Press Releases — Archives
For immediate release
1 October 1997
Harrier has landed
Ottawa—On Sunday, October 5, 1997 at 6:30 p.m. the National Aviation Museum will officially unveil a long sought after addition to its collection and one of the world’s most famous fighter combat, the AV-8A Harrier. The unveiling will be held at a private reception and the aircraft will be on display to the public starting Tuesday, October 7. This aircraft will fill a missing link in the story of aviation that the Museum tells through Canada’s premier aeronautical collection. The British Aerospace-designed vectored thrust Harrier was the first successful fixed-wing vertical and short take-off and landing (V-STOL) combat aircraft, and still remains the only operational V-STOL aircraft in the Western world
Held on conjunction with the opening reception of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada’s (AIAC) annual general meeting, the unveiling will be witnessed by many of Canada’s most important aerospace industry figures. This auspicious occasion is indeed cayuse for celebration for the Museum and its partners, British Aerospace (BAE) and Rolls Royce Canada, who were instrumental in making this acquisition from the United States government possible.
After a transcontinental voyage from Arizona directly to Ottawa this June, the Museum restoration team reassembled the aircraft from the three flat bed trucks on which it was transported. After extensive restoration efforts over the summer months, the Harrier looks in top form as it did on its last mission in the 80’s.
The AV-8A Harrier acquired by the Museum was built by the company in England and entered service with the United States Marine Corps in September 1973. It was taken out of service in August 1985. The aircraft flew with three United States Marine Corps squadrons, VMA-531, VMA-231 and VMA-542 and was attached to the helicopter carriers USS Guam, USS Peleliu and USS Inchon. During its years of service, the aircraft served in the United States, on both the east and west coasts, at Iwakuni and Atsugi in Japan and in the Hawaiian Islands.
This unveiling coincides with another BAE initiative in Canada. The Canadian debut of the Hawk, another BAE designed aircraft is planned for 1999 as the trainer jet in the NATO Flying Training Program in Western Canada.
The National Aviation Museum is located at the intersection of the Aviation and Rockcliffe Parkway at the historic Rockcliffe Airport in Ottawa. The Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Admission is free after 5 p.m. on Thursday. Closed Mondays except holidays and school breaks. Parking is free.
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General information: 613 993-2010 or 1 800 463-2038
Christina Lucas
Communications Officer 613 993-4243 or