Author Mike Pryce will introduce his newly-launched book Jump Jet: The Secret History of the Harrier This event will take place both in-person and online. Jump Jet abstract Victory in the Falklands War made the Harrier’s name as a world-beating British icon, as capable of giving the enemy a bloody nose as it was of thrilling the crowds at air shows with its thunderous aerial ballet. Its failure seemed inconceivable. But that’s not the real story of the Harrier. From its inception, it faced an uncertain future. Designed to survive a nuclear war, it barely survived government cuts. And in an era of big, supersonic, fighters, the little jump jet was too often dismissed as a novelty. The Harrier’s designer, Ralph Hooper, knew that the naysayers were as wrong as the digital data that failed to produce a working rival to his little jump jet. He saw what the computers could not. Hooper’s masterpiece was born of instinct and feel. And, from day one, was nurtured by American confidence in his unique creation. Rich with revelatory detail, Jump Jet tells the inspiring story of the Harrier’s unlikely triumph, but also reveals for the first time the inside story of Ralph Hooper’s revolutionary design for the Harrier’s successor. And uncovers how Hooper, discarded at home by the company whose reputation he helped cement, was called back to save the day when America’s own troubled jump jet was on life support. This is the real story of a British flying legend, and of the man who made it. About the speaker An Imperial alumnus, Dr Michael Pryce studied a master’s in the History of Technology before completing his PhD at the University of Sussex. He went on to work on aircraft projects, from the famous Harrier jump jet to electric ‘flying taxis.’ Mike was an independent science and technology advisor to the UK Government, work that led to ‘Team Tempest’ – the future of fighter design. In between aviation projects he helped build Amazon when it was just a company selling books.

Description supplied by the event organiser.