Low Flying Yesterday - _07Oct19-07.jpg (1/1)

[RustY©]

[PVK]

Great stuff, RustY, I always look forward to your posts.

I've never noticed those flat plates sticking down from under the Harrier's
fuselage before. Any idea what they are for ?

Cheers
P


"RustY©" > wrote in message
. 163...

[RustY©]

"PVK" > wrote in message
...
>
> I've never noticed those flat plates sticking down from under the
Harrier's
> fuselage before. Any idea what they are for ?

I can't say that I have ever thought about them but how about blast shields
for the centreline stores for when the jet nozzles are pointing downwards ?
They do look as though they are in the right place to be deflectors.

[PVK]

Yep, could be that. Certainly nothing to do with yaw stability, though they
will have some effect at speed.

"RustY©" > wrote in message
...
>
> "PVK" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> I've never noticed those flat plates sticking down from under the
> Harrier's
>> fuselage before. Any idea what they are for ?
>
> I can't say that I have ever thought about them but how about blast
> shields
> for the centreline stores for when the jet nozzles are pointing downwards
> ?
> They do look as though they are in the right place to be deflectors.
>
>

[Ken Barnes]

"RustY©" > wrote in message
...
>
> "PVK" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> I've never noticed those flat plates sticking down from under the
> Harrier's
>> fuselage before. Any idea what they are for ?
>
> I can't say that I have ever thought about them but how about blast
> shields
> for the centreline stores for when the jet nozzles are pointing downwards
> ?
> They do look as though they are in the right place to be deflectors.
>
>

I seem to remember reading somewhere, that the plates increase the lift
available in the vertical takeoff mode. This lets the aircraft do a vertical
take off with more weapons onboard, or use less fuel with a lighter load.

Ken
No, I'm not a pilot, "but-I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night".
<grins>
To our non U.S. friends, it's a TV commercial