I came across a note today of a man that wrote about how he met his wife. Full of optimism and goodness. Wholesome. Here it is.
And I thought, how rare that is for young men today.
They are all so scared of being seen as needy, or offensive, or misogynistic, or being ostracised and so on. Brainwashed from birth by woke bullshit. Well, I just reflected on how I lived my life, and I thank God it worked out as it did, honestly I do, but man… how can you even call it living if you don’t do as your heart commands?
I know, I know… the advice everyone gives you is to use your head, blah, blah, well… I came up with this analogy a long time ago, and I figure it’s time to share it with the internet.
I think a man is (or at least should be) a bit like an old Harrier jump jet almost no one remembers, the XZ146, which also went by various other names, such as T.4, T.4N, T.Mk4, TAV-8S, or VAE.1, but we will stick with the real name, the Harrier Jump Jet XZ146 version.
These VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) capable fighter jets could be equipped with variable weapon loads, making them one of the most versatile combat aircraft ever built. 1 They had a pilot and a navigator in it. The Navigator was also known as the Weapons System Officer, and I believe fired the 25mm gun pod the XZ146 could be equipped with. 2
AAAAAAnyway… 3 The point is that if we take this jump jet as the analogy, you need to know a tiny bit about its configuration (don’t worry, I have relegated the Autistic level data to the footnotes. Mostly. Kinda.) 4
So this is what you need to know:
- It has a crew of two: Pilot and Navigator/Weapons System Officer (WSO)
- It can carry a variety of weapons depending on the mission
- It was used primarily as a training craft because of its two seat configuration, but was one of the most adaptable fighter/bomber jet ever built
- It could land and take off vertically
And now for the analogy:
- The Pilot is your brain
- The Navigator is your Heart
- The Pegasus Engine is your gut
Now… here is the analogy.
Everyone thinks the Pilot is the cool guy, the leader, the man! He runs the show, right?
Nah. You know what the main, almost sole purpose of the Pilot is?
To make sure the plane, survives and gets back to base.
That’s it.
Who REALLY controls things is the Navigator. He’s the guy that tells you where to go, what to do when you get there, when to trigger all the weapons and if needed the evasive counter-measures, and he’s also the guy that knows the way back home.
The ENTIRE purpose of your brain, as far as I am concerned, is to make you (brain, body and heart) survive , the adventures, trips, dogfights, bombing runs, and scouting missions your heart sends you on. It’s good to have a good brain. Especially is you have a heart as crazy as the one I was born with. Because otherwise you almost certainly will be shot down, blown up, or taken prisoner and ass-raped by your enemies, probably to death. And probably live on camera.
As for your gut, if you want it to really work well for you, you have to fine tune it. you have to know it better than your brain. Because if you get a sense that something is wrong in your gut and you ignore it, your entire fighter/bomber (life) can just dunk into the ocean without further warning. So, as always, the key point:
Know Yourself
It’s certainly not for everyone to live like that. The again, most people don’t want to train to be navigators in a Harrier Jump jet at age 17. And mind you, in reality, I am glad I didn’t get in. Because the likelihood would have been that if I did I would have been asked to possibly bomb goat-herders in Iraq or Afghanistan, with whom I really had no reason to want to harm, much less blow up for the machinations of the child-raping vampires that run these wars.
But the analogy served me well for decades, and I still live by it. Of course, just like the XZ146, I’m getting a little on in years, 5 so I might not rush headlong into the thick of battle anymore, being more prone to go only on short runs to bomb the crap out of anything threatening my base, should such a thing show up, and otherwise mostly giving joy rides to the kids as best I can while it all still works.
My life has certainly had extremely interesting and joyful highs and just as extremely interesting and dramatic lows, make no mistake, when new acquaintances as about me I try to brush them off with a quick and funny answer, but those that dig and seem to really want more inevitably go from a look of polite interest to the kind of face you see on people driving slowly past a multi vehicle pile up with bodies scattered all around.
As I said, this is not life advice for YOU.
I’m just telling you how *I* lived and live my life. And in all honesty it’s probably a miracle or ten I am still alive and well, you know “free”, insofar as any of us is on this prison planet.
Now, if you happen to be of the same sort, then good luck to you, WSO! May your cannons fire promptly, your sidewinders find their enemy swiftly, and your bombs clear out the evil below you, and may you always pat that pilot on the back every time he manages to get you back home despite his protests at the insane trips and missions you take him on.
As for me…
Well. I could never imagine living any other way.
If you are wondering… yeah… I know a little bit about it because at age 17 I tried to enlist in the RAF in the UK, but I could not as I needed to have lived there for 3 years before I could apply. I also did not have 20-20 vision, which meant I would never be a pilot, but… I could have been the navigator, and in that plane, as far as I recall, the navigator fired the cannons. And I LOVED this specific type of combat jet, although it was mostly used as training craft because of its capacity for 2 crew. But it was awesome.
