Express & Star

Watch: Harrier jump jet fires up after ten year restoration project

An iconic British fighter plane fired into life at the weekend, following a 10-year project to renovate the ageing RAF aircraft.

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Father and son engineers, Roy and Julian Millington, who run Millington Engines in Chetton, bought the Hawker Siddeley Harrier - commonly known as the 'jump-jet' a decade ago, via a dealer, from the MOD.

Harriers were introduced in the 1960s and became one of the RAF's principal air defence weapons.

The planes were the first jets in the world to be able to take of vertically and were deployed in the Falkland's conflict.

Following ten years of restoration, the Millington family invited the Harrier's original owner, Flt Lt Ian Wilkes, whose name is still written on the side of the cockpit, to fire it up on Sunday.

The starting of the jump-jet was among the star attractions at the Midland Oil Engine Show, which took place in Chetton.

The event raised at least £4,000 for the Midland Air Ambulance and Chetton Church.

Also at the show was a tractor run, aircraft fly-ins, an army tank display and a hovercraft display.

The Show was organised by the Midland oil Engine club and Julian, Roy and Sheila Millington. The tractor road run which left the show at 10am went up to Lord Boynes Estate in near Ditton Priors and returned at 2.30. The road run was organised by Tony Maiklem.