A Harrier Jump Jet in time capsule condition has sold at Auction to a Private Collector for £105,800.
The 1976 Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 Jump Jet went under the hammer at a Public Auction at Silverstone racetrack in Northamptonshire.
The Aircraft served during the Cold War, Belize and the Falklands, and was described as being as good as new.
The Auctioneers even claimed there was a serious potential for the Aircraft to return to Flight.
It was restored by former RAF engineer Chris Wilson of Jet Art Aviation who bought the plane at a Ministry of Defence surplus equipment sale last year.
He spent more than 1000 man hours refitting the Aircraft before offering it up for sale, so its cockpit is now in Original condition with the Martin Baker ejector seat still installed.
He said I have never seen a Harrier jet for sale in such good condition, it looks as good as new.
A 1988 Panavia Tornado F3, the world’s only privately owned Aircraft of its kind, was also sold at the Auction for £36,800.
Sold for display purposes, the Jet has 3,000 hours of active service, including use as the personal mount of the Commanding Officer of 56 Squadron and visits to Malaysia and Alaska on exercise.
It is likely to be the only time a Tornado F3 is offered for Auction as the fleet has either been sent to museums or scrapped, Silverstone Auctions said.
A spokesman for Silverstone Auctions said both Aircraft went to private buyers in the UK.
There was a hush in the room as we got to the Harrier as it was later in the day and there was some Anticipation and Excitement over what it would sell for.
There was a bit of a bidding war between people in the room and bidders over the phones, but there was applause in the room after the gavel came down.
We're happy it sold for the price it did as we had expected it to go for at least £100,000.
The jet had been based at RAF Cranwell for 22 years where it was used as an Instructional Airframe to trainee engineering officers.
It was kept in a heated room meaning no corrosion or markings have scarred the Aircraft since its final Flight.
Speaking before The Silverstone Classic Sale on Saturday, July 26, Nick Whale, managing director at Silverstone Auctions, said We've never offered anything like this before and it's a privilege to be able to offer one of, it not the finest, Harrier in the world.
The history and provenance of the plane, combined with the fact that the Aircraft is so complete, means this really is an exciting opportunity.
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Mohini Porwal [ B Sc]
Trainee Aviation News Editor
RAF engineer Chris Wilson,
Harrier GR3 Jump Jet jet ,
The Aircraft served during the Cold War,
Silverstone Auctions,
Panavia Tornado F3 world’s only private Aircraft,
Nick Whale MD at Silverstone Auctions
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