Sea Harrier Serials
No. Type Delivered Other
XZ438 Sea Harrier FRS1 19 Apr 82 BAe & A&AEE development aircraft
Written-off 17 May 82 due to fuel imbalance.
Pilot - LtCdr. D. Poole (809 NAS) ejected with
minor injuries.
XZ439 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 unknown BAe & A&AEE development aircraft
First aircraft to ramp launch at sea (30 Oct 80)
FA2 trials aircraft, converted Oct 89
XZ440 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 03 Jun 82 BAe & A&AEE development aircraft
Conversion to service aircraft 27 May 88
Conversion to FA2 and damage repair 1991
XZ450 Sea Harrier FRS1 03 Apr 82 BAe & A&AEE development aircraft (Sea Eagle trials)
Written-off 04 May 82 over Goose Green by radar
controlled AA gun. Pilot - Lt. N. Taylor (800 NAS,
HMS Hermes) lost.
XZ451 Sea Harrier FRS1 18 Jun 79 First RN Sea Harrier. 3 confirmed kills over
Falklands (Pucara & C-130 by LtCdr. N. 'Sharkey'
Ward, Canberra by Lt. A. Curtis, both 801 NAS, HMS
Invincible)
Written-off 01 Dec 89 near Sardinia due to
control failure. Pilot - Lt. M. Auckland (801 NAS,
HMS Ark Royal) ejected safely.
XZ452 Sea Harrier FRS1 12 Oct 79 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Mirage III by
FltLt. P. Barton, 801 NAS, HMS Invincible)
Written-off 06 May 82 in suspected collision
with XZ453 while on CAP over Falklands.
Pilot - LtCdr. 'E-J' Eyton-Jones (801 NAS) lost.
XZ453 Sea Harrier FRS1 31 Jan 80 1 shared kill over Falklands (Mirage III by
Lt. S. Thomas, 801 NAS, HMS Invincible)
Written-off 06 May 82 in suspected collision
with XZ452 while on CAP over Falklands.
Pilot - Lt. A. Curtis (801 NAS) lost.
XZ454 Sea Harrier FRS1 15 Feb 80 Written-off 01 Dec 80 during flying display
over HMS Invincible, striking top of ski-jump.
Pilot - LtCdr. M. Blisset (800 NAS) ejected with
minor injuries.
XZ455 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 09 Oct 80 2 confirmed kills over Falklands (2 Daggers by
FltLt. B. Penfold and LtCdr. R. Frederickson, both
800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Converted to FA2 1993. Written-off 14 Feb 96 in
accident over Adriatic Sea. Pilot ejected safely.
XZ456 Sea Harrier FRS1 04 Jan 80 Written-off 01 Jun 82 by Roland AAM over Falklands.
Pilot - FltLt. I. 'Morts' Mortimer (801 NAS, HMS
Invincible) ejected safely.
XZ457 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 31 Jan 80 4 confirmed kills over Falklands (2 Daggers by
LtCdr. A. Auld, 2 Skyhawks by Lt. Morell, both 800
NAS, HMS Hermes)
Converted to FA2 1993
XZ458 Sea Harrier FRS1 22 Feb 80 Written-off 01 Dec 84 by bird strike initiated
engine failure over Fort William, Scotland.
Pilot - Lt. Collier ejected with minor injuries.
XZ459 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 15 May 80 Converted to FA2 1994
XZ460 Sea Harrier FRS1 29 May 80 Written-off 09 May 90 by flying into sea after
take-off. Pilot - Lt. Holmes (800 NAS, HMS
Invincible) lost.
XZ491 Sea Harrier FRS1 14 Apr 82 BAe test aircraft
Written-off 16 Apr 86 running out of fuel.
Pilot - LtCdr. Sinclair ejected safely.
XZ492 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 29 Dec 80 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Skyhawk by
Lt. Thomas, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Converted to FA2 1994
XZ493 Sea Harrier FRS1 06 Jan 81 Written-off 15 Dec 94 due to control failure
during hover alongside HMS Invincible.
Pilot - Lt. D. Kistruck (800 NAS) ejected safely.
XZ494 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 05 Dec 80 Converted to FA2 1995
XZ495 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 11 Mar 81 Converted to FA2 1993
Written-off 05 Jan 94 over Bristol Channel due
to engine failure. Pilot - Lt. Wilson (899 NAS)
ejected safely.
XZ496 Sea Harrier FRS1 11 Feb 81 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Skyhawk by
LtCdr. M. Blissett, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 16 Mar 84 by engine failure alongside
HMS Illustrious. Pilot ejected safely.
XZ497 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 22 Apr 82 BAe development aircraft
Converted to FA2 1992. A&AEE test aircraft
XZ498 Sea Harrier FRS1 13 May 81 Written-off 16 Apr 94 by AAM near Gorazde.
