A Red Deer businessman has put one of his prized possessions, a Sea Harrier, up for sale on eBay and he’s hoping the almost-flyable aircraft stays in Canada.
- Ian Cotton, of Red Deer, is selling this nearly flyable Sea Harrier on eBay
Ian Cotton told Canadian Aviator he bought the aircraft from the British government in 2005 with the idea of getting it running and at least taxiing it for the public.
Cotton, who operates a gas turbine natural gas and electrical generation company in Red Deer, said he simply doesn’t have the time to do the Harrier justice so he’s hoping someone else will.
He’s set a “buy-it-now” price of $1.5 million on the aircraft, which he said comes with spare parts and even a full cockpit to turn into a simulator, but after three days on eBay there were no bids. He said he has been getting phone and email enquiries.
The British government decommissioned its fleet of Sea Harriers and the AV8 ground attack variant in 2001 and the U.S. Marines bought most of them.
Cotton also owns some Hawker Hunter and Lightning fighters and a BAE Strikemaster.
He said he may get the Strikemaster, a two seat trainer and light attack aircraft that is similar to the Tutor, flying again.