BAe Harrier ZD433 Pilot acknowledges the spectators as he taxis his jet back to the hanger for the last time.
The Pilot of BAe Harrier ZD433 acknowlegdes the spectators as he taxis his jet back to the hanger after its last operational flight from RAF Cottesmore on December 15th 2010. The British government having decided to prematurely end the era of jet-fighter vertical take-off and landing capability within the UK armed forces as part of their budget cut program. This aircraft is slightly unusual as it has what is known as nose art painted on the side of the cockpit. The practice of applying nose art has sadly died out in recent years. In this case, the markings refer to munitions dropped by this aircraft as part of Operation Herrick, the UK's contribution to NATO's mission in Afghanistan. The various markings depicting the various bombs and rockets the jet has deployed.
Size: 4288px × 2848px
Location: Cottesmore RAF Base Cottesmore Lincolnshire England
Photo credit: © Peter Brogden / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: acknowledge, aeroplane, aerospace, aircraft, airplane, art, aviation, bae, bomb, british, cockpit, farewell, fighter, finish, goodbye, , gr9, greet, harrier, herrick, icons, jet, markings, military, mission, nose, open, pegasus, pilot, premature, rocket, sad, scrapped, vtol, zd433
