my all time favourite aircraft and an absolute joy to hear about more of its exploits. Peter is tottally correct retiring the Harrier way ahaead of it's time was shameful. A remarkable machine. Lightning will never have the same affection.
Every fighter pilot I have heard talk about the time they had to do on helicopters to get experience of hovering have said it was brilliant. I find that interesting. I know it is partly because they didn't have to do ground school etc but I am always taken aback a bit by the enthusiasm they all have for it. Great as always. Thank you.
What a manly Aviator! I Worked on A model Harriers, in the very early part of the program in the 1970s in the US Marines Corps. Because, they were so desperately short of competent all systems e!ectricians, I worked in ALL squadrons at that time, that had Harriers, VMA 513, 542 , 203 And 231. I absolutely loved it and seldom took a day off, for months! I was the only marine that could work in Harriers in three squadrons in a single day. I didn't have a girlfriend and my days and nights were completely absorbed learning all I could about that marvelous machine. Latter, I got my college degree, and became a Navy Aviator myself, retired after 24 years service in 1993. Eventually I got a girlfriend!
18:47 SS Atlantic Conveyor carried at least 8 Sea Harrier & 6 GR3 Harrier VTOL aircraft but these had already left the ship before both Exocet missiles impacted port side 25 May 1982 ! However 1 Lynx, 3 Chinook and 6 Wessex helicopters were lost ... a Chinook and a Westland Wessex had already left the ship and were saved.🧐
Its about the APG-68v(9) radar of F-16C and it applies to Pakistani fleet too, including those upgraded in Turkey by TAI. The radar is advertised and claimed to have Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode for high resolution ground mapping. This front-sector radar, as installed in the nose of F-16C, does not have any SAR capability at all, contrary to the claims of manufacturer. A relevant question is that SAR is a radar mode or a separate hardware unit? The ground footage shown in cockpit to the pilot must be coming from another source, meaning that its not real-time imagery generated by radar.
From what I remember the Afghan Harrier upgrades came from a special government budget where the T&Cs dictate once the emergency is over the funds get repaid. When the UKGov asked for the money back the RAF had to decide whether to keep the Tonka or harrier and let the later go. All the airframes, avionics, upgrades, etc sold for something like £100m. Yet another colossal waste and the funny thing is we vote these people in. None of the other options would behave any differently.
Shameful is hardly the word to describe the UK Government's behaviour over the Harrier. Disgraceful is a far better word. R.I.P. the UK Harrier, I am glad the US Marines continued to use them.
Fantastic interview with Peter but sorry Mike, the noise from the kids and whatever machiney was woooooing away in the background was so distracting it spoilt the video somewhat. Peter's telling of his part in the Falkland story in particular was worthy of better sound quality.
@@williekp1 Went to a sqn beer call a Wittering and the aircrew toilets over the wash basins had a pic of a large splash well short of Garvie Island with the caption - Try and wash your hands of this one Bomber! This was following live bombing practice - a rare exercise
Such classic aircraft all seemingly hobbled by British small mindedness where only the final marks of A/C finally had decent engines with decent power ie Buccanneers, Jaguars while the Harriers were continuously improved by the yanks. Meanwhile there is the wonderful Nimrod and the mighty HP Victor. Peter Harris makes so much sense of the massive complexity of air power. While the US military appears to be very professional their political leadership has descended into gangsterism and terrorism and bullying with no ‘legal’ consequences , inventing any old reasons to fool their allies and their own people.
It is amazing how you manage to fuck up so many of your interviews, which could otherwise be the greatest ever, by fucking up the AUDIO QUALITY. Why don't you just make your interviews inside a McDonalds restaurant so we can have even more distracting background noises.
That was my plane in the RAF. Sadly, never got to fly. I spent a week with 1 squadron - i think it was - in Kuwait 2002 as a driver. I absolutely loved waking up in a truck (we slept and lived in them) to the harriers starting up maybe 20 feet away. Great pilots. Really humble as they have nothing else to prove. Miss those wonderful jets. Love this interview, what a top chap.
I was fortunate to work on Harriers from the GRs, Spanish, Italian, Indian and finally the American AV8s and retired when the the announcement was made to finish production. The best years of my working live.
