Harrier

HMS Harrier - 20-gun light frigate, Postillionen-class
Captain: Lewis McLain

Rechristened: Oct. 21st, 1720.

Decommissioned: Jan. 5th, 1720.

McLain's first frigate command, the Harrier was originally the HMS Aurion commissioned to Captain James Maddox, Esquire. Captain Maddox deeded the Aurion to McLain as a reward for service. After making modifications to the rigging, planking and guns, McLain rechristened the frigate Harrier. She served well as a patrol vessel, seeing extensive service at Santa Catalina and Puerto Cabezas. She was decommissioned to free dock space and allow McLain to commission a fourth-rate.

Major Actions:
The Harrier was only used for routine patrols around Honduras and Belize and is not referenced in any After Action Reports.

Modern Namesake
All of Captain McLain's commands are named in part after modern combat aircraft.

The Harrier jumpjet was the first successful combat aircraft to use thrust vectoring to achieve vertical take off and landing and transition to horizontal flight. The Harrier and its variants have served capably with the RAF, RN and USMC. Its most significant combat role was during the Falklands War, in which the Royal Navy relied on Sea Harriers for close air support and combat air patrol. Sea Harriers shot down several Argentinian fighters in this action, marking the only time VTOL aircraft have ever been used successfully in air-to-air combat.