REQ: Spanish Navy AV-8B serials - Waddington AS 2001

[ehusmann]

That is indeed the list you see very often, but also lists where the single seaters have serials from VA1-1 to VA1-10 and the twins are VAE1-1 and VAE1-2 (see this rundown for example). Without any further proof though, it remains quess work.

But, I have just redone my list and came to an "interesting" idea. The B harriers only started carrying serials very recently, but what if they only got serials assigned somewhat after they were delivered? As you mentioned already, the 01-908 seems to be a strange one as it doesn't fit in the serial/code sequence. But that one was seen as I mentioned earlier in 1992, but it crashed in 1993 already. Also, the 01-901 crashed early, in 1989 already. Now what if serials were only really assigned early 90ies, say after 1993 at least and before 1998 when the 01-902 crashed. In that case the 01-901, which was nr 13 delivered would never have gotten a serial (so no need to assign 13 to any plane) and the 01-908 was no more, so never got a serial either. That would explain why it seems out of sequence.

For the A models, they were probably sold before the serials were really assigned, so now it remains guess work which one had which serial (if any at all). Below is my new theoretic list of the B models, with full serials only given to planes that I have seen pictures of confirming the serial/code.

(13)	01-901	w/o 1989
14	01-902	w/o 1998
VA1A-15	01-903	
16	01-904	
17	01-905	
18	01-906	
VA1A-19	01-907	
	01-908	w/o 1993
20	01-909	
21	01-910	
VA1A-22	01-911	
23	01-912	
VA1B-24	01-914	
VA1B-25	01-915	
VA1B-26	01-916	
VA1B-27	01-917	
VA1B-28	01-918	
VA1B-29	01-919	
VA1B-30	01-920	
31	01-921	w/o 2003
VA1B-33	01-922	
VA1B-35	01-923	
VA1B-36	01-924	
VA1B-37	01-925	
VA1B-38	01-926	
VA1B-39	01-927

I welcome your thoughts.

Erwin

[Chris Berry]

Hi Erwin

Thanks for your note.

Unfortunately, we're getting into the realms of guess work.

Your theory could well be very plausible, however, we just don't know and perhaps we never will.

Apart from 01-908, it looks like, at best guess, the remaining codes/serial tie-ups are correct. 01-908 is an anomaly - most say it's serialled VA.1A-32 (AV-8B and w/o before upgrade to AV-8B+), some not.

Until someone comes up with some new material to clarify the situation further, I think it's probably best not to muddy the waters any further.

Kind regards and thanks for all your help and assistance on the matter,

Chris

[ehusmann]

You are true on that one. Some of it will remain unknown for some time, if not always. Which is what makes it interesting to me

Erwin

[Chris Berry]

Hi Erwin

Thanks for your reply.

Yep, I'm interested in trying to sort things out too. However, with little prospect of taking it any further, I'm not sure what can be gained from speculative guess work.

If anyone can add anything to confirm the missing data, I'd be delighted to have another look at it.

Kind regards and thanks again for your input, it really is appreciated,

Chris

[Patrol321]

Erwin,

I think we should visit Rota again for further investigation. But without the waiting like 1996!

Michael

[size=80][b][i][ Post made via Mobile Device ][/i][/b][/size]

[Coati]

This is what is listed in the book of Alas Espagnolas with the title Harrier AV-8B/B plus of Luis Diaz-Bedia Astor.


BuNo code Original serial serial In service date Till
163010 01-901 VA-11 VA.1A-13 6-10-87 27-2-90 (accident)
163011 01-902 VA-12 VA.1A-14 6-10-87 5-5-98 (accident)
163012 01-903 VA-13 VA.1A-15 6-10-87
163013 01-904 VA-14 VA.1A-16 2-11-87 6-4-01 (retrofit)
163014 01-905 VA-15 VA.1A-17 2-11-87 6-4-01 (retrofit)
163015 01-906 VA-16 VA.1A-18 2-11-87 2-7-02 (retrofit)
163016 01-907 VA-17 VA.1A-19 17-5-88
163017 01-908 VA-18 VA.1A-32 17-5-88 26-11-93 (accident
163018 01-909 VA-19 VA.1A-20 17-5-88
163019 01-910 VA-20 VA.1A-21 31-8-88 2-7-02 (retrofit)
163020 01-911 VA-21 VA.1A-22 15-9-88
163021 01-912 VA-22 VA.1A-23 15-9-88 2-7-02 (retrofit)
165028 01-914 VA.1B-24 30-1-96
165029 01-915 VA.1B-25 26-5-96
165030 01-916 VA.1B-26 19-6-96
165031 01-917 VA.1B-27 12-9-96
165032 01-918 VA.1B-28 22-3-97
165033 01-919 VA.1B-29 7-3-97
165034 01-920 VA.1B-30 10-7-97
165035 01-921 VA.1B-31 16-10-97
162747 01-922 VA.1B-33 29-2-02
165652 01-923 VA.1B-35 23-8-03
165653 01-924 VA.1B-36 23-8-03
01-925 VA.1B-37
01-926 VA.1B-38
01-927 VA.1B-39

The 903, 907, 909 and 911 were not converted to EAV-8B+, but they did study the possibility to convert them to Night Attack aircraft.

The dual is leased from the USMC, so maybe that explains the strange serial.

01-914 to 01-921 are the 8 new ordered Matadors (see delivery dates and compare to retrofit dates). The 923 to 927 are the 5 converted ones.

Very interesting is the serial given for 01-908, which is VA.1A-32. This Matador + is ordered during summer 1993. A few months later it crashed, so that might be a good explanation of the hole in the serial list. I think the existing aircraft which had to be rebuild or with the night attack capacity indeed already received a reservation in the serial system, which was VA.1A-32 tot VA.1A-39. Two of those aircraft crashed after summer 1993, (the 01-908 and the 01-902). I think 908 would have been VA1B-32 and 902 would have been VA1B-34.

Any comments welcome!Joost

[Coati]

I looked into the Scramble USMC database, to check serials 165652 and 165653, and they are both listed as AV8B not used! This is also true for 165654 till 165659, so the last three retrofitted matadors are probably also BuNo nummered in this range.

[Chris Berry]

Hi Coati

Many thanks for your two notes and input - much appreciated.

Kind regards, Chris