Evolution of Harrier – in Newsreels

The evolution of the Harrier from prototype to the last variants has generated press interest from the early 60’s onwards. Pathe Newsreels visited Dunsfold on a regular basis to tell the story.

1963 Hawker P.1127 XP831 1st prototype at Dunsfold. Pilot Bill Bedford ©Pathe News

https://youtu.be/embed/xULn42L8wVE?t=20

1963 The Paris Airshow where the P.1127 XP831 1st prototype crashes due to debris in a wingtip nozzle. © Pathe
1963 Sea trials of the P.1127 on HMS Ark Royal. Pilot: Bill Bedford. No sound ©Pathe News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-h6A8x0ecg

1966 Farnborough air to air demonstration of Kestrel XP835 No sound ©Pathe News
1965 The Tripartite Squadron Kestrels are demonstrated to German military commanders in Munchen Gladbach. This clip features XP984 which is now on display at Brooklands Museum in the UK © Pathe
1968 Dunsfold announcing orders for RAF Harriers incl. XV276 flight demonstration ©Pathe News
1969 Harrier 1st Landing at Sea aboard HMS Blake. Pilot Hugh Merreweather. ©Associated Press

https://youtu.be/QWtPv3UocT0

1970 Dunsfold RAF Harrier take off and demonstration
1975 Hawker Siddeley Works at Kingston with Harriers on production line. © Pathe

Banner Photo credit : Andy Lawson, BAe Systems

Night-time Ex-RAF Harrier at Cosford, credit www.steviebeats.co.uk

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2 Replies to “Evolution of Harrier – in Newsreels”

  1. Work in Progress!

    This is just the beginning of our new DAHS website, and time restricts how much information we can add initially. We hope to widen the scope of this website and we actively encourage visitors to contribute information, photographs, anecdotes and data that can add to the wealth of information about these important subjects. Please do post a comment on what you see here, or if we have made errors in our published material… we will be most happy to correct. If you have first hand knowledge of the Harrier or were one of the 1000’s that worked at Dunsfold during the golden era, then we’d like to hear from you.

    DAHS webmaster

  2. Hi,

    I worked for BAe in the late 80’s / early 90’s on the Sea Harrier FRS2 program. The two dev aircraft where ZA195 (now at Tangmere) and XZ439 (how flying in the USA at displays). Google them! Fantastic days, fantastic place, fantastic website…thanks!

    Bryan Lade

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