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RAF Harrier Retires

RAF Harrier Retires

By: Frank Grealish
Date: 2010
Location: Mach Loop, Gwynedd & RAF Cottesmore (OKH / EGXJ), UK - Wales & UK - England


On December 15th 2010 the Royal Air Force retired one of the most iconic aircraft of recent times from service, the British Aerospace Harrier. Over the course of 2010 I photographed the Harrier in a few different, most of the time not knowing that I only had a few months left to catch it.

Rather than writing an article I'm just going to show you the photos, I will add more Harrier photos as I edit them.

Click here to read a good article on the Harrier by Philip Stevens. A version of this article appeared in the January edition of Flying In Ireland.

Mach Loop, Wales - Harrier GR9 goes through Cad West
Mach Loop, Wales - Harrier GR9 goes through Cad West
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander after his final Harrier flight
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander performs the Harriers last ever bow in RAF Service
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander performs the Harriers last ever landing in RAF Service
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander taxis out for the last time
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander taxis out for the last time
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall OBE Joint Force Harrier Commander and Cottesmore Station Commander taxis out for the last time
RAF Cottesmore - Group Captain Gary Waterfall leads the pilots and crew as they walk off the ramp
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD347
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD349
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD351 with an 800NAS special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD351 with an 800NAS special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD351
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD379 taxis out
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZD379
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG472 makes a splash
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG472
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG477 with a 1F Squadron special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG477 with a 1F Squadron special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG477with a 1F Squadron special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG479 makes a bigger splash
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG479
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG857 with Operation Herrick mission markings
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG857
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG857
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9 ZG858 with a 4R Squadron special tail
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier GR9s ZG472 and ZG479 take off for the last time
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH657, weather check aircraft, crewing up
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH657, weather check aircraft, taxis out
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH657, weather check aircraft, taxis out
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH659
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH659
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH659
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH659
RAF Cottesmore - Harrier T12 ZH665
RAF Cottesmore - Harriers in a crescent formation on the ramp after being retired from RAF service
RAF Cottesmore - Harriers lined up on the ramp
RAF Cottesmore - Harriers lined up on the ramp