[The Real Life Sci-Fi of Vertical Take-Off Planes] (Viewer #381,488)
The fact that these exist sorta boggles my mind. No moving part should ever have to withstand that much stress.
[The Real Life Sci-Fi of Vertical Take-Off Planes] (Viewer #381,488)
The fact that these exist sorta boggles my mind. No moving part should ever have to withstand that much stress.
I watched a Harrier come in for a landing once at Quantico. It really is an unforgettable sight. I can still hear it too.
They used to crash rather a lot when the Marines first got them (AV-8A, I think), but they seem to have a handle on them in the last 20 years or so. BTW, Harriers are not fly by wire; the pilot flies those bad boys without a computer to manage the airplane’s stability.
The Brits used their Harriers quite well in the Falkland Islands War circa 1980 against the Mirage jets of the Argentine air force.