Obligatory details:
Harrier XZ146 Overview
The Harrier XZ146 is a variant of the Harrier jump jet, specifically designed for ground attack and reconnaissance missions. It is part of the British Aerospace Harrier family, known for its vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) capabilities.
Weapons Configurations
Primary Armament
The Harrier XZ146 can be equipped with various weapons systems, including:
WEAPON TYPEDESCRIPTION:
25mm Gun Pod. Mounted under the fuselage for close air support.
Mk 82 Bombs. General-purpose bombs used for ground attack.
Mk 83 Bombs. Heavier bombs for increased explosive power.
Laser-Guided Bombs Precision munitions for targeted strikes.
AIM-9 Sidewinder Missiles. Air-to-air missiles for engaging enemy aircraft.
AGM-65 Maverick Missiles. Anti-tank missiles for ground targets.
Loadout Flexibility
- The Harrier XZ146 allows for flexible loadout configurations depending on mission requirements.
- In combat scenarios, it can carry a combination of bombs and missiles, optimizing for either air-to-ground or air-to-air engagements.
Operational Modes
- Air Combat Mode: Utilizes missiles and guns for aerial engagements.
- Ground Attack Mode: Focuses on deploying bombs and guided munitions against ground targets.
The Harrier XZ146’s versatility in weapon configurations makes it a formidable aircraft in various combat situations.
From the Command: Modern Operations / Modern Air Naval Operations website however, we also have MORE specs. You want more specs, right? Because the train is fine!
Harrier T.4 – 1977
General data:
Type: Trainer
Crew: 2
Min Speed: 350 kt
Max Speed: 540 kt
Wingspan: 7.7 m
Height: 3.4 m
Length: 14.4 m
Max Payload: 0 kg
Empty Weight: 5535 kg
Max Weight: 11168 kg
Operator: Royal Air Force
Commissioned: 1977
Propulsion: 1x Pegasus 11 Mk.103
Sensors / EW:
ARI.18223
– ESM
RWR, Radar Warning Receiver
Max Range: 222.2 km
Ferranti 106 [Laser Rangefinder]
– (Laser Ranger & Marked Target Seeker) Laser Rangefinder
Laser Rangefinder
Max Range: 7.4 km
Ferranti 106 [Laser Spot Tracker]
– (Laser Ranger & Marked Target Seeker) Laser Spot Tracker (LST)
LST, Laser Spot Tracker
Max Range: 14.8 km
Weapons / Loadouts:
Generic Recon Pod [Visual] – Sensor Pod
190 ImpG Drop Tank – Drop Tank
Mk13 1000lb GPB
– (RAF, Low Drag) Bomb
Surface Max: 1.9 km. Land Max: 1.9 km.
BL.755 No.1 CB [147 x GP Anti-Armor Bomblets]
– (1973) Bomb
Surface Max: 1.9 km. Land Max: 1.9 km.
WE.177 Type C [300kT Nuclear]
– (1973-1998) Bomb
Surface Max: 1.9 km. Land Max: 1.9 km.
Yeah… you read that right… it could carry a 300kt Nuclear Bomb.
Just a little one, you know, just enough to get rid of some bad guys. Look, like on lone XZ146 could get rid of so much evil with just one tiny 300kt nuclear warhead… I’m just saying…
Because they are hard to find details, and you sort of need to know, okay? OKAY?!
And just like me, this craft is rare, and it’s history is a bit mysterious. Apparently it was used in combat, but almost no one knows about it, and almost no one can confirm it, so… yeah, I mean… you wanna know, right?
Combat History of the XZ146 Harrier
Overview
The XZ146 is a variant of the Harrier Jump Jet, specifically the Harrier GR3. This aircraft was part of the British Royal Air Force and was primarily used for ground attack and close air support missions.
Combat Engagements
- Falklands War (1982): The Harrier GR3, including variants like the XZ146, played a crucial role during the Falklands War. British Sea Harriers operated from aircraft carriers and were instrumental in achieving air superiority against the Argentine Air Force. The Harrier’s unique capabilities allowed it to launch from small carriers without catapults, providing immediate support to ground forces.
- Other Conflicts: While specific records of the XZ146’s individual missions may not be detailed, Harrier jets were also deployed in various other conflicts, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they provided close air support in rugged environments.
Conclusion
The XZ146 Harrier, as part of the Harrier GR3 fleet, did see combat, most notably during the Falklands War, contributing significantly to the British military’s air operations.
It was decommissioned in March 2011.
This post was originally published on my Substack. Link here
