Car garage parks a Harrier jump jet in the forecourt (From Winsford Guardian)

Car garage parks a Harrier jump jet in the forecourt

12:30pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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A WINSFORD garage took a flight of fancy when it bought a historic plane on eBay to display in its forecourt.

Classic Autos, on Woodford Park Industrial Estate, now boasts a Harrier Jump Jet by its MOT test bays after owner Paul Waldron snapped the relic up on the Internet auction site.

Helicopter enthusiast Paul, 49, said he just could not resist when he spotted the plane for sale.

He said: “It was definitely an impulse purchase, I was just browsing when I stumbled across it.

“This is the only one available in the world and we have it. It’s in pretty good condition, all the bits are there.”

The five-and-a-half tonne plane was delivered dismantled on a low loader to the Leslie Road garage and was rebuilt in just six hours on Thursday morning.

The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 plane, which would have cost £35million new, first flew at BAE Dunsfold in 1987 and was finally decommissioned in 1998.

Paul added: “The Harrier is a British invention, one of the best we’ve ever built. It’s great to have one here. We’ve made sure it’s secure so no-one will be wheeling off with it.”

Harriers are military jet aircraft capable of vertical and short take-off and landing. The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 was part of the first generation of the series, making it one of the first operational close-support and reconnaissance attack aircraft with such abilities. It is also one of the most flexible planes ever made.

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