THE LAST AND LOUDEST

Story and photos by Mike Colaner

At the 2024 Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point Airshow held May 11th and 12th, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels were the featured headliner. However, the real draw for the one hundred twenty thousand attendees was the historic final public demonstration of the AV-8B Harrier II, a significant event marking the end of an era in United States Marine Corps aviation history.

The Harrier has been a crowd favorite for over 50 years due to its extraordinary ability to take off and land vertically, earning the early nickname of the ‘jump jet.’ Its distinctive Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine and its capability to hover and perform vertical short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) maneuvers set it apart from other aircraft, captivating aviation enthusiasts for decades.

It is not only a crowd favorite but also one of the grunts for close air support. Commander-in-Chief of United States Forces for the Gulf War, United States Army General Norman H. Schwartzkopf Jr., named the AV-8B Harrier II one of several important weapons in the 1991 Gulf War.

Introduced to the U.S. Marine Corps in 1971, the Harrier’s continued service is a testament to its unique capabilities and evolving design. This is quite an accomplishment for an aircraft that began to serve in the same year as the Navy’s Grumman F-14 Tomcat. However, more than the Tomcat has come and gone in the Harrier’s lifetime. The Navy and Marine Corps electronic warfare platform, the Grumman EA-6B Prowler, and technological leaps like the Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter) have all been developed, deployed, and retired.

While the 2024 MCAS Cherry Point Airshow may mark the final public demonstration, reflecting on where it began is essential. The ‘Flying Nightmares’ of Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 513 became the first Marine Corps squadron to field the Hawker–Siddeley AV-8A Harrier at MCAS Beaufort on April 16, 1971.

Lieutenant General Thomas Miller, United States Marine Corps (Retired), was the aviation visionary known as the Marine Corps “Father of the Harrier”. He played a pivotal role in procuring the Harrier from British Aerospace for the Marines after becoming the first U.S. Marine to fly the AV-8A in October 1968, a testament to his pioneering spirit and dedication to advancing military aviation.

In an interview published in the Smithsonian Air-Space Magazine in 1982, General Miller said of the Harrier to the Marine Corps Historical Society, “I can take an AV-8B and put the same bomb load on it that you can put on an F-16, and I can carry it just as far, and drop it just as accurately as an F-16 can, and I can come back and land on a postage stamp. Even on takeoff, I don’t need a 5,000-foot runway; I can take off in 200 feet with that load.”

I spoke to two of the Marine Corps’ finest Harrier aviators, United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonels (Retired) William R. Spicer and Art Nalls Jr. Between these two Marines, they have flown all of the Marine Corps Harrier variants, including the AV-8A, B, and C models and the TAV-8A and B models. In 1979, 49 AV-8A models were upgraded to the little-known AV-8C by adding radar warning sensors in the tail, chaff, and flare dispensers for improved survivability. The AV-8C was a stop-gap with a short service life until the AV-8B Harrier II could be procured.

Lt. Colonel Spicer recalled, “In 1974 and 1975, there were few requests for Harrier demonstrations. By 1976, the country’s bicentennial year, there was a tremendous requirement for military air shows across the country. The Marine Corps did not have a designated Harrier demonstration team or pilots trained to fly the demonstrations. Instead, the Marine Corps would task one of the tactical squadrons to handle the request. Usually, they would send two aircraft, one flying a demo and the other on static display. Most of the time, the commanding officer (CO) or operations officer (OP) would select a pilot with the experience to show the aircraft’s operational capabilities.

He continued, “Many pilots volunteered for the air demos, seeing it as a chance to showcase the Harrier’s unique capabilities. However, the risk was high. An accident or incident could mean the end of a pilot’s career. When performing an air demo, a pilot represented the Marine Corps, and every move was scrutinized by thousands, including the entire Washington Establishment.”

Lieutenant Colonel Spicer recalled that his first air show was at Deer Valley Park Airfield near Phoenix, AZ. “They had a large static aircraft display, including two Harriers and performers like Bob Hoover and the Blue Angels. I learned from that first airshow that conventional aircraft demos were identical with a lot of high-speed passes down the runway, maybe some rolls or other maneuvers.”

“So, I decided to give the crowds what they came to see. I only did a few high-speed passes and showcased how different a Harrier is from a conventional aircraft. I opened the show with a Short Takeoff (STO), only rolling 300 feet, and by using nozzled thrust, I was airborne and made a sharp turn away from the crowd line. I returned in front of the crowd with a high-speed pass into a 5 G turn back to the field. I then put the nozzles in the braking/stop position and brought the aircraft to a hover at the show center. To go from about 425 knots to a hover in about 40 seconds was something that only other Harrier pilots had ever seen or done.”

“I had watched many acts before me, paying particular attention to the crowds. When conventional aircraft flew, the patrons would look, but they didn’t stand still and stare. They kept sipping their drinks, eating sandwiches, and walking about.”

