Jump Jet: The Secret History of the Harrier

[Mike Pryce]

That's what I had understood from this thread, Mr Pryce: that your forthcoming book is not the color-illustrated on glossy paper, large-trim-size volume that is usual for Secret Projects Forum, but rather a text like (for example) a Max Hastings or Antony Beevor work on military history, with a figures insert. This of course is welcome. I'm looking forward to reading your book when it's published. Not yet mentioned above is what I recall as the worldwide sensation for Harriers and various mini 'Harrier Carrier' designs and planned insta-carrier decked-over container ships immediately after the 1982 Falklands War victory. Even the Soviets got into the craze: as was only revealed years later, in 1983 they trialed VTOL Yak-38s from two modified Ro-Ro ships. I hope the Harriers' Falklands experience and the post-war sensation will be appropriately covered.

May I ask: is Jump Jet your first book?

That's right, the format is very much those popular books.

The opening chapter puts you in the thick of the action in the Falklands. Basically to show 'this is what the Harrier ended up doing'. Then it goes into the history that led to the Harrier and P1154, from the 1940s, contrasting it with the EE Lightning and TSR2, showing how the Harrier was different from the mainstream.

After showing how we got the Harrier, it then shows what we got after it, how it led to the F-35B, as well as contrasting this path with the Eurofighter Typhoon. All these stories are tied together by the people in them and the book tells new things about all these planes.

I don't cover the craze for Harrier carriers but rather look at the plans to develop a naval successor, the P1216, and why that did not work out. Short version - company politics and a belief in design by analysis.

I also wrote this book many years ago, which was much more richly illustrated. https://www.amazon.co.uk/BAe-P-1216-Supersonic-Aircraft-ProjectTech/dp/0956195113

 

[Owens Z]

That's right, the format is very much those popular books. The opening chapter puts you in the thick of the action in the Falklands. Basically to show 'this is what the Harrier ended up doing'. Then it goes into the history that led to the Harrier and P1154, from the 1940s, contrasting it with the EE Lightning and TSR2, showing how the Harrier was different from the mainstream. After showing how we got the Harrier, it then shows what we got after it, how it led to the F-35B, as well as contrasting this path with the Eurofighter Typhoon. All these stories are tied together by the people in them and the book tells new things about all these planes. I don't cover the craze for Harrier carriers but rather look at the plans to develop a naval successor, the P1216, and why that did not work out. Short version - company politics and a belief in design by analysis...

Mr Pryce, I see now that you had started a thread 'Harrier Carriers' on Secret Projects Forum in 2007. And a thread for what became this forthcoming book in 2012. And perhaps some of the posts in Overscan's 2006-2026 thread 'Advanced Harrier Projects' were helpful to your writing. I look forward to buying a copy of Jump Jet when it's published. Looks like mid-July, for both the USA and UK.

 

[Mike Pryce]

Mr Pryce, I see now that you had started a thread 'Harrier Carriers' on Secret Projects Forum in 2007. And a thread for what became this forthcoming book in 2012. And perhaps some of the posts in Overscan's 2006-2026 thread 'Advanced Harrier Projects' were helpful to your writing. I look forward to buying a copy of Jump Jet when it's published. Looks like mid-July, for both the USA and UK.

Yes, I have a long fixation on Harriers.

The new book does not cover advanced Harriers - it does uncover new stories of the P1127/Kestrel and the P.1216, with a focus on the people who designed them. I hope you like it.

I did write this paper on Harrier projects too: https://saemobilus.sae.org/papers/i...v-stol-combat-aircraft-1957-1990-2005-01-3195

 

[Owens Z]

Yes, I have a long fixation on Harriers.
The new book does not cover advanced Harriers - it does uncover new stories of the P1127/Kestrel and the P.1216, with a focus on the people who designed them. I hope you like it.
I did write this paper on Harrier projects too: https://saemobilus.sae.org/papers/i...v-stol-combat-aircraft-1957-1990-2005-01-3195

Good.

Since (as you said) the subject won't be included in Jump Jet, I refer your worthy 2007-2026 thread 'Harrier Carriers' and pages 182-185 of the book Yakovlev Aircraft Since 1924 by Bill Gunston & Yefim Gordon (Putnam, 1997) to whomsoever might take up the challenge mentioned in post #1122 of the thread 'Some Future Titles of Interest for SPF Members'.