On this day 21 October 1960

First tethered flight of prototype VTOL Hawker P1127

Former RAF pilot, Bill Bedford, Hawker Siddeley’s test pilot, flew the first tethered flight of a P1127 at Dunsfold Aerodrome on the 21 October 1960. The first free flight hover was achieved on 19 November. First conventional flight was made on 7 July 1961 and first double transition 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.