Hobby Master HA2633 AV-8B Harrier II Plus "Operation Inherent Resolve" 165357, VMA-231, USCENTCOM, 2017

Hobby Master Air Power Series 1/72 Scale

HA2633 AV-8B Harrier II Plus "Operation Inherent Resolve" 165357, VMA-231, USCENTCOM, 2017

Limited Edition

In 2017, Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231), known as the "Ace of Spades," deployed aboard the USS Bataan in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Flying the AV-8B Harrier II, the squadron conducted close air support and precision strike missions against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria. The Harrier's ability to operate from amphibious assault ships allowed VMA-231 to deliver rapid, flexible airpower in support of coalition forces on the ground. The deployment demonstrated the squadron's enduring combat effectiveness and the unique capabilities of the Harrier in austere environments, reinforcing Marine Corps aviation's role in the fight against global terrorism.

Designed to meet a NATO specification for a light tactical support fighter that was also capable of Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL), the Harrier first flew in 1960. This unique aircraft is the only successful V/STOL design among the many proposed in the 1960s. There are four different versions of the Harrier, which use thrust vectoring to achieve V/STOL: the first-generation Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Naval strike/air defence BAE Sea Harrier, the US AV-8B Harrier II variant and the British BAE Harrier II. The Harrier was produced between 1969 and 2003.