I remember those.
Not quite true, with anything like an ordnance load, the Harrier still needed a short take-off strip (hence the ‘ski-jumps’ on RN Aircraft Carriers).
Its a misconception that it could take off vertically when anything other than clean and half-empty.
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Manouvers from the last summer
With training and handling, quite a lot of jets are capable of starting and landing on Highways. It’s been an ongoing possibility that is widely used (Sweden, France, Germany, Switzerland… all different types).
The Swiss Airforce flying is just crazy.
Scares the “brown stuff” out of me watching film clips
The dii\gital camos sure look cool, but are they effective/useful?
True. I’m aware of the Harriers STOL requirements when armed and fully fueled. I’ve seen USMC ones in demos and training, ashore and at sea, for many of their early years of service. But the clearing area and metal planking space requirements for such ops are still a fraction compared to rough field or hiway operations of similarly tasked aircraft such as the A-10 and Jaguar.
On a related note, I’m curious as the benefits and drawbacks in comparison of the ski ramp flight deck of RN ships as opposed to the standard flight decks of USN ships that are tasked with Harrier ops.
Benefits are you don’t need a huge carrier, although the new QE Class are the biggest the RN has ever had, they’re still about 2/3 of the size of a US Fleet Carrier.
The USN doesn’t use the ski jumps because mostly, the ir decks are huge and you don’t need them (although maybe the USMC use auxiliary carriers?). Plus it doesn’t limit you to VSTOL/Rotary Wing ops.
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Wasps are about 200’ longer than the Illustrious which might be enough of a longer takeoff run?
Ski Jump looks like it eats up deck space equivalent to two helicopter spots.
I wonder if it’s a question of things like ops tempo and mission focus. The illustrious were aircraft carriers with the Harriers as their primary air asset, the Wasps (and Tarawas) were LHDs who’s primary mission was to put Marines ashore.
Yes, the ski ramp eats up deck space. Which cuts into embarked air group size due to storage limits. The Marines first started regularly operating Harriers off of Iwo Jima Class LPHs, which were markedly smaller than the follow on Tarawa Class LHA, or todays LHD Wasp Class. So the ski jump ramp is obviously not a “must have” for Harrier ops from smaller flight decks.
IIRC, the Illustrious Class originally started as with ASW envisioned as their primary NATO role. Hunting subs with embarked helicopters in the event of a new Battle of the Atlantic. The Sea Harrier contingent was for protection against snoopers and such. The Falklands war forced the change of traditional carrier role onto the class.
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The Spanish ‘Juan Carlos I’ also has ski jump for our AV-8B+ fleet. Smaller ship than the huge aircraft carriers but smaller load of aircrats also. 30 helicopters or 10-12 Harriers. But she also has storage for amphibian vehicles.
Today I came accidently by a report that UkAF Colonel Oleksandr Oksachenko was shot down and killed by russian troops last night during the defense of Kiev. He was a well known Airshow Display pilot and retired from service in 2018. Now he returned to the UkAF due to the fight against the russian aggression.
President Selenskyi awarded Oksachenko the title “Hero of Ukraine” posthumous.
Oberst Oleksandr “Grey Wolf” Oksanchenko bei Verteidigung der Ukraine gefallen | Austrian Wings
There are rumors that he might be (have been) the “Ghost of Kyiv”. Though I believe more ghosts have already appeared
Now we at least have a name and a face. R.I.P.
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A true hero …
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I read that this morning, but I didn´t read the name. He was, indeed, the demo pilot flying a Su-27. So I think he was not the Ghost, as he was a Su-27 pilot.
At this time, Ukranian security services claim 10 hits for the Ghost
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The Ghost of Kiev is Col. Tomb 
For those familiar with that legendary air ace.
RIP Col. Oksanchenko. No one can give more for their beliefs, people, and land. I do hope that he took some with him.
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Okay, he was one of the ghosts.
Thanks Carlos for naming him. I don’t know him, do you have a photo you can post here?
No, I was being facetious. During the Vietnam war, there was a legendary north Vietnamese air ace known as Col Tomb. According to the VPAF, he never existed. Amongst US forces he was reputed to fly both the Mig-17 and Mig-21. Supposedly he was also Randy Cunningham’s third and final kill on his May 10 1972 dogfight when he made ace.
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Now we at least have a name and a face. R.I.P.
Sorry to read. My thoughts are with all Ukrainiens!
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He was shot down over Kiev by the Ukrainian air defense
And the Kiev ghost is a myth. Only the Mi-35 was added to the losses of the Russian Air Force. Thus, two helicopters were lost during the operation
Myths can work either way. They can bolster morale or destroy morale.
As far as losses go, only the dead and their families (eventually) know for certain of what the real numbers are. Of course neither side wants to admit to actual losses during operations for security and morale purposes.
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