Pilot - Lt. N. Richardson (801 NAS, HMS Ark Royal)
ejected safely.
XZ499 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 22 Jul 81 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Skyhawk by
LtCdr. Smith, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Converted to FA2 1995
XZ500 Sea Harrier FRS1 05 Aug 81 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Skyhawk by
FltLt. Leeming, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 15 Jun 83 over Bay of Biscay.
Pilot - Lt. Hargreaves ejected safely.
ZA174 Sea Harrier FRS1 16 Nov 81 Written-off 23 May 82. Slipped off side of ship due
to deck movement in heavy seas. Pilot - LtCdr.
M. Broadwater (801 NAS, HMS Invincible) ejected
safely.
ZA175 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 07 Dec 81 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Dagger by
LtCdr. N. 'Sharkey' Ward, 801 NAS, HMS Invincible)
Converted to FA2 1996
ZA176 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 16 Dec 81 Caused an international incident 07 Jun 83 when
pilot Lt. I. 'Soapy' Watson landed on a Spanish
freighter after a NAVHARS failure.
Converted to FA2 1995
ZA177 Sea Harrier FRS1 06 Jan 82 2 confirmed and 1 shared kill over Falklands (3
Skyhawks by FltLt. Morgan, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 21 Jan 83 off Hermes. Pilot - Lt.
Fox ejected with spinal injuries.
ZA190 Sea Harrier FRS1 07 Dec 81 2 confirmed and 1 shared kill over Falklands (2
Daggers by Lt. S. Thomas and 1 Puma by LtCdr.
D. Braithwaite respectively, both 801 NAS, HMS
Invincible)
Written-off 15 Oct 87 by bird strike. Pilot ejected
safely.
ZA191 Sea Harrier FRS1 05 Jan 82 1 shared kill over Falklands (A109 helicopter by
FltLt. Leeming, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 04 Oct 89 by hitting HMS Ark Royal's
mast during flypast. Pilot - Lt. P. Simmonds-Short
ejected safely.
ZA192 Sea Harrier FRS1 03 Mar 82 3 shared kills over Falklands (2 Pumas and an A109
by FltLt. Morgan, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 23 May 82 by explosion after take-off.
Pilot - LtCdr. Batt (800 NAS) lost.
ZA193 Sea Harrier FRS1 02 Feb 82 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Dagger by LtCdr.
Smith, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 25 Aug 92 ditching alongside HMS
Invincible after loosing a pitch nozzle. Pilot -
Lt. Wilson (800 NAS) ejected safely.
ZA194 Sea Harrier FRS1 28 Apr 82 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Dagger by Lt.
Hale, 800 NAS, HMS Hermes)
Written-off 20 Oct 83 by control restriction
related crash. Pilot - Major O'Hara (USMC) ejected
safely.
ZA195 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 25 Jan 84 BAe and A&AEE development aircraft, built to
replace XZ438 & XZ450.
FA2 conversion prototype.
ZD578 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 27 Mar 85 Converted to FA2 1994
ZD579 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 20 May 85 Converted to FA2 1993
ZD580 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 10 Jul 85 Converted to FA2 1994
ZD581 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 28 Aug 85 Converted to FA2 1995
ZD582 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 07 Oct 85 Converted to FA2 1992
ZD607 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 06 Nov 85 Converted to FA2 1995
ZD608 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 17 Oct 85 Converted to FA2 1993
ZD609 Sea Harrier FRS1 11 Dec 85 Written-off 10 May 91 by control restriction
related crash over South Wales. Pilot - Lt. H.
Mitchell ejected with serious injuries.
ZD610 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 11 Dec 85 Converted to FA2 1996
ZD611 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 11 Dec 85 Converted to FA2 1994
ZD612 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 09 Jan 86 Converted to FA2 1992
ZD613 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 04 Nov 86 Converted to FA2 1994
ZD614 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 07 Apr 86 Converted to FA2 1995
ZD615 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 19 Jun 86 Converted to FA2 1991
ZE690 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 13 Nov 87 Converted to FA2 1993
ZE691 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 23 Nov 87 Converted to FA2 1994
ZE692 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 08 Dec 87 Converted to FA2 1994
ZE693 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 05 Jan 88 Converted to FA2 1995
ZE694 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 08 Mar 88 Converted to FA2 1996
ZE695 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 02 Feb 88 Converted to FA2 1990. Second conversion,
never served as an FRS1.
ZE696 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 06 Apr 88 Converted to FA2 1993
ZE697 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 13 May 88 Converted to FA2 1993
ZE698 Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2 16 Aug 88 Converted to FA2 1995
18 aircraft (numbered ZH796 to ZH813) have been newly built as Sea Harrier FA2s,
delivered from 1995 onwards.
A greatly more detailed list of the histories of the above aircraft (as well as many excellent photographs) can be found in the book "The Sharp End - Sea Harrier Front Line" by Neil Mercer.
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