Aviation History - March 2016 USA

March 2016 AH 25

ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BATCHELOR; PHOTO: ROLLS-ROYCE

Seldom in aviation history have
airplane and engine been as
mutually dependent as the Harrier
and the Pegasus. Conceived by
French designer Michel Wibault
between 1952 and 1955, the
Pegasus turbojet was capable of
redirecting its thrust for vertical
takeoff and landing. Starting in
1957, Gordon Lewis and his
engineering team at Bristol Aero

Engines Ltd. simplified and

lightened Wibault’s design,

incorporating axial compressors

and pairs of rotatable nozzles.

The BE.53 turbojet, bench-tested

in 1959, went on to become the

Rolls-Royce Pegasus that first

raised the Hawker Siddeley P.1127

off the ground in 1960.

FERRANTI FIN-1075

INTERNAL NAVIGATION

SYSTEM

AIM-9

SIDEWINDER

MISSILE

HIGH

RECOVERY

INLET

LANDING LIGHTS

NOSE LANDING GEAR

300-GALLON AUXILIARY

FUEL TANK

POD-MOUNTED ROYAL ORDNANCE

ADEN 25MM GAS-OPERATED

REVOLVER CANNON

HEART OF THE HARRIER

(A) (B)

MARTIN-BAKER MK.12

EJECTION SEAT

BLOW-IN

INTAKE DOOR

LEADING EDGE ROOT

EXTENSION

ROLLS-ROYCE

PEGASUS 11 (MK.105)

TURBOFAN ENGINE

PITCH

CONTROL

REACTION

AIR VALVE