Understated man. In a country where every Harry is a "Maverick", refreshing.
It is very interesting to hear more stories come out about Falklands now that everyone is ok to talk about it. Crazy though that the British Crown exerted it’s Power projection through some amazing logistics after the Royal Navy and RAF had been downsized to skeleton level.
It’s even worse now .
Thank the US DoD - fuel - they gave us millions of gallons of the stuff and AIM 9 Lima & Mike from NATO stocks, AGM-45 and even AGM-84. Without the vast and regular fuel resupply there would have been no operation Corporate.
And this legend was also interviewed in one of my favourite documentaries: decisive weapons
"The Jaguar only got airborne because the Earth was round..." USAF pilots said the same of the F-105! Great interview!
Cheers mate!
The Thud was a very fast aircraft with a great bomb load not sure about the comparison to the Jaguar.
@@marktierney2986 Not a comparison at all. Simply stating F-105 pilots said the very same of thier plane as Jaguar pilots did with theirs.
Great interview. Thanks to you both. In my opinion someone in Government was on a 'back hander' for sure in getting rid of this fantastic and very capable Aircraft. No doubt about it.
Never underestimate the ability of politicians and senior Civil Servants to make stupid, short sighted, irrational, unwise decisions. They make a career of them.
Brilliant interview, love the Harrier (especially the GR3), again me and my dad keep saying the same thing about the outcome of the harriers as well as the Nimrod.
Just need a time machine to go back to the days when we had all these different and beautiful types flying in our skies
Great story teller
You are really doing a great public service preserving the stories of pilots...love this concept and your channel
So many great tidbits. The mention of using a cloud to navigate to. Amazing how fast gps has changed our notion of navigation. Looking forward to part 2
Gosh, so much information in one interview. Thoroughly enjoyed that.
Cheers James.
Great interview. What a fantastic bloke!
This Interview with Peter Harris has to be up there with one of my favourites! Absolutely loved it, such variation of flight platforms, different experiences, with combat and peaceful flights, loved his experiences with ejections he witnessed, thoughroughly enjoyed this Mike, well done, and also to Peter 😊👍👍
one of my all time favourite aircraft and an absolute joy to hear about more of its exploits. Peter is tottally correct retiring the Harrier way ahaead of it's time was shameful. A remarkable machine. Lightning will never have the same affection.
A very informative interview filling in the gaps of things i never knew. Thanks!
This man had the most interesting fighter pilot career I have heard off so far. Fantastic 2 part interview :-)
Great interview
Brilliant interview, Thanks Mike and Peter.
Cheers, Alan.
Fascinating interview Mike, thanks mate, I enjoyed that!
Another excellent piece Mike , thanks. Looking forward to more from Peter.
Another fabulous interview. Harrier and Jaguar! What a career
Cheers
I was at Valley flying the gnat in 1966 with a Pete Harris ….. small world
Superb interview. Thanks to both of you for taking the time to make and share it!
kofcolrob thanks mate.
Every fighter pilot I have heard talk about the time they had to do on helicopters to get experience of hovering have said it was brilliant. I find that interesting. I know it is partly because they didn't have to do ground school etc but I am always taken aback a bit by the enthusiasm they all have for it. Great as always. Thank you.
Excellent interview. Very interesting
DUDE! I LOVE THESE VIDEOS
Cheers!
What a manly Aviator! I Worked on A model Harriers, in the very early part of the program in the 1970s in the US Marines Corps. Because, they were so desperately short of competent all systems e!ectricians, I worked in ALL squadrons at that time, that had Harriers, VMA 513, 542 , 203 And 231. I absolutely loved it and seldom took a day off, for months! I was the only marine that could work in Harriers in three squadrons in a single day. I didn't have a girlfriend and my days and nights were completely absorbed learning all I could about that marvelous machine. Latter, I got my college degree, and became a Navy Aviator myself, retired after 24 years service in 1993. Eventually I got a girlfriend!
Now, I am very excited!
Dont you just love it wehen someone starts the garden-whateveritisthatsmakingthatnoice in the middel of your recording? :)
Coup getting Peter Harris!
