Classic British Flight Sim

Just tripped over a video titled:
Incredible: F-35B vs AV-8B Harrier II Short Takeoff & Vertical Landing
The only thing which I found "Incredible" was that in 2018, the USA has got round to building an aircraft capable of doing what the Harrier did in 1967.
I haven't entered a link, because it drags on for over 13 minutes, and about half of it is wrecked with "music".

Is this the video you mean, Mike ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od6LDfccrF8

The music stops at about 2:45, and there's some good stuff to be watched, such as the Harrier blowing the surface of the sea at 6:36. I'm not sure I'd agree with you about the Colonials taking 40 years to come up with something the Harrier could do. If S/VTOL is the only criterion, Ryan produced some experimental types at the time. After getting in the air, it's what the aircraft is capable of that really means anything, and surely the F-35B is better than the Harrier...no ?

Also, while modern military aviation bores me to death, the F-35B is at least slightly interesting.

Harrier is prettier - end of story. Yes even the AV8.

Vancouver wrote: ↑

08 May 2018, 08:47

Harrier is prettier - end of story. Yes even the AV8.

Oh okay, fair enough.

Is this the video you mean, Mike ?

Yep, that's the video. It was neat seeing the water foaming, but the little picture in the side list showed 2 aircraft leaving a huge curved wake. I expected that to feature, but it didn't.

Which version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 is better than the Harrier?
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Airspeed wrote: ↑

08 May 2018, 09:22

Which version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 is better than the Harrier?
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My favorite part of the F-35 is the pilots helmet. Seriously. The heads-up display on the visor allows the pilot to look straight down and see everything beneath the aircraft. The only thing I don't like about the F-35 (other than the price) is all those doors that have to pop open when the aircraft is in hover. The Harrier is a much simpler/elegant design, imho.

Brian

Which version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 is better than the Harrier?

Well they all go twice as fast, carrying twice as much, twice as far. So all of them?

For me, the Harrier wins every time!
Yes, the F35 is faster and has some stealth features, but it's a mess compared to the Harrier. Look at all those doors, flaps and fans. These are 'dead weight' for most of the aircraft's flight. It looks like something designed by a committee.
Contrast the Harrier's elegant true vectored thrust capability, including 'vectoring in flight' (which was used to great effect during the Falklands conflict).
I know that HMS Queen Elizabeth is soon to to take onboard her aircraft. I just so wish they could have been updated Harriers.

Kevin

Here you go Kevin
https://youtu.be/WxpJYK8Sfl8

Kevin Farnell wrote: ↑

11 May 2018, 01:18

including 'vectoring in flight' (which was used to great effect during the Falklands conflict).

There's actually no record of it being used at all during the Falklands conflict.
The problem with updating the Harrier is that in a lot of ways it's reach the end of what's achievable, there's no room for weight growth without a more powerful engine and to do that you'd need a new air frame. And if you're going to redesign that you might as well start from scratch, think something like the P1214 or 1216.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Aerospace_P.1216