On this day 21 October 1960

The first tethered flight of a prototype VTOL Hawker P1127 took place at Dunsfold Aerodrome on the 21 October 1960 and free flight hover was achieved on 19 November. First conventional flight was made on 7 July 1961 and first double transition (vertical take off to horizontal flight to vertical landing) on 12 September 1961.

The Hawker P.1127 and the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 developed from it were the experimental and development aircraft that led to the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. In the 1970s the British Aerospace Sea Harrier was developed from the Harrier for use by the Royal Navy on Invincible class aircraft carriers.