AV-8B Harrier II
McDonnell Douglas · United States · first flew 1981 · fighter
The AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine vertical and short take-off and landing (V/STOL) ground attack aircraft, a redesigned development of the original Harrier.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14.12 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single nozzle-vectoring turbofan
- High swept wing with anhedral
- Outrigger landing gear on wings
Identify it by the four swivelling exhaust nozzles arranged along the fuselage sides and the high-mounted swept wing with marked anhedral. The outrigger wheels under the wingtips and bicycle main gear are giveaways.
Specifications
- The AV-8B Harrier II has a length of 14.12 m (46 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.25 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1083 km/h (673 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace developed the Harrier II from the first-generation Harrier, with a larger composite wing for greater payload and range, and it first flew in 1981. Its single Pegasus turbofan exhausts through four rotating nozzles to provide thrust vectoring. It entered US Marine Corps service in the mid-1980s.
Variants
Versions include the day-attack AV-8B, the Night Attack variant and the radar-equipped AV-8B Harrier II Plus. Spain and Italy operate the type from small aircraft carriers. The two-seat TAV-8B serves as a trainer.
Where you'll see it
The Harrier lineage is deeply British, with the RAF and Royal Navy flying the related Harrier GR and Sea Harrier from land bases and carriers until 2010 and 2006 respectively. Preserved Harriers feature prominently at the RAF Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum and IWM Duxford. The type remains a celebrated symbol of British aviation engineering.
Related aircraft
- McDonnell Douglas MD-82
- McDonnell Douglas MD-80
- F/A-18 Hornet
- McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet
- MiG-29UB Fulcrum-B
- SIAI-Marchetti S-211
- Aermacchi MB-339K Veltro II
- General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
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