“However, when I flew the Harrier, that changed. As soon as I was in a stabilized hover at the show center at 50 feet, I could see up and down the entire flight line. Nobody was moving; the crowd just stood and stared, and that’s when I knew what they’d come here to see. From then on, I always put the aircraft through all the vertical short takeoff landing (VSTOL) maneuvers I could and took them to the edge of the envelope.”

Lt. Colonel Spicer continued, “As pilots gained experience and a deeper understanding of the Harrier’s aerodynamics, they began to include several non-routine maneuvers in their demos. These maneuvers were never done in the regular operational role, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the show. They were unusual and fun for the pilots, and they always succeeded in entertaining the audience, keeping them engaged and on the edge of their seats.”

“Coming to a hover and backing the aircraft while still hovering was popular, as were sliding pedal turns from the hover. I would push the rudder pedal to make the plane turn a complete circle while maintaining a hover at about 50 feet, and then, with a bit of stick input, you could make the aircraft drift or appear to be doing sliding circles down the runway. A vertical landing to quick vertical takeoff to a hover, then accelerating into forward flight, was another maneuver that got a lot of attention.”

“The braking stop bow was also very popular with the crowds. While in a hover, it required the pilot to drop the aircraft nozzles into the braking stop, causing the nose of the aircraft to dip significantly. Then, the pilot put the nozzles back into the hover stop. If you did it quickly enough, the plane appeared to bow. I usually did this at the end of my demonstrations.”

This pioneering spirit has been a hallmark of the Harrier demonstrations, with Lt. Colonel Spicer’s deep understanding of the Harrier’s attributes formed many of those early demos. His passion for the aircraft and his skill as a pilot were instrumental in shaping the Harrier’s legacy.

Lt. Colonel Nalls is known to many as the owner and performer of the world’s first privately owned and flown Harrier. He obtained a British Aerospace FA-2 Sea Harrier; however, it may surprise many that he never flew a Marine Corps Harrier demonstration during his service career.

Lt. Colonel Nalls said, “The early AV-8A demos were initially conducted to showcase the Harrier to the public and garner support for funding a completely redesigned McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II.”

He continued, “Headquarters Marine Corps would receive as many as three to four daily requests for the Harrier demonstration, with the Harrier demonstration receiving more requests than the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds combined. This popularity was a testament to the Harrier’s unique capabilities and the skill of its pilots, making its appearance at airshows a must-have participant.”

Lt. Colonel Nalls added, “The popularity and demand for the Harrier eventually forced the Navy to issue a policy that the Blue Angels and Harrier demonstrations could not appear at the same airshow. The Navy reasoned that the Blue Angels were the ‘official’ U.S. Navy / Marine Corps demonstration team whose primary purpose was recruiting. They wanted to keep their recruiting assets manageable.” Lt. Colonel Nalls said, “The real reason is that Harrier was more popular.”

When asked what the Harrier meant to military aviation, Lt. Colonel Nalls stated, “For me, the Harrier symbolizes an iconic Marine Corps airplane. The Harrier is the real deal—a dragster, a Ferrari, and a helicopter all rolled into one. It hovers purely on engine thrust.”

However, the sun has yet to set on the Harrier II. The 2nd Marine Air Wing, Marine Air Group 14, will continue to fly the Harrier II for two more years. VMA-231′ Ace of Spades’ will fly their beloved Harriers for another year, and VMA-223 ‘Bulldogs’ are slated to continue operations as the last Marine Harrier squadron through September 2026.

So why was this deemed the last demo?

Initially scheduled for retirement in Fiscal year (FY) 2015, the Marine Corps realized in FY 2013 that they had to extend the service life of their 134 remaining Harriers to prevent a fighter gap due to the delayed development and delivery of the F-35B, the Harrier’s replacement. This revised plan called for the Harrier to serve another 15 years and retire in increments until FY 2030 (now revised to FY 2026). It also meant that the Harrier would be the last legacy aircraft replaced by the F-35.

However, in a cost-saving measure, the Navy / Marines recently reversed the retirement order of its remaining legacy aircraft. The Harrier will now be retired by September 2026, and the legacy Hornet F/A-18 (C/D) service life will be extended until September 2030.

With the Italian Navy retiring its Harriers by 2025, the Spanish Navy will be the last operator of the Harrier II until its scheduled retirement in 2030.

With only two active Harrier squadrons remaining (both on the East Coast), many factors made 2024 the ideal year for the final public demonstration. The scheduled transition to the F-35B and the requirement for new facilities are at the top of the list. Additionally, there is limited airframe life expectancy and spare parts availability for the Harrier II without a significant cost. The training programs have been shut down, with the final two Harrier pilots and five maintainers completing their primary schools in the past few months. These factors and the uncertainty of how many Harriers would still be in service in the spring of 2026, when the next bi-annual MCAS Cherry Point airshow would presumably be held, made 2024 the last best chance at a Harrier II demonstration.

