Hawker's P.1127 was to lead to the development of the Harrier, one of the most famous aircraft of all time. The P.1127 combined the research from 'The Flying Bedstead' with the concept of vectoring thrust. This allowed the P.1127 to take off vertically like a helicopter, but fly at the same speed as a jet. The P.1127 made its first vertical take off on the 21st of October, 1960. It was soon realised that the P.1127 would be useful in several roles. Its VTOL capability would make it perfect for operations from a ship, even one not designed as an aircraft carrier. This VTOL capability would also make it an ideal CAS aircraft, as it would be able to operate from small, camouflaged clearings in forests, or unprepared strips close to the FEBA. It would also be incredibly manoeuvreable, (thanks to its vectoring thrust) being able to make 'impossible' 90° turns. The P.1127 was next developed into the Kestrel, an aircraft developed jointly between the UK, US & West Germany. West Germany & the US eventually abandoned the project, but the UK went on to develop the Harrier. The US did eventually acquire its own VTOL aircraft, the AV-8A (later AV-8B), a development of the Harrier. West Germany attempted to design its own VTOL aircraft using information gathered during the Kestrel project, namely the VFW-Fokker Vak 191B. The Vak 191B was cancelled in the mid-seventies, & Germany never acquired a VTOL aircraft.
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