Always Keeeeenya.
18:47 SS Atlantic Conveyor carried at least 8 Sea Harrier & 6 GR3 Harrier VTOL aircraft but these had already left the ship before both Exocet missiles impacted port side 25 May 1982 !
However 1 Lynx, 3 Chinook and 6 Wessex helicopters were lost ... a Chinook and a Westland Wessex had already left the ship and were saved.🧐
Oh yeah!
He confirmed Polish stereotype about the UK- an inch of snow is enough to stop the country in its tracks.
UK gets quite a bit of snow friend, come see Texas lol
Its about the APG-68v(9) radar of F-16C and it applies to Pakistani fleet too, including those upgraded in Turkey by TAI. The radar is advertised and claimed to have Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode for high resolution ground mapping. This front-sector radar, as installed in the nose of F-16C, does not have any SAR capability at all, contrary to the claims of manufacturer. A relevant question is that SAR is a radar mode or a separate hardware unit? The ground footage shown in cockpit to the pilot must be coming from another source, meaning that its not real-time imagery generated by radar.
It is both. If you have the right hardware you can also have an SAR mode. You especially require processing power and lots of memory.
What's the difference between a Puma and a Merlin, why do we not have one or the other, they look very similar?
my name is peter harris too!
family love if we are related to Harris or any other ancestry!
I echo Peter's sentiments, the Harrier should still be flying today, what an absolute waste by our Country's Government back then.
Wasn't the plan to save money for the JSF? It's the new Harrier isnt it, only "more"?
From what I remember the Afghan Harrier upgrades came from a special government budget where the T&Cs dictate once the emergency is over the funds get repaid. When the UKGov asked for the money back the RAF had to decide whether to keep the Tonka or harrier and let the later go. All the airframes, avionics, upgrades, etc sold for something like £100m. Yet another colossal waste and the funny thing is we vote these people in. None of the other options would behave any differently.
Those damn U-Boats!
Shameful is hardly the word to describe the UK Government's behaviour over the Harrier. Disgraceful is a far better word.
R.I.P. the UK Harrier, I am glad the US Marines continued to use them.
28 years worth of Tory defence cuts should have taught their voters a lesson .
Fantastic interview with Peter but sorry Mike, the noise from the kids and whatever machiney was woooooing away in the background was so distracting it spoilt the video somewhat. Peter's telling of his part in the Falkland story in particular was worthy of better sound quality.
I was on headset and it was not something I even picked up on. Came through 5by 5 for me. Cheers
Where is part 2?
It will be out tomorrow at 1900 U.K. time.
@@Aircrewinterview Cool, look forward to it.
Pity he "Bomber Harris" wasn't asked about Garvie island. His spectacular attack will be something that will be very hard to wash his hands of!
Tell us more…
@@williekp1 Went to a sqn beer call a Wittering and the aircrew toilets over the wash basins had a pic of a large splash well short of Garvie Island with the caption - Try and wash your hands of this one Bomber! This was following live bombing practice - a rare exercise
He pitched up on my Jag OCU as a sort of golden bollocks. Equivalent of the Hunter people he didn’t like after Valley.
Such classic aircraft all seemingly hobbled by British small mindedness where only the final marks of A/C finally had decent engines with decent power ie Buccanneers, Jaguars while the Harriers were continuously improved by the yanks. Meanwhile there is the wonderful Nimrod and the mighty HP Victor. Peter Harris makes so much sense of the massive complexity of air power. While the US military appears to be very professional their political leadership has descended into gangsterism and terrorism and bullying with no ‘legal’ consequences , inventing any old reasons to fool their allies and their own people.
What ever the paras can do the royal marine commando can do even better.. mmm not sure on that one Peter ;)
Isn't it RN tradition that the first ship returning with news of victory receives a prize? All he got was half a bollocking.
That was the prize!!
@@petervharris lol. God bless. Thank you for your service and sacrifices.
It is amazing how you manage to fuck up so many of your interviews, which could otherwise be the greatest ever, by fucking up the AUDIO QUALITY. Why don't you just make your interviews inside a McDonalds restaurant so we can have even more distracting background noises.
Funny nose plane.
Great interview