The ‘Ace of Spades’ of VMA -231 was honored to fly the ‘Last and Loudest’ Harrier II public demonstration. The squadron, founded in 1919, is the Marine Corps’ first and oldest aviation squadron. It has flown the Hawker–Siddeley AV-8A, AV-8C Harrier, and McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) AV-8B and TAV-8B Harrier II variants. The Marine Corps Aviation Plan has VMA-231 transitioning to the F-35B beginning next year and safe for flight with six STOVL jets in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. The plan calls for 16 F-35Bs within 24 months of reaching initial operational capability.

For the Final Public Demonstrations, the Harrier II – Plus demonstration pilots were Major Eric’ Porky’ Scheibe on Saturday and the Commanding Officer of VMA-231, Lieutenant Colonel Paul’ Possum’ Truog, for the final demonstration on Sunday.

While many hoped, if not expected, that one of the two remaining Harrier color birds would be used for the final demonstration, they were disappointed to learn that both were remanded to a static display duty for unexplained reasons.

The Harrier II – Plus Demo aircraft flown for both days was BuNo 165389, MODEX CG-07. This Harrier was the 305th AV-8B built and the 22nd remanufactured using parts from BuNo 162744. It was delivered to VMA-542 ‘Tigers’ on April 7, 1999, and served with the VMA-214 ‘Black Sheep’ and VMA-311 ‘Tomcats’ squadrons.

While the AV-8B Harrier II – Plus model is the latest and greatest version, it remains a stick and rudder-controlled aircraft, not flown by computers (fly by wire) like the F-35B. The pilot manually controls the nozzles, stick, and rudder using hydraulics and the reaction control system, which uses bleed air wing tips, nose, and tail to control the aircraft.

The final two public demonstrations varied slightly, with Lt. Colonel Truog mixing in a few more turns and VIFFing, vectoring in forward flight the thrust nozzles forward rather than rearward in routine flight.

On both days, the aircraft started from the hot ramp at show left. They taxied past the enthusiastic crowds and utilized runway 32 right (32R) for departure and recovery.

Both demos began with a short takeoff (STO), as LT Colonel Spicer did in the AV-8A in the 1970s. They only rolled several hundred feet before becoming airborne and breaking away from the crowd before returning with a high-speed pass. For the Harrier, this is subsonic at Mach 0.9 or 585 knots / 673 MPH / 1,083 KMH maximum. Saturday’s demonstration by Major Scheibe had only one high-speed pass compared to Lt. Colonel Truog’s two on Sunday.

The photo pass and the carrier break followed on Saturday’s demo, with Lt. Colonel Truog reversing this order for Sunday’s demonstration.

Both demos then slowed from 500 knots to a stop before backing into a hover. The Hover demo featured the aircraft turning around in a circle and yawing from side to side along the runway.

Both pilots retracted the gear and injected the demineralized water the Harrier carries onboard into the engine, increasing the thrust, as visible in the plumes of dark exhaust.

Both demos concluded with a return to runway 32R and a taxi past the thrilled crowd. With the Harrier’s Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11-61 (Mk. 107) power plant roaring at 125 decibels, the only thing possibly louder was the applause for this legendary aircraft.

As an extra special fund-raiser, VMA-231 sold chances for a flag and presentation case to be flown aboard the last demo flight on Sunday with Lt. Colonel Truog.

But this wasn’t the last time the crowds would see the Harrier in flight or on the ground this airshow weekend.

VMA-231 returned with AV-8B BuNo 165574 MODEX 05 and participated in the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) demonstration later in the show. The MAGTF demo featured the Harrier simulating an air-to-ground pop-up bombing run and an air-to-air refueling demonstration with an F/A-18C Hornet wingman and a KC-130J Super Hercules.

Other fleet Harriers displayed at the Cherry Point air show were BuNo 164557, MODEX CG-10, the VMA-231 spare demo aircraft on the hot ramp for both days. Static displays were provided by VMA-223 ‘Bulldogs’ color bird BuNo 164559 MODEX 223, their TAV-8B (two-seat trainer) BuNo 163196 MODEX 32, and VMA-231 provided their color bird BuNo 165582 MODEX 19.

I am incredibly grateful to Lieutenant Colonel William Spicer, Lieutenant Colonel Art Nalls Jr., and Research and Instruction Librarian Christi Bayha of the Marine Corps University Research Library for their technical and historical assistance. I also want to thank my fellow photographers, Jeff Deckman of Radar Contact Photography, Howard German of the Aviationist, and Brad Silcott of BDS Photography, for their invaluable assistance with this piece. Thank you all!