Why is there a Harrier Jump Jet on the patio?

The plane hovering over the patio is a British Sea Harrier FA.2. She entered service with the Royal Navy on the 19th June 1986 and served on board the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Invincible.
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Picture courtesy of the Royal Navy

In 1993 the Driftwood's Harrier was upgraded from an FRS1 Harrier to the much more modern FA.2, and subsequently took part in the NATO mission "Deny Flight" which enforced the UN's no-fly zone over Bosnia during the Bosnian War.

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If you look at the tail, there are some clues as to the plane's history. The Winged Fist logo is the insignia of the 899 Squadron. We know that in 1993, this squadron was assigned a test Harrier from the Operation Evaluation Unit (OEU) to test out the FA.2 modifications. And, if you look at the very top of the tail, you can see the letters OEU - meaning the Driftwood's Harrier was almost certainly that test plane.

The ZD615 at the bottom of the tail, is the serial number.

She was eventually retired from service in 2002, but her career wasn't quite over yet. The model aircraft manufacturer Hobby-Masters used the Driftwood's Harrier as their reference plane for their 1:72 die cast Harrier model kit. It's not made anymore, but they do pop up for sale occasionally on E-Bay - so you can have your very own Driftwood Harrier if you hunt around.
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Picture courtesy of Hobby-Masters

In 2009 the plane was sold to Ian Cotton (the owner of the Driftwood) and shipped across the world to Canada. After a few years in storage, she was finally put on display at the Driftwood Pub in 2024 so that she can be enjoyed by enthusiasts and kids of all ages.
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