Tri-Service

Harrier Fires Back Into Life After Quarter Of A Century

After an 18-month restoration job, the owner of a 1976 Harrier jump jet has put it up for sale for a six-figure sum.

The old plane was purchased from the Ministry of Defence and transported up the M1 motorway where a team of enthusiasts set to work to bring the 40-year-old jet back to life.

Harrier GR3's went to war in the Falklands and were deployed to other locations such as Germany, Norway and Belize.

This particular harrier for sale saw service with 4 Squadron in Germany, as well as No 1 Sqn, No 3 Sqn, 233 OCU and 1453 Flight in the Falklands.

After leaving service the aircraft spent 15 years at RAF Number 1 School of Technical Training before finally ending up sitting outside London Air Cadet Squadron.

When Jet Art took ownership of the GR3 XZ130 the Harrier needed some work:

"It was in surprisingly good condition considering all that time sat out in the elements but has nevertheless been the subject of an 18 month, 2000-hour restoration by Jet Art Aviation.

"We have carried out a full repaint in a beautiful gloss finish and applied the same markings she had when last in service with 4 Squadron, complete with yellow lightning flash, red and black fin and ex USAF exchange pilot Captain L Y Ching’s name down the side of the cockpit. But the result is not just cosmetically pristine, this machine is alive. Just as much effort has gone into sourcing all the missing components and making her mechanically complete as went into that stunning external finish."

Chris Wilson has spent the past 18 months tending to the needs of one lady. He's been all over the country to buy her whatever she needs.

Restoring the aircraft is Chris's full-time job. His business specialises in applying TLC to everything from small instruments and gauges to complete aircraft.

More: Where Are They Now? Once-Mighty Harrier Fleet Languishes

After initially extracting the plane by negotiating the small streets of a London suburb, Chris's team set to work.