Omega - the last of the Royal Navy Sea Harriers

Ladder fitted, Sea Harrier awaits it's pilot

ZH812/005 is loaded with tanks and CAIM-120A training rounds

Four of the few remaining 801 NAS sea jets were to be used during the demonstration.

The Sea Harrier weapon of choice - the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, the AIM-120A. With the airframe going out of service it will now, I assume be passed onto the RAF for use on Tornado F3s. The F3 is now, supposedly fully AMRAAM capable although they still do not appear to carry the weapon unless on a photoshoot, QRA aircraft still use the obsolete Sky Flash for some unknown reason several years after it was released that the update programme was complete!

Lt Chris Roy is the very last pilot to convert to the RN Sea Harrier.

First jet taxying to the active runway with the other three waiting.

With no 30mm Aden cannon's fitted on the fuselage the Sea Harrier has a unusual look to it.

801 NAS still had a USMC Harrier pilot on a exchange posting.

Final jet rolling.

RN Jetstreams were also doing circuits.

One of two remaining T.8s following the F/A.2s out. The day after these were taken one was due to be withdrawn.

Sea Harriers are not the only jets operating from Yeovilton. Two RN Hawks taxi out behind the the SHARs

If I was going up in a Hawk I'd be pretty pleased as well!

One of the two Hawks that, in turn, followed the T8 out

Given the poor weather, the diamond four flypast was no doubt as difficult to fly as it was to get a decent photograph!

Into the hover, and very close to the photographers.

This is loud enough from a distance at a airshow - even with ear defenders this close it's overwhelming!

Surely the best angle to photograph any Harrier, whatever the variant.

The best shot from the several hundred taken that morning.

002 starts it's roll for the ramp....

....and is on it's way!

After landing and backtracking for the ski-jump.

Each of the four pilots took a turn.

Very impressive to see four Sea Harriers take the Yeovilton ski-jump at very close quarters so near to the squadrons demise.

Unlike some visits to some military airfields in the past, 801 at Yeovilton did not come up with endless health & safety rules. They just trusted the photographers to keep out of trouble - which everybody did. The navy certainly is the way to go.

Backtracking after landing for the ski-jump, 004 on the nose.

The bow to the audience was a dead cert!

They really were rather close!!!

In the hover and moments from touchdown.

Taxying in at the end of a superb hour of non-stop action playing to the photographers.

Four-fifths of the remaining SHAR pilots with 801 NAS. Only the boss is missing. Many thanks for such a enjoyable hour and its a shame that a year later 801 NAS has not reappeared as planned with GR7/9s. By now it seems likely the squadron will not reform whatever the 'plans' are!