The Harrier is a British vertical take-off and landing aircraft, developed in the 1960s by Hawker Siddeley. In 1969, the first ground attack version for the RAF, the Harrier GR.1, entered production. Its further development was the Harrier GR.3 with enhanced avionics, also capable of performing reconnaissance missions. A naval version, the FRS.1, was also developed for operations from aircraft carrier decks.
The successful combat debut of the Harrier GR.3 and FRS.1 was the Argentine-British Falklands War in 1982. The US Marine Corps also became interested in the Harrier, and the aircraft entered licensed production in the USA by McDonnell Douglas under the designation AV-8. Harriers were also purchased by the armed forces of other countries: Spain, India, Italy and Thailand.
The Harrier GR.3 with markings XW 919 made its first flight on 23 July 1971 and was delivered to its parent unit, No. 1 Squadron RAF, in September 1971. The aircraft also served with No. 4 Squadron RAF, stationed at Gütersloh in Germany. Just before its wartime episode, the aircraft took part in the filming of the BBC production “Squadron.”
The most interesting part of its history is its participation in the Falklands War. At the beginning of May 1982, the aircraft was redeployed to Wideawake airfield on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. It served there on air defence duty until the arrival of Phantom FGR.2 aircraft. On 8 June, the aircraft reached the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes in a direct flight lasting nearly 8 hours, supported by four Handley Page Victor K.1 tankers. During this flight, the aircraft’s navigation instruments failed, but the pilot, guided by his wingman, managed to land safely on Hermes.
On 12 July 1982, during a mission to attack Argentine artillery positions on Sapper Hill using cluster bombs, Harrier XW919, piloted by Flt. Lt. Murdo McLeod, came under heavy fire from the 601st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group (Grupo de Artillería Antiaérea 601, also known as GADA 601 – Grupo de Artillería de Defensa Aérea 601).
The aircraft was heavily damaged by fragments from cannon fire or a Tigercat missile, incidentally of British manufacture. The pilot nevertheless managed to land safely on the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes despite a fire in the tail section of the aircraft. After this incident, a month later, the aircraft was shipped back to Great Britain aboard the container ship MV Contender Bezant.
On 28 July 1973, at RAF Lyneham, the aircraft suffered a serious accident caused by engine power loss. The pilot ejected safely.
Aircraft XW 919 was donated to the Polish Aviation Museum by the Royal United Kingdom Defence Academy at Shrivenham, and its transfer was initiated and supported by the late Gen. Pilot Tadeusz Andersz.
| Wingspan | 7.7 m |
| Length | 14.27 m |
| Takeoff weight | 11,340 kg |
| Maximum speed | 1175 km/h (Ma 0.9) |
| Ceiling | 15 600 m |
| Range | 670 km |
| Armament | two ADEN cannons cal. 30 mm, 2270 kg of underwing ordnance/equipment – bombs, unguided rocket launchers or auxiliary fuel tanks |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce Pegasus 10 Mk 102 turbofan engine with 91.2 kN thrust with afterburner |
